Multi-unit, distributive, regenerable, in situ desalination system, apparatus and method
OwnerWarren Cooninventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Cultivated field water is desalinated by a series of independent units that float on the water surface, taking up the saline water with a wick, evaporating the water from the wick in desalinating relation by concentrating incident solar radiation with a combination of a lenses and cooperating mirrors onto the upper end portion of the wick while the wick lower end portion is immersed in the field water, capturing the desalinated vapor resulting by condensing within the unit and returning the condensed, desalinated water to the field, and periodically renewing the wick by rinsing the salt from it at a cleaning station beyond the field.
Claims32
An in situ desalinating system comprising a multiplicity of distributively arranged individual desalinating units for continually removing saline content from field surface water while returning the desalinated water to the field water, said units being floatable on said field surface water, each said unit comprising a wicking structure including a wick having a lower end portion immersed in and in open communication with said field water and an upper end portion, a solar energy collection structure adjacent said wick upper end portion including a primary mirror adapted to collect incident solar energy and redirect it to the upper end portion of said wick In wick-contained water evaporating relation to produce evaporated water within said structure, and an evaporated water collector arranged to condense said evaporated water in saline content-free relation and return said condensed water to said field water.
An in situ desalinating system comprising a multiplicity of hand-carryable, distributively arranged individual desalinating units for continually removing saline content from field surface water, said units being floatable on said field surface water, each said unit comprising a wicking structure including a wick having a lower end portion immersed in said field water and an upper end portion out of said field water, a solar energy collection structure circumjacent said wick upper end portion including a lens and primary mirror system adapted to collect incident solar energy and redirect it to the upper end portion of said wick in wick-contained water evaporating relation, and an evaporated water collector including a cover above said wick upper end portion arranged to condense evaporated water in saline content-free relation and return said condensed water to said field water beyond said wick, said cover defining said solar collection lens.
An in situ desalinating system comprising a multiplicity of hand-carryable, distributively arranged individual desalinating units for continually removing saline content from field surface water, said units being floatable on said field surface water, each said unit comprising a wicking structure including a wick having a lower end portion immersed in said field water and an upper end portion out of said field water, said wicking structure further comprising a bracket arranged to support said wick vertically disposed within said unit, said wick being demountable from said bracket and remountable thereto in saline content-cleansed relation, solar energy collection structure circumjacent said wick upper end portion including a lens and primary mirror system adapted to collect incident solar energy and redirect it to the upper end portion of said wick in wick-contained water evaporating relation, said primary mirror being supported by said bracket, and an evaporated water collector comprising a light-passing dome above said wick upper end portion arranged to condense evaporated water in saline content-free relation and return said condensed water to said field water beyond said wick, said dome defining said solar collection structure lens opposite said primary mirror and adapted to pass indent solar radiation to said primary mirror, said lens reemitting all angles of incident light from said lens primarily normal to said lens, a secondary mirror arranged within said dome to redirect solar energy reflected by said primary mirror onto said wick upper end portion said dome defining condensed water flow paths from said dome past said primary mirror and to said field water, said dome-defined solar collection structure lens reemitting all angles of incident light from said lens primarily normal to said lens.
An in situ desalinating system comprising a desalinating unit for continually removing saline content from field surface-disposed saline water, said unit being floatable on field surface water and comprising a housing having a solar heat energy-passing, water-impervious wall defining a generally closed chamber having a lower portion adapted for contact with said saline field surface water and an upper portion generally out of contact with said field water, a saline water collection structure within said chamber supported by said housing for saline water immersion, reflector structure arranged to concentrate solar heat energy passed Into said housing and to direct said concentrated energy to said water collection structure for heating saline water collected in said collection structure to temperatures increasing the rate of water evaporation, said evaporated water being condensed within said chamber upper portion for return to said field surface water, said housing defining a condensed water return path to said field surface water, whereby saline water is returned to said field surface water with lowered saline content in field surface water saline content-ameliorating relation.
An in situ desalinating system comprising a multiplicity of hand-carryable, distributively arranged individual desalinating units for continually removing saline content from field surface water, said units being floatable on said field surface water, each said unit comprising within a chamber a wicking structure including a wick support and a wick supported by said wick support in extended relation, said wick having a lower end portion immersed in said field water and an upper end portion out of said field water, a solar energy collection structure circumjacent said wick upper end portion including lens and mirror system arranged to collect incident solar energy and redirect it to the upper end portion of said wick in wick-contained water evaporating relation, and an evaporated water collector including a cover above said wick upper end portion arranged to condense evaporated water in saline content-free relation and return said condensed water to said field water circumjacently of said wick.
An in situ desalinating system comprising a multiplicity of hand-carryable, distributively arranged individual desalinating units for continually removing saline content from field surface water, said units being floatable on said field surface water, each said unit comprising within a chamber a wicking structure including a wick support and a wick supported by said wick support in extended relation, said wick having a lower end portion immersed in said field water and an upper end portion out of said field water, a solar energy collection structure circumjacent said wick upper end portion including lens and mirror system arranged to collect Incident solar energy and redirect it to the upper end portion of said wick in wick-contained water evaporating relation, and an evaporated water collector including a cover above said wick upper end portion arranged to condense evaporated water in saline content-free relation and return said condensed water to said field water circumjacently of said wick, said chamber having a lower portion, said solar energy collection structure further including a reflector primary mirror comprising a mirrored web extending transversely across said chamber lower portion in spaced relation to said field surface water and a secondary mirror opposite said web for redirecting reflected solar radiation from said web onto said wick upper end, said web defining said wick support bracket, said web having an upward facing surface that defines said primary mirror, said primary mirror being arranged to concentrate solar heat energy passing into said housing onto said primary mirror, said secondary mirror being opposite to and spaced above said wick upper end.
An in situ desalinating system comprising a multiplicity of distributively arranged individual desalinating units for continually removing saline content from field surface disposed saline water, said units being hand-carryable and floatable on field surface water and comprising a housing having a solar heat energy-passing, water-impervious translucent plastic wall defining a generally closed chamber having a generally cylindrical lower portion adapted for contact with said saline field surface water and a parabolically shaped upper portion, a light energy collection and redirection structure comprising a primary mirror-defining web disposed transversely of said housing and an opposing secondary mirror above said primary mirror arranged to direct incident solar energy to a predetermined locus, said web having a central opening, a saline water collection structure comprising a fibrous wick having an upper end and a lower end and sized to be supported in said web opening, said web carrying said wick with its lower end arranged for immersion in saline field water and its upper end at said predetermined locus for heating saline water collected in said collection structure to temperatures at which evaporation of said water is increased, said evaporated water being condensed against said chamber upper portion for return along said wall to said field surface water, said housing lower portion and said web defining a condensed water return path to said field surface water, whereby saline water is returned to said field surface water with lowered saline content in field surface water saline content-ameliorating relation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.