# US 7,608,171 B2 · Distillation system and process

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- Number: US 7,608,171 B2
- Document ID: US7608171B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 11/273,318
- Filed: 2005-11-14
- Published: 2007-05-17
- Granted: 2009-10-27
- Earliest claimed: 2005-11-14
- Inventors: Samuel Okwaja Otukol
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7608171B2

## CPC

- B01D 1/22: by bringing a thin layer of the liquid into contact with a heated surface {(B01D1/065 takes precedence)}
- B01D 1/2818: {Cleaning of the vapour before compression, e.g. demisters, washing of the vapour}
- B01D 1/289: {Compressor features (e.g. constructions, details, cooling, lubrication, driving systems)}
- B01D 3/10: Vacuum distillation (B01D3/12 takes precedence)
- B01D 5/0006: {Coils or serpentines}
- B01D 5/006: {with evaporation or distillation}
- C02F 1/10: by direct contact with a particulate solid or with a fluid, as a heat transfer medium
- C02F 1/14: using solar energy
- Y02A 20/124: Water desalination
- Y02A 20/142: Solar thermal; Photovoltaics
- Y02A 20/212: Solar-powered wastewater sewage treatment, e.g. spray evaporation
- Y10S 203/01: Solar still
- Y10S 203/18: Control
- B01D: SEPARATION (separating solids from solids by wet methods B03B, B03D; by pneumatic jigs or tables B03B; by other dry methods B07; magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high-voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges, vortex apparatus B04; presses per se for squeezing-out liquid from liquid-containing material B30B9/02; treatment of water C02F, e.g. softening by ion-exchange C02F1/42; {arrangements of air intake cleaners in gas turbine plants F02C7/05} ; arrangements or mounting of filters in air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation F24F13/28)
- C02F: TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE (separation in general B01D; special arrangements on waterborne vessels of installations for treating water, waste water or sewage, e.g. for producing fresh water, B63J; adding materials to water to prevent corrosion C23F; treating radioactively-contaminated liquids G21F9/04; regeneration of reactants for recirculation into processes, see the relevant places for the processes)
- Y02A: TECHNOLOGIES FOR ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE
- Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS

## Abstract

A distillation system for distilling contaminated water includes an evaporation chamber for receiving the contaminated water. The evaporation chamber includes (i) a vessel for absorbing the contaminated water; (ii) a plurality of heat conductive pipes extending through the vessel for delivering the contaminated water to the vessel; and (iii) a heat source for heating the plurality of heat conductive pipes for evaporating the contaminated water absorbed by the vessel and causing the at least one contaminant to be retained by the vessel. A condensation chamber is connected to the evaporation chamber for receiving the evaporated water for condensing and producing purified water in liquid form. A storage device is connected to the condensation chamber for storing the purified liquid water.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A distillation system comprising:
a. A source of water having at least one contaminant contained therein;
b. An evaporation chamber for receiving said contaminated water, the evaporation chamber having a window for allowing solar energy to enter said chamber for heating an interior of said chamber;
c. A vessel made of ceramic material or clay material within said evaporation chamber having an ability to absorb water;
d. Perforated heat conducting tubing for distributing contaminated water throughout said vessel, walls of said vessel absorbing water which is evaporated from outer surfaces of said walls warmed by solar energy leaving behind solid contaminants on inner surfaces of said walls;
e. A condensation chamber connected to said evaporation chamber for receiving evaporated water, condensing and thereby producing purified water in liquid form; and
d. a storage device connected to said condensation chamber for storing said purified liquid water.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system as recited in claim 1, having a ventilation pump to move evaporated water in said evaporation chamber to said condensation chamber.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The system as recited in claim 2, having a return duct to transfer non-condensed water in said condensation chamber to said evaporation chamber for recirculation.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The system as recited in claim 3, wherein said condensation chamber comprises a plurality of condensation pipes having a cooling liquid flowing therethrough.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The system as recited in claim 4, wherein said cooling liquid is at a temperature of substantially 10 degrees Celsius.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The system as recited in claim 5, wherein said evaporation chamber comprises a plurality of vessels for absorbing contaminated water.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The system as recited in claim 6, wherein said at least one contaminant is selected from the group consisting of salt, bacteria, a pathogen, silt and dirt.

### Claim 8

A distillation process including the activities of:
a. providing water containing at least one contaminant into an evaporation chamber, said evaporation chamber having a window for allowing solar energy to enter said chamber for heating an interior of said chamber, said evaporation chamber containing a vessel of ceramic or clay material having an ability to absorb water, and perforated heat conducting tubing for distributing contaminated water throughout said vessel;
b. absorbing the contaminated water within the evaporation chamber;
c. evaporating the absorbed contaminated water;
d. retaining, within said evaporation chamber, the at least one contaminant contained within the contaminated water;
e. providing the evaporated water to a condensation chamber connected to the evaporation chamber;
f. condensing and producing purified water in liquid form; and
g. storing the purified liquid water in a storage tank.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The process of claim 8, wherein providing the evaporated water to the condensing chamber includes the activity of acquiring the evaporated water from the evaporation chamber.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The process of claim 8, wherein condensing further comprises the activity of providing a liquid at a predetermined temperature through at least one pipe causing the evaporated water within the condensation chamber to be condensed into a liquid form.

### Claim 11

A distillation system comprising:
a. a source of water having at least one contaminant contained therein;
b. an evaporation chamber for receiving said contaminated water, the evaporation chamber having a window for allowing solar energy to enter said chamber for heating an interior of said chamber;
c. a plurality of panels made of ceramic material or clay within said evaporation chamber having an ability to absorb water;
d. perforated heat conducting tubing passing through said panels distributing contaminated water within said panels, said panels absorbing water which is evaporated from outer surfaces of said panels warmed by solar energy;
e. a condensation chamber connected to said evaporation chamber for receiving evaporated water, condensing and thereby producing purified water in liquid form; and
d. a storage device connected to said condensation chamber for storing said purified liquid water.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The system of claim 11 in which said contaminated water is salt water and said system is a desalinization plant.