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US 10,293,272 B2Granted
Distillation processes, distillation units, and systems therefor
OwnerRickey S. Lutterbachinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Processes and systems suitable for purifying or otherwise treating liquids to remove contaminants therein, including but not limited to contaminated water, to permit reclaiming, recycling, and reuse of the liquids. Such a process and system entails the use of a cascading distillation system that evaporates a liquid from the feedstock and then condenses and collects a more purified form of the liquid. The cascading distillation system can be operated to selectively process the feedstock through any of a series of vessels at which different amounts and/or contaminants may be removed from the feedstock.
Claims29
A cascading distillation process for treating a feedstock containing a liquid and contaminants to remove the contaminants therefrom, the process comprising:
- providing a system comprising a series of vessels that include a first vessel and a plurality of downstream vessels that are fluidically downstream from the first vessel, the series of vessels being fluidically connected to each other so that the first vessel can be selectively fluidically connected in fluidic series to any one or more of the downstream vessels, the first vessel and at least a first of the downstream vessels each comprising an interior chamber in which is defined a reservoir configured to receive and contain the feedstock, a heating element for heating the feedstock contained in the reservoir to evaporate the liquid therefrom, a condensation surface above the reservoir, and a collecting means arranged and configured for collecting condensation flowing by gravity from the condensation surface;
- delivering the feedstock to the reservoir of the first vessel;
- heating the feedstock contained in the reservoir of the first vessel with the heating element immersed in the feedstock to evaporate a first portion of the liquid and thereby form a first vapor thereof, the first vapor rising from the reservoir of the first vessel to thereby separate the first portion from at least one contaminant remaining in the feedstock, the first vapor rising to contact the condensation surface above the reservoir of the first vessel;
- condensing the first vapor on the condensation surface of the first vessel to form thereon a condensation of the first vapor that flows by gravity from the condensation surface and collects in the collecting means of the first vessel as the first portion of the liquid;
- removing the first portion of the liquid from the collecting means of the first vessel;
- delivering the first portion of the liquid to the reservoir of the first downstream vessel;
- heating the first portion of the liquid contained in the reservoir of the first downstream vessel with the heating element immersed in the first portion to evaporate a second portion of the liquid and thereby form a second vapor thereof, the second vapor rising from the reservoir of the first downstream vessel to thereby separate the second portion from at least one contaminant remaining in the first portion, the second vapor rising to contact the condensation surface above the reservoir of the first downstream vessel;
- condensing the second vapor on the condensation surface of the first downstream vessel to form thereon a condensation of the second vapor that flows by gravity from the condensation surface and collects in the collecting means of the first downstream vessel as the second portion of the liquid;
- and
- removing the second portion of the liquid from the collecting means of the first downstream vessel.
7 more elements
A cascading distillation process for treating a feedstock containing a liquid and at least first and second contaminants to remove the first and second contaminants therefrom, the process comprising:
- delivering the feedstock to a reservoir within a first vessel of a series of vessels that are fluidically connected in series;
- heating the feedstock contained in the reservoir of in the first vessel with a first heating element immersed in the feedstock to evaporate a first portion of the liquid and thereby form a first vapor thereof, the first vapor rising from the reservoir of the first vessel to thereby separate the first portion from the first contaminant remaining in the feedstock, the first vapor rising to contact a condensation surface within the first vessel and above the reservoir of the first vessel;
- condensing the first vapor on the condensation surface of the first vessel to form thereon a condensation of the first vapor that flows by gravity from the condensation surface and collects in a collecting means of the first vessel as the first portion of the liquid;
- removing the first portion of the liquid from the collecting means of the first vessel so as to leave therein a first residual portion of the feedstock;
- delivering the first portion of the liquid to a reservoir within a second vessel of the series of vessels;
- heating the first portion of the liquid contained in the reservoir of the second vessel with a second heating element immersed in the first portion to evaporate a second portion of the liquid and thereby form a second vapor thereof, the second vapor rising from the reservoir of the second vessel to thereby separate the second portion from a second residual portion of the feedstock containing the second contaminant, the second vapor rising to contact a condensation surface within the second vessel and above the reservoir of the second vessel;
- condensing the second vapor on the condensation surface of the second vessel to form thereon a condensation of the second vapor that flows by gravity from the condensation surface and collects in a collecting means of the second vessel as the second portion of the liquid;
- removing the second portion of the liquid from the collecting means of the second vessel so as to leave therein the second residual portion of the feedstock;
- and then
- collecting the second portion of the liquid to yield a treated portion of the liquid and delivering the treated portion to a destination.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.