Automatic Patents (Class 159/44)
  • Patent number: 7811420
    Abstract: A method of and apparatus is disclosed for water desalination including steps of transferring water vapor from salt-water in a vaporization zone 7, via a water vapor transfer zone 12, to a condensation zone 11, and condensing the water vapor into fresh-water. The water vapor transfer zone 12 is maintained substantially free of any gas other than water vapor. Heat is supplied to the vaporization zone 7 and extracted from the condensation zone 11, at relative rates such that there is a net transfer of water from the vaporization zone to the condensation zone. Also disclosed is a method of and apparatus for degassing salt water using at least two degassing chambers 17A, 17B each provided with a valved vent 47 and a valved inlet 21,29,90,91, with a valved pipe circuit 17a, 72-82,85-87, having a pump 71.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2010
    Inventor: Sven Olof Sonander
  • Patent number: 7770511
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device and method for preparing liquid from solid materials such as medicinal materials. It includes liquid and materials for preparing the liquid at the beginning and the end of the process. The device uses a steam generator, an intermediate switch valve and a material chamber, which are connected sequentially with pipes, and further includes an outlet pipe, which is at the bottom of the material chamber. The method involves the steps of: distillation and absorption; immersion; and repetition. The device and method for preparing liquid alternates the distillation and immersion steps, which reduces harmful substance in the prepared liquid that would otherwise occur by conventional methods. The method not only extracts soluble effective matter, but also reduces loss of volatile effective matter. Ultimately, the method makes the steps for preparing liquid simple and clear, and it can prepare liquid quantitatively, effectively and without pasty and shrinkable characteristics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2010
    Assignee: Shenzhen Zofu Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Linlin Yao
  • Patent number: 7771568
    Abstract: A self sustaining desalination system includes a chamber having a transparent inclined cover and a transparent bottom for receiving seawater or the like. The system includes a channel for conveying seawater to the chamber and a receptacle for receiving distillate at the base of the cover. The seawater is vaporized by solar energy passing through the incline cover and reflected up through the transparent bottom. A portion of the vaporized water condenses on the cooled inside cover and runs down into the receptacle. A second portion of the vaporized water is fed to the heat exchanger and condensed therein. In addition, a plurality of such systems are combined with a plurality of basic units each of which includes a wind turbine and an array of solar panels in a park like setting to provide electricity, drinking water and irrigation water for a small community.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2010
    Assignee: King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals
    Inventors: Ahmed Al-Garni, Farooq Saeed, Ayman Kassem
  • 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: 7731822
    Abstract: A column for distillation or fluid-fluid separation is oriented at an angle to the horizontal other than vertical to provide increased transfer plate surface area within the interior of a column of determined diameter and to reduce overall height of the structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2010
    Inventor: Strom W. Smith
  • Patent number: 7718033
    Abstract: A one step method and system for producing nanofluids by a particle-source evaporation and deposition of the evaporant into a base fluid. The base fluid such (i.e. ethylene glycol) is placed in a rotating cylindrical drum having an adjustable heater-boat-evaporator and heat exchanger-cooler apparatus. As the drum rotates, a thin liquid layer is formed on the inside surface of the drum. A heater-boat-evaporator having an evaporant material (particle-source) placed within its boat evaporator is adjustably positioned near a portion of the rotating thin liquid layer, the evaporant material being heated thereby evaporating a portion of the evaporant material, the evaporated material absorbed by the liquid film to form nanofluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
    Inventors: Milivoje Kostic, Mihajlo Golubovic, John R. Hull, Stephen U. S. Choi
  • Patent number: 7678235
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide systems and methods for water purification. The systems have a preheater, a degasser, an evaporation chamber, a demister, and a control system, wherein the control system permits operation of the purification system through repeated cycles without requiring user intervention or cleaning. The system is capable of removing, from a contaminated water sample, a plurality of contaminant types including: microbiological contaminants, radiological contaminants, metals, salts, volatile organics, and non-volatile organics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2010
    Assignee: Sylvan Source, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard J. Deep, Eugene Thiers, Douglas Michael Thom
  • Patent number: 7658817
    Abstract: An industrial evaporation apparatus having a specified structure in which there are guides that do not themselves have a heat source, a flow path controlling member having a function of making the liquid fed onto a perforated plate from a liquid receiving port flow mainly from a peripheral portion toward a central portion of the perforated plate is provided in a liquid feeding zone, and formula (1) to (5), or formula (1) to (10), or formula (1) to (12), are satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2010
    Assignee: Asahi Kasei Chemicals Corporation
    Inventors: Shinsuke Fukuoka, Hiroshi Hachiya, Kazuhiko Matsuzaki
  • Patent number: 7641771
    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: June 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2010
    Inventors: Joel Vance Miller, Robert Samuel Smith
  • Patent number: 7628893
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus is provided for the separation of liquid-liquid and liquid-solids compositions by flash evaporation in a heated vacuum chamber. The compositions are injected through an atomizing spray nozzle having a spray cone downward of about 30 to 150 degrees. The compositions are preheated and injected under pressure into the preheated vacuum evaporation chamber. The vaporized liquid that is formed is collected in a condenser which draws the vapors by vacuum or pressure differential. Any solids are collected at the bottom of the vacuum chamber as semi-dry or dry solids.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2009
    Assignees: Pure Energy Technology Co, PPT Research Inc.
