Low pressure vapour of polar fluid condenser based on liquefaction in running non-polar liquid

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020025421-A1
Application number	US-201816495790-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 27, 2018
Priority date	Mar 27, 2017
Publication date	Jan 23, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a method of collecting, including condensing, vapour of a polar fluid inside a liquid that is subjected to continuous flow in a process system, the liquid having a low vapour pressure (i.e. non-volatile) and being a non-polar liquid. The collection of the vapour, by condensation, occurs via four transition steps: (1) vapour (e.g. vapour of water) transferring sensible heat to the liquid (e.g. oil), (2) bubbles containing vapour collapse and become water in hot oil, (3) dissolved vapour liquefies through heat removal at elevated temperatures, and (4) oil and water are separated due to the difference in polarity between the polar fluid and the non-volatile non-polar liquid. The present method converts low grade (i.e. low temperature) waste heat into high grade heat source suitable for efficient heat rejection or heat recovery applications. An apparatus for collecting vapour of a polar fluid in a non-volatile non-polar liquid is also provided.

First claim

1 . A method of collecting vapour of a polar fluid in a non-volatile non-polar liquid, comprising:
providing in an enclosed container an initial volume of the non-volatile non-polar liquid; maintaining a reduced pressure above the surface of the non-volatile non-polar liquid; introducing a first input stream comprising the polar fluid or a super-heated vapour of the polar fluid into the enclosed container, wherein the non-volatile non-polar liquid is less dense than the polar fluid and is disposed above the polar fluid; introducing a second input stream comprising the non-volatile non-polar liquid into a section of the enclosed container containing the non-volatile non-polar liquid; and withdrawing an output stream from the section containing the non-volatile non-polar liquid, wherein the output stream comprises a mixture of the vapour of the polar fluid, the non-volatile non-polar liquid and optionally some of the polar fluid which has condensed from the vapour of the polar fluid.

2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the reduced pressure is set at a pressure which is sufficiently low to convert at least some of the polar fluid into the vapour of the polar fluid.

3 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein introducing the second input stream comprises delivering the non-volatile non-polar liquid from a position which is at a same height as or above the first input stream.

4 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein introducing the second input stream comprises delivering the non-volatile non-polar liquid with some polar fluid present in the non-volatile non-polar liquid.

5 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising mixing the mixture with a non-volatile non-polar liquid having substantially low polar fluid content to condense the vapour of the polar fluid.

6 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising cooling the mixture to condense the vapour of the polar fluid.

7 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the polar fluid comprises water.

8 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the non-volatile non-polar liquid comprises hydrocarbon, non-synthetic lubricant, mineral oil and/or vegetable oil.

9 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the vapour of the polar fluid comprises water vapour.

10 . An apparatus for collecting vapour of a polar fluid in a non-volatile non-polar liquid, comprising:
an enclosed container comprising an initial volume of the non-volatile non-polar liquid; a first outlet connected to a pump which reduces pressure above the surface of the non-volatile non-polar liquid; a first inlet configured to introduce a first input stream comprising the polar fluid or a super-heated vapour of the polar fluid into the enclosed container, wherein the non-volatile non-polar liquid is less dense than the polar fluid and is disposed above the polar fluid; a second inlet configured to introduce a second input stream comprising the non-volatile non-polar liquid into a section of the enclosed container containing the non-volatile non-polar liquid; and a second outlet configured to withdraw an output stream from the section containing the non-volatile non-polar liquid, wherein the output stream comprises a mixture of the vapour of the polar fluid, the non-volatile non-polar liquid and optionally some of the polar fluid which has condensed from the vapour of the polar fluid.

11 . The apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the pump is a positive displacement pump.

12 . The apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the first inlet comprises one end disposed in the section containing the non-volatile non-polar liquid.

13 . The apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the second inlet comprises one end disposed at a position in the section containing the non-volatile non-polar liquid which is at a same height as or above the first inlet.

14 . The apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the second inlet is configured to introduce the second input stream comprising the non-volatile non-polar liquid with some polar fluid present in the non-volatile non-polar liquid.

15 . The apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the second outlet comprises one end disposed at a position in the section containing the non-volatile non-polar liquid which is at a same height as or above the first inlet.

16 . The apparatus according to claim 10 , further comprising a chamber configured to mix the mixture with a non-volatile non-polar liquid having substantially low polar fluid content to condense the vapour of the polar fluid.

17 . The apparatus according to claim 10 , further comprising a heat exchanger which cools the mixture to condense the vapour of the polar fluid.

Assignees

• Agency Science Tech & Res

Inventors

• Isakov Dmitry

Classifications

• F25B33/00

  Boilers; Analysers; Rectifiers (boiler-absorbers F25B35/00) · CPC title

• F25B23/006

  boiling cooling systems · CPC title

• F28C3/08 Primary

  with change of state, e.g. absorption, evaporation, condensation (generating steam under pressure F22) · CPC title

• F25B35/02

  using a liquid as sorbent, e.g. brine · CPC title

• B01D5/0027

  by direct contact between vapours or gases and the cooling medium · CPC title