Solar desalination system and method
OwnerClifford L. Kruseinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A solar desalination system in which fresh water is derived from sea water by focussing solar ray energy from a collecting reflector onto an evaporator tube located at substantially the focal apex of the reflector. The reflector/evaporator tube assembly is mounted on a horizontal open grid platform which may support a plurality of parallel reflector/evaporator tube assemblies. The reflectors may serve as pontoons to support the desalination system unit on a body of sea water. The solar heat generated vapor is condensed in condenser tubes immersed in the sea water. Intermittently sea water concentrate is withdrawn from the evaporator tubes. Velocity of the vapor passing from the evaporator tubes to the condensers may be utilized for generating power.
Claims22
In a solar desalination system in which fresh water is derived from sea water:
- an elongate solar ray collecting reflector, which is adapted for focussing solar ray energy for heating a respective evaporator tube located at substantially the focal apex of the reflector;
- means for delivering sea water to said evaporator tube;
- means for controlling said means for delivering sea water and adapted for maintaining a predetermined level of the sea water to be evaporated within said evaporator tube so as to provide for vapor chamber space above the water in the tube;
- passage means for withdrawing vapor generated in said evaporator tube;
- means for receiving vapor from said evaporator tube and for condensing the vapor into fresh water, and as an incident to the condensing developing at least some vacuum suction in said passage means toward said receiving and condensing means;
- means for withdrawing the fresh water condensate from said receiving means;
- means for intermittently withdrawing sea water concentrate from said evaporator tube;
- and a water density responsive means in contact with the sea water in said evaporator tube and responsive to the density of such sea water for controlling said means for intermittently withdrawing sea water concentrate.
A method of solar desalination for obtaining fresh water from sea water, and comprising:
- focussing solar ray energy from an elongate reflector onto, and thereby heating, a respective evaporator tube located at substantially the focal apex of the reflector;
- delivering sea water to the evaporator tube;
- maintaining a predetermined level of the sea water to be evaporated within said evaporator tube and thereby providing a vapor chamber space above the water in the tube;
- withdrawing vapor generated in the evaporator tube and condensing the vapor into fresh water in a receiving and condensing means;
- as an incident to the condensing developing at least some vacuum suction for assisting in withdrawing the vapor generated in the evaporator tube;
- withdrawing the fresh water from the receiving and condensing means;
- and responsive to a water density responsive means in contact with the sea water in said tube, determining increases in density of such sea water and intermittently withdrawing sea water concentrate from the evaporator tube.
In a solar desalination system in which fresh water is derived from sea water:
- a supporting frame;
- an elongated evaporator tube mounted horizontally on said frame;
- means for delivering sea water to be evaporated into one end of said tube and including means for controlling the depth of sea water in the tube to a limited depth so as to maintain a substantial vapor chamber space above the water in the tube;
- a solar ray collecting reflector of substantially the same length as said tube and located below the tube and adapted for focusing solar ray energy at the focal apex of the reflector onto the bottom of the tube for heating the sea water in the tube for generating vapor in said vapor chamber space;
- means for withdrawing vapor from said vapor chamber space and for condensing the vapor into fresh water, and as an incident to the condensing developing at least some vacuum suction in said passage means toward said receiving and condensing means;
- means at the opposite end of said tube for intermittently withdrawing sea water concentrate from the body of water in said tube;
- and means for withdrawing the fresh water from said receiving and condensing means.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.