    Inventors: David William Bonser, Irl E. Ward, Alan R. Duly
  • Patent number: 7611604
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a device for the production of pure steam. A falling-film evaporator is used. Of the water-steam mixture leaving the evaporator unit, part of the water is collected at the bottom of the device, and a fraction mainly consisting of steam enters a rising spiral channel for the separation of impurities. In the periphery of the spiral channel apertures are provided for separating impurity-containing droplets, which condense on a surface outside the apertures. The liquid formed is removed from the device. The water phase collected at the bottom enters a recycle line connected to the feed end of the evaporator unit. Feed water is supplied to the recycle line to compensate for pure steam consumption.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2009
    Assignee: STERIS Europe Inc.
    Inventors: Mauri Salmisuo, Ilkka Olavi Laitinen
  • Patent number: 7588666
    Abstract: The invention relates to a compact rectifying unit for separation of mixed fluids using for heat transfer purpose a fluid heat carrier and its vapours on one of the sides of heat and mass exchanging walls. In order to increase the efficiency of the heat and mass exchange process, the heat and mass exchange tubes of the rectifying part and/or of the evaporator part have means to provide irregular/varying amounts of heat transfer between the inside and the outside of tube wall along the height of the heat and mass exchange tubes. This allows for a reduction in the rectification column height by 3-10 times.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2009
    Inventors: Albert Faritovich Saifutdinov, Oleg Yegorovich Beketov, Viktor Seliverstovich Ladoshkin, Guennadi Anatolievich Nesterov, Anatoly Semenovich Tlousty, Guennady Ivanovich Ivanov
  • Patent number: 7531065
    Abstract: A fluid distillation apparatus includes at least one each of a fluid inlet port Through which the fluid to be distilled is transferred from a container containing the fluid to be distilled to distillation chamber, a fluid outlet port through which the distilled fluid is transferred to a container to hold the distilled fluid, an air supply port to which compressed air supply is to be connected, a power cord through which the electric power is supplied, preferably an outlet through which air pressure for fluid agitation is supplied to said container containing the fluid to be distilled, and preferably art outlet through which air pressure is supplied to a pump means for transferring the distilled fluid from the receiving container to the duty fluid container. The apparatus includes a debris draining system for automatically draining debris from said distillation tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2009
    Assignee: Uni-Ram Corporation
    Inventor: Soichiro Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 7503997
    Abstract: A centrifugal evaporator includes a chamber in which sample containers are carried and rotated by a rotor and are pivotally mounted so as to swing up to a substantially horizontal orientation as the rotor rotates. The evaporator includes an infra-red source to direct infra-red radiation towards the rotor and the sample containers carried thereon, to heat at least the latter and any sample material therein. A non-contact temperature sensing infra-red pyrometer having a sensor with a defined field of view is mounted in the chamber, such that while the rotor as such is substantially out of its field of view, each sample container at least partly occupies the pyrometer field of view for a part of each rotation of the rotor. The positions of the infra-red source and the pyrometer components are selected so that the radiation from the infra-red source does not impinge on the pyrometer sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2009
    Assignee: Genevac Ltd.
