Still Supporting Patents (Class 202/188)
  • Publication number: 20150075966
    Abstract: A desalination apparatus according to one aspect of the present disclosure obtains fresh water from a liquid. The desalination apparatus includes: a water-repellent particle layer that is located below a water tank, contains water-repellent particles, and allows passage of water vapor generated by evaporation of the liquid stored in the water tank, the water tank being a space for storing the liquid; and a liquefying layer that is located below the water-repellent particle layer, and liquefies the water vapor that has passed through the water-repellent particle layer to obtain the fresh water. The water-repellent particle layer includes: a first layer that contains first water-repellent particles among the water-repellent particles, and faces the water tank; and a second layer that contains second water-repellent particles among the water-repellent particles, and is provided below the first layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2014
    Publication date: March 19, 2015
    Inventors: Atsushi ONO, Hisaaki GYOTEN, Norihisa MINO, Morio TOMIYAMA, Akira TAOMOTO, Stephen William JOHN
  • Patent number: 8956506
    Abstract: The invention relates to a rotary evaporator comprising a rotary drive having a hub and a clamping insert with a sleeve-like basic shape, in particular a clamping sleeve, for the clamping of a steam leadthrough formed as a hollow glass shaft in the hub of the rotary drive, wherein the clamping insert has a longitudinal axis and a first and a second axial end, wherein the clamping insert has two clamping sections which are arranged spaced apart from one another in the longitudinal direction and which each have an outer cross-section tapering toward the first end and of which the clamping arrangement arranged closer to the second end has a larger maximum outer cross-section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Hans Heidolph GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Joachim Carl
  • Patent number: 8308913
    Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus for recovering an acrylic acid from a mixture containing acrylic acid, acrylic acid dimer and impurities with high boiling point, including: an acrylic acid recovering device that comprises an acrylic acid distillation unit being present within an acrylic acid dimer pyrolysis tank, and is operated under reduced pressure; a separation column for removing impurities with high boiling point from the mixture which is introduced into the acrylic acid recovering device; and a line for introducing the mixture into the acrylic acid recovering device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: LG Chem, Ltd.
    Inventors: Seong Pil Kang, Seok Kwan Choi, Kyoung Su Ha, Jun Seok Ko, Boo Gon Woo, Young Bae Kim
  • Patent number: 8226799
    Abstract: An embodiment of a distillation system is disclosed having an influent column with an influent column first end and an influent column second end and having therein, a gas deflector. The influent column may contain at least an influent liquid and vapor from the influent liquid. The influent column first end may be in fluid communication with an influent liquid source. A distillation system is disclosed as having at least one effluent column having an effluent column first end and an effluent column second end and further comprising a condensation chamber adjacent the effluent second end. The effluent column may be positioned within the influent column and may contain at least an effluent liquid and vapor. A primary vacuum source may be in fluid communication with an influent column and positioned at an influent second end. A blower may be provided and connected to the condensation chamber. The influent column may have at least one vertically positioned influent conduit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Inventor: Anthony D. Young
  • Patent number: 7794572
    Abstract: A water purification apparatus (10) includes an evaporating chamber (13), a light concentrator (11), and a heat pipe (12). The evaporating chamber is for containing impure water. The evaporating chamber has a connecting opening (134) and a vapor outlet (131). The light concentrator is for concentrating sunshine. The heat pipe has an evaporating section (121) and a condensing section (122). The evaporating section is irradiated by the concentrated sunshine, and the condensing section is disposed in the evaporating chamber through the connecting opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2010
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hsin-Ho Lee
  • Patent number: 7501046
    Abstract: An evaporation sleeve is placed within a solar distillation loop apparatus to increase the amount of water evaporated by the apparatus. The evaporation sleeve is rotationally attached within the above ground portion of the solar distillation loop so the sleeve lifts impure water into the air flow within the system. The evaporation sleeve significantly increases the water surface area available to the air flow within a solar distillation loop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2009
    Assignee: The United States of American, as represented by the Secretary of the Interior
    Inventor: James Edward Constantz
  • Patent number: 7108769
    Abstract: A solar distillation loop apparatus includes a first pipe section disposed on a ground surface, the first pipe section including a substantially straight portion and elevated portions on each end of the substantially straight portion, an impure water inflow coupling at one end of the straight portion and an impure water outflow coupling at the other end of the straight portion; solar powered fans disposed in each of the elevated portions of the first pipe section; a second pipe section disposed under the ground surface beneath the first pipe section; and two substantially vertical pipe sections that connect respective ends of the second pipe section to respective ends of the first pipe section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2006
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Interior
    Inventor: James Edward Constantz
  • Patent number: 6290819
