Systems including a condensing apparatus such as a bubble column condenser

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9364771-B2
Application number	US-201514718184-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 21, 2015
Priority date	Sep 12, 2013
Publication date	Jun 14, 2016
Grant date	Jun 14, 2016

Abstract

Condensing apparatuses and their use in various heat and mass exchange systems are generally described. The condensing apparatuses, such as bubble column condensers, may employ a heat exchanger positioned external to the condensing vessel to remove heat from a bubble column condenser outlet stream to produce a heat exchanger outlet stream. In certain cases, the condensing apparatus may also include a cooling device positioned external to the vessel configured and positioned to remove heat from the heat exchanger outlet stream to produce a cooling device outlet stream. The condensing apparatus may be configured to include various internal features, such as a vapor distribution region and/or a plurality of liquid flow control weirs and/or chambers within the apparatus having an aspect ratio of at least 1.5. A condensing apparatus may be coupled with a humidifier to form part of a desalination system, in certain cases.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A humidifier apparatus, comprising:
a vessel, comprising:
a liquid inlet in fluid communication with a source of a liquid comprising a condensable fluid in liquid phase;
a liquid outlet;
at least one chamber in fluid communication with the liquid inlet and the liquid outlet, the at least one chamber comprising:
one or more baffles defining a liquid flow path through the chamber, wherein the liquid flow path has an aspect ratio of at least about 1.5; and
a bubble generator comprising a plurality of holes positioned at or near a bottom portion of the chamber and configured to permit vapor to travel through the plurality of holes;

a vapor inlet in fluid communication with a source of a vapor mixture comprising a non-condensable gas; and
a vapor outlet in fluid communication with the at least one chamber,

wherein the humidifier apparatus produces a vapor-containing humidifier gas outlet stream enriched in the condensable fluid in vapor phase relative to the vapor mixture received from the vapor inlet, wherein the vapor-containing humidifier gas outlet stream exits the vessel through the vapor outlet.

2. The humidifier apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the bubble generator comprises a surface defining a bottom surface of the at least one chamber.

3. The humidifier apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the bubble generator comprises a sparger plate.

4. The humidifier apparatus of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the plurality of holes have a diameter in the range of about 1 mm to about 15 mm.

5. The humidifier apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a vapor distribution region positioned below the at least one chamber, wherein the vapor distribution region is in fluid communication with the vapor inlet.

6. The humidifier apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the condensable fluid comprises water.

7. The humidifier apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the liquid comprises salt-containing water.

8. The humidifier apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the non-condensable gas comprises air.

9. The humidifier apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a second vapor inlet.

10. The humidifier apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the liquid flow path has an aspect ratio of at least about 5.

11. The humidifier apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the liquid flow path has an aspect ratio in the range of about 1.5 to about 10.

12. The humidifier apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the liquid flow path is substantially non-linear.

13. The humidifier apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the one or more baffles are longitudinal baffles.

14. The humidifier apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one chamber comprises two or more baffles positioned along a bottom surface of the chamber.

15. The humidifier apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one chamber has an aspect ratio of at least about 1.5.

16. The humidifier apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one chamber has an aspect ratio in the range of about 1.5 to about 10.

17. The humidifier apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one chamber has a substantially rectangular cross section.

18. The humidifier apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one chamber has an aspect ratio of about 1 or less.

19. The humidifier apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one chamber has a substantially circular cross section.

20. The humidifier apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one chamber comprises a first weir positioned along a bottom surface of the chamber.

21. The humidifier apparatus of claim 20 , wherein the first weir has a height of about 0.1 m or less.

22. The humidifier apparatus of claim 20 , wherein the first weir has a height of about 0.04 m or less.

23. The humidifier apparatus of claim 20 , wherein the first weir has a height in the range of about 0.02 m to about 0.1 m.

24. The humidifier apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one chamber comprises a first chamber and a second chamber.

25. The humidifier apparatus of claim 24 , wherein the one or more baffles are arranged such that the liquid flows along a length of the first chamber in a first direction and along a length of the second chamber in a second, opposing direction.

26. The humidifier apparatus of claim 24 , wherein the first chamber is arranged vertically above the second chamber.

27. The humidifier apparatus of claim 24 , further comprising a downcomer arranged between the first chamber and the second chamber to facilitate flow of the liquid from the first chamber to the second chamber.

28. The humidifier apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the humidifier apparatus is fluidly connected to a condenser apparatus configured to receive the vapor-containing humidifier gas outlet stream.

29. The humidifier apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the vapor mixture further comprises the condensable fluid in vapor phase.

30. The humidifier apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one chamber comprises a liquid layer comprising an amount of the liquid comprising the condensable fluid in liquid phase and a vapor distribution region positioned above the liquid layer.

Assignees

• Gradiant Corp

Inventors

• Govindan Prakash Narayan
• Lam Steven
• St John Maximus G

Classifications

• C02F1/048

  Purification of waste water by evaporation · CPC title

• B01D5/003

  within column(s) · CPC title

• B01D5/0003

  by using heat-exchange surfaces for indirect contact between gases or vapours and the cooling medium · CPC title

• Y02W10/37

  using solar energy · CPC title

• B01D5/006 Primary

  with evaporation or distillation · CPC title