Abstract: An apparatus for converting seawater or other contaminated water into pure water for reuse including: a source of the contaminated water; a first horizontal housing connected to the source of contaminated water and having a heat exchanger therein for vaporizing the contaminated water therein; a vertical housing connected to the distal end of the first horizontal housing for fluid communication therebetween; a second horizontal housing connected at its proximate end to the vertical housing for fluid communication therebetween, the second horizontal housing having a heat exchanger therein for condensing vapor therein; a weir vertically mounted in the first housing for retaining a portion of the contaminated water in the first housing and allowing the other portion of the contaminated water to pass through the heat exchange evaporator from the proximate to distal end of the first housing.

Abstract: A multi-flash evaporator having modular vertical cyclone chambers designed to generate a paraboloid of revolution providing an extended surface area for release of flashed vapors and attaining equilibrium. With multiple stages, the system incorporates deep loop seals to prevent blowby between stages at all levels of capacity and employs a vapor lift system to permit low pressure differentials between stages at high vacuum. The cyclone chambers employ an intermediate tangential inlet whereby the flashing vapors propel the liquid at higher velocities to generate a deeper paraboloid of revolution and centrifugally separate the heavier liquid from the flashing vapor. An anti-creep ring is interdisposed at the top of the cyclone to prevent the liquid from entering a mesh so only vapor impinges on the mesh and passes to the heat recovery condensers embodying a bayonet augmented tube heat exchanger.

Abstract: A bayonet tube heat exchanger and the method of use of the exchanger, the exchanger having a bayonet tube positioned within a sheath, the bayonet tube is used to create an annulus with the sheath for condensing vapors inside the sheath and to remove condensate and non-condensible gases under vacuum through the bayonet tube. An alternate embodiment uses an insulated plastic bayonet tube positioned within a sheath, the plastic bayonet tube used as an inlet for fluids into a small annular passage between the bayonet tube and its sheath with high turbulence for heat transfer in condensing vapors outside the sheath. Multiple sheaths and bayonet tubes are disclosed for applications to vapor recompression and long tube flash evaporators and to freon chillers and condensers.

Abstract: The invention provides unusally efficient distillation apparatus configured into a compact structure which conserves material in its construction and power consumption in its operation. The present structure particularly provides horizontally disposed flash effect distillation chambers coupled "back-to-back" across a common wall, the chambers being operable as a distillation system for water purification and/or solute concentration or as a sub-system in multi-effect distillation systems.