Abstract: A refining system includes a Peltier heat exchanger, an evaporation tank, and a nozzle. The Peltier heat exchanger is configured to receive unrefined liquid and comprising a Peltier cell. The nozzle is positioned within the evaporation tank and configured to receive unrefined liquid from the Peltier heat exchanger and provide unrefined liquid into the evaporation tank such that vapor is formed. The Peltier heat exchanger is configured to receive vapor from the evaporation tank while simultaneously receiving unrefined liquid. The Peltier cell is configured to heat unrefined liquid within the Peltier heat exchanger and cool vapor within the Peltier heat exchanger simultaneously.

Abstract: Diabatic distillation column 1 includes first and second cooling devices 11, 12 configured to indirectly cool fluid in rectifying section 2 with a circulating working fluid, first and second heating devices 21, 22 configured to indirectly heat fluid in stripping section 3 with the circulating working fluid, first compressor 31 configured to compress the working fluid from first cooling device 11 on first circulation path P11-P14 between first cooling device 11 and first heating device 21, second compressor 32 configured to compress the working fluid from second cooling device 12 on second circulation path P21-P24 between second cooling device 12 and second heating device 22, first expansion device 41 configured to expand the working fluid from first heating device 21 on first circulation path P11-P14, and second expansion device 42 configured to expand the working fluid from second heating device 22 on second circulation path P21-P24.

Abstract: A thermal desalination system adapted to produce distilled water from feed water which may be sea water, based on a forward feed evaporator made up of a main water feed line, a vapor feed line, a distilled water main line and any number of effect groups. The effect groups include any number of effects which in turn include vapor inlets, water inflow lines, concentrate outflow lines that drain into a common concentrate drainage line, a vapor and water outlet in fluid communication with the distilled water main line, and heat transfer means that condense part of an inlet vapor to produce the distilled water.

Abstract: Systems and methods for separating an alcohol, and in particular butanol, from a fermented feed and concentrating thin stillage into syrup includes operation of one or more alcohol recovery distillation columns using the heat supplied by steam generated from concentration of the thin stillage in a multi-train, multi-effect evaporation system.

Abstract: This invention relates to a system and method for recycling a high-boiling-point waste photoresist stripper generated in processes of manufacturing LCDs or semiconductor devices, wherein an expensive high-boiling-point stripper solvent can be easily recycled at high yield and high-purity electronic grade.

Abstract: Device for desalinating sea water comprising a unit (10) for spraying sea water in the form of droplets, a unit (20) for vaporizing the droplets into steam, a unit (30) for separating steam from salt particles, and a unit (40) for condensing steam into fresh water. The spraying unit comprises a sea water entry (12), an ambient-temperature dry air entry (14), and a device for generating acoustic waves at a frequency greater than 1 MHz focused by means of nozzles (17) receiving the sea water coming from the sea water entry so as to obtain microdroplets having a diameter comprised between about 2.5 microns and about 5 microns.

Abstract: The present invention provides a configuration of a multi stage flash cross tube evaporator wherein flash stages are arranged in a plurality of at least two tiers with a first flash stage to which a heated solution is fed, a plurality of intermediate flash stages and a last flash stage from which the concentrated solution is discharged in each tier, wherein the flash stages in each tier are in a serial flow communication and the flash stages of each tier are in parallel flow communication to the flash stages in the other tier(s). Such configuration allows to minimize the size of the tube bundles, flash stages and evaporator shell and consequently minimizing evaporator weight and cost.

Abstract: Methods for continuously preparing cyclohexanone from phenol make use of a catalyst having at least one catalytically active metal selected from platinum and palladium. The process includes enriching phenol in a distillation fraction as compared to a subsequent fraction, wherein the subsequent fraction includes phenol and side-products having a higher boiling point than phenol. Distillation is carried out in a vacuum distillation column equipped with trays in the lower part of the column. In an upper part of the column, i.e., in the part above the feed inlet, packing material is present instead of trays in at least part thereof. The packing material has a comparable or improved separating efficiency, and provides a reduction of the pressure drop by at least 30%, preferably more than 50%, as compared to the case with trays in the upper part, under otherwise similar distillation conditions.

Abstract: A fractionation process for producing at least two concentration fractions of a fluid including a solute, suspended or dissolved content using at least two fluidly connected evaporator units is provided. The process includes the steps of: feeding a feed fluid including a solute, suspended or dissolved content into at least a first evaporator unit; evaporating a first amount of fluid from the feed fluid in at least the first evaporator unit to produce a first concentrated fluid; feeding at least a portion of the first concentrated fluid into at least a second evaporator unit; and evaporating a second amount of fluid from the first concentrated fluid in at least the second evaporator unit to produce a second concentrated fluid.