    Inventors: Roger Lee-Smith, Richard Smith, Duncan Guthrie
  • Patent number: 7498175
    Abstract: A method is described for evaporating liquid samples contained in sample holders mounted within a chamber and rotated by the rotor during an evaporation process in which the pressure in the chamber is reduced below atmospheric and the sample holders are rotated at high speed so as to exert centrifugal force on the contents of the holders. Heat is supplied to elevate the temperature of the liquid component of the samples to assist in the evaporation process. The temperature of the sample material is continuously or regularly monitored during the evaporation process and temperature signals are transmitted to a remote computing means which is programmed to generate a control signal for controlling the supply of heat to the samples and controlling the evaporation process. The temperature may be sensed by a probe in a sample holder containing an evaporating liquid sample, or in an adjoining sample holder containing a buffer liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2009
    Assignee: Genevac Limited
    Inventor: Michael Cole
  • Patent number: 7442277
    Abstract: A process for the removal of at least one volatile compound from a reactive or unreactive mixture of substances with the aid of at least one micro-evaporator, the micro-evaporator displaying channels for carrying the mixture of substances having a hydraulic diameter of 5 to 1000 ?m and a specific evaporator surface area of at least 103 m2/m3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2008
    Assignee: Bayer MaterialScience LLC
    Inventors: Kurt-Manfred Küpper, Oswald Wilmes, Hartmut Steenbeck, Almut Nagel
  • Patent number: 7332057
    Abstract: This invention is directed to a method for vaporizing a liquid by slowly evaporating the liquid from a liquid phase to a vapor phase below the boiling point of the liquid; and applying an effective amount of microwave power to maintain the slow evaporation of the liquid to produce a purified liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2008
    Assignee: Praxair Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Wendell Isom, Prasad Apte, Arthur Edward Holmer
  • Patent number: 7291250
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a vacuum distillation plant and a process for concentrating organic aqueous solutions, especially spissum extracts, using said plant. The vacuum distillation plant of the invention comprises a flash evaporator, a means for vapor concentration and a multi-stage condenser positioned down-stream of said means for vapor concentration, means for recycling at least part of the condensate from a condensation stage into the bottoms product being provided. In addition, the present invention relates to a process for concentrating organic aqueous solutions such as concentrated extracts using said plant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2007
    Assignee: Bionorica AG
    Inventors: Michael A. Popp, Heinz Walter Joseph, Michael R. Rannow
  • Patent number: 7258765
    Abstract: Vaporization chambers (distillation “pots”) are disclosed in which the liquid contained in such a pot is heated and circulated to establish thermal uniformity of the liquid and to route the circulated liquid past a thermally conductive member that contacts the liquid. The thermally conductive member extends from a location on a wall of the pot in a portion of the pot that holds the liquid as the liquid is being heated in the pot and conducts thermal energy directly from the liquid to a location outside the pot corresponding to the location on the wall. The pot desirably is divided into an upper portion and lower portion, wherein the liquid circulates from the lower portion to the upper portion and from the upper portion to the lower portion during heating. During this circulation, bubbles formed in the liquid can be routed into the upper portion in a manner resulting in fracture of the bubbles and recovery of liquid entrained in the bubbles, thereby preventing foam accumulation in the pot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2007
    Assignee: Drawform, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert D. Westcott
  • Patent number: 7214290
    Abstract: In the methods for treatment of caustic effluents described in the specification, a spent caustic refinery effluent is supplied to a submerged combustion gas evaporator in which hot combustion gas containing carbon dioxide is injected into the caustic liquid to concentrate the liquid and convert a hydroxide constituent to a carbonate. Where the caustic effluent is from a petroleum refinery, oil in the waste liquid is separated from the aqueous constituent before, during or after concentration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2007
    Assignees: Shaw Liquid Solutions LLC., GEI Liquid Solutions LLC.
