US 3,977,935 A · Method and apparatus for evaporating liquids

Abstract

A method of evaporating liquids to separate solid substances contained therein to form a residue of the substances characterized by applying subatmospheric pressure to at least one discrete portion of the liquid at a first pressure level and subsequently applying subatmospheric pressure to the discrete portion at a second pressure level lower than the first level to gradually evaporate the liquid from the discrete portion thereby leaving a residue of solid substances. Apparatus for performing the foregoing method preferably comprises an enclosure within which a support means is used for supporting at least one discrete portion of the liquid to be separated, a vacuum pump connected to the enclosure for evacuating atmosphere from within the enclosure, and a valve means between the pump and enclosure operable automatically to apply first and second subatmospheric pressure levels to within the enclosure. The apparatus may also be provided with: conduits for supplying cooling fluid to within the enclosure for cooling the liquid to be evaporated; a radiant heating element beneath the support means to heat the liquid to be evaporated; and a vibrator for vibrating the liquid to be evaporated to aid in separation of the liquid from the solid substances desired as a residue.

Claims27

Dependent claims

Apparatus for separating liquids from solid substances to form a residue of said substances, comprising:

an enclosure means;
support means within said enclosure means for supporting at least one discrete portion of said liquids;
pump means connected to said enclosure means for evacuating gaseous matter from within the enclosure means;
and,
valve means between said pump means and said enclosure means, the valve means comprising
conduit means disposed between the pump means and the enclosure means,
port means disposed in the conduit means for restrictively controlling the evacuation of gaseous matter from the enclosure means, the port means including a relatively small port movable into alignment with the conduit means to restrict the flow of gaseous matter from said enclosure means in order to create subatmospheric pressure therein at a first pressure level, the port means further including a relatively larger port movable into alignment with the conduct means subsequent to the establishment of said subatmospheric pressure level within the enclosure means to restrict the flow of gaseous matter from said enclosure means in order to create subatmospheric pressure at a second relatively lower pressure level within the enclosure means, and
actuation means for moving the port means within the conduit means in order to align either the small port or large port with the conduit means, liquid being thereby evaporated from the discrete portion of the liquids to leave a residue of said solid substances.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method and apparatus for evaporating liquids

Life of this patent

Method and apparatus for evaporating liquids

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims27