Desalination unit with electricity generation
OwnerJoe Lynn Vickersinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system for processing saltwater or brackish water while recovering energy otherwise wasted in electricity generation by a natural gas generator or turbine. Heat in the generator exhaust is used to directly heat and process the water in the saltwater or brackish water into high quality steam, separating the majority of salt and contaminants from the water, and leaving potable water that can be permitted and released to the environment or sold for agricultural or industrial use such as oilfield activities. The system also captures and liquefies CO2 in the generator exhaust.
Claims17
A desalination system, comprising:
- an electricity generator adapted to generate electricity from combustion, further generating exhaust heat;
- a heat exchanger adapted to receive the exhaust heat from the electricity generator and directly receive a saltwater or brackish water stream and to apply the exhaust heat from the electricity generator to said stream comprising water and salt, wherein the heat exchanger converts the water to steam so as to separate the water from a majority of the salt;
- and
- a condenser adapted to condense the steam to distilled water.
A method for conserving energy in a desalination unit, comprising the steps of:
- operating an electrical generator to generate electricity and an exhaust stream comprising heat;
- directing saltwater or brackish water into a heat exchanger;
- directing the exhaust stream into said heat exchanger;
- applying heat from the exhaust stream within the heat exchanger to convert water in the saltwater or brackish water within the heat exchanger to steam, thereby separating water of the saltwater or brackish water from at least a majority of salt of the saltwater or brackish water;
- removing the steam to leave behind the majority of said salt;
- and
- condensing the steam to produce potable water.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.