Tubular Patents (Class 202/237)
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Patent number: 6290819Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: March 19, 1999Date of Patent: September 18, 2001Assignee: Environmental Technology Enterprises, LLCInventor: Glenn E. Land
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Patent number: 6178926Abstract: A heater includes a radiant section having a wall and a roof, the roof having a longitudinal opening. A radiant heat exchange tube is disposed in the radiant section, and the tube has an inlet and outlet through which a process fluid can be carried respectively into and out of the radiant section. The tube between the inlet and outlet is arranged in generally horizontal tube lengths. A plurality of burners is provided, at least two of the burners being disposed on opposing sides of the tube. A plurality of tube supports is releasably positioned at longitudinal intervals along the tube lengths and define tube seats on which the tube lengths rest. The tube and tube supports are liftable as a unit through the longitudinal opening of the roof of the radiant section.Type: GrantFiled: August 31, 1999Date of Patent: January 30, 2001Assignee: Foster Wheeler CorporationInventor: Donald D. Worman
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Patent number: 6024842Abstract: A device for distilling a liquid feed which includes a core pipe and a first fluid in a series of helically wound tubes or vanes employing the core pipe as a mandrel. The liquid to be distilled passes over a series of interstices which are created by the helically wound tubes or vanes and a distillate recovered as a consequence.Type: GrantFiled: March 6, 1998Date of Patent: February 15, 2000Assignee: Komax Systems, Inc.Inventor: Leonard Tony King
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Patent number: 5932073Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: May 16, 1996Date of Patent: August 3, 1999Inventor: Glenn E. Land
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Patent number: 5897749Abstract: Liquid mixtures which contain (meth)acrylic acid as the main component are continuously separated in a distillation apparatus which comprises a still, a condenser and a connection between still and condenser and to which the liquid mixture to be separated is continuously fed, by a process in which the energy required for evaporation of the liquid mixture is supplied to the distillation apparatus by a procedure in which a part of the liquid content of the still is continuously removed, superheated and recycled to the still.Type: GrantFiled: October 18, 1996Date of Patent: April 27, 1999Assignee: BASF AktiengesellschaftInventors: Ruprecht Kroker, Manfred Wiedemann
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Patent number: 5820748Abstract: Gasses, water and solvents, major contaminants in used lubricating oils, can be removed from used lubricating oils at mild temperature conditions under vacuum. Apparatus in which the removal can take place includes a hollow vacuum separator vessel with a spray nozzle to spray an ultra fine spray of warm, used lubricating oil onto an angularly disposed thin film separator plate. In conjunction with the plate is a cooling device within the vacuum chamber. Cleaned oil can be passed from the bottom back into a holding tank, while water and solvents are drained out into a separate tank for safe disposal.Type: GrantFiled: April 25, 1997Date of Patent: October 13, 1998Inventor: Tajwar Shadikhan
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Patent number: 5783047Abstract: A monotube or multitube 2 is coupled to a body shell 1 via tube plates 3a and 3b at both ends, so that a tube interior 4 and a tube exterior 5 of the monotube or multitube 2 are isolated from each other. A difference is made in operating pressure between the tube interior 4 and the tube exterior 5, so that one of the tube interior 4 and the tube exterior 5 is used as a lower-pressure column and the other is used as a higher-pressure column. A wall of the tube is used as a heat transfer surface, so that heat is transferred from the higher pressure side (higher temperature side) to the lower pressure side (lower temperature side).Type: GrantFiled: April 24, 1996Date of Patent: July 21, 1998Assignees: Kimura Chemical Plants Co., Ltd., Kansai Chemical Engineering Co., Ltd., Maruzen Petrochemical Co., Ltd.Inventors: Kazumasa Aso, Hiroshi Matsuo, Hideo Noda, Tomoaki Takada, Nobuyuki Kobayashi
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Patent number: 5772850Abstract: A vapor compression distillation process and apparatus is provided wherein the apparatus includes a container having a generally vertical longitudinal center axis and bottom and top end caps, a plurality of generally vertical tubes spacedly disposed within the container, the tubes being fixedly held in position by opposing top and bottom tube sheets defining a condensing chamber therebetween wherein the condensing chamber has an upper, partially sectioned off chamber, an evaporation chamber within the container between the top tube sheet and a top end cap, a vapor compressor communicating with an upper area of the evaporation chamber and with the upper chamber of the condensing chamber, heat input communicating with the container, and a plurality of passages for passing a liquid into or out of the container.Type: GrantFiled: May 11, 1995Date of Patent: June 30, 1998Inventor: Bobby D. Morris
