US 2011/0079504 A1 · Water Separation Under Varied Pressure

Abstract

Water is substantially separated from a liquid mixture (e.g., saline water) that includes water using a humidification chamber at a lower pressure and a dehumidification chamber at a higher pressure. A carrier gas is flowed through the humidification chamber; and inside the humidification chamber, the carrier gas directly contacts the liquid mixture to humidify the carrier gas with evaporated water from the liquid mixture to produce a humidified gas flow. The humidified gas flow is then directed through the dehumidification chamber, where water is condensed from the humidified gas flow and collected. The absolute pressure inside the humidification chamber is at least 10% lower than the absolute pressure inside the dehumidification chamber.

Claims28

Dependent claims

A method for substantially separating water from a liquid mixture including water, the method comprising:

directing a flow of a carrier gas through a humidification chamber in at least one humidifier;
directly contacting the carrier gas flow with the liquid mixture in the humidification chamber to humidify the carrier gas with water evaporated from the liquid mixture, producing a humidified gas flow;
compressing the humidified gas flow;
directing the compressed humidified gas flow through a dehumidification chamber in at least one dehumidifier;
dehumidifying the compressed humidified gas flow in the dehumidification chamber to condense water from the compressed humidified gas flow, wherein the absolute pressure in the dehumidification chamber as the water is condensed is at least 10% greater than the absolute pressure in the humidification chamber as the water is evaporated;
and
collecting the water condensed in the dehumidification chamber.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Water Separation Under Varied Pressure

Life of this patent

Water Separation Under Varied Pressure

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims28