# US 2019/0314735 A1 · Evaporator for ambient water bodies, and related system and method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0314735 A1 - Document ID: US20190314735A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/386,866 - Filed: 2019-04-17 - Published: 2019-10-17 - Earliest claimed: 2018-04-12 - Assignees: Resource West, Inc. - Applicants: Resource West, Inc. - Inventors: ROBERT BALLANTYNE; WILLIAM MACDONALD - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190314735A1 ## CPC - B01B 1/005: {Evaporation for physical or chemical purposes; Evaporation apparatus therefor, e.g. evaporation of liquids for gas phase reactions} - B01D 1/24: to obtain dry solids - B01D 1/0005: {Evaporating devices suitable for floating on water} - B01D 1/007: {the liquid feed being split up in at least two streams before entering the evaporator} - B01D 1/0094: {with forced circulation} - B01D 1/20: Sprayers (in general B05B) - B01D 3/346: {the gas being used for removing vapours, e.g. transport gas} - B01F 23/2132: {using nozzles} - B01F 33/503: Floating mixing devices - C02F 1/048: {Purification of waste water by evaporation} - C02F 1/10: by direct contact with a particulate solid or with a fluid, as a heat transfer medium - C02F 1/12: Spray evaporation - C02F 1/14: using solar energy - F04D 13/066: {Floating-units} - F04D 25/08: the working fluid being air, e.g. for ventilation - F04D 29/32: for axial flow pumps - F04D 29/34: Blade mountings {(for axial flow compressors F04D29/322)} - F04D 29/384: {characterised by form} - F04D 29/52: for axial pumps - F04D 29/54: Fluid-guiding means, e.g. diffusers - F04D 29/601: {specially adapted for elastic fluid pumps} - F04D 29/705: {Adding liquids} - B01F 2101/305: {Treatment of water, waste water or sewage} - C02F 2103/007: {Contaminated open waterways, rivers, lakes or ponds} - C02F 2103/10: from quarries or from mining activities - C02F 2103/32: from the food or foodstuff industry, e.g. brewery waste waters - F05B 2240/301: Cross-section characteristics - Y02A 20/212: Solar-powered wastewater sewage treatment, e.g. spray evaporation - Y02W 10/37: using solar energy - B01B: BOILING; BOILING APPARATUS {; EVAPORATION; EVAPORATION APPARATUS} - B01D: SEPARATION (separating solids from solids by wet methods B03B, B03D; by pneumatic jigs or tables B03B; by other dry methods B07; magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high-voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges, vortex apparatus B04; presses per se for squeezing-out liquid from liquid-containing material B30B9/02; treatment of water C02F, e.g. softening by ion-exchange C02F1/42; {arrangements of air intake cleaners in gas turbine plants F02C7/05} ; arrangements or mounting of filters in air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation F24F13/28) - B01F: MIXING, e.g. DISSOLVING, EMULSIFYING OR DISPERSING (mixing paints B44D3/06) - C02F: TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE (separation in general B01D; special arrangements on waterborne vessels of installations for treating water, waste water or sewage, e.g. for producing fresh water, B63J; adding materials to water to prevent corrosion C23F; treating radioactively-contaminated liquids G21F9/04; regeneration of reactants for recirculation into processes, see the relevant places for the processes) - F04D: NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT PUMPS (engine fuel-injection pumps F02M; ion pumps H01J41/12; electrodynamic pumps H02K44/02) - F05B: INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO WIND, SPRING, WEIGHT, INERTIA OR LIKE MOTORS, TO MACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS COVERED BY SUBCLASSES F03B, F03D AND F03G - Y02A: TECHNOLOGIES FOR ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE - Y02W: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO WASTEWATER TREATMENT OR WASTE MANAGEMENT ## Abstract An evaporator is provided for evaporating water from an ambient body of water having a water surface. The evaporator includes a housing that has a proximal end proximate to the water surface, a distal end distal to the water surface, and a housing air flow channel directed toward the water surface. The housing is disposed on a support, such as a float assembly, that positions the housing above the water surface. The evaporator also includes an air flow induction device, preferably an impeller, disposed to direct an air flow stream from the distal end toward the proximal end through the housing air flow channel and toward the water surface so that the air contacts the water. The impeller preferably is made of a fiberglass material. The support preferably includes at least one float assembly air flow channel that receives the air flow stream from the housing and directs it outwardly from the evaporator. Water injection devices such as spray nozzles or atomizing nozzles preferably are disposed in the float assembly channel or channels to inject the water into the air flow stream. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An evaporator for evaporating water from an ambient body of water having a water surface, the evaporator comprising: a housing comprising a proximal end proximate to the water surface, a distal end distal to the water surface, and a housing air flow channel directed toward the water surface; a support that positions the housing above the water surface; and an air flow induction device disposed to direct an air flow stream from the distal end toward the proximal end through the housing air flow channel and toward the water surface so that the air is directed over the water surface ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) An evaporator as recited in claim 1, wherein the housing is disposed relative to the water surface so that the air flow stream directly contacts the water surface and generates a water droplet containing phase above the water surface. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) An evaporator as recited in claim 1, wherein the support comprises a support air flow channel in fluid communication with the housing air flow channel to receive the air flow stream and to direct the air flow stream over the water surface. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) An evaporator as recited in claim 1, wherein the support comprises a plurality of support air flow channels in fluid communication with the housing air flow channel to receive the air flow stream and to direct the air flow stream over the water surface. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) An evaporator as recited in claim 1, wherein: the support comprises a support air flow channel in fluid communication with the housing air flow channel to receive the air flow stream and to direct the air flow stream over the water surface; and the evaporator further comprises a water injection device disposed to provide the water to the air flow stream and to mix the water within the air in the air flow stream within the support air flow channel. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) An evaporator as recited in claim 1, wherein: the support comprises a support air flow channel in fluid communication with the housing air flow channel to receive the air flow stream and to direct the air flow stream over the water surface; and the evaporator further comprises a plurality of water injection devices disposed to provide the water to the air flow stream and to mix the water within the air in the air flow stream within the support air flow channel. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) An evaporator as recited in claim 6, wherein the water injection devices are distributed along the support air flow channel to provide water to the air flow stream within the support air flow channel. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) An evaporator as recited in claim 1, wherein: the support comprises a support air flow channel in fluid communication with the housing air flow channel to receive the air flow stream, the support air flow channel comprising an exit from which the air flow stream is exhausted; and the evaporator further comprises a water injection device disposed at the support air flow channel exit to provide the water to the air flow stream and to mix the water within the air in the air flow stream. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) An evaporator as recited in claim 1, wherein the housing comprises an inlet air gap within the housing air flow channel and proximate to the distal end of the housing that permits the flow of air into the housing air flow channel through the inlet air gap. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) An evaporator as recited in claim 1, wherein air flow induction device comprises an impeller comprising a fiberglass material. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) An evaporator as recited in claim 1, wherein air flow induction device comprises an impeller consisting essentially of a fiberglass material. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) An evaporator as recited in claim 1, further comprising a plurality of guide vanes disposed downstream of the air flow induction device. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) An evaporator as recited in claim 1, further comprising: an electric motor operatively coupled to the impeller to drive the impeller; and a controlled variable power supply operatively coupled to the motor that causes the motor to assume a plurality of designated speeds. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) An evaporator as recited in claim 13, further comprising: an electric motor operatively coupled to the impeller to drive the impeller; and a variable frequency drive operatively coupled to the motor. ### Claim 15 An evaporator for evaporating water from an ambient body of water having a water surface, the evaporator comprising: a housing comprising a housing air flow channel that directs an air flow stream toward an impact zone at the water surface, the housing flow channel comprising a proximal end proximate to the water surface and a distal end distal to the water surface; a support that positions the housing above the water surface, the support comprising an opening at the impact zone; and an air flow induction device disposed to direct the air flow stream through the housing air flow channel and to the impact zone so that the air flow stream contacts the water surface at the impact zone and generates a water droplet-containing phase above the water surface. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) An evaporator as recited in claim 15, wherein: the support comprises a support air flow channel in fluid communication with the housing air flow channel to receive the air flow stream and to direct the air flow stream over the water surface; and the evaporator further comprises a plurality of water injection devices disposed to provide the water to the air flow stream and to mix the water within the air in the air flow stream within the support air flow channel. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) An evaporator as recited in claim 15, wherein: the support comprises a support air flow channel in fluid communication with the housing air flow channel to receive the air flow stream and to direct the air flow stream over the water surface, the support air flow channel comprising an exit from which the air flow stream is exhausted; and the evaporator further comprises a water injection device disposed at the support air flow channel exit to provide the water to the air flow stream and to mix the water within the air in the air flow stream at the air flow channel exit. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) An evaporator as recited in claim 15, wherein air flow induction device comprises an impeller comprising a fiberglass material. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) An evaporator as recited in claim 15, wherein air flow induction device comprises an impeller consisting essentially of a fiberglass material. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) An evaporator as recited in claim 15, further comprising a plurality of guide vanes disposed downstream of the impeller. ### Claim 21 (depends on 15) An evaporator as recited in claim 15, further comprising: an electric motor operatively coupled to the impeller to drive the impeller; and a variable frequency drive operatively coupled to the motor. ### Claim 22 A method for evaporating water from a body of water having a water surface, the method comprising: providing an evaporator comprising a housing having a proximal end proximate to the water surface, a distal end distal to the water surface, and a housing air flow channel directed toward the water surface; directing air from the distal end of the housing toward the proximal end of the housing through the housing air flow channel and toward the water surface so the air is directed over the water surface. ### Claim 23 (depends on 1) An evaporator as recited in claim 1, wherein the housing air flow channel is disposed perpendicularly with respect to the water surface. ### Claim 24 (depends on 1) An evaporator as recited in claim 1, wherein the housing air flow channel is disposed non-perpendicularly with respect to the water surface.