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Patent number: 5688377Abstract: Rotating parallel disks create radial cyclonic vortices between them. The axes of these vortices communicate with the bore of a hollow shaft, and a vacuum is drawn in the shaft bore by the action of a centrifugal pump. Particles, mist, and heavy vapors such as mercury, are separated out of a gas stream by the radial vortices, which cause whatever is relatively heavy in the vortex to migrate away from the vortex axis and then contact the rotating disks, whereby they are expelled from the space between the disks. Application to mist elimination for steam is discussed, as are application to cyclonic cracking of hydrocarbons and separation of gaseous waste from intra-lattice fluid.Type: GrantFiled: November 25, 1994Date of Patent: November 18, 1997Inventor: Wilmot H. McCutchen
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Patent number: 5684125Abstract: The invention relates to a method for purifying liquid polysiloxane containing impurities as a low-molecular-weight fraction, by evaporating the low-molecular-weight fraction, in which method a liquid stream of impure liquid material in the form of a bundle of a multiplicity of streams or jets is brought into contact with a flowing gas phase, after which the gas stream, which contains the impurities, is removed and purified liquid material is collected; a device for performing this method and also the use of purified liquid material.Type: GrantFiled: May 26, 1995Date of Patent: November 4, 1997Assignee: Bayer AktiengesellschaftInventor: Franciscus Petrus Marie Nooren
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Patent number: 5645694Abstract: An improved vapor compression distillation process and apparatus are provided having a container with a substantially horizontal longitudinal center axis, two opposing end plates closing each end of the container, a first and second passage area defined within and on opposing ends of the container, each adjacent one of the end plates, a collecting chamber defined within the container between the first and second passage areas, a plurality of generally horizontal tubes spacedly exposed within the collecting chamber generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the container, each of the tubes having two opposing ends which open into the first and second passage areas respectively, two opposing plates positioned on opposite ends of the horizontal tubes, each plate engaging similar ends of the horizontal tubes, a vapor compressor attached to the container such that the vapor compressor communicates with an upper area of the collecting chamber and communicates with the first passage area, at least one passage foType: GrantFiled: March 31, 1993Date of Patent: July 8, 1997Assignee: Vacom II, L.P.Inventors: James M. Stewart, Bobby D. Morris
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Patent number: 5614066Abstract: An apparatus for converting seawater or other contaminated water into pure water for reuse including: a source of the contaminated water; a first horizontal housing connected to the source of contaminated water and having a heat exchanger therein for vaporizing the contaminated water therein; a vertical housing connected to the distal end of the first horizontal housing for fluid communication therebetween; a second horizontal housing connected at its proximate end to the vertical housing for fluid communication therebetween, the second horizontal housing having a heat exchanger therein for condensing vapor therein; a weir vertically mounted in the first housing for retaining a portion of the contaminated water in the first housing and allowing the other portion of the contaminated water to pass through the heat exchange evaporator from the proximate to distal end of the first housing.Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 1995Date of Patent: March 25, 1997Inventor: William R. Williamson
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Patent number: 5603809Abstract: A spinning band device for use in a distillation process including a particular pattern of apertures. The band is made of of an elongated strip, either metal screen or Teflon, twisted about its longitudinal center. Both embodiments contain frayed or jagged edges to create turbulences within a mixture and scrape the inner wall of a distillation column. The novel features of this band are the large apertures, which a situated on the longitudinal centerline for the metallic embodiment and scattered on the outer face for the Teflon embodiment, combined with the use of a plurality of spinning blades. Experimental testing and empirical data has proven this type of band to yield a significant increase in fractionating efficiency over the conventional two bladed bands without apertures.Type: GrantFiled: February 3, 1995Date of Patent: February 18, 1997Inventor: Roger R. Roark, Sr.
