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US 8,292,272 B2Granted
Water separation under reduced pressure
AssigneesMassachusetts Institute of Technology, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals
InventorsMostafa H. Elsharqawy, John H. Lienhard, Syed M. Zubair, Prakash N. Govindan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Water is separated from a liquid mixture (e.g., sea water) using a humidification chamber and a dehumidification chamber that are each operated at a pressure less than ambient atmospheric pressure (e.g., at least 10% less than ambient atmospheric pressure). A carrier gas is flowed through the humidification chamber; and inside the humidification chamber, the carrier gas directly contacts the liquid mixture to humidify the carrier gas with water evaporated from the liquid mixture to produce a humidified gas flow. The humidified gas flow is directed through the dehumidification chamber, where water is condensed from the humidified gas flow and collected.
Claims17
A method for substantially separating water from a liquid mixture including water, the method comprising:
- directing a flow of a carrier gas through a humidification chamber in at least one humidifier;
- heating a liquid mixture;
- spraying the heated liquid mixture over packing material in the humidification chamber where the heated liquid mixture directly contacts the flow of carrier gas to humidify the carrier gas with water evaporated from the liquid mixture, producing a humidified gas flow, wherein the total pressure in the humidification chamber is less than ambient atmospheric pressure;
- directing the humidified gas flow through a dehumidification chamber in at least one dehumidifier;
- dehumidifying the humidified gas flow in the dehumidification chamber to condense water from the humidified gas flow, wherein the total pressure in the dehumidification chamber is less than the ambient atmospheric pressure;
- and
- collecting the condensed water,
- wherein the gas flow is extracted from at least one intermediate location in the humidification chamber or in the dehumidification chamber and fed from each extracted intermediate location to a corresponding intermediate location in the dehumidification chamber or in the humidification chamber, respectively, allowing for manipulation of gas mass flows and for greater heat recovery.
5 more elements
A method for substantially separating water from a liquid mixture including water, the method comprising:
- directing a flow of a carrier gas through a humidification chamber in at least one humidifier;
- heating a liquid mixture;
- spraying the heated liquid mixture over packing material in the humidification chamber where the heated liquid mixture directly contacts the flow of carrier gas to humidify the carrier gas with water evaporated from the liquid mixture, producing a humidified gas flow, wherein the total pressure in the humidification chamber is less than ambient atmospheric pressure;
- directing the humidified gas flow through a dehumidification chamber in at least one dehumidifier;
- dehumidifying the humidified gas flow in the dehumidification chamber to condense water from the humidified gas flow, wherein the total pressure in the dehumidification chamber is less than the ambient atmospheric pressure;
- collecting the condensed water;
- and
- circulating the liquid mixture through the humidifier and through the dehumidifier by a pump powered by an energy source selected from at least one of the following:
- solar energy and wind energy.
6 more elements
A method for desalinating water, the method comprising:
- directing a flow of a carrier gas through a humidification chamber in at least one humidifier;
- heating a liquid mixture;
- directly contacting the flow of carrier gas with the heated liquid mixture in the humidification chamber to humidify the carrier gas with water evaporated from the saline solution, producing a humidified gas flow;
- collecting the non-evaporated content of the saline solution in a bottom portion of the humidification chamber and directing the collected non-evaporated content of the saline solution down through a conduit to a saline-solution-filled receptacle below the humidification chamber;
- directing the humidified gas flow through a dehumidification chamber in at least one dehumidifier, wherein the dehumidifier is substantially thermally isolated from the humidifier;
- dehumidifying the humidified gas flow in the dehumidification chamber to condense water from the humidified gas flow;
- extracting the gas flow from at least one intermediate location in the humidification chamber or in the dehumidification chamber and feeding the gas flow from each extracted intermediate location to a corresponding intermediate location in the dehumidification chamber or in the humidification chamber, respectively, allowing for manipulation of gas mass flows and for greater heat recovery;
- and
- collecting the condensed water in a bottom portion of dehumidification chamber and directing the collected water down through a conduit to a water-filled receptacle below the dehumidification chamber, wherein a sub-atmospheric pressure both in the humidification chamber and in the dehumidification chamber that is at least 10% less than ambient atmospheric pressure is produced via a static head generated by means consisting essentially of (a) the saline-solution-filled receptacle positioned beneath the humidification chamber and the conduit extending from the bottom portion of the humidification chamber into the saline-solution-filled receptacle and (b) the water-filled receptacle positioned beneath the dehumidification chamber and the conduit extending from the bottom portion of the dehumidification chamber into the water-filled receptacle.
6 more elements
A method for substantially separating water from a liquid mixture including water, the method comprising:
- directing a flow of a carrier gas through a humidification chamber in at least one humidifier;
- heating a liquid mixture;
- spraying the heated liquid mixture over packing material in the humidification chamber where the heated liquid mixture directly contacts the flow of carrier gas to humidify the carrier gas with water evaporated from the liquid mixture, producing a humidified gas flow, wherein the total pressure in the humidification chamber is less than ambient atmospheric pressure;
- directing the humidified gas flow through a dehumidification chamber in at least one dehumidifier;
- dehumidifying the humidified gas flow in the dehumidification chamber to condense water from the humidified gas flow, wherein the total pressure in the dehumidification chamber is less than the ambient atmospheric pressure;
- and
- collecting the condensed water,
- wherein the sub-atmospheric pressure in the humidification and dehumidification chambers is generated by means consisting essentially of:
- a water-filled receptacle positioned beneath the dehumidification chamber and a water-filled conduit extending from the bottom portion of the dehumidification chamber into the water-filled receptacle;
- and
- a liquid-mixture-filled receptacle positioned beneath the humidification chamber and a liquid-mixture-filled conduit extending from the bottom portion of the humidification chamber into the liquid-mixture-filled receptacle.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.