Distillation processes, distillation units, and systems therefor
OwnerRickey S. Lutterbachinventor
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Abstract
Processes and systems suitable for purifying or otherwise treating liquids to remove contaminants therein, including but not limited to contaminated water, to permit reclaiming, recycling, and reuse of the liquids. Such a process and system entails the use of a cascading distillation system that evaporates a liquid from the feedstock and then condenses and collects a more purified form of the liquid. The cascading distillation system can be operated to selectively process the feedstock through any of a series of vessels at which different amounts and/or contaminants may be removed from the feedstock.
Claims29
A cascading distillation process for treating a feedstock containing a liquid and contaminants to remove the contaminants therefrom, the process comprising:
- providing a system comprising a series of vessels that include a first vessel and a plurality of downstream vessels that are fluidically downstream from the first vessel, the series of vessels being fluidically connected to each other so that the first vessel can be selectively fluidically connected in fluidic series to any one or more of the downstream vessels;
- delivering the feedstock to the first vessel, heating the feedstock in the first vessel to evaporate a first portion of the liquid and thereby separate the first portion from at least one contaminant, and condensing and removing the first portion of the liquid from the first vessel;
- and then
- delivering the first portion of the liquid to a first of the downstream vessels, heating the first portion of the liquid in the first downstream vessel to evaporate a second portion of the liquid, and condensing and removing the second portion of the liquid from the first downstream vessel.
A cascading distillation process for treating a feedstock containing a liquid and at least first and second contaminants to remove the first and second contaminants therefrom, the process comprising:
- delivering the feedstock to a first vessel of a series of vessels that are fluidically connected in series;
- heating the feedstock in the first vessel to evaporate a first portion of the liquid and thereby separate the first portion from the first contaminant;
- condensing and removing the first portion of the liquid from the first vessel so as to leave therein a first residual portion of the feedstock;
- delivering the first portion of the liquid to a second vessel of the series of vessels;
- heating the first portion of the liquid in the second vessel to evaporate a second portion of the liquid and thereby separate the second portion from a second residual portion of the feedstock containing the second contaminant;
- condensing and removing the second portion of the liquid from the second vessel so as to leave therein the second residual portion of the feedstock;
- and then
- collecting the second portion of the liquid to yield a treated portion of the liquid and delivering the treated portion to a destination.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.