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US 7,614,367 B1Granted
Method and apparatus for heating, concentrating and evaporating fluid
AssigneeF. Alan Frick
InventorFranklin Alan Frick
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system and method are provided for heating, concentrating and/or evaporating a fluid by heating the fluid in a heating subsystem comprising a rotary heating device, such as a water brake dynamometer, and then evaporating all or a portion of the fluid in an evaporation subsystem and/or concentrating the fluid in a concentration subsystem.
Claims15
A method of evaporating a fluid, comprising:
- providing a prime mover adapted to generate rotational kinetic energy and thermal energy;
- coupling a dynamometer to the prime mover so that rotational kinetic energy is transferred to the dynamometer;
- circulating a first fluid through the dynamometer to impart thermal energy to the fluid;
- circulating the first fluid through at least one heat exchanger adapted to transfer thermal energy of the prime mover to the fluid;
- circulating the fluid through at least a second heat exchanger;
- passing a second fluid through the at least second heat exchanger to transfer thermal energy from the first fluid to the second fluid thereby heating the second fluid;
- flashing the second fluid into its vapor and liquid phases;
- providing a holding tank adapted to contain the liquid and vapor phases of the second fluid;
- providing a fluid-to-air condenser in fluid communication with the tank for condensing a portion of the second fluid vapor by passing air across the condenser to transfer thermal energy from the vapor to the air;
- and
- providing an evaporation chamber in fluid communication with the tank for evaporating a portion of the second fluid liquid with the heated air.
8 more elements
A method of concentrating a fluid, comprising:
- providing a prime mover adapted to generate rotational kinetic energy and thermal energy;
- coupling a dynamometer to the prime mover so that rotational kinetic energy is transferred to the dynamometer;
- circulating a first fluid through the dynamometer to impart thermal energy to the fluid;
- circulating the first fluid through at least one heat exchanger adapted to transfer thermal energy of the prime mover to the fluid;
- circulating the fluid through at least a second heat exchanger;
- passing a second fluid through the at least second heat exchanger to transfer thermal energy from the first fluid to the second fluid thereby heating the second fluid;
- flashing the second fluid into its vapor and liquid phases;
- providing a holding tank adapted to contain the liquid and vapor phases of the second fluid;
- providing a condenser in fluid communication with the tank for condensing a portion of the second fluid vapor;
- condensing the second fluid vapor to its liquid phase;
- and
- extracting at least a portion of the condensed vapor to thereby concentrated the second fluid.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.