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Patent number: 5573635Abstract: A thin film evaporating device includes a housing defining a space for receiving a plurality of elongated tubular evaporators. An inlet is associated with the housing for feeding a flowable heating medium to the space for heating the plurality of elongated tubular evaporators.Type: GrantFiled: June 3, 1994Date of Patent: November 12, 1996Assignee: Buss AGInventor: Rolf Van Der Piepen
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Patent number: 5534118Abstract: A controlled bubble of cavitation is formed within the distilland by opposed centrifugal and centripetal forces in the plane of an afferent mesial passage. Thus a distilland surface forms around the axis of rotation, and saturated vapor is continuously stripped from this distilland surface by the work of a vapor pump, which also creates the centripetal force. The vapor vortex within this cavitation region ejects by centrifugal force whatever in it is denser than pure vapor, including any particles or droplets which may somehow become entrained in the vapor. Bubbling at the distilland surface, which might produce mist, is suppressed by centrifugal force. Vapor is compelled to follow an afferent flow path, and is scrubbed by cyclones in the afferent mesial passage. Scrubbed vapor is then withdrawn from within the distilland along the axis of rotation. No container is necessary for the distilland and no heat is added to produce evaporation.Type: GrantFiled: March 7, 1994Date of Patent: July 9, 1996Inventor: Wilmot H. McCutchen
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Patent number: 5496448Abstract: An evaporator, which includes a water chamber for receiving water to be evaporated. A plurality of evaporator tubes which when heated, and when water is on an inner wall of a tube, evaporates at least a portion of that water. A plurality of distributors spatially connecting the water chamber with the evaporator tubes in a manner so that each distributor uniformly and distributes the water from the water chamber to an inner wall of a corresponding evaporator tube. A heat source, which heats the plurality of tubes to an evaporation temperature. Apparatus distills the water vapor resulting from the water evaporation to provide distilled water.Type: GrantFiled: November 22, 1993Date of Patent: March 5, 1996Assignee: Texaco Inc.Inventor: Dinh-Cuong Vuong
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Patent number: 5472574Abstract: Bands used in fractionating columns, and more specifically, to the type made from either a metal screen strip or from a Teflon sheet twisted into a helicoid. In addition to previously documented design characteristics, the present spinning band includes a number of additional, circular apertures cut into the face of the metal screen strip and Teflon sheet. The circular apertures, sequentially arranged along the centerline of the band, add to the operating efficiency of the spinning band as it is employed in a fractionation process.Type: GrantFiled: July 9, 1993Date of Patent: December 5, 1995Inventor: Roger R. Roark, Sr.
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Patent number: 5470431Abstract: A stack type evaporator includes tubular elements 1 each having a plurality of inwardly protruding recessed ribs 7 which extend from an upper header portion 1a of the element to a lower header portion 1b, with the ribs serving as straight drainage canals 7a of specified width and area. A hydrophilic resin coating of a specific composition covers the outer surfaces of the tubular elements 1 and fins 2 each interposed between two adjacent tubular elements. The combination of straight drainage canals, the specified width and area thereof and the specific hydrophilic resin coating is effective to facilitate the drainage of condensed water so that the waterdrop is substantially prevented from flying out of the evaporator, and the hydrophilic coating itself does not emit any unpleasant smell.Type: GrantFiled: September 17, 1993Date of Patent: November 28, 1995Assignee: Showa Aluminum Corp.Inventors: Nobuyuki Okuda, Masayoshi Kojima
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Patent number: 5435891Abstract: A home water distillation device for converting tap water to distilled water largely free of dissolved minerals and gases. A tubular shaped boiler with an electrical heating unit provides steam to a condensation coil immersed in an open top reservoir into which tap water is admitted under the control of a standard metering valve. The unit utilizes condensation heat to drive off chlorine and the like into the atmosphere, so that the steam is free of dissolved gases and the distillate product is corresponding free and therefore of increased palatability.Type: GrantFiled: June 1, 1993Date of Patent: July 25, 1995Inventor: William H. Snitchler
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Patent number: 5417924Abstract: A device is mountable to the opening of a receptacle in which fumes are generated. The device includes a condensation chamber into which the fumes rise and are condensed. The condensed liquid flows back into the receptacle. A tube passing through the condensation chamber and is connectable to a source of suction which causes purging air to be circulated through the receptacle by drawing purging air into the receptacle through the condensation chamber and discharging the air through the tube.Type: GrantFiled: April 4, 1994Date of Patent: May 23, 1995Assignee: Societe ProlaboInventors: Jean-Louis Di-Martino, Eric Quentin
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Patent number: 5415732Abstract: A method and apparatus for concentration of a flowable foodstuff can be accomplished by supplying a flowable foodstuff into a vaporization chamber as split into a plurality of free nappes and causing the free nappes to run a predetermined distance to release vapor from their surfaces. After covering this distance, the free nappes of flowable foodstuff are collected into a mass at the bottom of the chamber.Type: GrantFiled: April 7, 1992Date of Patent: May 16, 1995Assignee: Rossi & Catelli S.p.A.Inventor: Camillo Catelli
