US 5,181,991 AGranted

Solar water purification device

OwnerDavid Deutschinventor

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Abstract

The disclosure relates to an improved solar water purification apparatus. More specifically, it relates to a solar water purification apparatus that includes a first and second preheater, an evaporation load tank, condenser, and pure distillate collecting tank. The condensing surface is a domed upper structure which includes a corrugated inner surface to increase the condensing surface. The outersurface of the domed upper structure is likewise corrugated and completely enclosed by a first preheater chamber the permit efficient cooling of the domed upper structure and encourage rapid condensation, thus transferring heat from the interior corrugations to the exterior corrugations of the first preheater chamber, further adding to the overall thermal efficiency. After the load, which is any form of polluted water including seawater, is preheated in the first preheater chamber, it is directed to the an external solar operated preheater from which it is directed into the load evaporation tank within the domed upper structure where it evaporates and condenses on the internal corrugated surface of the domed upper structure and flows by gravity into a distillate collecting tank which is inverted mirror image of the domed upper structure. Back-up electrical heater units are provided for periods of cloudy days.

Claims11

Dependent claims

A solar water purification system comprising a domed upper structure and a distillate collecting tank means positioned below said domed upper structure;

said domed upper structure operatively connected to said distillate collecting tank means at a horizontal midpoint to provide an interior for said water purification system;
load tank means operably positioned in said distillate collecting means;
a first preheater means encapsulating said domed upper structure;
load supply means supplying fresh load to said first preheater means, and distillate storage means positioned below said distillate collecting means for receiving purified distillate therefrom;
all of said aforementioned structure positioned below the earth's surface to enhance the condensation of vapors within said domed upper structure;
access means for providing access to said interior of said water purification system;
said load supply means including conduit transfer means interconnecting said first preheater means and said load tank means;
second solar preheater means including conduit and control means for selectively receiving load from either said first preheater means or from said load tank means for further increasing the temperature of said load prior to its discharge into said load tank means whereby preheated load evaporates therein, rises as vapors and condenses upon the interior surface of said domed upper structure and smoothly flows by gravity down said interior surface into said distillate collecting tank means.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.