Vacuum air gap membrane distillation system and method for desalination
AssigneeNgee Ann Polytechnic
InventorsJames Antony Prince, Gurdev Singh, Tiruvannamalai Subbarayan Shanmugasundaram
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Abstract
This invention relates to a vacuum air gap membrane distillation system for desalination purposes. More particularly, this invention relates to a membrane distillation system with multiple cells in which the system's flux is increased due to the temperature and pressure differential within the system. The configuration of the vacuum air gap membrane distillation system allows for latent heat within the system to be recycled effectively reducing the energy consumption of the system.
Claims29
A desalination system comprising:
- a first condensation sheet having a feed side and a distillate side wherein a feed solution is in fluid communication with the feed side of the first condensation sheet;
- a heat exchanger configured to heat the feed solution after the feed solution has contacted the feed side of the first condensation sheet;
- a first distillation membrane at a specified distance from the distillate side of the first condensation sheet having a distilland side and a distillate side wherein heated feed solution from the heat exchanger is in fluid communication with the distilland side of the first distillation membrane;
- a first condensation chamber formed between the distillate side of the first distillation membrane and the distillate side of the first condensation sheet, having a first collection outlet and a first extraction outlet spaced apart from one another, and
- a vacuum generator in communication with the first collection outlet and the first extraction outlet.
A method for purifying liquids using a distillation system having a first distillation membrane with a distillate side and a distilland side, and a first condensation sheet with a distillate side and a feed side, the first condensation sheet being located at a specified distance from the first distillation membrane in which the distillate side of the first distillation membrane faces the distillate side of the condensation sheet forming a first condensation chamber, the first condensation chamber having a first collection outlet and a first extraction outlet, the method comprising the steps of:
- applying negative pressure to the first condensation chamber through the first collection outlet and the first extraction outlet through a vacuum generator;
- flowing a feed solution along the feed side of the first condensation sheet;
- heating, using a heat exchanger, the feed solution after the feed solution has contacted the feed side of the first condensation sheet and directing the heated feed solution to the distilland side of the first distillation membrane;
- flowing the heated feed solution along the distilland side of the first distillation membrane;
- transferring latent heat from the heated feed solution to the feed solution when water vapour from the-heated feed solution condenses on the distillate side of the first condensation sheet;
- collecting condensate formed on the distillate side of the first condensation sheet through the first collection outlet;
- and
- extracting non condensable gases formed within the first condensation chamber through the first extraction outlet.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.