# US 8,465,006 B2 · Separation of a vaporizable component under reduced pressure

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- Number: US 8,465,006 B2
- Document ID: US8465006B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/624,143
- Filed: 2012-09-21
- Published: 2013-01-17
- Granted: 2013-06-18
- Earliest claimed: 2009-09-04
- Assignees: Massachusetts Institute of Technology; King Fahd Univeristy of Petroleum and Minerals
- Applicants: Massachusetts Institute of Technology; King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals
- Inventors: Mostafa H. Elsharqawy; John H. Lienhard; Syed M. Zubair; Prakash N. Govindan
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8465006B2

## CPC

- C02F 1/12: Spray evaporation
- B01D 1/0058: {Use of waste energy from other processes or sources, e.g. combustion gas (for water treatment C02F1/16)}
- B01D 1/0082: {Regulation; Control}
- B01D 1/14: with heated gases or vapours {or liquids} in contact with the liquid
- B01D 5/0006: {Coils or serpentines}
- B01D 5/0039: {Recuperation of heat, e.g. use of heat pump(s), compression}
- B01D 5/0045: {Vacuum condensation}
- B01D 5/0051: {Regulation processes; Control systems, e.g. valves}
- C02F 1/048: {Purification of waste water by evaporation}
- C02F 2103/08: Seawater, e.g. for desalination
- C02F 2301/063: Underpressure, vacuum
- Y02A 20/124: Water desalination
- 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)
- 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)
- Y02A: TECHNOLOGIES FOR ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE

## Abstract

The productivity of a combined heat and mass transfer device is improved by directing a flow of a carrier-gas mixture through a fluid flow path in a combined heat and mass transfer device operating at a pressure below atmospheric pressure. Heat and mass are transferred from or to the carrier-gas mixture by a direct or indirect interaction with a liquid composition that includes a vaporizable component (e.g., water) in a liquid state to substantially change the content of the vaporizable component in the carrier-gas mixture via evaporation of the vaporizable component from the liquid composition or via condensation of the vaporizable component from the carrier-gas mixture, producing a flow of carrier-gas mixture having a concentration of the vaporizable component that differs from the concentration of the vaporizable component in the carrier-gas mixture before the heat and mass transfer process.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for increasing the productivity of a combined heat and mass transfer device, the method comprising:
directing a flow of a carrier-gas mixture through a fluid flow path in a combined heat and mass transfer device, the device operating at a pressure below atmospheric pressure; and
transferring heat and mass from or to the carrier-gas mixture by a direct or indirect interaction with a liquid composition that includes a vaporizable component in a liquid state to substantially change the content of the vaporizable component in the carrier-gas mixture via evaporation of the vaporizable component from the liquid composition or via condensation of the vaporizable component from the carrier-gas mixture, producing a flow of carrier-gas mixture having a concentration of the vaporizable component that differs from the concentration of the vaporizable component in the carrier-gas mixture before the heat and mass transfer process.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the combined heat and mass transfer device is a packed bed humidification device, wherein the vaporizable component includes water, and wherein the heat and mass transfer includes vaporization of liquid water from the liquid composition to a vapor form in the carrier-gas mixture.

### Claim 3

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 including liquid water and at least one other ingredient selected from dissolved components, solids and other liquids;
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.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, further comprising collecting the non-evaporated content of the liquid mixture in a bottom portion of the humidification chamber as water is evaporated from the liquid mixture,
wherein the water released in the dehumidification chamber is collected in a bottom portion of the dehumidification chamber.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, wherein the carrier gas is directed through the humidifier and the dehumidifier in a closed loop.

### Claim 6 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, further comprising heating the liquid mixture before it enters the humidification chamber.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, wherein the liquid mixture is heated via solar energy, waste heat, or fossil fuel.

### Claim 8 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, 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.

### Claim 9 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, further comprising heating the humidified gas flow before it enters the dehumidification chamber.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein the humidified gas flow is heated via solar energy, waste heat, or fossil fuel.

### Claim 11 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, wherein the pressure in the humidification chamber and in the dehumidification chamber is 90 kPa or less.

### Claim 12 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, wherein the pressure in the humidification chamber and in the dehumidification chamber is 70 kPa or less.

### Claim 13 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, wherein the pressure in the humidification chamber and in the dehumidification chamber is between 10 and 60 kPa.

### Claim 14 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, further comprising circulating the carrier gas through the humidification chamber and through the dehumidification chamber naturally or by a fan powered by an energy source selected from at least one of the following: solar energy and wind energy.

### Claim 15 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, further comprising 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.

### Claim 16 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, wherein the apparatus is operated free of any electrical coupling with an electrical power grid.

### Claim 17 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, wherein the liquid mixture is selected from seawater, brackish water or groundwater.

### Claim 18 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, wherein the dehumidifier is substantially thermally separated from the humidifier in a modular construction.

### Claim 19 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, 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.