Regenerative Patents (Class 159/24.1)
  • Patent number: 10745292
    Abstract: A water treatment system comprising a mechanical vapour compression apparatus (11), the mechanical vapour apparatus having a evaporation/condensation vessel (11a) and a recirculation circuit (20) whereby recirculated water is pumped from an outlet (18a) of the evaporation/condensation vessel (11A) to an inlet (18B) of the evaporation/condensation vessel (11A), wherein the recirculation circuit (20) comprises a fluidized bed crystallizer (22), and at least part of the recirculated brine is passed through the fluidized bed crystallizer (22) to remove dissolved minerals therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: I.D.E. TECHNOLOGIES LTD
    Inventors: Tomer Efrat, Alex Drak
  • Patent number: 10676373
    Abstract: A thermal utilization plant including a heat engine and a cooling system for the heat engine. The heat engine is operable to receive heat from a non-carbon heat source (carbon heat source can be used) and to transfer heat to the cooling system. The cooling system includes an evaporator configured to vaporize a working fluid to a vapor state. A condenser is coupled to the evaporator by a conduit and operable to receive the working fluid in the vapor state and to condense the working fluid to a fluid state. An output is coupled to the condenser and operable to receive the working fluid from the condenser and to provide the working fluid for beneficial use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Inventor: Husham Al-Ghizzy
  • Patent number: 10415756
    Abstract: The invention relates to a tank comprising a container with an opening and a cover, a flexible casing lying against the interior and exterior of the container. This allows increased resistance to the penetration of sharp objects, liquid and gaseous gases can be used interchangeably and various gas types with a fossil-type and biological-type consistency can be mixed and also heated and cooled in the tank. The invention relates to tanks (1) and staged tanks of the preceding claims, characterized in that in addition to LNG, said tanks can store biological methane gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: COMITEN GBR
    Inventor: Horst Moddemann
  • Patent number: 10399883
    Abstract: A bell positioning apparatus for glass tubing manufacturing includes a bell and a support connected to the bell. A bell positioning apparatus is attached to the support and configured to move the support and the bell with at least three degrees of freedom. The bell positioning apparatus includes a platform, a platform frame, and one or more frame legs. A frame leg dimensional stability apparatus maintains a temperature variation within 6.5° C. per meter of distance between each frame leg for an extended period of time, e.g. 4 hours.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: CORNING INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Adam Charles Berkey, Randy Lee Rhoads, Matthew Scott Weibel
  • Patent number: 10294122
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a seawater desalination device, including a steam re-compressor configured to pressurize steam by pressurizing a steam; a first heat exchanger configured to exchange an amount of sensible heat of seawater to be desalinated with an amount of liquid sensible heat after pressurized steam is condensed, and an amount of sensible heat of a concentrated liquid after seawater is concentrated; a second heat exchanger configured to exchange an amount of heat of pressurized steam, an amount of latent heat of vaporization of seawater, and an amount of sensible heat when seawater is evaporated, and configured to concentrate seawater; a seawater supply means; a steam supply means; a first discharge means; a second discharge means; and a water-droplet separation means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: OHKAWARA KAKOHKI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masaaki Ohkawara, Gentaro Nemoto, Yasuki Kansha, Atsushi Tsutsumi, Masanori Ishizuka, Hiroyuki Mizuno
  • Patent number: 10005001
    Abstract: A fluid vapor distillation apparatus. The apparatus includes a source fluid input, and an evaporator condenser apparatus. The evaporator condenser apparatus includes a substantially cylindrical housing and a plurality of tubes in the housing. The source fluid input is fluidly connected to the evaporator condenser and the evaporator condenser transforms source fluid into steam and transforms compressed steam into product fluid. Also included in the fluid vapor distillation apparatus is a heat exchanger fluidly connected to the source fluid input and a product fluid output. The heat exchanger includes an outer tube and at least one inner tube. Also included in the fluid vapor distillation apparatus is a regenerative blower fluidly connected to the evaporator condenser. The regenerative blower compresses steam, and the compressed steam flows to the evaporative condenser where compressed steam is transformed into product fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: DEKA Products Limited Partnership