    Inventors: Bernard F. Duesel, Jr., John P. Gibbons, Michael J. Rutsch
  • Patent number: 7153396
    Abstract: In a rotary evaporator, the rotating speed of the rotating flask is automatically controlled or regulated dependent upon a detected process value, particularly the vibration behavior or the mass moment of inertia of the rotating flask.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2006
    Inventor: Hans Georg Genser
  • Patent number: 7150807
    Abstract: Method and system for evaporating at least one substance. During at least one dosing phase (TG) a predefined or predefinable quantity of a product (M) which contains at least one substance to be evaporated is imported via a feed system (7, 14, 17, 33, 36) into a revolving vessel (2). The revolving vessel is rotated around an axis of rotation (R) and appropriate process conditions for the evaporation of at least one substance are generated or maintained. The flow (F) of the product (M) is automatically controlled or regulated by the feed system (14, 17) during the dosing phase (TG) in particular as a function of at least one process parameter and/or of at least one characteristic property of the product. The product (M) is imported into the revolving vessel (2) in the course of the dosing phase only during predefined feed periods (t1, t2) that are interrupted by intervening intervals and especially idle intervals (t1, t2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2006
    Inventor: Hans Georg Genser
  • Patent number: 7144473
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an evaporator for respirators, including a storage tank for a liquid, a gas intake flange and a gas outlet flange as well as an apparatus for heating the liquid, which is formed such that it can heat a small portion of the liquid and inject the formed vapor into the gas to be humidified, with the gas to be enriched with the liquid being passed through the upper part of the storage tank over the surface of the liquid, which may be located in the lower part of the storage tank, so as to provide a simple evaporator for respirators having a low consumption of energy. Moreover, the present invention relates to a method of evaporating liquids.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2006
    Inventor: Martin Baecke
  • Patent number: 7115186
    Abstract: A liquid material evaporation apparatus including a mixing chamber, a flow control unit, a first flow passage for introducing a liquid material, a second flow passage for introducing a carrier gas connected to the mixing chamber through a first nozzle, the first nozzle inhibiting backflow from the mixing chamber into the second flow passage. A third flow passage for discharging evaporated mixed gas is connected to the mixing chamber through a second nozzle, the mixed liquid material and carrier gas being forced through the second nozzle by the flow control unit, the mixed liquid material and carrier gas depressurizing after passing through the second nozzle to evaporate into a mixed gas in the third flow passage. Heat is applied to the mixing chamber and the second and third flow passages to enhance mixing in the mixing chamber and to avoid condensation in the third flow passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2006
    Assignee: STEC Inc.
    Inventors: Hideaki Miyamoto, Wataru Nishida, Tetsuo Shimizu
  • Patent number: 6936140
    Abstract: A distillation system is provided for recovering water from sea water and other polluted water source. The system has a heat engine embodying Carnot cycle and a Rankine cycle formed by heat exchangers, flash evaporator and condenser. Burnt gases from the engine such as a jet engine no longer fit for flying are directed into a duct where the exchangers are located. Sea water is pumped into the heat exchanger for preheating by residue heat in the duct and then into the exchanger for further heating. A recirculating pump raises water pressure in the exchanger for increasing boiling point to about 165° C. The heated water is fed into the evaporator where it changes into vapour and condensed into water by the condenser. The jet air stream is used to create Venturi effect for maintaining sub-atmospheric pressure in the evaporator. Any solid left in the evaporator is removed by a transfer mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2005
    Assignee: Aqua Dyne, Inc.
    Inventors: Gregory Mark Paxton, Patrick Joseph Glynn
  • Patent number: 6913671
    Abstract: A compact evaporation apparatus includes an evaporator vessel with a sloped, bottom chamber. A combustion chamber is mounted to a top of the vessel, with a burner mounted to a top of the combustion chamber, the combustion chamber sized to achieve total combustion of an air/gas mixture supplied to the burner before being released below a liquid surface in the vessel. At least one turbulence diverter plate is located within the vessel beneath the liquid surface, the diverter plate being a submerged perforated plate extending horizontally from the combustion chamber, such that hot combustion gasses are released below the diverter plate, and as large gas bubbles rise to the surface they pass through small perforations in the diverter plate, thereby breaking large, hot gas bubbles into small bubbles, the gas to liquid contact area being maximized to increase system efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2005
    Inventors: Danny R. Bolton, James E. Bigham
  • Patent number: 6887344
