US 10,702,794 B2Granted

Multiple-effect vapor chamber distillation system and methods of use

AssigneeThe Board of Regents of the University of Oklahoma

InventorsHamidreza Shabgard, Kumar Parthasarathy

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Abstract

A distillation system having a plurality of chambers, an input conduit connected to each chamber to deliver an aqueous fluid to each chamber; a pressure reducing valve connected to the input conduit; a waste output conduit connected to a waste collection compartment of each chamber; and condensate output conduit connected to a condensate collection compartment of each chamber. An evaporation wall of each chamber is constructed to maintain an evaporation surface temperature that is greater than a condensation surface temperature of a condensation wall of each chamber. The aqueous fluid forms a fluid coating, which moves down the evaporation wall. A saturation pressure differential is created as water from the aqueous fluid evaporates from the evaporation wall and condenses on the condensation wall forming an aqueous condensate, which moves down the condensation wall and is collected as an aqueous distillate in the condensate collecting compartment.

Claims22

Dependent claims

A distillation system, comprising:

a chamber having an internal pressure, a top end, a bottom end, an evaporation wall having an inner surface, a condensation wall having an inner surface, the inner surface of the condensation wall facing the inner surface of the evaporation wall, an edge wall connecting the evaporation wall to the condensation wall, the edge wall having an edge wall width, the evaporation wall having an evaporation wall width, the evaporation wall width being greater than the edge wall width, an inlet positioned above the bottom end, a baffle to direct an aqueous fluid from the inlet to the inner surface of the evaporation wall to form a fluid coating on the inner surface of the evaporation wall, a waste collection compartment positioned at the bottom end adjacent to the evaporation wall to receive an aqueous waste fluid from the evaporation wall, and a condensate collection compartment positioned at the bottom end adjacent to the condensation wall to receive an aqueous distillate from the condensation wall, the waste collection compartment having a waste outlet, and the condensate collection compartment having a condensate outlet;
an input conduit fluidly connected to the baffle to deliver the aqueous fluid to the chamber;
a pressure reducing valve connected to the input conduit and configured to cause the internal pressure of the chamber to be less than atmospheric pressure;
a waste output conduit connected to the waste outlet of the waste collection compartment of the chamber;
and
a condensate output conduit connected to the condensate outlet of the condensate collection compartment of the chamber;
and
wherein the inner surface of the evaporation wall is constructed to maintain an evaporation surface temperature that is greater than a condensation surface temperature of the inner surface of the condensation wall when the aqueous fluid is delivered from the input conduit into the chamber and the aqueous fluid forms the fluid coating which moves down the inner surface of the evaporation wall towards the waste collection compartment, and wherein a saturation pressure differential is created as water from the aqueous fluid evaporates from the inner surface of the evaporation wall and condenses on the inner surface of the condensation wall forming an aqueous condensate, which moves down the inner surface of the condensation wall and is collected as the aqueous distillate in the condensate collection compartment.

5 more elements

A multiple-effect distillation system, comprising:

a first chamber comprising a first evaporation wall having a first evaporation surface, a first condensation wall having a first condensation surface which faces the first evaporation surface, an edge wall connecting the evaporation wall to the condensation wall, the edge wall having an edge wall width, the evaporation wall having an evaporation wall width, the evaporation wall width being greater than the edge wall width, a first inlet positioned at a top end of the first chamber, a first baffle to direct a first aqueous fluid from the first inlet to the first evaporation surface to form a first fluid coating on the first evaporation surface, a first waste collection compartment positioned to receive a first aqueous waste fluid from the first evaporation surface and having a first waste outlet, and a first condensate collection compartment positioned to receive a first aqueous distillate from the first condensation surface and having a first condensate outlet;
a first pressure reducing valve connected to the first chamber to reduce a first internal pressure in the first chamber to be less than atmospheric pressure;
a first waste output conduit connected to the first waste outlet of the first waste collection compartment of the first chamber;
and
a first condensate output conduit connected to the first condensate outlet of the first condensate collection compartment of the first chamber;
wherein the first evaporation surface is constructed to maintain a first evaporation surface temperature that is greater than a first condensation surface temperature of the first condensation surface when the first aqueous fluid forms the first fluid coating on the first evaporation surface;
at least a second chamber having a second evaporation surface, a second condensation surface which faces the second evaporation surface, a second inlet positioned above a bottom end of the second chamber, a second baffle to direct the first aqueous waste fluid from the second inlet to the second evaporation surface to form a second fluid coating on the second evaporation surface, a second waste collection compartment positioned to receive a second aqueous waste fluid from the second evaporation surface and having a second waste outlet, and a second condensate collection compartment positioned to receive a second aqueous distillate from the second condensation surface and having a second condensate outlet, wherein the first condensation surface and the second evaporation surface comprise (1) facial surfaces of a first common wall shared by the first chamber and the second chamber, or (2) facial surfaces of separate but abutting walls of the first chamber and the second chamber, respectively;
a second pressure reducing valve connected to the second chamber to reduce a second internal pressure in the second chamber to be less than atmospheric pressure;
a second waste output conduit connected to the second waste outlet of the second waste collection compartment;
a second condensate output conduit connected to the second condensate outlet of the second condensate collection compartment;
and
wherein the second evaporation surface is constructed to maintain a second evaporation surface temperature that is greater than a second condensation surface temperature of the second condensation surface when the first aqueous waste fluid forms the second fluid coating on the second evaporation surface.

9 more elements

A method of distilling an aqueous fluid, comprising:

obtaining a multiple-effect distillation system, comprising:
a first chamber comprising a first evaporation wall having a first evaporation surface, a first condensation wall having a first condensation surface which faces the first evaporation surface, an edge wall connecting the evaporation wall to the condensation wall, the edge wall having an edge wall width, the evaporation wall having an evaporation wall width, the evaporation wall width being greater than the edge wall width, a first inlet positioned above a first bottom end of the first chamber, a first baffle to direct a first aqueous fluid from the first inlet to the first evaporation surface to form a first fluid coating on the first evaporation surface, a first waste collection compartment positioned to receive a first aqueous waste fluid from the first evaporation surface and having a first waste outlet, and a first condensate collection compartment positioned to receive a first aqueous distillate from the first condensation surface and having a first condensate outlet,
a first pressure reducing valve connected to the first chamber to reduce an internal pressure in the first chamber to be less than atmospheric pressure,
a first waste output conduit connected to the first waste outlet of the first waste collection compartment of the first chamber,
a first condensate output conduit connected to the first condensate outlet of the first condensate collection compartment of the first chamber, and
at least a second chamber having a second evaporation surface, a second condensation surface which faces the second evaporation surface, a second inlet positioned above a second bottom end of the second chamber, a second baffle to direct the first aqueous waste fluid from the second inlet to the second evaporation surface to form a second fluid coating on the second evaporation surface, a second waste collection compartment positioned to receive a second aqueous waste fluid from the second evaporation surface and having a second waste outlet, and a second condensate collection compartment positioned to receive a second aqueous distillate from the second condensation surface and having a second condensate outlet, wherein the first condensation surface and the second evaporation surface comprise (1) facial surfaces of a first common wall shared by the first chamber and the second chamber, or (2) facial surfaces of separate but abutting walls of the first chamber and the second chamber, respectively,
a second pressure reducing valve connected to the second chamber to reduce the internal pressure in the second chamber to be less than atmospheric pressure,
a second waste output conduit connected to the second waste outlet of the second waste collection compartment, and
a second condensate output conduit connected to the second condensate outlet of the second condensate collection compartment;
and
maintaining the first evaporation surface at a first evaporation surface temperature that is greater than a first condensation surface temperature of the first condensation surface when the first aqueous fluid is directed to the first evaporation surface forming the first aqueous distillate;
removing the first aqueous distillate from the first chamber;
transferring the first aqueous waste fluid to the second evaporation surface of the second chamber forming the second fluid coating on the second evaporation surface;
maintaining the second evaporation surface at a second evaporation surface temperature that is greater than a second condensation surface temperature of the second condensation surface forming the second aqueous distillate;
and
removing the second aqueous distillate from the second chamber.

13 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 16/175,352Filed 30 Oct 2018 · us provisional application
Priority: 30 Oct 2017
Published: US 2019/0126164 A12 May 2019
Granted: 7 Jul 2020
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification13 codes

B01D 3/146
By two or more of a fractionation, separation or rectification step: multiple effect distillation
B01D 1/22
Evaporating: by bringing a thin layer of the liquid into contact with a heated surface
B01D 3/106
Vacuum distillation: with the use of a pump for creating vacuum and for removing the distillate
B01D 5/006
In combination with other processes: with evaporation or distillation