Thermocompression Patents (Class 159/24.3)
  • Patent number: 11634684
    Abstract: The present invention provides to a process for recovery of an organic compound (i.e. Ethanol, propanol, butanol, Acetone, iso-propyl alcohol) from a fermented broth which is produced from different fermentation technologies. The present invention particularly relates to an integrated process for ethanol separation from the fermentation broth using integrated vapor compressing unit (turbofans), evaporator (falling film) and a broth stripper column (vacuum distillation system). The process is operated under low temperature for the separation and recovery of the organic compound (particularly ethanol) from the fermented broth containing live microbes typically below or at 50° C. to ensure the activity of the microbes in the broth recycle. Again, the activity of the microbes is further ensured by maintaining the residence time of the microbe containing broth outside the Fermentor is less than or equal to 10 minutes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: Indian Oil Corporation Limited
    Inventors: Mukesh Kumar Sharma, Gaurav Bajaj, Alok Sharma
  • Patent number: 10766782
    Abstract: A process for producing crystalline sodium bicarbonate, comprising: providing an aqueous sodium-bicarbonate containing liquor originating from a reactive crystallization step in which first sodium bicarbonate crystals are produced and recovered; feeding at least a portion of said aqueous sodium-bicarbonate containing liquor to a cooling crystallization unit to form second sodium bicarbonate crystals and produce a crystals slurry comprising the second sodium bicarbonate crystals; and withdrawing a portion of the crystals slurry from the cooling crystallization unit for the withdrawn second sodium bicarbonate crystals to be further processed. A portion of the second sodium bicarbonate crystals withdrawn from the cooling crystallization unit may be fed to a sodium bicarbonate reactive crystallization unit, to a caustic unit, or may be separated and dried.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignee: Solvay SA
    Inventors: James C. Kisielewski, David M. Hansen, Keith O. Hayes, Mayra Muci-Castaneda, Alain Vandendoren
  • Patent number: 10689499
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a solvent separation apparatus and a waste heat utilization method, and the solvent separation apparatus and the waste heat utilization method according to the present application can reduce the used amount of cooling water and the used amount of steam, in a process of separating a polymer and a solvent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: LG Chem, Ltd.
    Inventors: Sung Kyu Lee, Ha Na Lee, Joon Ho Shin
  • Patent number: 10639562
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a solvent separation apparatus and a solvent separation method, and the solvent separation apparatus and the solvent separation method according to the present application can reduce the used amount of cooling water and the used amount of steam, in a process of separating a polymer and a solvent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: LG Chem, Ltd.
    Inventors: Sung Kyu Lee, Joon Ho Shin
  • Patent number: 10449468
    Abstract: A stacked type falling film evaporator includes a first evaporator, a second evaporator, a first vapor recovering device, a second vapor recovering device and a vapor recompressor. The first evaporator and the second evaporator respectively have evaporation tubes of a length of 5 m to 10 m, and are stacked in such a manner that wastewater passes through the first evaporator and the second evaporator in order. The first vapor recovering device collects vapor generated from the wastewater in the first evaporator and supplies the collected vapor to the second evaporator. The second vapor recovering device collects vapor generated from the wastewater in the second evaporator and supplies the collected vapor to the first evaporator. The vapor recompressor compresses the vapor collected in the second vapor recovering device before the vapor is supplied to the first evaporator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: Doosan Heavy Industries Construction Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Sang Moon Kim, Youngjun Ro, Gun Myung Lee, Jae Seung Choi
  • Patent number: 10315933
    Abstract: A structure for efficient water desalination, where as the evaporation chamber is at low pressure, and the condensation chamber is at high pressure. The evaporation chamber is connected to the condensation via a pump to pump the water vapor from evaporation chamber to condensation chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Inventors: Effendi Leobandung, Nathan Samuel Leobandung
  • Patent number: 10179298
    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 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2019
    Assignee: DEKA Products Limited Partnership
    Inventors: David F. Bednarek, Jason A. Demers, Timothy P. Duggan, James L. Jackson, Scott A. Leonard, David W. McGill
  • Patent number: 9487415
    Abstract: A mobile mechanical vapor recompression evaporator system including a horizontal vapor separator and a horizontal forced circulation heat exchanger. The horizontal vapor separator can include a generally cylindrical housing configured in a generally horizontal orientation. The housing can include at least one product chamber having at least one product passage configured to receive at least one product. The housing further includes at least one vapor chamber having at least one vapor passage and at least one vapor window located between the at least one product chamber and the at least one vapor chamber, wherein a portion of the at least one product evaporates in the product chamber to produce a vapor that passes through the at least one vapor window into the at least one vapor chamber, and is discharged through the at least one vapor passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Assignee: Caloris Engineering, LLC
    Inventor: Artur G. Zimmer
  • Patent number: 8951421
    Abstract: For purifying a liquid, the liquid is caused to evaporate in a cyclone in a recirculation circuit. Vapor is discharged via a discharge channel in which a compressor is included. In a heat exchanger downstream of the compressor, supplied vapor condenses and heat thereby released is transferred to liquid in the recirculation circuit. A liquid inlet of the cyclone is placed and directed for delivering a jet having a directional component tangential with respect to an inner surface of the cyclone. The liquid inlet has a section shaped such that in operation the delivered jet is a flat jet having a cross section which in a direction parallel to a nearest generatrix of the inner surface of the cyclone is greater than in a direction perpendicular thereto. The jet contacts the inner surface of the cyclone before drop formation occurs in the jet. A method for purifying a liquid is also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Convex B.V.