    Abstract: A continuous-flow water distiller includes a housing having a removable heating vessel which receives water to be distilled A heater is immersed within the water in the vessel for producing steam. The housing includes an openable lid which, when closed, seals the heating vessel so that steam can be directed through an outlet into a condenser located in the housing. Raw water is supplied to the heating vessel through a heat exchanger to preheat the raw water by effectively utilizing thermal energy recovery to initiate cooling of the steam, and distillate is supplied through the condenser to enhance heat exchange.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2001
    Assignee: Environmental Technology Enterprises, LLC
    Inventor: Glenn E. Land
  • Patent number: 6030504
    Abstract: A distiller control circuit includes a power bus with first and second lines and a fan circuit connected across the lines and having a fan motor and a fan thermostat in series. There is also a heater circuit connected across the lines and having a heater and a heater thermostat in series. The fan thermostat is normally open, closes at an elevated temperature and automatically re-opens when the temperature subsides. The heater thermostat is normally closed, opens at an elevated temperature and must be manually reset to the closed position.The raw water vessel has a reset mechanism with a pivot-mounted bar and a contact surface on the bar. When the contact surface is depressed, the bar is urged to the second position for resetting the heater thermostat. The heater circuit terminates in a two-stud male connector and the platform has a two-slot female connector. The studs slide into electrically-conductive engagement with the slots when the raw water vessel is inserted into the condensing platform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 29, 2000
    Assignee: The West Bend Company
    Inventors: David C. Belongia, Robert V. Myszka
  • Patent number: 6010599
    Abstract: An apparatus for batch distilling a liquid at sub-atmospheric pressure, without the aid of a vacuum pump. The apparatus includes an evaporator section having a valved entry port through which a batch of liquid in a first atmospheric condition is added to the evaporator section. A condenser section receives distillate and is in communication with the evaporator section. A valved vent is provided for sealing said apparatus from the outside atmosphere to form a second atmospheric condition which is sealed from the atmosphere after a heating element vaporizes said liquid into an initial sufficient amount of a first vapor to purge the first atmospheric condition from the apparatus through the valved vent. A condenser is disposed for condensing a sufficient amount of the first vapor to form a third atmospheric condition at a pressure below the first atmospheric condition, and for condensing a second vapor to produce distillate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2000
    Assignee: American Technologies Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Chungsing Wang, Shui-Yiu Lo
  • Patent number: 5932073
    Abstract: A water distiller incorporates a removable vessel for containing water, a heat source disposed below the removable vessel for heating the water to produce steam, a condenser for condensing the steam into distilled water, and an outlet from the condenser for directing distilled water into a collection container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 3, 1999
    Inventor: Glenn E. Land
  • Patent number: 5419814
    Abstract: A thin layer liquid film type evaporator including a cylindrical heating column, a heater for heating the cylindrical heating column, a liquid film forming plate disposed in the cylindrical heating column, a baffle also disposed in the cylindrical heating column and a feed nozzle disposed at the upper center of the cylindrical heating column. The liquid film forming plate has an outer diameter such that a clearance may be formed between the outer edge thereof and the inner circumferential surface of the heating column and that the liquid may flow through the clearance. Thus, a thin layer liquid film type evaporator which has a simple mechanism and can exhibit excellent evaporation efficiency can be provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 1993
    Date of Patent: May 30, 1995
    Assignees: Idemitsu Kosan Corporation Limited, Tokyo Rikakikai Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takatoshi Kunihiro, Takao Katayama, Shinichi Ariga, Mitsuo Tanuma
  • Patent number: 5178734
    Abstract: A water distilling apparatus (10) which includes vertically stacked components, i.e. an uppermost water storage tank (12), an intermediate boiling tank (14) and a lowermost condensing unit (16). Stacking of the distiller components creates a space efficient design with ready access to the respective components. The preferred apparatus (10) is also equipped with a small, dedicated water conditioning unit (20) situated between the main solenoid water valve (94) and the inlet of the boiling tank (14).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 1990
    Date of Patent: January 12, 1993
    Assignee: International Water Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: David G. Palmer
  • Patent number: 5173155
    Abstract: A vacuum boiler evaporator includes a sealed vacuum boiler vessel, a sealed vacuum condenser vessel which contains a partition that divides it into a first chamber and a second chamber that functions as a noncondensible gas collector, a conduit which connects the vacuum boiler vessel with the first chamber of the vacuum condenser vessel, a plurality of heat transfer tubes which extend through the first chamber and into the second chamber, and a return pipe which extends from the second chamber to the vacuum boiler vessel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 1991
    Date of Patent: December 22, 1992
    Assignees: Tokyo Gas Co., Ltd, Sumitomo Precision Products Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Miyata, Akio Seta, Nobuhiko Tsui, Hiroshi Kujirai, Youji Satoh, Hitonobu Shotani, Kazuya Sahara, Yoshimichi Ikeda
  • Patent number: 4882012
