Abstract: A process for re-refining used lubricating oil (ULO) having thermally unstable additives. ULO is heated by mixing with superheated lubricant boiling range hydrocarbons recovered and recycled from the process. The mixture of ULO feed and superheated hydrocarbons is charged to a vacuum column, producing an overhead vapor free of unstable additives and a residual fraction, containing additives. The overhead vapor is condensed to produce an overhead liquid of lubricant boiling range hydrocarbons, a portion of which is recovered as a product and a portion of which is recycled. The overhead liquid free of unstable additives, may be superheated without fouling to produce superheated fluid which can heat the ULO feed sufficiently to permit fractionation. Superheating may occur in a fired heater or preferably in a heat exchanger to prevent high temperatures and cracking of recycled liquid.

Abstract: A desalination unit for production of potable water from sub-soil brine including in combination a trapezoidal basin, a condenser, a feed tank, a header, a heat exchanger, a flush valve, a sprinkling system, exhaust heat pipe and water collecting channel; where the exhaust heat pipe is connected to a heat source at one end and to the header at the another end, the header being coupled with the heat exchanger to provide the heat flow, and the heat exchanger being fitted at the inner portion of the trapezoidal basin to heat the sub-soil brine.

Abstract: The present invention is directed towards a process of condensing ethanol during the distillation stage of ethanol production by using an air-cooled condenser. Typically ethanol producing facilities use water-cooled condensers to cool the vaporized ethanol into liquid ethanol. However this water-cooled condenser uses about 50% of the water used in the cooling tower and requires replacement. Due to growing concerns and scrutiny of water usage in the ethanol producing industry air-cooled condensers in the distillation step of ethanol production can significantly conserve water.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a plan and a process for regenerating degraded heat transfer oil. The plant includes a distillation column for separating heavy components. The distillation column has an upper part and a lower part, the upper part having: a first inlet for receiving degraded oil, and a head having a first outlet for expelling light component vapor. The plant also includes a rectifier, for receiving the vapor, and having: an upper part having a second outlet for expelling light components; and a lower part having a third outlet for expelling regenerated oil. The distillation column further includes a fourth outlet for letting heavy components out in the lower part of the distillation column, a pressure transmitter at the first inlet, a pressure and temperature transmitter at the first outlet, temperature transmitters inside the distillation column, level switches, an automatic valve at the fourth outlet, and an electric resistance for maintaining the oil in a liquid state.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for liquid purification using regenerating heat exchange are disclosed. An apparatus, in one embodiment, includes a liquid receptacle, a heat exchanger, a heating mechanism, a compressor, and a condenser. While the liquid receptacle is able to receive a stream of liquid such as water, a heat exchanger pushes the liquid through the heat exchanger to increase temperature of the liquid. The heating mechanism is capable of facilitating phase transition of the liquid from liquid to vapor. The compressor is operable to guide the vapor and the condenser is configured to condense the vapor into liquid or purified liquid.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a process for concentrating aqueous hydrogen peroxide solution to give at least two hydrogen peroxide streams of different concentration in an apparatus which includes a preevaporator (1), a distillation column (2) and a vapour compressor (3).

Abstract: A system and method for processing a fluid, including decontaminating water and generating water vapor includes introducing the fluid into a vessel. The fluid is moved through a series of rotating trays alternately separated by stationary baffles so as to swirl and heat the fluid to effect the vaporization thereof to produce a vapor having at least some of the contaminants separated therefrom. The vapor is removed from the vessel for condensing apart from the separated contaminants and the remaining water. The vapor may be passed through a turbine connected to an electric generator. Sensors in a controller may be employed to adjust the speed of rotation of the trays or fluid input into the vessel in response to the sensed conditions. The treated fluid may be recirculated and reprocessed through the vessel to increase the purification thereof.

Abstract: A hydraulic desalination system, device and method includes lowering the pressure of liquid saltwater to the vaporization point by generating flow through piping and accompanying infrastructure that may include valves that impart friction and control flow, capturing the vapor, condensing the vapor using higher pressure supplied by the ambient surroundings producing freshwater, recovering the heat released during condensation by maintaining ambient temperatures greater than vapor temperatures, and then using the recovered heat to enhance and perpetuate vaporization in a cyclical manner. A novel spring-loaded pump for pumping fluids may facilitate the process.

Abstract: The invention provides a method and apparatus for purifying water. The apparatus includes a water still for receiving water and a hot air maintained in a heat-exchanging relationship to obtain a hot water and a cold air. The apparatus also includes one or more water purification units configured to receive the hot water from the water still in which the hot water is further heated using thermal energy received from one or more thermal energy sources to obtain steam and waste matter. A water purification unit of the one or more water purification units includes a waste matter remover for removing the waste matter from the water purification unit. The water still includes a heat-exchanging unit configured to receive the steam from the one or more water purification units. The steam received at the heat-exchanging unit is condensed to obtain purified water within the heat-exchanging unit using the cold air.

Abstract: The present process separates acrylic acid from a composition containing acrylic acid and at least one accompanying product. The process first involves contacting the composition with an aqueous liquid stream to give a liquid solution of acrylic acid, accompanying product, and water. The water then forms an azeotrope with an entrainer, which is added to the solution. Distillation then separates the solution into an overhead product containing the azeotrope and a bottom product containing acrylic acid and accompanying product. The overhead product is separated into water and entrainer and the bottom product is separated in a distillation column into acrylic acid and accompanying product. The process provides a way to remove high- and low-boiling products with a small number of distillation columns.