    Inventors: Dean Kamen, Christopher C. Langenfeld, Stanley B. Smith, III, Prashant Bhat, Ryan K. LaRocque, Andrew A. Schnellinger, Otis L. Clapp
  • Patent number: 9962626
    Abstract: A distiller for processing liquid influent, including a heating chamber. An evaporation arrangement can be positioned above the heating chamber and can include spaced apart evaporation surfaces forming a bottom evaporation stage, multiple intermediate evaporation stages, and an upper evaporation stage. The bottom evaporation stage can be in thermal contact with the heating chamber, and the multiple intermediate and upper evaporation stages can be sequentially positioned above the bottom evaporation stage one above another. The bottom and intermediate evaporation stages can evaporate at least a portion of the liquid influent applied thereon forming vapor and heating the stage positioned above with the vapor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: Aquaback Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: William H. Zebuhr
  • Patent number: 9938813
    Abstract: A process is provided for treating produced water resulting from an oil recovery operation. Produced water is subjected to a softening process wherein a caustic or other softening reagent is added to the produced water to increase the pH of the produced water. Downstream of softening, there is provided an evaporator for evaporating at least a portion of the produced water and producing steam and a concentrated brine. At least a portion of the concentrated brine is recycled upstream of the evaporator and mixed with the produced water and the softening reagent to enhance the softening process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: Veolia Water Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Karen Schooley, David E. Gamache
  • Patent number: 9919991
    Abstract: A glycerin recovery system uses a reboiler and a heat exchanging system. The reboiler heats crude glycerin to separate the crude glycerin into finished glycerin and condensates such that the finished glycerin is in a range of 80-98% purity. The heat exchanging system transfers heat energy in the finished glycerin to the crude glycerin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Whole Energy Fuels Corporation
    Inventors: Orion Lekos, Atul Deshmane
  • Patent number: 9909401
    Abstract: An oil recovery process where produced water is cooled through a flash evaporization process and the resulting vapor is utilized to heat steam generator feedwater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: Veolia Water Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Mark D. Patterson
  • Patent number: 9849404
    Abstract: An apparatus for vaporizing a medium and separating droplets as well as for condensing, in which apparatus an evaporator (A) and a condenser (B) are arranged inside a single outer casing in such a manner that they are separated from each other by a partition wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: VAHTERUS OY
    Inventor: Mauri Kontu
  • Patent number: 9005393
    Abstract: A method of operating an evaporator is described. In evaporator feed water, a Taylor bubble is developed which has an outer surface including a thin film in contact with an inner surface of an outer wall of an evaporator tube. The Taylor bubble is heated as it rises within the evaporator tube so that liquid in the thin film transitions into vapor within the bubble.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: DEKA Products Limited Partnership
    Inventor: Kingston Owens
  • Patent number: 8951392
    Abstract: A modular portable evaporator system for use in a Steam Assisted Gravity Drainage (SAGD) systems having an evaporator, with a sump including an oil skimming weir, a short tube vertical falling film heat exchanger including an outer shell containing short tubes provided for lower water circulation rate. The system further having external to the evaporator, a compressor for compressing evaporated steam from the tube side of the heat exchanger and routing to the shell side of the same exchanger, a distillate tank to collect hot distilled water, a recirculation pump to introduce liquids from the sump into the heat exchanger and an external suction drum protecting the compressor from liquid impurities. The evaporator system receives produced water from the SAGD process into the sump and provides cleaned hot water to a boiler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: 1nSite Technologies Ltd.
