Abstract: For the regeneration of a liquid desiccant, a stripping agent is used which is liquid at ambient temperature and pressure, and forms a heteroazeotrope with water, along with the following steps: (a) distillation of the water-laden liquid desiccant to form vapor and partially regenerated liquid desiccant; (b) reboil partially regenerated liquid desiccant; (c) stripping of partially regenerated liquid desiccant during (a) and (b), using vaporized stripping agent; (d) a condensing of vapor the exiting the distillation, the condensation producing two liquid phases, one mainly water and the other mainly stripping agent; (e) heating the stripping agent-rich liquid phase exiting step (d) to generate a vapor phase which is richer in water than said liquid phase and a water-depleted liquid phase; and (f) returning the vaporized liquid phase exiting step (e) to step (c).

Abstract: A volatile component is separated from a mixture by vaporization in an evaporator and condensation in a condenser. The vapor is transported by a carrier gas that is circulated in and between the evaporator and the condenser. A flow of a liquid is circulated in subsequent heat transfer steps from contact with the mixture via a cooler, via contact with the carrier gas in the condenser, via a heater, and back to contact with the mixture.

Abstract: Apparatus for carrying out thermodynamic processes in which a work medium undergoes mutually opposite phase transitions. The apparatus comprises casings consisting of confining plates and spacers therebetween, the casings being arranged in stacked relationship. Each casing encloses a plurality of phase transition compartments in superposed relationship. There are orifices in the confining plates through which pairs of phase transition compartments open directly into one another so as to form a number of work chambers. These are also passages delimited by the spacers in the casings for connecting the work chambers in series and passages delimited by the spacers in the casings for introducing and drawing work medium into and from the phase transition compartments. Finally, there are passages delimited by the spacers in the casings for supplying and abducting heat to and from the work medium.

Abstract: A method for recovering liquid chlorine derivatives of hydrocarbons resides in applying the chlorine derivatives of hydrocarbons to the preheated surface of an inert liquid, the temperature of the inert liquid exceeding the boiling temperature of the chlorine derivatives of hydrocarbons.

Abstract: An inert carrier process for drying radioactive waste material and for incorporating the dry material into a binder from which the dried material will not be leached is disclosed. In this process, a hot inert liquid carrier is provided into which the solution to be dried is introduced under extremely turbulent conditions. The solvent flashes off leaving the dried particles dispersed in the inert carrier which carries these particles to a mixing station where a binder for the particles is injected under turbulent conditions. The binder preferentially wets the particles and the coated particles are carried to a separator section where the binder coated particles coalesce and separate from the carrier as a second phase. Thereafter a curing agent can be added to the binder.

Abstract: Water containing combustible sludges are dried with the multiple effect use of the heat required by adding recycled cool high boiling oil and heating the mixture by direct contact with steam produced as later described. Then the oil sludge mixture has water separated off which is possible, since water has been added by the direct condensation of steam in the heating of the mixture plus any extra original water in the sludge that can be removed by a centrifuge. The mixture is heated again by adding hot oil and then the mixture has water evaporated off by reducing the pressure. This steam produced is used for the direct steam heating mentioned above. Then water vapor is evaporated off again by reducing the pressure again and this water vapor is condensed by a water cooled condenser. In this way water vapor is evaporated off with the double use of heat. By indirect heat exchange of separated warm water with oil plus dried solids being heated sensible heat losses are kept small.

Abstract: This invention relates to the low temperature regeneration of liquid desiccants and acid gas absorbing liquid desiccants. Both classes of desiccants can be regenerated to separate water and/or water and acid gases to a satifactory degree under the pressure conditions employed at temperatures substantially below the normal boiling point of the dry desiccant or desiccant-water mixture by countercurrently contacting the desiccant to be regenerated in conventional distillation equipment with the vapors of an easily condensable hydrocarbon or hydrocarbon mixture which is substantially immiscible with the regenerated desiccant at the boiling temperature of the hydrocarbon or hydrocarbon mixture employed as a stripping agent.

Abstract: A low boiling water immiscible fluid containing two or more molecular species and having a variable boiling point is contacted in the liquid state with relatively hot or warm water such as surface sea water or geothermal water, thereby generating vapor of immiscible fluid (together with a certain amount of water vapor) which is used to drive a prime mover such as a gas turbine and thereby produce mechanical energy; the exhaust vapor from the prime mover is condensed by direct contact with a relatively cool or cold liquid aqueous phase such as deep sea water or water from a lake or stream or cooling tower to condense the vapor; and the condensate is recycled. Provision is made for ridding water discharged from the system of entrained and dissolved immiscible fluid. By countercurrent flow of the liquid phases and by suitable matching techniques greater efficiency is obtained. The invention is also applicable to heat pumps.

Abstract: A low boiling, water immiscible medium is directly contacted in liquid state with relatively hot or warm water (e.g. with hot recycled fresh water in a desalination system or with warm surface sea water in an energy production system) and in vapor state with relatively cold or cool water (e.g. surface sea water in a desalination system or deep sea water in an energy production system) whereby thermal energy is efficiently transferred between the phases that are so contacted; the energy transfer is for the purpose of evaporating the immiscible liquid in an energy production system and is for the purpose of evaporating saline water in a desalination system; and the effluent from the process which is returned to its natural environment (e.g. to the sea) is treated to remove all significant amounts of entrained and dissolved immiscible medium.

Abstract: The invention comprises a method of evaporating an aqueous solution containing dissolved solids or mineral salts without adherence of the solids or mineral salts to any surfaces contacting the aqueous solution which comprises the following steps:A. Flowing the aqueous solution as an outside medium mixed with sufficient dispersed oil to form a continuous film on all preferentially oil wettable contacting surfaces, upward through a confined heating and vaporizing zone and therein contacting heating elements the surfaces of which are substantially zero water adsorbent and totally wetted with a film of oil, converting a portion of the aqueous solution to water vapor and precipitated solids.B. Separating this mixture of oil, misty vapors, solids, and remaining aqueous solution (still the outside water medium) into components of thereof in succeeding zones or chambers in which substantially all surfaces contacting these materials are preferentially oil wettable.

Abstract: Process and apparatus for recovering residual oil from solids previously substantially dehydrated by a process wherein a slurry of water-wet solids in oil is subjected to a heat evaporation step to substantially remove the water. The oil is then largely expressed from the solids after which the solids still containing some oil as residual oil are extracted with a relatively low viscosity and relatively volatile water-immiscible light oil. The light oil-laden solids are then brought into direct contact with steam whereby the presence of the steam effectively reduces the boiling point of the water-immiscible light oil to effect its more efficient removal from the solids. Excess externally supplied steam and light oil vapor are used to supply heat to the overall process.

Abstract: The invention comprises a method of evaporating an aqueous solution containing dissolved solids or mineral salts without adherence of the solids or mineral salts to any surfaces contacting the aqueous solution which comprises the following steps:A. Flowing the aqueous solution as an outside or continuous medium, mixed with sufficient dispersed oil to form a continuous film on all preferentially oil wettable contacting surfaces, upwardly through a confined heating and vaporizing zone having therein contacting heating elements, the surfaces of which are of substantially zero water adsorbent polymeric fluorocarbon material and totally wetted with a film of oil, thereby converting a portion of the aqueous solution to water vapor and precipitated solids, and forming a mixture of oil, misty vapors, solids, and remaining aqueous solution; andB.