# US 4,391,676 A · Arrangement for passing a first liquid close to, but without mixing it with a second liquid, for example an arrangement for sea water desalination

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 4,391,676 A
- Document ID: US4391676A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 06/325,430
- Filed: 1981-11-19
- Granted: 1983-07-05
- Earliest claimed: 1980-03-24
- Inventors: Finn Torberger
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US4391676A

## CPC

- B01D 61/363: {Vapour permeation}
- B01D 63/0822: {Plate-and-frame devices}
- C02F 1/043: {Details}
- F28F 3/083: {capable of being taken apart}
- Y02A 20/124: Water desalination
- Y02A 20/131: Reverse-osmosis
- Y10S 159/27: Micropores
- 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)
- 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)
- F28F: DETAILS OF HEAT-EXCHANGE AND HEAT-TRANSFER APPARATUS, OF GENERAL APPLICATION (water and air traps, air venting F16)
- Y02A: TECHNOLOGIES FOR ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE
- Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS

## Abstract

An arrangement for permitting a first liquid to flow close to a second liquid, but without being intermixed therewith, includes a first plurality of plates (12) and a second plurality of plates (12), which are located between plates in the first plurality of plates but spaced therefrom by means of separating pieces. Each separating piece includes a frame formed about plate-shaped plane-parallel partial pieces, viz. an outer porous and hydrophobic plastic disphragm, an intermediate distance network of plastic and an outer thin plastic foil. The frame includes infeed holes for air and outfeed holes for water. The voids of the plastic diaphragm have a radius within the range of 2 to 5 .mu.m. The distance network has a thickness of 1 to 2 mm and consists of intersecting strips. The plastic foil has a thickness of about 0.1 mm. The plates include a frame with four through holes, of which two holes have connection to a recess in the plate, while the other two holes have no such connection. The plates in the two pluralities of plates are so turned that holes with connection in the first plurality of plates correspond to holes without connection in the remaining plurality of plates. The frames of the separating pieces include four through holes (131, 132, 133, 134) corresponding to the holes of the plates. Inflow means (101, 103) and, respectively, outflow means (104, 102) are connected to respective holes (111, 123; 114, 122) with connection in the two pluralities of plates.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An arrangement providing a first liquid to flow close to a second liquid but without the liquids being intermixed, for example for the recovery of freshwater by distillation of sea water and for the transfer of heat from a relatively warm liquid to a relatively cold liquid, comprising:
A. a first plurality of plates carrying the first liquid;
B. a second plurality of plates carrying the second liquid, the second plurality of plates being placed interleaved between but separated from the first plurality of plates; and
C. separating pieces located between and separating the first and second plurality of plates from one another, each separating piece including a frame which receives plate-shaped mutually plane-parallel partial pieces that include:
1. an outer porous and hydrophobic plastic diaphragm with void radii dimensioned to prevent the passage of liquid water through the plastic diaphragm at the hydrostatic pressures prevailing in the arrangement while rendering possible the passage of water vapor,
2. an outer thin plastic foil, and
3. an intermediate distance network located between the diaphragm and the foil positioned and dimensioned to maintain an airgap therebetween so that the plastic diaphram will be supplied constantly with air and will be free of air depletion or partial filling of liquid,
said frame further being provided in its upper portion with inflow holes for air to pass to said airgap, and in its lower portion with outflow holes for water condensed in said airgap.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The arrangement of claim 1 in which radii of said voids are in the range of 2 to 5 micrometers, the distance network has a thickness of approximately 1 to 2 millimeters and includes vertical strips and cross strips perpendicular thereto, the cross strips being slightly downwardly and outwardly directed and extending approximately 0.5 to 1 millimeter perpendicular to the vertical strips, and the plastic foil has a thickness of about 0.1 millimeter and consists of polyethylene.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The arrangement of claim 1 in which each of the plates of the first plurality of plates comprises a frame with four through holes in the periphery of the frame, two of the holes are connected to a recess extending over a large part of the plate while the two other holes are unconnected to said recess, each of the plates of the second plurality of plates comprises a frame with four through holes in the periphery of the frame, two of the holes are connected to a recess extending over a large part of the plate while the two other holes are unconnected to said recess, the plates of the first and second pluralities being oriented to one another so that the connected holes of the plates of the second plurality are aligned with the unconnected holes in the first plurality of plates and the connected holes of the first plurality of plates are aligned with the unconnected holes of the second plurality of plates, and the peripheries of the frames of the separating pieces are provided with four through holes aligned with the four holes of the first and second plurality of plates, the pluralities of plates and separating pieces are mechanically held together to form a liquid tight unit, the arrangement further including first inflow means for supplying the first liquid to said connecting holes in the first plurality of plates, second inflow means for supplying the second liquid to said connected holes in the second plurality of plates, first outflow means for exhausting the first liquid from said connected holes in the first plurality of plates and second outflow means for exhausting the second liquid from said connected holes of the second plurality of plates.