    Inventor: Kenneth James
  • Patent number: 8845865
    Abstract: An accelerated vapor recompression apparatus 10 converts incoming flow 35a to a concentrate 35c by developing a concentration profile 146 within a tank 30 holding a liquid 23 containing dissolved solids. The resulting curve 160 of saturation temperature of the stratified liquid 23 (such as a brine 23 or other material 23) moves away from the curve 162 corresponding to fully mixed conditions. The shift 174, 180 in saturation temperature results in increased boiling without increased energy from a heater 70 or compressor 50. A method 90, 200 of control of the system provides interventions 203, 204, 205, 206 at different levels 92, 94, 96, 98 of control, ranging from mass flows 35 to work of a compressor 50, heat from a heater 70, and a predictive processing 215 of feedback 217 for controlling commands 216 algorithmically.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Purestream Services, LLC
    Inventors: J. Clair Batty, Neil W. Richardson, David A. Bell, Christopher M. Miller
  • Patent number: 8828192
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention are directed toward a novel pressurized vapor cycle for distilling liquids. In an embodiment of the invention, a liquid purification system is revealed, including the elements of an input for receiving untreated liquid, a vaporizer coupled to the input for transforming the liquid to vapor, a head chamber for collecting the vapor, a vapor pump with an internal drive shaft and an eccentric rotor with a rotatable housing for compressing vapor, a condenser in communication with the vapor pump for transforming the compressed vapor into a distilled product, and an electric motor with motor rotor and magnets hermetically sealed within the fluid pressure boundary of the distillation system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: DEKA Products Limited Partnership
    Inventors: Jason A. Demers, Scott A. Leonard, Kingston Owens
  • Patent number: 8815049
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for producing high purity distillate in evaporators is useful for evaporation of waters where volatile silica or organic compounds are encountered such as in production of hydrocarbons from geological formations. An evaporator having a contaminant reduction system is provided. The contaminant reduction system includes an upflow first mist eliminator portion to remove entrained liquid droplets and produce an intermediate purity water vapor stream. A continuous spray system provides a spray of dilute caustic solution in a selected spray configuration for mass transfer contact with the passing intermediate purity water vapor stream, to remove volatile silica compounds therefrom, and produce a partially decontaminated steam stream having mist particles therein. An upflow second mist eliminator portion is provided to remove the residual mist particles, and produce a high purity water vapor stream. The high purity water vapor stream is condensed to provide a high purity distillate stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: William F. Heins, Gregg L. Wilson
  • Patent number: 8771478
    Abstract: A modular distillation apparatus including at least one heat exchanger that preheats contaminated liquids: a heater that heats the contaminated liquid from the heat exchanger; an evaporator condenser adapted o boil the contaminated liquid coming out of the heater to produce water vapor and contaminant concentrate, and condenser the water vapor into distilled water; a vacuum chamber capable of operating at below atmospheric pressure, the vacuum chamber housing the evaporator condenser and including at least one partition to separate the distilled water from the contaminate concentrate; a vapor compressor operably associated with the vacuum chamber to receive water vapor from the evaporator condenser in the vacuum chamber and pump the water vapor at pressure back through the evaporator condenser, wherein the heat exchanger recovers sensible heat from outgoing condensed distilled water and contaminant concentrate recycled from the vacuum chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Equus Environmental Ltd.
    Inventor: Dudley Edgar James Ward
  • Patent number: 8517052
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention are directed toward a novel pressurized vapor cycle for distilling liquids. In some embodiments of the invention, a liquid purification system is revealed, including the elements of an input for receiving untreated liquid, a vaporizer coupled to the input for transforming the liquid to vapor, a head chamber for collecting the vapor, a vapor pump with an internal drive shaft and an eccentric rotor with a rotatable housing for compressing vapor, and a condenser in communication with the vapor pump for transforming the compressed vapor into a distilled product. Other embodiments of the invention are directed toward heat management, and other process enhancements for making the system especially efficient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: DEKA Products Limited Partnership
    Inventors: David F. Bednarek, Jason A. Demers, Timothy P. Duggan, James L. Jackson, Scott A. Leonard, David W. McGill, Kingston Owens
  • Patent number: 8506762
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention are directed toward a novel pressurized vapor cycle for distilling liquids. In some embodiments of the invention, a liquid purification system is revealed, including the elements of an input for receiving untreated liquid, a vaporizer coupled to the input for transforming the liquid to vapor, a head chamber for collecting the vapor, a vapor pump with an internal drive shaft and an eccentric rotor with a rotatable housing for compressing vapor, and a condenser in communication with the vapor pump for transforming the compressed vapor into a distilled product. Other embodiments of the invention are directed toward heat management, and other process enhancements for making the system especially efficient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: DEKA Products Limited Partnership
    Inventors: David F. Bednarek, Jason A. Demers, Timothy P. Duggan, James L. Jackson, Scott A. Leonard, David W. McGill, Kingston Owens
  • Patent number: 8440056
    Abstract: Provided is a heat integrated distillation apparatus includes: rectifying column including a trayed section or a packed bed section; stripping column including a trayed section or a packed bed section located higher than rectifying column; first pipe for connecting top part of the stripping column with bottom part of the rectifying column; and compressor that compresses vapor from top part of the stripping column to feed the compressed vapor to bottom part of the rectifying column. The heat integrated distillation apparatus further includes: heat exchanger located either at the trayed section or a packed bed section of rectifying column or at the trayed section or a packed bed section of stripping column; second pipe; and third pipe for circulating fluids through the heat exchanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignees: National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Toyo Engineering Company
    Inventors: Masaru Nakaiwa, Toshihiro Wakabayashi, Akihiko Tamakoshi
  • Patent number: 8366883
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention are directed toward a novel pressurized vapor cycle for distilling liquids. In some embodiments of the invention, a liquid purification system is revealed, including the elements of an input for receiving untreated liquid, a vaporizer coupled to the input for transforming the liquid to vapor, a head chamber for collecting the vapor, a vapor pump with an internal drive shaft and an eccentric rotor with a rotatable housing for compressing vapor, and a condenser in communication with the vapor pump for transforming the compressed vapor into a distilled product. Other embodiments of the invention are directed toward heat management, and other process enhancements for making the system especially efficient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: DEKA Products Limited Partnership
    Inventors: David F. Bednarek, Robert Andrew Charles, Andrew Coll, Jason A. Demers, Timothy P. Duggan, Gustav Heinzmann, Joseph A. Hoell, Jr., James L. Jackson, Scott A. Leonard, David W. McGill, Kingston Owens
  • Patent number: 8317982
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a process and apparatus for utilization of waste heat of flue gas liberated from different heat sources to provide high quality water from sea/brackish.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Inventor: Subrahmanyam Kumar
  • Patent number: 8246789
    Abstract: A treatment system for a watery material that includes: a dewatering tank in which liquefied matter of a material that is gaseous at a normal temperature and a normal pressure is contacted with the watery material and the watery material is separated into the resultant watery material and a liquid phase that contains an aqueous component from the watery material; an evaporator that vaporizes the material that is gaseous at a normal temperature and a normal pressure from the liquid phase; a separator that separates a gas of the material thus vaporized from effluent water; a condenser that condenses the gas into liquefied matter, two or more external heat sources selected from atmosphere, sewage, warm effluent water, and ground water; an external heat temperature detector that detects temperatures of external heats of the external heat sources; and an external heat supply destination controlling unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignees: Central Research Institute of Electric Power Industry, Tsukishima Kikai Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideki Kanda, Hisao Makino, Mayumi Morita, Keizo Takegami, Akio Yoshikoshi, Masazumi Takahashi
  • Patent number: 8206557
    Abstract: In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a housing that has at least an inlet and an outlet. The housing is configured to receive a volume of fluid via the inlet. The volume of fluid is in a substantially liquid state and at least a portion of the volume of fluid includes a dissolved impurity. The apparatus also includes a heat-transfer element coupled to an interior volume of the housing. The heat-transfer element includes a surface, at least a portion of which is disposed at an angle with respect to a horizontal plane. The volume of fluid includes a surface parallel to the horizontal plane. The apparatus further includes a compression component configured to compress at least a portion of fluid boiled from the volume of fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: Hydrologic Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Francis P. Burke, Kenneth J. Horne, David B. Taylor, Stephen R. Topaz
  • Patent number: 8206558
    Abstract: A processing apparatus (1) for the processing of process or industrial wastewaters is provided. The processing apparatus (1) has an evaporator (4) in which a tube bundle heat exchanger is provided, whose pure distillate side is connected to a separating apparatus for separating the distillate from floating organic phase or similar free liquid constituents. This separating apparatus is intended to collect the floating organic phase from the condensate, in order that this phase can be sucked back into the evaporator (4). In addition, the vapor mixture is conducted from the separating apparatus (8) to a recuperator (3) and cooled to such an extent that the water, the volatile solvents and the organic material dissolved in the vapor can be condensed and discharged separately or can be sucked back into the evaporator (4). This allows significantly better distillate qualities to be achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: H20 GmbH
    Inventors: Matthias Fickenscher, Daniel Ladenberger
  • Patent number: 8202401
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes moving a first volume of fluid from a region above a heat-transfer element to a region below the heat-transfer element after the first volume of fluid is boiled from a second volume of fluid within the region above the heat-transfer element. The first volume of fluid including an impurity concentration lower than an impurity concentration of the second volume of fluid. The region below the heat-transfer element has a temperature higher than a temperature of the region above the heat-transfer element. The method also includes transferring latent heat from the first volume of fluid to a third volume of fluid on a top surface of the heat transfer element. The latent heat is released when the first volume of fluid condenses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2012
    Assignee: Hydrologic Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: David B. Taylor, Stephen R. Topaz
  • Patent number: 8021519
    Abstract: A system for distilling sea or brackish water includes a feed water arrangement for supplying feed water from a feed water source to one or more flashing stages. Each flashing stage has a water flash evaporator for vaporizing at least part of the water therein, and a condenser for receiving the vapour and converting at least a part of the vapour into distilled water. A heat storage arrangement provided with a heat generating source for storing heat energy is used to heat a fluid medium flowing through it. A heat exchange arrangement receives the hot fluid medium and transfers heat to a stream of vapour flowing under pressure from each flashing stage. The vapour leaving the heat exchange arrangement being at a raised temperature is arranged to be condensed into water at the condenser and to transfer some of its latent heat to the evaporator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Inventor: Gregory Mark Paxton
  • Patent number: 7981254
    Abstract: In a heat pump system including a water purifier and an evaporator for evaporating feed-water to produce steam, water used for spray cooling is effectively used and productivity of purified water used for the spray cooling is increased. Discharged water from the water purifier is supplied to the evaporator when water used for spray cooling is produced by use of the water purifier. Otherwise, drain of the evaporator having higher temperature is supplied to the water purifier by using such a fact that in a reverse osmosis membrane type water purifier, the higher the temperature of feed-water is, the higher the purified water productivity becomes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2011
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tadaharu Kishibe, Susumu Nakano, Takanori Shibata
  • Patent number: 7955476
    Abstract: A multiple application recycling and purification device has a coaxial core that is horizontally oriented, non-rotating, cylindrical distillation chamber. The enhanced, completely coaxial configuration continuously cleans the entire distillation chamber and spreads a thin film of liquid to enhance distillation and positively aid in the removal of remaining contaminants. Through a timed and positioned valve, the device removes and purges lower-temperature contaminants. Timed valves and sensors control all phases of the distillation to provide a coaxially integrated, stand-alone, adaptable, scalable and maintenance free distillation unit that self-monitors, self-cleans and economically functions to produce the pure distilled liquid, e.g., water. This device can be modified to purify any numerous array of liquids and can be scaled to produce any amount of purified liquids for either household, commercial, or industrial applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignee: Mansur Corporation
    Inventor: Pierre G. Mansur
  • Patent number: 7927464
    Abstract: A vapor compression distillation system (10) is provided and includes a fluid inlet (12) for receiving a fluid, a fluid outlet (14) for a distillate that has been distilled from the fluid, a heat exchanger (16) connected to the fluid inlet (12) and the fluid outlet (14) to transfer heat from the distillate to the fluid; and an integrated motor/compressor unit (18) connected to the heat exchanger (16) to receive vaporized distillate therefrom and to supply pressurized distillate thereto. The system 10 may further include a coolant system (20) connected to the integrated motor/compressor (18) to supply a coolant flow thereto. The system (10) may also include an air oil mist system (22) that is connected to the integrated motor/compressor unit (18) to supply an air oil mist thereto for bearing lubrication and cooling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignee: Mechanical Equipment Company, Inc.