    Abstract: A water distiller includes an inner vessel in which source water is heated, an outer dome or housing on the inner surface of which the vapor from the inner vessel is condensed and a reservoir for receiving the condensate. The inner vessel includes a closure which directs vapor radially of the inner vessel to the dome or housing and which may include a vapor filtration element. A variety of domes or housings are shown including those of double wall construction with ports or vents to direct heat transfer fluid or air between the walls thereof, and those having lower portions which downwardly converge to direct the condensate to a central mouth of a reservoir.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 1987
    Date of Patent: November 21, 1989
    Inventor: Kurt Wasserman
  • Patent number: 4698135
    Abstract: A system is provided for use adjacent a plant supporting material to be irrigated, for converting salt water into fresh water and dispensing the fresh water dripwise to the plant supporting material. The system comprises an evaporator member made of microporous hydrophobic material and having first and second surfaces, the microporous hydrophobic material permitting water vapor to diffuse through the member between the first and second surfaces thereof while preventing liquid water from passing therethrough, and a condenser including a condensing surface is spaced from the second surface of the evaporator member to define a gap therebetween. The condensing surface is in liquid flow communication with the plant supporting material to be irrigated. A conduit is provided for conducting a flow of salt water along the first surface of the evaporator members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 1985
    Date of Patent: October 6, 1987
    Assignee: Sirdan Research Limited
    Inventor: Simon Raab
  • Patent number: 4693786
    Abstract: A portable solvent recovery distillation apparatus for improved on-site recovery of highly flammable solvent from a batch of spent solvent. Both evaporation of the spent solvent and condensation of the purified solvent vapors are conducted within a common tank under reduced pressure conditions maintained by an air-operated vacuum pump. Heating of the spent solvent is accomplished by a hot fluid circulating in indirect heat exchange relationship with the spent solvent. The apparatus is totally non-electrical for increased safety of operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 1985
    Date of Patent: September 15, 1987
    Assignee: Techserve Engineering Corp.
    Inventors: Dennis A. Brett, Clay R. Runshe
  • Patent number: 4612090
    Abstract: Water degasification and distillation apparatus having a container for water to be degasified and distilled, a relatively small boiler adjoining said container and having a first conduit extending into the container so that a selected water level in the container will fill said boiler to a selected height, a condenser within the container and immersed in the water contained therein, a second conduit extending from the space above the water in said boiler to the inlet of the condenser, an outlet on the condenser extending through a container wall for discharging degasified and distilled water and heating means in said boiler for heating the water therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 1983
    Date of Patent: September 16, 1986
    Inventor: John C. Ellis, Jr.
  • Patent number: 4420374
    Abstract: Water degasification and distillation apparatus having a container for water to be degasified and distilled, a relatively small boiler adjoining said container and having a first conduit extending into the container so that a selected water level in the container will fill said boiler to a selected height, a condenser within the container and immersed in the water contained therein, a second conduit extending from the space above the water in said boiler to the inlet of the condenser, an outlet on the condenser extending through a container wall for discharging degasified and distilled water and heating means in said boiler for heating the water therein at a rate greater than the capacity of the second conduit to handle the steam generated in the boiler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 1981
    Date of Patent: December 13, 1983
    Inventor: John C. Ellis, Jr.
  • Patent number: 4407488
    Abstract: The invention relates to a distillation and sublimation apparatus having a receiving vessel and a number of containers for the starting product. Each container has a bottom, an outer wall and an inner wall with a vapor duct, and the containers are stacked one upon the other in such manner that the vapor ducts are arranged in series. An annular space is present outside the stack of containers. The apparatus comprises a condenser into which the vapor duct of the bottom container discharges.For the purpose of solving the problem of preventing condensation of vapor on the receiving vessel, it is proposed, in accordance with the invention, that capillary gaps (28), which are open towards the receiving vessel (3), be present between the containers (26). Furthermore, the condenser (8) communicates with the annular space (10) by way of at least one return-flow orifice (19) for the gases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 1982
    Date of Patent: October 4, 1983
    Assignee: Leybold-Heraeus GmbH
    Inventors: Erwin Wanetzky, Franz Hugo, Fernand Kuhlmann
  • Patent number: 4107000
    Abstract: There is described a solar still comprising a pair of juxtaposed corrugated sheets which in a preferred embodiment are positioned at an angle to one another whereby the upper sheet rests on the raised portions of the lower sheet. A thermally insulating, solar energy transmitting window overlies the upper sheet. The upper sheet is made of solar energy absorbent material and the lower portions of the sheet are adapted to contain water to be distilled. A plurality of vents are provided in the uppermost portions of the upper sheet and the lower sheet and are adapted to be placed on the ground or a body of water for cooling and act as a condenser for vapor passing through the vents into the space below the upper sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 1975
    Date of Patent: August 15, 1978
    Assignee: Dow Corning Corporation
    Inventor: Cedric G. Currin