Vapor compression distillation system and method

A distillation system comprising:

• an evaporator/condenser having boiling and condensing chambers, means including a control valve for introducing a feed liquid into the boiling chambers for conversion to a vapor, means for compressing the vapor, means for passing the compressed vapor through the condensing chambers to condense the vapor and transfer heat from the vapor to the liquid in the boiling chambers, a vertically extending sight tube in fluid communication with the boiling chambers and having liquid therein at a level corresponding to the level of the liquid in the boiling chambers, a conically tapered float which moves in accordance with the level of the liquid in the sight tube, a photosensor for monitoring the level of the float and providing a voltage having a level which corresponds to the level of the liquid in the sight tube, and means responsive to the voltage level for controlling the valve and thereby the amount of liquid introduced into the boiling chambers.

A distillation system comprising:

• an evaporator/condenser having boiling and condensing chambers, means including a control valve for introducing a feed liquld into the boiling chambers for conversion to vapor, means for compressing the vapor, means for passing the compressed vapor through the condensing chambers to condense the vapor and transfer heat from the vapor to the liquid in the boiling chambers, a vertically extending sight tube in fluid communication with the boiling chambers and having liquid therein at a level corresponding to the level of the liquid in the boiling chambers, a float which moves in accordance with the level of the liquid in the sight tube, a photosensor for monitoring the level of the float and providing a voltage corresponding to the level of the liquid in the sight tube, an electrically actuated motor operatively connected to the valve, means for providing a voltage corresponding to the operative position of the valve, means for comparing the sensor voltage with the valve position voltage and applying a drive voltage to the motor to adjust the valve so as to make the motor position voltage and the sensor voltage equal to each other.

A distillation system comprising:

• an evaporator/condenser having boiling and condensing chambers, means for introducing a feed liquid into the boiling chambers for conversion to a vapor, means for compressing the vapor, means for passing the compressed vapor through the condensing chambers to condense the vapor and transfer heat from the vapor to the liquid in the boiling chambers, a manometer tube having an upper end which is open to atmosphere and a lower end which is connected in communication with the boiling chambers so that liquid from the boiling chambers enters the manometer tube and rises to a level corresponding to pressure within the boiling chambers, means including upper and lower float switches for monitoring the level of the liquid in the manometer tube and delivering an alarm signal when the liquid in the tube rises above a predetermined upper limit or drops below a predetermined lower limit, a heater for applying heat to the liquid in the boiling chamber, and a third float switch positioned between the upper and lower switches for turning the heater on when the liquid in the tube is below a predetermined level and off when the liquid is above the predetermined level.

A distillation system comprising:

• an evaporator/condenser having a plurality of closely spaced vertically extending heat transfer plates disposed face-to-face and welded together along edge portions thereof to alternately form boiling chambers and condensing chambers between the plates, the boiling chambers being open along upper and lower edges thereof and the condensing chambers being open along side edges thereof, means for introducing a feed liquid into the boiling chambers for conversion to a vapor, means for compressing the vapor, means for passing the compressed vapor through the condensing chambers to condense the vapor and transfer heat from the vapor to the liquid in the boiling chambers, means for collecting condensate from the condensing chambers and unvaporized liquid from the boiling chambers, first and second heat exchangers through which the feed liquid passes before being introduced into the boiling chambers, and pumps connected between the heat exchangers for pumping the condensate and the unvaporized liquid through the heat exchangers to transfer heat from the condensate and from the unvaporized liquid to the feed liquid.

A distillation system comprising:

• an evaporator/condenser having a plurality of closely spaced vertically extending heat transfer plates disposed face-to-face and welded together along edge portions thereof to alternately form boiling chambers and condensing chambers between the plates, the boiling chambers being open along upper and lower edges thereof and the condensing chambers being open along side edges thereof, means including a control valve for introducing a feed liquid into the boiling chambers for conversion to a vapor, means for compressing the vapor, means for passing the compressed vapor through the condensing chambers to condense the vapor and transfer heat from the vapor to the liquid in the boiling chambers, a vertically extending sight tube in fluid communication with the boiling chambers and having liquid therein at a level corresponding to the level of the liquid in the boiling chambers, a float which moves in accordance with the level of the liquid in the sight tube, a photosensor for monitoring the level of the float and providing a signal corresponding to the level of the liquid in the sight tube, and means responsive to the signal for controlling the valve and thereby the amount of liquid introduced into the boiling chambers.

A distillation system comprising, an evaporator/condenser having a plurality of closely spaced vertically extending heat transfer plates disposed face-to-face and welded together along edge portions thereof to alternately form boiling chambers and condensing chambers between the plates, the boiling chambers being open along upper and lower edges thereof and the condensing chambers being open along side edges thereof, means for introducing a feed liquid into the boiling chambers for conversion to a vapor, means for compressing the vapor, means for passing the compressed vapor through the condensing chambers to condense the vapor and transfer heat from the vapor to the liquid in the boiling chambers, a manometer tube having an upper end which is open to atmosphere and a lower end which is connected in communication with the boiling chambers so that liquid from the boiling chambers enters the manometer tube and rises to a level corresponding to pressure within the boiling chambers, and means for monitoring the level of the liquid in the manometer tube and delivering a signal when the liquid reaches a predetermined level.

A distillation system comprising:

• an evaporator/condenser having a plurality of closely spaced vertically extending heat transfer plates disposed face-to-face and welded together along edge portions thereof to alternately form boiling chambers and condensing chambers between the plates, the boiling chambers being open along upper and lower edges thereof and the condensing chambers being open along side edges thereof, a steam stripper comprising a tank having pieces of ceramic material packed therein with void spaces between the pieces, means for introducing a feed liquid into the upper portion of the stripper tank, a stream inlet in the lower portion of the stripper tank connected to receive vapor from the boiling chambers, means for delivering feed liquid which has been stripped of gasses by the steam from the lower portion of the stripper tank to the boiling chambers for conversion to a vapor, means for compressing the vapor, means for passing the compressed vapor through the condensing chambers to condense the vapor and transfer heat from the vapor to the liquid in the boiling chambers.