    Inventors: George V. Gsell, Kim C. Klein
  • Patent number: 7862692
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Inventor: Jeong-Ho Hong
  • Patent number: 7815776
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus for desalinizing raw water are disclosed. The method can include wicking the raw water into a porous material by capillary action and heating the raw water in the porous material with a heating element to form water vapor. The water vapor then can be condensed to form purified water. The apparatus can include a chamber for holding raw water, a heating element, a sheet of porous material and a chamber for collecting water vapor evaporated from the raw water in the porous material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2010
    Inventor: George E. Wilson
  • Patent number: 7794564
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2010
    Assignee: GEA Wiegand GmbH
    Inventor: Herbert Praschak
  • Patent number: 7749360
    Abstract: A vapor based liquid purification system and process utilizes an evaporator for evaporating a liquid into a vapor and a vapor condenser for condensing the vapor into the processed liquid. The vapor condenser has a stator and a rotor, with the rotor disposed for rotation about the stator. The stator and the rotor each have protrusions proximate to an inlet of the vapor condenser. These protrusions cooperate to draw vapor from the evaporator into the vapor condenser. The stator and the rotor each further have at least one axially extending ridge. These ridges cooperate to move a mixture of the vapor and the processed liquid towards at least one drain in the rotor where the processed liquid is communicated to an outlet of the vapor condenser. A multi-level vapor based purification system may also be utilized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2010
    Inventor: Wesley K. Waldron
  • Patent number: 7708865
    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
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignees: Texas A&M University System, StarRotor Corporation
    Inventors: Mark T. Holtzapple, Gary P. Noyes, George A. Rabroker
  • Patent number: 7681643
    Abstract: A process for conditioning of wastewater treatment brines for deep well injection during recovery of heavy hydrocarbon oils in situ. High pressure steam is used to mobilize oil, which is recovered in a mixture of oil and produced water. The produced water is pre-treated by removing residual oil. The remaining water is acidified and steam stripped to remove non-hydroxide alkalinity and non-condensable gases, and is then fed to a crystallizing evaporator, where it is evaporated from a circulating brine slurry to produce (1) a distillate stream having a trace amount of residual solutes, and (2) evaporator blowdown stream containing, as dissolved or suspended solids, substantially all of the solutes from the produced water feed. The distillate stream is used as boiler feedwater, either directly or after polishing. The evaporator blowdown is conditioned to remove substantially all suspended solids and to produce a clear brine solution for deep well injection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2010
    Assignee: GE Ionics, Inc.
    Inventor: William F. Heins
  • Patent number: 7597784
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention are directed toward a novel pressurized vapor cycle for distilling liquids. In some embodiments of the invention, a liquid purification system is revealed, including the elements of an input for receiving untreated liquid, a vaporizer coupled to the input for transforming the liquid to vapor, a head chamber for collecting the vapor, a vapor pump with an internal drive shaft and an eccentric rotor with a rotatable housing for compressing vapor, and a condenser in communication with the vapor pump for transforming the compressed vapor into a distilled product. Other embodiments of the invention are directed toward heat management, and other process enhancements for making the system especially efficient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2009
    Assignee: DEKA Products Limited Partnership
    Inventors: David F. Bednarek, Jason A. Demers, Timothy P. Duggan, James L. Jackson, Scott A. Leonard, David W. McGill, Kingston Owens
  • Patent number: 7594980
    Abstract: Device for distillation, for example extraction of fresh water from sea water, including a number of chambers (3) at least in one row, an inlet (10) for distillation fluid, an outlet (11) for the distillation residue, an outlet (5) for the distillate, and a gas compressor (13). Further, the device includes two pipe systems (1,2), where the first pipe system (1) has an inlet (10) for the distillation fluid and an outlet (11) for the distillation residue, together with an outlet (12) for damp. The second pipe system (2) has a number of chambers (3) in a row, each row (3) having an upper inlet (4) for damp and a lower outlet (5) for distillate. The inlets (4) are connected in parallel, and the outlets (5) are connected in parallel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2009
    Assignee: GND Water AS
    Inventor: Olav E. Sandstad
  • Patent number: 7553396
    Abstract: A system for generating purified water from polluted water which includes an entry chamber communicating with a source of polluted water, a pump for delivering water vapor from the entry chamber to the vapor chamber, and a passageway for delivering condensed water from the vapor chamber to a reservoir of purified water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2009
    Inventor: Joel Vance Miller
  • Patent number: 7540944
    Abstract: The present water reclamation system comprises a series of concentric thin shells. The shells mount within a housing that can be maintained under vacuum or low pressure. The shells rotate at high velocity. Contaminated liquid from outside the housing is injected into the space between half the shells. The centrifugal force causes the liquid to form a thin film along the inward facing surface of the shell. A compressor lowers the pressure adjacent the thin film causing the liquid to boil. The compressor carries the vapor to the other side of those shells at a slightly higher temperature. There the vapor encounters the wall, which is cooler and its heat is transferred to boil the contaminated liquid. The vapor condenses, and rotation throws the condensate against the adjacent wall where it is collected. When condensing, the heat of condensation transfers to the shell for boiling the incoming contaminated liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2009
    Inventors: Jack Bitterly, Steven Bitterly
  • Patent number: 7517432
    Abstract: A plant for tomato juice concentration uses a falling-film evaporator with an external sleeve which surrounds a vertical bundle of tubes divided into a plurality of sectors in which the tomato juice circulates in succession, and which is combined with a heat exchanger which is arranged externally of the evaporator and which is divided into a plurality of sectors in each of which the tomato juice is circulated and heated as it exits from a sector of tubes of the evaporator before being introduced into a successive sector. The plant also includes a compressor that aspirates steam from a bottom zone, being a separation chamber of the evaporator, compresses it and reintroduces it into the central part of the evaporator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Assignee: CFT S.p.A.
    Inventor: Roberto Catelli
  • Patent number: 7465376
    Abstract: The invention provides for the removal of impurities from treatment fluid including a base liquid and a variety of impurities contained in the base liquid by conveying the treatment fluid to at least one preheating separating device, including a preheating heat exchanger and a separator unit, before the admixture of a carrier gas to the treatment fluid. The treatment fluid is preheated by the preheating heat exchanger to a temperature below the boiling temperature of a base liquid so that the liquid impurities with lower boiling temperatures than the base liquid are evaporated and expelled thermally, whereby the evaporated and expelled impurities are separated in the separator unit of the preheating separator device. The treatment fluid is then evaporated and separated from impurities having a higher boiling point than the base liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2008
    Inventors: Joachim Neubert, Karl-Ferdinand Staab
  • Patent number: 7438129
    Abstract: A process for treating produced water to generate high pressure steam. Produced water from heavy oil recovery operations is treated by first removing oil and grease. Feedwater is then acidified and steam stripped to remove alkalinity and dissolved non-condensable gases. Pretreated produced water is then fed to an evaporator. Up to 95% or more of the pretreated produced water stream is evaporated to produce (1) a distillate having a trace amount of residual solutes therein, and (2) evaporator blowdown containing substantially all solutes from the produced water feed. The distillate may be directly used, or polished to remove the trace residual solutes before being fed to a steam generator. Steam generation in a packaged boiler, such as a water tube boiler having a steam drum and a mud drum with water cooled combustion chamber walls, produces 100% quality high pressure steam for down-hole use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Assignee: GE Ionics, Inc.
    Inventor: William F. Heins
  • Patent number: 7428926
    Abstract: A process for treating produced water to generate high pressure steam. Produced water from heavy oil recovery operations is treated by first removing oil and grease. Pretreated produced water is then fed to an evaporator. Up to 95% or more of the pretreated produced water stream is evaporated to produce (1) a distillate having a trace amount of residual solutes therein, and (2) evaporator blowdown containing substantially all solutes from the produced water feed. The distillate may be directly used, or polished to remove the trace residual solutes before being fed to a steam generator. Steam generation in a packaged boiler, such as a water tube boiler having a steam drum and a mud drum with water cooled combustion chamber walls, produces 100% quality high pressure steam for down-hole use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2008
    Assignee: GE Ionics, Inc.
