Freezing purification system and method for decontamination and desalination of water

A system for purifying raw water having contaminants dissolved therein, comprising:

• an ice grid having heat exchange surfaces for producing ice solids having a surface to volume ratio no greater than 25 to 1 said ice grid being oriented such that said cavities are inverted;
• means for continuously spraying raw water upwardly into said cavities such that ice solids formed from substantially pure water incrementally build up from said heat exchange surfaces of said grid to ultimately fill said cavities while unfrozen contaminants expelled from said ice are continuously rinsed away by said raw water spray and the draining of said water from said cavities;
• a refrigeration unit for indirectly cooling the heat exchange surfaces of said grid such that said cavities become filled with said ice within a time period of less than 30 minutes such that dissolved contaminating vapors in the raw water forming said ice are effectively expelled from said ice, and
• a means for collecting and rinsing the resulting ice solids with previously purified water.

A method for purifying raw water having contaminants dissolved therein, comprising the steps of

• providing an ice grid having heat exchange surfaces that define cavities for producing ice solids having a surface to volume ratio no greater than 10 to 1;
• indirectly refrigerating said heat exchange surfaces to a temperature that is less than the freezing point of said raw water;
• and
• continuously flowing said raw water over said ice grid such that ice solids formed from substantially pure water incrementally build up from the heat exchange surfaces of said grid to ultimately fill said cavities while unfrozen contaminants expelled from the incrementally freezing ice in the grid cavities are continuously washed away from said ice by said raw water flow.

A method for purifying raw water having contaminants dissolved therein, comprising the steps of:

• providing an ice grid having heat exchange surfaces that define cavities for producing ice solids having a surface to volume ratio no greater than 8 to 1;
• orienting said ice grid such that water introduced into the grid cavities drains out of said cavities from gravity;
• indirectly refrigerating said heat exchange surfaces to a temperature that is less than the freezing point of the raw water, and
• continuously flowing said raw water over said ice grid such that ice solids formed from substantially pure water incrementally build up from the heat exchange surfaces of said grid to ultimately fill said cavities while unfrozen contaminants expelled from the incrementally freezing ice are continuously worked away by such flowing and draining of said raw water, the flow rate of said water and the temperature of said heat exchange surfaces being chosen such that said incremental ice forms slowly enough to allow vapor contaminants dissolved ha said raw water to escape from said ice.