    Abstract: A compact, self-contained apparatus for treating wastewater containing as impurities and pollutants various non-volatile (at water boiling points) fluids such as greases, oils and soaps, a vessel for collecting the wastewater, a heating chamber including electric heating elements and a heat transfer liquid such as mineral oil to heat the wastewater admixture to boil off the water and to reduce the volume of liquid for disposal, and a wastewater supply tank positioned under the apparatus. The apparatus may further include a disposable liner to isolate the wastewater from the vessel itself and facilitate rapid and clean removal and disposal of waste material after evaporation of the water, and thermally-activated sensors to maintain a desired temperature differential between the heating elements and the heat transfer liquid contained in the apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2005
    Inventor: Raymond E. VanKouwenberg
  • Patent number: 6849155
    Abstract: This invention provides a concentrator capable of drawing out a concentrate of a constant concentration. The concentrator includes a heater having a heating medium that has been heated to a temperature not less than the boiling point of a solution fed to the concentrator—whereby said heater heats the solution to evaporate the solvent to a vapor to make a mixture of the vapor and a liquid—and a gas-liquid separator for dividing the mixture into the liquid and the vapor. The concentrator provides for returning the liquid separated in the gas-liquid separator to the heater, for drawing out a portion of the liquid separated in the gas-liquid separator, for detecting the concentration of an intended component in the drawn out liquid, and for controlling the liquid draw-out so that when the concentration is above a predetermined threshold, liquid draw-out commences, and when the concentration is below the threshold, liquid draw-out stops.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2005
    Assignee: Daicel Chemical Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuyuki Akita, Toshiharu Minoda
  • Publication number: 20040261952
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a comprehensive, efficient, and cost effective portable evaporator unit, method, and system for the treatment of brine. The evaporator unit, method, and system require a pretreatment process that removes heavy metals, crude oil, and other contaminates in preparation for the evaporator unit. The pretreatment and the evaporator unit, method, and system process metals and brine at the site where they are generated (the well site). Thus, saving significant money to producers who can avoid present and future increases in transportation costs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2004
    Publication date: December 30, 2004
    Inventors: Paul John Hart, Bruce G. Miller, Ronald T. Wincek, Glenn E. Decker, David K. Johnson
  • Publication number: 20040256059
    Abstract: An evaporator particularly useful for milk evaporation. The evaporator includes a rotor (12) within steam chamber (11) of housing (10). Liquid feed passes through conduit (13) to emit through outlets (14) and (15) onto the inner periphery of evaporator surfaces (16) and (17) of cone pairs (C, C1) and (C2). Concentrate can flow between cone pairs via tubes (22) at the other periphery of the cone pairs. Concentrate is picked up at cone pair (C2) and the lowermost cone pair (C1) to flow through outlet conduit (30). The cone angle of each cone is in the range of 5° to 45° preferably about 10°.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2004
    Publication date: December 23, 2004
    Inventors: Richard Selwyn Jebson, Hong Chen
  • Patent number: 6833056
    Abstract: A desalination apparatus capable of obtaining fresh water stably at low cost by utilizing low-temperature waste, wherein the desalination apparatus including a heat exchanger 92 cooperating with an evaporation can 60 so as to subject a low-temperature waste heat 11 and raw water 62 in the evaporation can 60 to heat exchange and generate water vapor 63 in the evaporation can 60; a condenser 98 cooperating with a raw water tank 72 so as to receive the water vapor 63 from the evaporation can 60, cool the water vapor 63 by subjecting the water vapor 63 and raw water 71 in the raw water tank 72 to heat exchange and obtain distilled water 76; a distilled water tank for storing the distilled water 76; vacuum means for evacuating the evaporation can 60 and depressurizing the inside thereof so as to promote generation of water vapor 63 in the evaporation can 60; and raw water supply means for supplying raw water to the evaporation can.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2004
    Assignee: Ebara Corporation
    Inventors: Ichiro Kamiya, Yuzo Narasaki, Tetsuo Kuroda
  • Publication number: 20040211526
    Abstract: The present invention discloses an improved evaporation method compressing an evaporation material from power into compressed particles or tablets at a predetermined pressure, temperature, and time; since the compressed evaporation material being consistent in crystallization property is more even and denser than powder, therefore the efficiency of the thermal conductivity becomes higher and the efficiency of heating more stable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2003
    Publication date: October 28, 2004
    Inventors: Shu-Wen Chang, Gwo-Sen Lin, Chi-Min Chen
  • Patent number: 6802941
    Abstract: A distillation unit (10) employs a rotary heat exchanger (32) forming a multiplicity of evaporation chambers (56) into which a liquid to be purified is sprayed for evaporation. Spray arms (58) spray at a steady rate into all of the evaporation chambers (56) simultaneously but not at a rate that is adequate to maintain the wetting required for efficient transfer of heat to the liquid. A scanning sprayer (140) supplements this steady spray with spray from nozzles (142 and 144) into only a few of the evaporation chambers at a time, visiting all of them cyclically. The overall rate of spray from the two sources thus combined to spray the chamber cyclically maintains proper wetting even though on average it is lower than the rate that would be required of a constant-rate spray into all of the evaporation chambers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2004
    Assignee: Ovation Products Corporation
    Inventor: William H. Zebuhr
  • Publication number: 20040173449
    Abstract: A system for cooling a heated juice by partial low-pressure evaporation, said juice comprising a charged liquid, preferably juice from a harvested crop, said system comprising a vat in which the juice is subjected to various pressure reductions, said vat (4) comprising at least two compartments(5,6) which communicate with each other by means of a pulsed-effect valve, said juice being subjected to two different decreasing pressure reductions in said compartments, each compartment being connected to a condenser (19,25) which can condense the vapor produced by the pressure reduction. The condensers are serially mounted or parallel mounted and connected to a common vacuum pump (34) by means of at least one control valve (18) which can permanently adjust the pressure in each condenser to a value which is lower than the saturating vapor pressure corresponding to the temperature of the vapor created in each of the condensers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 4, 2004
    Publication date: September 9, 2004
    Inventors: Jean-Pierre Nadeau, Dominique Cadiot, Patrick Sebastian, David Callede
  • Publication number: 20040129389
    Abstract: The invention concerns a method and a device for forming by evaporation a volatile substance comprising at least a predetermined number of elementary constituents, wherein are provided means (205) for circulating in parallel fluxes of a gas controlled or regulated in flow rate through receptacles containing each at least an elementary constituent to be evaporated, and means (208) for the mixing gas streams loaded with evaporated contituents derived from said receptacles, so as to obtain an output gas stream containing predetermined or controlled concentrations of said evaporated constituents.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2004
    Publication date: July 8, 2004
    Inventor: Yves Lecoffre
  • Patent number: 6740205
    Abstract: Incoming wastewater is preheated in a heat exchanger before delivery to a flash chamber through an orifice for flashing into water vapor rising into an upper section of the flash chamber which also has a bottom section into which liquid waste oil or other contaminants settles. Rise of such water vapor into the upper chamber section is induced by a vacuum established therein by a vacuum pump withdrawing the water vapor in a superheated and compressed condition for cooling within a condenser from which the incoming wastewater is delivered to a heat exchanger for preheating. The water vapor during rise into the upper section of the flash chamber is filtered to extract contaminates therefrom while liquefied water vapor thereafter formed therein is collected before the remaining water vapor is cooled into the condensate for collection within a distillate tank from which it is withdrawn for overboard discharge after being monitored for oil content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2004
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventor: Henry J. Molintas
  • Publication number: 20040069414
    Abstract: An evaporation apparatus for solvent fuel comprises an evaporation tank containing the solvent fuel. A blower is installed on the top of the tank with its one end connected to an air inlet pipe, which has a blower switch associated with a check valve. The air inlet pipe is deeply extended to the bottom of the tank for introducing the air into the tank so as to evaporate the solvent fuel. The other end of the blower is connected to a pressure switch for controlling operation of the blower by detecting inner pressure of the tank. A constant temperature rod is provided nearby the bottom of the tank with its one end in connection with a temperature control switch to maintain the tank at a constant temperature. Besides, a scale graduation tube is provided for measuring the fuel quantity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2002
    Publication date: April 15, 2004
    Inventors: Ta-Ming Chuang, Chih-Ping Lee
  • Patent number: 6716320
    Abstract: A liquid sample 3 held in an open container 2 and including a volatile solvent, is evaporated by continuously removing inert gas rich in vapor by means of a suction tube 5 whose open end is held close to the top surface of the liquid. Vapor in the gas is then extracted in a refrigerated condensing vessel 6, from where the purified gas is fed by a pump 7 for recirculation back into a sealed chamber 1 in which the container is mounted. In a modification, the inert gas is fed directly through a nozzle 17 into the container 2 wile the gas/vapor mixture is extracted from the chamber 1 for recirculation, after passing through a condenser 6 or the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2004
    Inventor: Michael Cole
  • Publication number: 20040060808
