Desalination Apparatus, A Module For Use In A Desalination Aparatus, And A Method of Desalinating A Saline Water Source
OwnerBarry Douglas Cootsinventor
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Abstract
A desalination apparatus (100) comprises a series of modules (110) which may be mounted on supports (150). Seawater (12) flows through base units (130) along a channel (131) by gravity and is heated by a heating unit (140) such as solar lenses (141) to produce water vapour. A chimney (160) induces an airflow AF laterally across the channel (131) and substantially perpendicularly to the water flow WF. The airflow AF draws the water vapour to a condenser (70) that collects fresh water. The condenser (170) may be mounted within the chimney (160) and may use cold seawater as a coolant.
Claims15
A desalination apparatus, comprising:
- a channel arranged to contain a flow of saline water in use, wherein the channel comprises an inlet end and an outlet end and the water flows along the channel by gravity;
- a heating unit arranged to heat an interior of the channel in order to heat the saline water to produce a water vapour vapor;
- a chimney arranged to induce an airflow laterally across the channel to draw the water vapor away from the channel;
- and
- a condenser arranged to condense fresh water from the water vapour vapor.
A module for use in a desalination apparatus, the module by comprising:
- a base unit comprising a channel to carry a flow of saline water and an evaporation chamber to contain water vapour vapor above the channel;
- a heating unit comprising an array of lenses arranged to heat an upper surface of the saline water by solar energy;
- a chimney arranged to induce an airflow through the evaporation chamber laterally across the channel to carry the water vapor away from the channel;
- and
- a condenser to condense the water vapor and provide fresh water.
A method of desalinating a source of saline water, the method comprising:
- flowing the saline water along a channel by gravity;
- heating the water in the channel to provide a water vapor;
- inducing an airflow laterally across the channel with a chimney by solar energy to carry the water vapor away from the channel to a condenser;
- condensing the water vapor using the condenser to provide a condensate;
- and
- collecting the condensate as fresh water.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.