Abstract: The solar, water desalination system includes a desalination chamber where fine water droplets are injected upward by an air atomizer towards an air-cooled condenser. Hot saline water is ejected vertically upward to double the contact time between the droplets and the surrounding air. The air is preheated by solar energy in parallel with an auxiliary heater to prevent lowering of the droplet temperature. Pumped air functions as a condensation media and to pull the salt water into the atomizer. This arrangement improves the heat and mass transfer inside the desalination chamber.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are processes for removing water from organic solvents, such as ethanol. The processes include distillation in two columns operated at sequentially higher pressure, followed by treatment of the overhead vapor by one or two membrane separation steps.

Abstract: A process for recovery of sulfolane used in a solvent-extraction or extractive-distillation process includes introducing a mixture into a solvent-recovery column having a heat source connected to a bottom portion of the column and removing a lean solvent stream, substantially free of hydrocarbons, from the bottom of the column, removing a polar-hydrocarbon-rich overhead stream from the top section of the column and maintaining the needed vacuum conditions using a liquid-jet ejector, preferably using water as the liquid.

Abstract: A method for cleaning a distilling column includes providing a distilling column including a packing containing nickel and adding hydrochloric acid to the distilling column to wash at least a portion of the packing, thereby cleaning the distilling column.

Abstract: A system and method for processing a fluid, including decontaminating water and generating water vapor includes introducing the fluid into a vessel. The fluid is moved through a series of rotating trays alternately separated by stationary baffles so as to swirl and heat the fluid to effect the vaporization thereof to produce a vapor having at least some of the contaminants separated therefrom. The vapor is removed from the vessel for condensing apart from the separated contaminants and the remaining water. The vapor may be passed through a turbine connected to an electric generator. Sensors in a controller may be employed to adjust the speed of rotation of the trays or fluid input into the vessel in response to the sensed conditions. The treated fluid may be recirculated and reprocessed through the vessel to increase the purification thereof.

Abstract: The flexible belt evaporator employs an endless woven textile belt serving as a carrier for saline or otherwise contaminated water for evaporation of the water therefrom, and also serves as the evaporator surface. Mechanical equipment immersed in the saltwater and corresponding maintenance difficulties are largely avoided by placing most or all belt rollers clear of the liquid water tank of the system. Saltwater or contaminated water is sprayed onto the belt from above. The continuing passage of the belt about the exposed rollers results in water evaporation from the belt. Scale and residue buildup on the belt is removed by passing the belt through a wash tank. The wash tank preferably contains an ultrasonic generator to produce ultrasonic energy for removal of residue from the textile belt. The flexible belt evaporator system may be applied to evaporative cooling systems, humidifying systems, and salt or residue recovery systems.

Abstract: There is disclosed a water purification apparatus and method, related to desalinization. In an embodiment, a water purification apparatus and method includes at least one port for receiving airflow therethrough, at least one port for receiving salt water therethrough, at least one output for providing outflow of pure water vapor, and at least one output for proving outflow of a mixture of water, salt and air; and a plurality of chambers for evaporating the salt water into the airflow, at least one of the chambers forming a plurality of ports arranged in a plurality of rows. In an embodiment, a method includes providing airflow to a water purification apparatus; providing salt water to the water purification apparatus; forming a vortex in the airflow to evaporate water vapor from the salt water; and providing the water vapor in the airflow to a condenser so as to obtain pure water.

Abstract: An improved water desalination system is disclosed, in which contaminated water such as seawater or brackish water is preheated and fed into a primary pressure vessel through a distribution head. The seawater is distributed from the distribution head over a non-adherent surface such as a plurality of silicone chords hanging below a distribution tank or a cone- and cylindrical-shaped surface. The water is exposed to a high temperature steam environment in the chamber to cause at least a portion of the water in the contaminated water to evaporate, while the remaining concentrated salts from the contaminated water fall to the bottom of the chamber. A portion of the steam in the primary pressure vessel is withdrawn to be condensed into fresh water. The energy withdrawn with the steam extracted from the primary pressure vessel is made up by a supplemental energy apparatus, such as a steam generator.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for dehydration of glycol uses two galvanic electrodes submerged in a water-glycol mixture. Semiconductor switches are used to supply pulses from a direct current source and to control the polarization and current flow time in such a way as to produce an average current of zero and a switching frequency commensurate with electro-hydrodynamic frequency of the electrode and liquid system. By applying sufficiently low frequency of switching, stirring of glycol and removal of gas products from the electrodes is achieved. The glycol container has at least one submerged electrode module equipped with at least two galvanic electrodes. Each electrode is connected through pairs of high power electronic switches which cycle alternatively between the positive and negative terminals of a direct current power supply.

Abstract: A contaminant control system for an evaporative water purification process as deployed in a steam assisted gravity drainage process facility for in situ heavy oil recovery, The contaminant control system is specifically designed to simultaneously control silica, hardness and oil contaminant present in the evaporator feed water to prevent fouling of heat exchange surfaces and improve system reliability and can be applied to many evaporator designs available on the market.