    Inventor: William F. Heins
  • Patent number: 7150320
    Abstract: A process for treating produced water to generate high pressure steam. Produced water from heavy oil recovery operations is treated by first removing oil and grease. If necessary, the pH is then adjusted, normally downward, releasing at least some carbonate alkalinity as free carbon dioxide. Pretreated produced water is then fed to an evaporator. Up to 95% or more of the pretreated produced water stream is evaporated to produce (1) a distillate having a trace amount of residual solutes therein, and (2) evaporator blowdown containing substantially all solutes from the produced water feed. The distillate may be directly used, or polished to remove the trace residual solutes before being fed to a steam generator. Steam generation in a packaged boiler, such as a water tube boiler having a steam drum and a mud drum with water cooled combustion chamber walls, produces 100% quality high pressure steam for down-hole use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2006
    Inventor: William F. Heins
  • Patent number: 7097736
    Abstract: A process and apparatus for recycling dairy wastewater wherein the wastewater is supplied to at least one first evaporation apparatus to produce a water distillate and sludge. The sludge is then supplied to at least one second evaporation apparatus arranged in series with the first evaporation apparatus. The process results in recycled water and a final sludge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2006
    Assignee: Alfa Laval Corporate AB
    Inventors: Torsten Jonsson, Jan Hellstrom, Helena Eliasson, Lars-Ola Myrefelt
  • Patent number: 7077201
    Abstract: An evaporation based method of treating produced water from heavy oil production. A produced water from heavy oil recovery operations treated by first removing oil and grease to a desired level, preferably to about twenty parts per million, or less. If necessary, the pH is then adjusted, normally downward and by acid addition, to release at least some carbonate alkalinity as free carbon dioxide. Preferably, all non-hydroxide alkalinity is removed, or substantially so, by introducing the feedwater into a decarbonator. Feedwater is introduced into an evaporator, and the feedwater is evaporated to a selected concentration factor to produce (1) a distillate having a small amount of residual solutes, and (2) evaporator blowdown containing residual solids. Distillate may be directly used for steam generation in a once-through steam generator, or polished by ion exchange or electrodeionization prior to feed to a packaged boiler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2006
    Assignee: GE Ionics, Inc.
    Inventor: William F. Heins
  • Patent number: 6984292
    Abstract: There is disclosed a method and apparatus for treating produced water from a heavy oil thermal recovery unit to achieve water recovery and recycle levels of greater than 80% and as high as 100% to achieve zero discharge criteria. The method includes the initial steps of capturing the waste heat energy from the high pressure steam separator located downstream of the steam generators. Further, transferring the heat energy into a heated separator and reboiler exchanger to distill oil reservoir produced water and recover distilled water and a concentrated brine or solid product. The heated separator concentrated stream is circulated through the reboiler exchanger to maintain from 1% to about 50% mass vapour in the stream returning to the heated separator and prevent fouling and scaling. The apparatus includes a low pressure waste energy separator, heated separator and vapour compressor in combination with a forced circulation circuit to generate the distilled water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2006
    Assignee: EnCana Corporation
    Inventors: Steve Kresnyak, Alex Braun
  • Patent number: 6966974
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for evaporating a solution and an evaporator applied to it. The evaporator (1) has parallel plate heat exchanger elements (3) fitted inside a jacket (2), consisting of a flexible plastic film, for example, and a liquid distribution space (4) common to the elements, from where the solution to be evaporated can be spread, through supply channels (6), on the heat transmission surfaces (4) of the elements to run from the top downwards. The solution (10) that has not evaporated on the surfaces is recycled from the bottom of the evaporator back to the liquid distribution space, and from there to the heat transmission surfaces (4) of the elements for re-evaporation. In connection with evaporation, precipitate is separated from the solution as a result of over-saturation, ending up in the recirculation flow with the solution and being separated from the solution in the liquid distribution space (14) that works as a separator for the precipitate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2005
    Assignee: Oy Casparado AB
    Inventors: Leif Ramm-Schmidt, Kari Myreen, Matti Laajaniemi
  • Patent number: 6908533
    Abstract: An evaporator and condenser unit for use in distilling a liquid, such as water, includes a rotary heat exchanger plate having a plurality of folds or pleats. Adjacent panels of the folded plate define spaces between their oppositely facing surfaces, and these spaces are alternatingly configured as evaporating and condensing chambers. The evaporating chambers, moreover, are defined between adjacent panels that are joined at an outer diameter fold, while the condensing chambers are defined between adjacent panels that are joined at an inner diameter fold. The evaporating chambers are thus closed at their outer diameter ends and open at their inner diameter ends, while the condensing chambers are closed at their inner diameter ends and open at their outer diameter ends.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2005
    Assignee: Ovation Products Corporation
    Inventor: William H. Zebuhr