US 12,611,614 B2Granted

Process water distillation plant and method for operating a process water distillation plant

AssigneeKMU LOFT Cleanwater SE

InventorJorge Mario Toro Santamaria

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Abstract

A process water distillation system comprises an evaporator, a condenser and a compressor configured to generate a desired pressure in at least a region of the system and to convey steam from the evaporator into the condenser during operation of the system. The condenser is in thermal contact with the evaporator so that, at least during certain phases of operation of the system, thermal energy released during condensation of steam conveyed into the condenser is transferred to a fluid in the evaporator. The system further comprises a concentrate collection area configured to receive concentrate produced during operation of the system and an energy source configured to supply energy to the process water distillation system. A control device is configured to control the supply of energy from the energy source to the system (10) in dependence on the progress of the distillation process in the system.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A process water distillation system comprising:

an evaporator,
a condenser,
a compressor configured to generate a desired pressure in at least a region of the process water distillation system and to convey steam from the evaporator into the condenser during operation of the process water distillation system, the condenser being in thermal contact with the evaporator so that, at least during certain phases of operation of the process water distillation system, thermal energy released during condensation of steam conveyed into the condenser is transferred to a fluid in the evaporator,
a concentrate collection area configured to receive concentrate produced during operation of the process water distillation system,
an energy source configured to supply energy to the process water distillation system, the energy source comprising a hot gas source configured to supply a hot gas to the process water distillation system, and
a control device configured to control the supply of energy from the energy source to the process water distillation system in dependence on the progress of the distillation process in the process water distillation system,
wherein the control device is configured to control the operation of the process water distillation system during a distillation phase in such a way that
hot gas from the hot gas source of the energy source is supplied to the evaporator of the process water distillation system when the pressure in the evaporator falls below a pressure threshold value and/or the temperature in the evaporator falls below a temperature threshold value, and
wherein the control device is configured to control the operation of the process water distillation system during the distillation phase in such a way that
hot gas from the hot gas source of the energy source is supplied to the condenser of the process water distillation system when the temperature in the condenser falls below a temperature threshold value.

7 more elements

A method of operating a process water distillation system comprising:

an evaporator,
a condenser,
a compressor configured to generate a desired pressure in at least a region of the process water distillation system and to convey steam from the evaporator into the condenser during operation of the process water distillation system, the condenser being in thermal contact with the evaporator so that, at least during certain phases of operation of the process water distillation system, thermal energy released during condensation of steam conveyed into the condenser is transferred to a fluid in the evaporator,
a concentrate collection area configured to receive concentrate produced during operation of the process water distillation system, and
an energy source configured to supply energy to the process water distillation system, the energy source comprising a hot gas source configured to supply a hot gas to the process water distillation system,
wherein a control device controls the supply of energy from the energy source to the process water distillation system in dependence on the progress of the distillation process in the process water distillation system, wherein
the control device controls the operation of the process water distillation system during the distillation phase in such a way that
hot gas from the hot gas source of the energy source is supplied to the evaporator of the process water distillation system when the pressure in the evaporator falls below a pressure threshold value and/or the temperature in the evaporator falls below a temperature threshold value, and
the control device controls the operation of the process water distillation system during a distillation phase in such a way that
hot gas from the hot gas source of the energy source is supplied to the condenser of the process water distillation system when the temperature in the condenser falls below a temperature threshold value.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.