Multi-stage bubble-column vapor mixture condenser

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9403104-B2
Application number	US-201514744907-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 19, 2015
Priority date	Sep 23, 2011
Publication date	Aug 2, 2016
Grant date	Aug 2, 2016

Abstract

A multi-stage bubble-column vapor mixture condenser comprises at least a first stage and a second stage. Each stage includes a carrier-gas inlet and a carrier-gas outlet, as well as a condenser chamber containing a condensing bath in fluid communication with the carrier-gas inlet and the carrier-gas outlet. The carrier-gas inlet is positioned to bubble carrier gas from the carrier-gas inlet up through the condensing bath, overcoming a hydrostatic head of the condensing bath. The carrier-gas outlet is positioned with an opening for carrier-gas extraction above the condensing bath, wherein the first-stage carrier-gas outlet is in fluid communication with the carrier-gas inlet of the second stage to facilitate flow of the carrier gas through the condensing bath in the condenser chamber of the first stage and then through the condensing bath in the condenser chamber of the second stage.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A multi-stage bubble-column vapor mixture condenser, comprising:
at least a first stage and a second stage, wherein each stage includes:
a carrier-gas inlet;
a carrier-gas outlet; and
a condenser chamber containing a condensing bath in fluid communication with the carrier-gas inlet and the carrier-gas outlet, wherein the condensing bath has a substantially constant temperature from top-to-bottom of the bath, wherein the carrier-gas inlet is positioned to bubble carrier gas from the carrier-gas inlet up through the condensing bath, overcoming a hydrostatic head of the condensing bath, wherein the carrier-gas outlet is positioned with an opening for carrier-gas extraction above the condensing bath, wherein the first-stage carrier-gas outlet is in fluid communication with the carrier-gas inlet of the second stage to facilitate flow of the carrier gas through the condensing bath in the condenser chamber of the first stage and then through the condensing bath in the condenser chamber of the second stage;

a source of coolant; and
a conduit passing from the coolant source through the condenser chamber of each stage of the bubble-column vapor mixture condenser, wherein the coolant source and the conduit are configured to direct coolant through the conduit in counterflow to carrier-gas flow through the condenser to recover energy from condensation.

2. The multi-stage bubble-column vapor mixture condenser of claim 1 , further comprising a third stage that also includes a carrier-gas inlet, a carrier-gas outlet and a condenser chamber containing a condensing bath, wherein the carrier-gas inlet of the third stage is positioned to bubble carrier gas up through the condensing bath of the third stage, wherein the carrier-gas outlet of the third stage is positioned with an opening for carrier-gas extraction above the condensing bath of the third stage, and wherein the carrier-gas outlet of the second stage is in fluid communication with the carrier-gas inlet of the third stage to facilitate flow of the carrier gas through the chamber of the second stage and then through the chamber of the third stage.

3. The multi-stage bubble-column vapor mixture condenser of claim 1 , further comprising a bubble generator coupled with the inlet of each stage to generate bubbles of the carrier gas in the condensing baths.

4. The multi-stage bubble-column vapor mixture condenser of claim 1 , wherein the condenser chamber has a height-to-diameter aspect ratio less than 1.

5. The multi-stage bubble-column vapor mixture condenser of claim 1 , wherein the condenser chamber is oriented along a non-vertical angle.

6. The multi-stage bubble-column vapor mixture condenser of claim 1 , wherein each of the carrier-gas inlet and the carrier-gas outlet of each stage is an upstream or downstream side of a sieve plate or a sparger.

7. The multi-stage bubble-column vapor mixture condenser of claim 1 , wherein the coolant is in a liquid phase.

8. The multi-stage bubble-column vapor mixture condenser of claim 7 , wherein the coolant includes water.

9. The multi-stage bubble-column vapor mixture condenser of claim 8 , wherein the coolant is a feed liquid from a feed-liquid source, wherein the feed liquid includes a vaporizable component.

10. The multi-stage bubble-column vapor mixture condenser of claim 9 , wherein the condensing baths include the vaporizable component in liquid phase in the chambers of the first and second stages of the bubble-column condenser.

11. A method for multi-stage bubble-column vapor mixture condensation using the multi-stage bubble-column vapor mixture condenser of claim 1 , comprising:
introducing a carrier gas including a vaporized component through the carrier-gas inlet of the first stage;
bubbling the carrier gas up through the first-stage condensing bath while condensing a portion of the vaporized component of the carrier gas into the first-stage condensing bath;
extracting the carrier gas from the carrier-gas outlet of the first stage;
passing the carrier gas from the carrier-gas outlet of the first stage through the carrier-gas inlet of the second stage;
bubbling the carrier gas up through the condensing bath of the second stage while condensing an additional portion of the vaporized component of carrier gas into the second-stage condensing bath; and
extracting the carrier gas from the carrier-gas outlet of the second stage.

Assignees

• Massachusetts Inst Technology
• Univ King Fahd Pet & Minerals
• Massachusetts Inst Technology

Inventors

• Govindan Prakash Narayan
• Thiel Gregory P
• Mcgovern Ronan K
• Lienhard John H
• Elsharqawy Mostafa H

Classifications

• B01D5/0036 Primary

  Multiple-effect condensation; Fractional condensation · CPC title

• B01D5/0027

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

• C02F1/048

  Purification of waste water by evaporation · CPC title

• Y02W10/37

  using solar energy · CPC title

• B01D3/007

  Energy recuperation; Heat pumps · CPC title