Abstract: A multi-effect evaporator, having an upstream and a downstream end, adapted for distillation of water. It includes a plurality of effects connected in a series manner and arranged into groups. Each group has a common parallel water feed inlet adapted to supply all effects in the group with feed water. The evaporator further includes a main feed water line in fluid communication with the most upstream group. An array of heaters is disposed along the line, adapted for heating the feed water before its entry into the effects of the latter group. Each effect includes means for forwarding the second outlet vapor into one of the heaters for heating the feed water. Each group includes a pump adapted to extract the concentrate from the effects of the group and pump it into the common parallel water feed of an adjacent downstream group.

Abstract: Processes and systems for purifying silane-containing streams are disclosed with relatively less silane being lost in impurity streams by use of distillation and/or condensation operations.

Abstract: Processes and systems for purifying silane-containing streams are disclosed with relatively less silane being lost in impurity streams by use of distillation and/or condensation operations.

Abstract: A method and a system to produce a distillate stream from an aqueous stream containing at least one dissolved solid by a thermal distillation process using at least one of a heated aqueous stream from a turbine system intercooler and a stack heater as a heat source.

Abstract: A distillation column is disclosed. The column includes a plurality of rectification zones and corresponding stripping zones. Each rectification zone is linked to a heat pump or a stage of a heat pump. Overhead material from the top rectification zone is compressed and used to heat bottoms liquid from the bottom stripping zone. Similarly, overhead material from a lower rectification zone is compressed and used to heat liquid taken from the uppermost or top stripping zone. Optionally, overhead material from a middle rectification zone is compressed and used to heat liquid from a middle stripping zone. A single multiple stage heat pump compressor may be utilized as opposed to a plurality of heat pumps. Because the heat exchanger from each rectification-stripping zone pair has a lower duty, economical stab-in heat exchangers may be utilized.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for the evaporation and condensation of water by utilizing latent heat of condensation and solar heating is provided. Various embodiments include a module that may be associated with a body of water and incorporate first and second dendritically liquid receiving channels, a dome, a lower chamber and an upper chamber. The first channel conducts water from the body of water to a reservoir located within the module. The second channel is in heat exchange relationship with the first liquid receiving channel and conducts water from the reservoir to the exterior of the module below the reservoir. The dome encloses the top of the reservoir and forms a vaporization chamber. An exit drain in the vaporization chamber leads to a collection channel for conducting demineralized condensate out of the module. Still other embodiments utilize at least two membrane layers having a plurality of dendritically-configured and/or nested channels.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for separating draw solution solutes and product solvent from a draw solution using a plurality of distillation columns is disclosed. In one embodiment, the draw solution is used in a Forward Osmosis (FO) water desalination process. In this embodiment, the draw solution is directed to the plurality of distillation columns in parallel while the energy stream (heat) is directed to the plurality of distillation columns in series such that the efficiency of heat use is improved and in turn the cost of the heat is reduced.

Abstract: The invention relates to cryogenic engineering, in particular to purifying krypton-xenon mixture and is usable in the chemical and oil-and-gas industries. The inventive method comprises purifying and separating the mixture in rectification columns, wherein coolant is removed and returned to a cooling cycle, additionally removing radionuclides from krypton and xenon fractions and from krypton and xenon production flows by means of filtration and/or adsorption and/or rectification and/or absorption and/or chemical and/or physicochemical methods in apparatuses for additional removing radionuclides. Balloons for reception of the separated products are certified with respect to radionuclides content and/or activity prior to and after the filling thereof.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and apparatus to recover and purify methanol from gases produced in the digester during the kraft pulping process. The gas is typically recovered as a foul gas (called stripper off gas or SOG) comprising methanol, water and various other contaminants. The gas is then treated with successive decanting and distillation steps to remove impurities, thereby producing highly purified methanol.

Abstract: In the water purification process, apparatus, and method, contaminated water vapor is exposed to liquid solvent, which causes a transfer of contaminants from the contaminated water vapor to the liquid solvent. In an advantageous embodiment, this latter step is followed by a second purification step where the decontaminated water in liquid phase is exposed to water vapor which causes a transfer of solvent remaining in the decontaminated water to the water vapor. The energy freed during the condensation of the vapor can advantageously be used for evaporation of the liquids, optionally by compressing the vapors prior to condensation thereof within heat exchangers.

Abstract: The claimed method and apparatus relate to cryogenic technology, particularly to purifying and separating by distillation a target heavy component concentrate thereby obtaining target components, e.g., krypton and xenon, and isotopes of light gases such as deuterium, tritium, helium-3. The method includes temperature-stabilizing a target heavy component concentrate flow, a low-boiling target component fraction flow, and a high-boiling target component fraction flow, irradiating the flows with ionizing radiation thereby obtaining light gas isotopes, purifying the flows, concentrating the light gas isotopes in the flows with subsequently extracting thereof, purifying the production flows from nuclides, using xenon as the high-boiling target component of the concentrate and using krypton as the low-boiling target component of the concentrate. The claimed apparatus can be used for implementing the method.

Abstract: A distillation column is disclosed with a folded design. The column includes a plurality of rectification zones and corresponding stripping zones Each rectification zone is linked to a heat pump or a stage of a heat pump. Overhead vapor from the top rectification zone is compressed and used to heat bottoms liquid from the bottom stripping zone. Similarly, overhead vapor from the middle rectification zone is compressed and used to heat liquid from a middle stripping zone and overhead from a lower rectification zone is compressed and used to heat liquid taken from the uppermost or top stripping zone. A single multiple stage heat pump compressor may be utilized as opposed to a plurality of heat pumps Because the heat exchanger from each rectification-stripping zone pair has a lower duty, economical stab-in heat exchangers may be utilized.

Abstract: An improved process for the manufacture of technical grade (meth)acrylic acid, e.g., acrylic acid, the process comprising producing a hydrated reaction product from the gas-phase oxidation of at least one (meth)acrylic acid precursor, e.g., propylene, followed by first dehydrating and then concentrating the reaction product, the improvement comprising controlling at least one of the water, acetic acid and (meth)acrylic acid content of the reaction product during the purification of the reaction product using on-line, near IR spectroscopy.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for reducing the content of boron-containing compounds in compositions I comprising at least one silicon halide, especially of chlorosilanes of the type HnSiCI4-n with n being equal to 0, 1, 2 or 3, by introducing a small amount of moisture into the composition I in a first step and separating the hydrolyzed boron- and/or silicon-containing compounds in a second step in such a way that a pre-purified composition II having a reduced boron content is obtained, wherein, in particular, the first and second steps can be run in at least one or more cycles. Also claimed is an apparatus for performing the method and an overall system into which this apparatus is integrated.

Abstract: This invention provides a method for purifying a chlorine supply that includes a chlorine component, a bromine component, and nitrogen trichloride. The method includes the steps of introducing the chlorine supply into a vaporizer, heating the chlorine supply in the vaporizer to form a vapor, and introducing the vapor into a distillation system to provide purified chlorine gas, a distillate that includes liquid chlorine and the bromine component, and a bottoms component including the nitrogen trichloride. The method also includes the steps of condensing the vapor in a reflux condenser, heating the condensate in a reboiler, removing the purified chlorine gas from the distillation system, and removing the distillate from the distillation system.

Abstract: A method of recovering a liquid medium from a mixture containing the liquid medium, the method including: (a) blowing a first gas into the mixture containing the liquid medium to vaporize the liquid medium, in a first vaporizing means, thereby to form a second gas containing which is a mixture of the first gas and vaporized liquid medium; (b) continuously dropwise feeding the mixture containing the liquid medium into a second vaporizing means and counter-flowingly contacting the mixture containing the liquid medium, with the second gas to vaporize additional liquid medium to form a third gas which is a mixture of the second gas and additional vaporized liquid medium; and (c) feeding the third gas into a condensing means to condense the vaporized liquid medium into a liquid and separate the first gas, which is then blown into the first vaporizing means in step (a).

Abstract: A multi-effect evaporator, having an upstream and a downstream end, adapted for distillation of water. It comprises a plurality of effects serially connected and arranged into groups. Each group has a common parallel water feed inlet adapted to supply all effects in the group with feed water. The evaporator further includes a main feed water line in fluid communication with the most upstream group. An array of heaters is disposed along the line, adapted for heating the feed water before its entry into the effects of the latter group. Each effect comprises means for forwarding the second outlet vapor into one of the heaters for heating the feed water. Each group comprises a pump adapted to extract the concentrate from the effects of the group and pump it into the common parallel water feed of an adjacent downstream group.

Abstract: A method of enriching a heavy oxygen isotope by distillation of the present invention includes: a first distillation step of feeding oxygen and ozone generated by an ozonizer 12 into a distillation column 13 filled with a diluent gas, and separating the oxygen, and the ozone and the diluent gas; a photodecomposition step of introducing a mixed gas of the ozone and the diluent gas from a bottom of the distillation column into a photoreaction cell 14, and irradiating the mixed gas with a laser light to selectively decompose the ozone containing the heavy oxygen isotope; and a second distillation step of returning non-decomposed ozone and oxygen containing the heavy oxygen isotope to the distillation column, and separating the oxygen, and the ozone and the diluent gas.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for desalinating water combined with power generation, wherein a desalination system is used for desalinating coastal seawater and is operationally related to a power generation system, wherein such dual purpose cogeneration facility captures the heat vapor exhausted or a steam turbine generator's condenser is replaced by the desalination plant's heat exchanger enabling such captured heat energy to reduce the energy requirements of the desalination plant, and wherein brine solution being utilized by the desalination plant is circulated from and to the substrata sea water table via supply and return wells.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a device for the purification of an aqueous solution of an organic acid having a boiling point at atmospheric pressure of less than 450° C., which further has approximately 275 g carboxylate ions/l or less, preferably 250 g carboxylate ions/l or less, and preferably less than 1% by weight ionic impurities, calculated on the basis of the total solution. In particular, the invention relates to a method and a device for the continuous purification and concentration, on an industrial scale, of an aqueous solution of an organic acid having a boiling point at atmospheric pressure of less than 450° C. According to the method, this solution is subjected to two or more distillation steps, the first distillation step being carried out at a temperature of from 80° to 150° C. and a pressure of from 50 to 250 mbar, and the second distillation step being carried out at a temperature of from 80° to 200° C. and a pressure of from 0.01 to 50 mbar.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a system for producing ethanol from an organic source and that operates to purify and dry ethanol from a beer source. The system for producing substantially anhydrous ethanol comprises: (a) a first distillation stripping column; (b) a second distillation rectifying column having a higher operating temperature than said stripping column; (c) a molecular sieve dehydration means in fluid communication with said rectifying column. Heat from the overhead of the second distillation rectifying column and the molecular sieve dehydration are used to heat the first distillation stripping column.

Abstract: A method of evaporating liquid in a liquid evaporating system having heat exchangers, evaporators, and steam reheaters, includes: preheating condensed water in the heat exchangers; distilling in the evaporators the condensed water from the heat exchangers, wherein the evaporators each has a horizontal plane evaporating chamber at an upper side thereof and a horizontal plane steam heating chamber at a lower side thereof, wherein heating steam is provided from an external boiler to the heating chamber; exchanging heat between the evaporating chamber and the heating chamber using a heat exchange boundary face formed in a concavo-convex shape, wherein the heat exchange boundary face is formed of a metal plate; and reheating in the steam reheaters the steam from the respective evaporators, wherein the reheaters each are coupled to a subsequent one of the heating chambers to serve as a heating source of the subsequent heating chamber.

Abstract: The method and apparatus for improving the esterification procedure, in particular for improving the esterification procedure to obtain an ester of low carbon number such as the ethyl acetate and the isopropyl acetate, are provided. By applying the provided method and apparatus, the conversion ratio of the esterification procedure is significantly increased and hence an ester product of a relatively high purity, up to the industrial specification, is obtained.

Abstract: The present invention provides a multi stage flash long tube evaporator with flash stages arranged in a plurality of at least three tiers, wherein each tier is divided into a plurality of at least two flash stages and a plurality of at least three tube bundles are arranged in parallel and in a longitudinal direction in each tier. This configuration allows to minimize the evaporator shell volume, shell surface, foot print and weight, minimizing the cost of an evaporator and other related plant cost. This configuration is in particular suitable for large evaporator unit capacities.

Abstract: The present invention provides a multi-structured internal heat exchange-type distillation column including at least an outermost heat exchange section, an intermediate section, and an innermost heat exchange section, in which the innermost heat exchange section is isolated from the intermediate section, the outermost heat exchange section is also isolated from the intermediate section, the outermost heat exchange section and the innermost heat exchange section are in communication with one another through at least two vapor tunnel connecting ports, a channel is formed inside the outermost heat exchange section in such a manner that, in a case where at least one of the vapor tunnel connecting ports serves as an inlet for vapor from the innermost heat exchange section into the outermost heat exchange section, and the other vapor tunnel connecting port serves as an outlet for vapor from the outermost heat exchange section back to the innermost heat exchange section, the vapor can smoothly flow in one-way traffi

Abstract: A method for concentrating effectively the heavy nitrogen isotope 15N to 50 atom % or more in which 14N15N and/or 15N2, which are molecules containing a heavy nitrogen isotope of 15N, are concentrated by distilling successively nitrogen N2 using plural distillation columns T1 to T4 each of which includes at least one condenser C1 to C4 and at least one reboiler R1 to R4 and is arranged in series, and a part of nitrogen in the distillation is drawn out to be subjected to isotope scrambling in an isotope scrambler S1, and nitrogen after the isotope scrambling is returned to the distillation to produce nitrogen N2 with a 15N concentration of 50 atom % or more.

Abstract: A multistage evaporation system is proposed in which the first evaporator is heated via a jet wet washer with superheated, air-containing waste steam, for example of a drier. The product vapor of the first evaporator stage is fed via a mechanical compressor to a second evaporator stage for heating. The compressor ensures firstly a lowering of the dew point in the evaporator space of the first evaporator stage and secondly a temperature increase of the product vapor fed to the second evaporator stage for heating.

Abstract: This invention relates to a process for reducing the corrosion rate of iron-containing vessels within an ethylene glycol distillation system. The inventive process includes the addition of an additive component of sodium nitrite and sodium hypophosphite into such iron-containing vessels, to thereby react with iron of the inside walls and form a protective coating thereon. This process reduces the corrosion rate in iron-containing vessels of the apparatus, and reduces the catalytic effects of iron corrosion products within the system. Thus, not only is the on-stream time of the vessels extended, but also product quality is improved by reducing the aldehyde content of the final ethylene glycol product.

Abstract: According to one embodiment of the invention, a vapor-compression evaporation system includes a plurality of vessels in series each containing a feed having a nonvolatile component, a mechanical compressor coupled to the last vessel in the series and operable to receive a vapor from the last vessel in the series, a pump operable to deliver a cooling liquid to the mechanical compressor, a tank coupled to the mechanical compressor and operable to separate liquid and vapor received from the mechanical compressor, a plurality of heat exchangers coupled inside respective ones of the vessels, the heat exchanger in the first vessel in the series operable to receive the vapor from the tank, at least some of the vapor condensing therein, whereby the heat of condensation provides the heat of evaporation to the first vessel in the series, and wherein at least some of the vapor inside the first vessel in the series is delivered to the heat exchanger in the next vessel in the series, whereby the condensing, evaporating, a

Abstract: A water-soluble organic material condensation apparatus equipped with a distillation column for distilling an aqueous solution of a water-soluble organic material, wherein a vapor generated at the top of the distillation column or a condensed liquid from the vapor is introduced to a device other than the distillation column which has the function to separate water from the water-soluble organic material to thereby condense the water-soluble organic material through separating water and then the condensed water-soluble organic material is recycled to the distillation column. The device other than the distillation column is desirably a separating film such as a zeolite film. The apparatus is improved in the operation of the upper portion of the condensation section of the distillation column and allows energy savings during distillation.

Abstract: The present invention provides tube bundle configurations for multi stage flash cross tube type evaporators using concepts with parallel and counter current coolant flow. Those tube bundle configurations allow to build the evaporators more compact and provide the possibilities to lower the thermal and electrical energy consumption for a multi stage flash desalination plant by maintaining or reducing the distilled water generation cost as achievable with cross tube evaporators utilizing single pass tube bundles in serial flow communication.

Abstract: Purified water for special purposes is produced using a falling-film multieffect evaporator. From the feed water, each effect produces a steam phase and a water phase. The steam phase is used for heating in the subsequent evaporating step, whereby the steam phase condenses to product water, and the water phase becomes feed water for the subsequent evaporation step. According to the invention, the product water may be wholly or partly recycled to the initial feed water, allowing process startup and sterilisation of the plant without conducting hot product water to the drain.

Abstract: A rotary multi-stage distiller for recovery of water from wastewater is provided. The rotary multi-stage distiller of the present invention can recover water from a wide variety of aqueous wastewaters such as, but not limited to, urine, condensate from air conditioning systems, wash water containing foaming soaps, seawater or polluted water. The multi-stage distiller can operate under vacuum conditions permitting the distillation to occur at low temperatures. The multi-stage distiller uses centrifugal forces for fluid pumping and for vapor/liquid separation. The multi-stage distiller comprises hydraulic seals for each stage which eliminate contamination of clean, recovered water by condensed waste water during the regeneration process. The multi-stage distiller also comprises a stationary shaft of stacked segments where each segment is associated with an individual stage of the multi-stage distiller.

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.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for recovering 1-butene from a feed steam comprising n-butane, isobutane and butene isomers using a single, divided wall distillation column. The disclosed process includes introducing the feed steam into an inlet of a first side of a distillation column, wherein the distillation column comprises a top, a bottom and a center dividing wall extending between the bottom and the top of the column and dividing the column into the first side and a second side. The process includes taking off an isobutane stream from the top of the second side of column, taking off a 1-butene stream as a bottoms stream from the second side of the column, and taking off a combination 2-butene and n-butane stream as a bottom stream from the first side of column.

Abstract: A krypton-xenon concentrate is first divided into krypton and xenon fractions in a preliminary rectifying column. Semi-volatile impurities are removed from each fraction, and production krypton and xenon are obtained from the refined fractions in krypton and xenon production columns. A recovered krypton flow is produced in a krypton recovery rectifying column. Reflux is formed in condensers-evaporators of rectification columns of the device in such a way that the formation of a solid phase is excluded. The operation of the rectification columns is initiated by supplying krypton to a contacting space.

Abstract: A structure for a multiple-effect still includes a horizontal shell encompassing a plurality of effects and a series of vertical compound baffles fastened to the horizontal shell and dividing it into a series of pressure-tight chambers. Each chamber along with its associated apparatus constitutes an effect. Each compound baffle comprises a fixed baffle and a removable baffle. A heat exchanger is fastened to the removable baffle and includes an evaporation surface, a condensation surface, and a pressure chamber isolated from the pressure-tight chamber in which it is located. A port in the compound baffle allows evaporate to pass between the pressure chamber and the pressure-tight chamber of an adjacent effect. The shell is provided with a removable top plate to provide access to the heat exchanger and allow removal of the heat exchanger and removable baffle.

Abstract: A sulfur-bearing residue treatment system is provided for the recovery of valuable organic components and the reduction of capital costs and operating costs. The treatment system involves the use of a stripping vessel in conjunction with a heating apparatus. All elements of the treatment system may be coupled together to form one integral piece of equipment.

Abstract: A method, system, and apparatuses for simultaneous heat and mass transfer utilizing a carrier-gas at various absolute pressures are described. A method may include: thermally coupling at least two continuous contacting apparatuses together; varying the pressure between the at least two continuous contacting apparatuses; allowing heat removed from the first continuous contacting apparatus to be the heat delivered to the second continuous contacting apparatus. A system may include: at least two continuous contacting apparatuses thermally coupled together and operating at different absolute pressures. A continuous contacting apparatus may include: an evaporation chamber and a dew-formation chamber both operating at an absolute pressure in a vacuum range. A continuous contacting vapor recompression apparatus may include: an evaporation chamber operating at a first absolute pressure; and a dew-formation chamber operating at a second absolute pressure higher than the first absolute pressure.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and a system for stripping volatile compounds such as ammonia from liquids. Part of the ammonia is stripped from the liquid in a system having a shunt through which liquid such as e.g. fermented biomass can be diverted in the form of a side stream in liquid contact with a main fermentor(s). The stripper system is connected to an evaporator. In the evaporator aqueous liquid is heated at a pressure below atmospheric pressure whereby vapor is developed at a temperature below 100° C. The vapor from the evaporator is directed to the liquid medium containing ammonia and this results in ammonia being stripped from the liquid and transferred to the vapor phase. The vapor phase is condensed in a first condenser at a low pressure, and the liquid thus obtained is further treated in a stripper unit at a higher pressure.

Abstract: A multiple effect distillation chamber includes a plurality of separate distilling chambers and a drain chamber at a downstream end of the distilling chambers. The drain chamber functions to create a vacuum to draw volatile gases and impurities collected at the end of the distilling chambers into the drain chamber. The drain chamber cools the volatile gases via cooling water, whereby the cooling water and volatile gases are not mixed during the cooling process, such that the cooling water may be recycled and reused. The drain chamber may include two heat exchangers, each receiving cooling water from a separate water source. Utilizing separate water sources in conjunction with the dual heat exchangers of the drain chamber enables the flow rates of the cooling water sources to be adjusted to enable the disposal of waste water from the distiller at any desired temperature without affecting other functions of the distillation system.