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US 8,080,138 B2Granted
Desalination using low-grade thermal energy
AssigneeArrowhead Center, Inc.
InventorsNagamany Nirmalakhandan, Veera Gnaneswar Gude
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Abstract
This invention describes a low temperature, self-sustainable desalination process operated under natural vacuum conditions created and maintained by barometric pressure head.
Claims13
A desalination system comprising:
- a desalination unit, said desalination unit comprising an evaporation chamber for evaporating saline water disposed at a barometric height above at least three columns, one of said columns comprising a saline water column connected to said evaporation chamber, another of said columns comprising a brine withdrawal column connected to said evaporation chamber and another of said columns comprising a desalinated water column connected to a condenser;
- each of said columns comprising a constant-level holding tank, said saline water column comprising a saline water tank, said brine withdrawal column comprising a brine tank, and said desalinated water column comprising a desalinated water tank;
- said condenser attached to said evaporation chamber, said condenser condensing desalinated water, and a heat exchanger, attached to said evaporation chamber, said heat exchanger pre-heating the saline water feed;
- a thermal energy storage system for storing heat rejected by an absorption refrigeration system, said thermal energy storage system maintained at a specified temperature range;
- and
- a low grade heat source for powering said desalination system comprising the heat rejected by said absorption refrigeration system.
3 more elements
A method of desalinating comprising the steps of:
- operating a desalination unit, the desalination unit comprising an evaporation chamber for evaporating saline water disposed at a barometric height above at least three columns, one of the columns comprising a saline water column connected to the evaporation chamber, another of the columns comprising a brine withdrawal column connected to the evaporation chamber and another of the columns comprising a desalinated water column connected to a condenser, each of the columns comprising a constant-level holding tank, the saline water column comprising a saline water tank, the brine withdrawal column comprising a brine tank, and the desalinated water column comprising a desalinated water tank, the condenser attached to the evaporation chamber, the condenser condensing desalinated water, and a heat exchanger, attached to the evaporation chamber, the heat exchanger pre-heating the saline water feed;
- storing heat rejected by an absorption refrigeration system in a thermal energy storage unit;
- maintaining a specified temperature range of the thermal energy storage unit;
- and
- powering the desalination unit using a low grade heat source comprising utilizing the heat rejected by the absorption refrigeration system.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.