    Abstract: A solar still apparatus is described for the multi-effect distillation of a fluid such as water. A transparent condenser air duct overlies an evaporator air duct having a light-absorbing floor, both sharing a transparent plastic film wall. Air, blown by a fan, flows through the lower duct, where it progressively warms and evaporates a feedstock fluid. At the hot end of the lower duct, the air enters the upper duct where it flows in a reverse direction, progressively cooling and condensing its vapor, a portion of the heat of condensation being transferred through the shared wall to the lower duct. Thermal gradients established within the still facilitate the evaporation and condensation of the fluid with minimal heat loss to the environment and maximal recuperation of the heat of condensation for fluid evaporation. A working fluid may be used to extract useful power from the still's thermal gradients.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 4, 2003
    Publication date: April 1, 2004
    Inventor: Paul Alex LaViolette
  • Publication number: 20040040830
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process for recovering and producing chemicals in a pulp production process where organic chemicals, such as formic acid and acetic acid, are used as cooking chemicals. The process of the invention is based on regeneration of cooking acids and formation of additional cooking acids and furfural by evaporating the cooking liquor and then separating acetic acid, formic acid, furfural and water. The separation is preferably carried out by distillation using the furfural formed in the process as a distilling aid in the distillation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2003
    Publication date: March 4, 2004
    Inventors: Esa Rousu, Pasi Rousu, Juha Anttila, Juha Tanskanen, Paivi Rousu
  • Patent number: 6689251
    Abstract: A distiller (10) that employs a rotary heat exchanger (32) introduces water to be evaporated into evaporation chambers (56). During most of its operation, it collects the water that has passed through the evaporation chamber (56) without evaporating, and it reintroduces the thus-collected liquid back into the evaporation chamber, where it also adds a minor amount of unrecirculated feed liquid to make up for evaporation and concentrate removal. Simultaneously, a minor amount of feed liquid is fed into one side of a transfer pump (116). During this mode of operation, the impurities concentration in the recirculating liquid tends to increase as a result of the evaporation of pure water vapor. Periodically, the erstwhile recirculating liquid is redirected to the other side of the transfer pump (116), where it causes the feed liquid stored in the transfer pump's first side to be fed without accompanying recirculant liquid into the rotary heat exchanger's evaporation chambers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2004
    Assignee: Ovation Products Corporation
    Inventor: William H. Zebuhr
  • Patent number: 6682631
    Abstract: A centrifugal evaporator for evaporating a mixture of liquids having different volabilities and specific gravities, the mixture being contained in a test tube 14 pivotally mounted on a rotatable support arm 12 in a sealable vacuum chamber 16, the support arm is rotated up to a speed of the order of 2000 rpm before evaporation of the more volatile component occurs, and only then is the chamber progressively evacuated. The motor is preferably a three-phase induction motor connected to the electric supply in a frequency convertor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2004
    Assignee: Genevac Limited
    Inventor: Michael Cole
  • Publication number: 20040007451
    Abstract: An evaporation system that uses the weight of condensed liquid as an energy source. An inlet feed is introduced into an enclosure through an inlet. The inlet feed is vaporized in an evaporation region of an enclosure, and condensed to a liquid in a condensation region of the enclosure. The condensed liquid collects in a liquid region of the enclosure. The liquid region has an outlet. A blower between the evaporation region and the condensation region maintains the condensation region at a higher pressure than the evaporation region. The level of the liquid in the liquid region defines the volume and pressure of the evaporation and condensation regions, such that as the liquid is drained from the outlet, at least in part by the weight of the liquid, the pressure in the evaporation region decreases. The flow through the inlet and the outlet is regulated to maintain the pressure in the evaporation region at a pressure that tends to vaporize the inlet feed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2003
    Publication date: January 15, 2004
    Inventor: Lynn L. Northrup
  • Patent number: 6666956
    Abstract: In distillation of a polymerizable compound such as (meth)acrylic acid or a liquid containing such a polymerizable compound with use of a distillation column equipped with a reboiler, (a) a vertical multi-tube reboiler whose outlet nozzle inside diameter (D1) is 0.2 to 1 time its reboiler shell inside diameter (D2) is used as the reboiler, (b) an outlet of an outlet nozzle of the reboiler to a gas-phase section of the distillation column is provided at a position such that a distance L from the top tubesheet of the reboiler to the lower end of the outlet of the outlet nozzle satisfies L=(0.4 to 3)×D1, and (c) a liquid level in the distillation column is maintained in a range such that a height H of the liquid level from the top tubesheet of the reboiler satisfies H=(0.1 to 0.8)×L.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2003
    Assignee: Nippon Shokubai Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeshi Nishimura, Yukihiro Matsumoto
  • Publication number: 20030196763
    Abstract: A liquid material evaporation apparatus including a mixing chamber, a flow control unit, a first flow passage for introducing a liquid material, a second flow passage for introducing a carrier gas connected to the mixing chamber through a first nozzle, the first nozzle inhibiting backflow from the mixing chamber into the second flow passage. A third flow passage for discharging evaporated mixed gas is connected to the mixing chamber through a second nozzle, the mixed liquid material and carrier gas being forced through the second nozzle by the flow control unit, the mixed liquid material and carrier gas depressurizing after passing through the second nozzle to evaporate into a mixed gas in the third flow passage. Heat is applied to the mixing chamber and the second and third flow passages to enhance mixing in the mixing chamber and to avoid condensation in the third flow passage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2003
    Publication date: October 23, 2003
    Inventors: Hideaki Miyamoto, Wataru Nishida, Tetsuo Shimizu
  • Patent number: 6635149
    Abstract: A water purification system and method for residential or commercial application having a first support structure coupled to a water supply having a first heat source of sufficient magnitude to change the water into steam, thus abandoning any insoluble material dispersed within the liquid. The steam is further heated in a second support structure to form a substantially gaseous vapor and exposed to a second heat source of sufficient magnitude to super-heat the vapor to a temperature capable of destroying most, if not all living matter. Preferably, the second heat source is an electrical field of sufficient voltage to increase the temperature of the vapor in excess of 2000° F. The super-heated vapor is then allowed to condense to form potable water. This system may be powered by a standard 120 volt outlet found in the home.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2003
    Inventors: Norman Campbell, Norman E. Bersing, Ronald E. Larsen
  • Publication number: 20030188962
    Abstract: A distillation system is provided having an evaporation conduit and a condensing conduit connected by a transfer system for transferring distillate vapour from the evaporation conduit to the condensing conduit to condense the distillate. The evaporation and condensing conduits operate under vacuum pressure. An intake conduit and a return conduit communicate in an unrestricted manner between a source of solution and the evaporation conduit. A distillate conduit communicates with the condensing conduit for dispensing condensed distillate therefrom. A radiant heat capturing system is provided for capturing and using heat radiated from the distillate conduit to generate power.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2002
    Publication date: October 9, 2003
    Inventor: George Atwell
  • Publication number: 20030173205
    Abstract: A process vessel containing both an evaporation zone for evaporating a liquid feed and a treatment zone for treating the resulting vapor comprises an injector having an orifice, the orifice being in the evaporation zone, at least one evaporation surface for evaporating feed and generating vapor, the evaporation surface being located in the evaporation zone, wherein the injector orifice and the evaporation surface are positioned to prevent the formation of a drop at the orifice, a treatment zone for treating the vapor and at least one heater associated with at least a portion of the process vessel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2002
    Publication date: September 18, 2003
    Inventors: Arne Karlsson, Ivar M. Dahl, Jonny Engedahl, Mark A. Krawczyk, Ara J. Alexanian
  • Publication number: 20030173204
    Abstract: A distillate system, especially of the sea water, by using the sun as heat source and the sea water as cold source, falling the work pressure to the boiling point of the sea water between the temperature generated by the sun and the temperature of the sea water. The sea water and the fresh water are entered/removed to/from the distillation system at the same time, by compensating the pressure differences.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2003
    Publication date: September 18, 2003
    Inventor: Gines Sanchez Gomez
  • Patent number: 6620620
    Abstract: The drop-by-drop evaporation of a liquid or solution is controlled by monitoring the disappearance of each successive droplet and by actuating the deposition of the next droplet until the desired volume is deposited. In the case of a solution, non-volatile residue (NVR) is collected on a deposition surface plate as a relatively small mound. One of a variety of methods may be employed to measure the evaporative behavior of each droplet and to key the deposition procedure. The process is preferably carried out employing a clean deposition surface plate that is maintained at or below the boiling point of the particular liquid or solvent being deposited. The environment is preferably controlled so that inadvertent contamination is precluded from interfering, and thus the method permits the automatic, micro-processor controlled evaporation of liquids with the resultant deposition of non-volatile residues from solutions within relatively short periods of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2003
    Assignee: ERA Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: John Lynde Anderson, Ross F. Russell, David O. Hanon, James Nelson Edwards