US 2020/0025421 A1 · LOW PRESSURE VAPOUR OF POLAR FLUID CONDENSER BASED ON LIQUEFACTION IN RUNNING NON-POLAR LIQUID

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a method of collecting, including condensing, vapour of a polar fluid inside a liquid that is subjected to continuous flow in a process system, the liquid having a low vapour pressure (i.e. non-volatile) and being a non-polar liquid. The collection of the vapour, by condensation, occurs via four transition steps: (1) vapour (e.g. vapour of water) transferring sensible heat to the liquid (e.g. oil), (2) bubbles containing vapour collapse and become water in hot oil, (3) dissolved vapour liquefies through heat removal at elevated temperatures, and (4) oil and water are separated due to the difference in polarity between the polar fluid and the non-volatile non-polar liquid. The present method converts low grade (i.e. low temperature) waste heat into high grade heat source suitable for efficient heat rejection or heat recovery applications. An apparatus for collecting vapour of a polar fluid in a non-volatile non-polar liquid is also provided.

Claims17

Dependent claims

A method of collecting vapour of a polar fluid in a non-volatile non-polar liquid, comprising:

providing in an enclosed container an initial volume of the non-volatile non-polar liquid;
maintaining a reduced pressure above the surface of the non-volatile non-polar liquid;
introducing a first input stream comprising the polar fluid or a super-heated vapour of the polar fluid into the enclosed container, wherein the non-volatile non-polar liquid is less dense than the polar fluid and is disposed above the polar fluid;
introducing a second input stream comprising the non-volatile non-polar liquid into a section of the enclosed container containing the non-volatile non-polar liquid;
and
withdrawing an output stream from the section containing the non-volatile non-polar liquid, wherein the output stream comprises a mixture of the vapour of the polar fluid, the non-volatile non-polar liquid and optionally some of the polar fluid which has condensed from the vapour of the polar fluid.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Low pressure vapour of polar fluid condenser based on liquefaction in running non-polar liquid

Life of this patent

Low pressure vapour of polar fluid condenser based on liquefaction in running non-polar liquid

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims17