US 6,294,054 B1Granted

Water purification system

OwnerDouglas E. Sutterinventor

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Abstract

A compact distilled water system for home, marine, and laboratory use which includes a closed circuit that provides high pressure water for dispensing water to remote locations and that also creates, in conjunction with an eductor, a partial vacuum in the evaporator tank to permit boiling and steam generation therein below atmospheric pressure.

Claims3

Dependent claims

A water distillation unit comprising:

a distilled water storage tank open to atmosphere having an upper inlet and a lower outlet;
pump means comprising a water pump having an inlet side and a discharge side;
an evaporator tank closed to atmosphere and having a lower feed water inlet, lower waste water outlet and an upper steam outlet;
a heating tank having a lower distilled water inlet and an upper distilled water outlet vented to atmosphere;
means for heating distilled water in said heating tank to a predetermined temperature below the atmospheric boiling point;
heat transfer means for transmitting heat from said heated distilled water in said heating tank to non-distilled feed water in said evaporator tank;
a vacuum source to create a partial vacuum in said evaporator tank sufficient to allow said feed water to boil at below atmospheric pressure from heat supplied through said heat transfer means;
a condenser comprising an inner tube having a steam inlet and a distilled water outlet and an outer tube having a cooling water inlet and a cooling water outlet
a first conduit connecting to the discharge side of said pump means for periodically conveying distilled water to the inlet side of said heating tank;
a second conduit in communication with the discharge side of said pump and said upper inlet to said storage tank,
an eductor interposed in said second conduit between the discharge side of said pump and the upper inlet of said storage tank;
said eductor defining a venturi having flared ends and a constricted throat with an the inlet side of said venturi receiving pressurized water supplied by said pump means, and a discharge side of said venturi in flow communication with the upper inlet of said storage tank;
a third conduit connecting laterally into a low pressure suction side of said eductor and the distilled water outlet of said condenser;
a high pressure of a distilled water flow through said eductor as generated by said pump means establishing said vacuum source to create a partial vacuum in said third conduit, condenser and said evaporator tank enabling the boiling of feed water in said evaporator tank at below the atmospheric boiling point;
said vacuum source operable to suck steam from said evaporator tank toward and through said condenser and to continue to suck condensed water laterally into the low pressure side of the eductor and thence outwardly toward its discharge end into said second conduit and the upper inlet to said storage tank, whereby said pump means operates to supply pressurized distilled water to said heating tank while also supplying distilled water through said eductor to create said vacuum source to suck steam and newly condensed distilled water therefrom to automatically replace and refill to desired levels distilled water in said water tank.

12 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

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Abstract

A water distillation unit comprising:

a distilled water storage tank open to atmosphere having an upper inlet and a lower outlet;
pump means comprising a water pump having an inlet side and a discharge side;
an evaporator tank closed to atmosphere and having a lower feed water inlet, lower waste water outlet and an upper steam outlet;
a heating tank having a lower distilled water inlet and an upper distilled water outlet vented to atmosphere;
means for heating distilled water in said heating tank to a predetermined temperature below the atmospheric boiling point;
heat transfer means for transmitting heat from said heated distilled water in said heating tank to non-distilled feed water in said evaporator tank;
a vacuum source to create a partial vacuum in said evaporator tank sufficient to allow said feed water to boil at below atmospheric pressure from heat supplied through said heat transfer means;
a condenser comprising an inner tube having a steam inlet and a distilled water outlet and an outer tube having a cooling water inlet and a cooling water outlet
a first conduit connecting to the discharge side of said pump means for periodically conveying distilled water to the inlet side of said heating tank;
a second conduit in communication with the discharge side of said pump and said upper inlet to said storage tank,
an eductor interposed in said second conduit between the discharge side of said pump and the upper inlet of said storage tank;
said eductor defining a venturi having flared ends and a constricted throat with an the inlet side of said venturi receiving pressurized water supplied by said pump means, and a discharge side of said venturi in flow communication with the upper inlet of said storage tank;
a third conduit connecting laterally into a low pressure suction side of said eductor and the distilled water outlet of said condenser;
a high pressure of a distilled water flow through said eductor as generated by said pump means establishing said vacuum source to create a partial vacuum in said third conduit, condenser and said evaporator tank enabling the boiling of feed water in said evaporator tank at below the atmospheric boiling point;
said vacuum source operable to suck steam from said evaporator tank toward and through said condenser and to continue to suck condensed water laterally into the low pressure side of the eductor and thence outwardly toward its discharge end into said second conduit and the upper inlet to said storage tank, whereby said pump means operates to supply pressurized distilled water to said heating tank while also supplying distilled water through said eductor to create said vacuum source to suck steam and newly condensed distilled water therefrom to automatically replace and refill to desired levels distilled water in said water tank.

12 more elements