    Inventor: Geert Jan Zanstra
  • Publication number: 20140102646
    Abstract: Evaporator system of the mechanical vapor recompression type, which has a housing (1) and evaporator tubes (2) positioned parallel to each other. A product inlet (3) in fluid communication with a distribution element (4) is connected to the evaporator tubes (2), and a secondary channel (5) is formed between the inside surface of the housing (1) and the external surfaces of the evaporator tubes (2). A vapor liquid separator (6) is positioned at a bottom side of the evaporator tubes (2) and the secondary channel (5). A compressor (7) is in fluid communication with a vapor outlet of the vapor liquid separator (6), and a second transport tube (8) is connected to an inlet (9) of the secondary channel (5). Each evaporator tube (2) of the plurality of evaporator tubes has an inner diameter (de) of at least 50 mm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2012
    Publication date: April 17, 2014
    Applicant: Friesland Brands B.V.
    Inventors: Gerardus Adrianus Josephus van Gils, Caroliene Marjan Schröder-Guijt, Jan Coen Akkerman, Martijn Bastiaan Fox
  • Patent number: 8486233
    Abstract: A fluid delivery apparatus is provided for supplying a fluid mixture to a distillation column or reactor. The apparatus can be used to enhance the heat duty, the flow and/or the flow stability of an existing thermosiphon reboiler which supplies a heated fluid to the column or reactor. The apparatus includes an integrated eductor which receives and increases the fluid velocity of a supplemental fluid into which the heated fluid is aspirated to form a fluid mixture then delivered to the column or reactor. A process and a system utilizing the apparatus are also disclosed, as well as a method of retrofitting an existing system with the apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Chevron U.S.A. Inc.
    Inventors: Alphonzo George Nelson, Les Jackowski
  • Patent number: 8328995
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Black & Veatch Holding Company
    Inventor: Michael J. Eddington
  • Publication number: 20120247689
    Abstract: A method and a system comprising pressurizing the vapor generated by evaporation, and circulating the pressurized vapor through the maple water above boiling temperature, so as to evaporate water from the maple water. As a result, once the steady state is reached, the main source of energy for water maple evaporation is the pressurized vapor, produced by a compressor. The compressor may be powered by an electrical or an internal combustion engine for example. The initial heating stage, needed to first get vapor from the maple water, is performed by an auxiliary heating unit, such as direct acting electrical heating elements, or a indirect heat source such as wood, oil, etc. for example.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2012
    Publication date: October 4, 2012
    Inventors: JOCELYN CAUX, MICHEL BOCHUD
  • 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: 6906234
    Abstract: A continuous method and a heat pump device for enrichment of low-concentrated reaction mixtures resulting from the production of cycloalkanedienes by means of catalytic metathesis of cyclic aliphatic alkenes and cyclooligomers in organic reaction media with reduced energy consumption. Using the heat pump principle, liquid reaction mixtures with a content of at least 0.1 w/w % are enriched in an organic reaction medium to 30 to 50 w/w %. The organic reaction medium at temperature T1 is evaporated in an evaporator, the vapor is withdrawn and compressed to temperature T2 in a compressor, at a pressure difference of 0.25 to 1 bar. Compressed vapor of the reaction medium transfers heat energy obtained from electric energy in the heat exchanger of the evaporator to the organic reaction medium at temperature T1, and the temperature difference (T2?T1) does not exceed 12 K.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2005
    Assignee: Symrise GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Jürgen Braband, Peter Müller, Rüdiger Bernhardt, Andreas Otto
  • Patent number: 6846390
    Abstract: Methods for using a hydrophobic liquid, such as mineral oil, to compress steam include using a compressor to compress a mixture of steam and the hydrophobic liquid. One embodiment includes the steam to be compressed coming from a boiling aqueous solution in an evaporator. The steam compressed with a hydrophobic liquid is routed to a heat exchanger which thermally communicates with the evaporator to create more steam. The resulting mixture of condensed steam and hydrophobic liquid from the heat exchanger is routed to a water/hydrophobic liquid separator. The hydrophobic liquid is also recycled to the compressor from the water/hydrophobic liquid separator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2005
    Inventor: David Bruce Bishkin