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Patent number: 5385645Abstract: A heat transfer apparatus for processing a liquid continuously has a positive mechanical drive for a set of vertical whip rods each disposed in a vertical heat transfer tube. Each whip rod is free-standing on its lower end and is sufficiently flexible to conform closely to the inner surface of the tube as it orbits. The orbital drive propels the whip rod directly through a pair of horizontal, vertically spaced plates that engage the rods in loose openings that serve as fluid inlets from the drive plate. A motor rotates a drive shaft coupled to at least one of the drive plates through at least one eccentric crank. Each plate can be an opposed pair of plates with a separate eccentric drives 180.degree. out of phase with one another for a self balancing. Another form of drive plate uses a rigid circular ring that mounts rod-engaging sleeves via a network of wires supported by the ring.Type: GrantFiled: June 22, 1993Date of Patent: January 31, 1995Assignee: Y. T. Li Engineering, Inc.Inventor: Yao-Tzu Li
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Patent number: 5312524Abstract: A distillation system for recovery of volatile components of contaminated liquids used in an industrial process includes a tube assembly including outer tubes to which hot bottoms liquids are supplied and inner tubes to which process liquids are supplied for transfer of heat from the bottoms to the process liquids. From the tube assembly the two liquids are discharged into the still through separate, elongated, parallel discharge pipes. The process liquids discharge pipe is positioned above the bottoms liquids discharge pipe and an elongated, metal, angle plate is positioned as an inverted V between the two discharge pipes. Efficiency is improved over prior systems wherein process liquids are added to the still without being preheated by the bottoms fluids, and without the unique still intake manifold.Type: GrantFiled: April 21, 1992Date of Patent: May 17, 1994Assignee: Filter Tech, Inc.Inventor: Lyle B. Barcomb
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Patent number: 5282927Abstract: The concentrate holding lower portion of a sample and concentrate holding vessel has a jacket for shielding such concentrate holding portion from heat sufficient to volatilize appreciable solvent therefrom when the vessel is subjected to sufficient heat for effecting evaporative concentration of solution in such vessel.Type: GrantFiled: May 9, 1991Date of Patent: February 1, 1994Inventor: Mark Weidner
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Patent number: 5268073Abstract: In concentrating solutions containing 1 to 10% by weight of salts and resins, the yield and economics and trouble-free running can be improved by using a flow tube which has a steady curvature at least in the last third and is sized in its diameter in such a way that the mean flow velocity at the tube outlet is at least 50 m/second, and at least 90% by weight of the vaporizable components are evaporated off at driving temperature gradients of 20.degree. to 200.degree. C. between the heating medium and the solution.Type: GrantFiled: October 7, 1992Date of Patent: December 7, 1993Assignee: Bayer AktiengesellschaftInventors: Clemens Casper, Jorgen Weinschenck
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Patent number: 5246549Abstract: An apparatus for distilling corrosive compounds under high temperatures, which would include primary vessel chamber, having a first interior annular wall lined with a loose polymer, such as PTFE (or TEFLON), a second annular wall exterior to the first annular wall, and defining an annular space between the interior and the exterior wall; a somewhat rigid porous material for supporting the interior PTFE liner positioned along the interior wall of the vessel; device for drawing air out of the annular space between interior and exterior walls, for creating a vacuum at the annular space, so that the PTFE liner is supported firmly against the somewhat rigid porous support member; next, a second means for drawing air out of the interior of the vessel for creating a vacuum therewithin so that a pressure equilibrium is established between the interior of the vessel and the annular space, and a corrosive material can be heated in the vessel chamber under the vacuum, and the liner be maintained flush against the wall oType: GrantFiled: August 26, 1991Date of Patent: September 21, 1993Inventor: John Heil
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Patent number: 5246541Abstract: A falling film evaporator includes a chamber having a top and bottom tube plate; a plurality of vertical tubes each having an interior and exterior surface and extending through the chamber and being supported by the top and bottom tube plates; an inlet at the chamber for feeding heating medium into the chamber; a distributor above the tubes for feeding liquid to be evaporated into the tubes and for causing the liquid to be distributed as a falling film along the interior surface of the tubes so as to evaporate the liquid and generate vapor as the liquid passes in heat exchanging relationship with a heating medium present at the exterior surface of the tubes; a vapor space defined by a circumferential wall below the tubes; a plurality of vertically elongated spaced elements having a substantially U-shaped cross-section with inwardly pointing vertical edges for receiving the evaporated liquid and the vapor, the elements being arranged in a circumferential wall below the tubes within the vapor space spaced fromType: GrantFiled: May 14, 1991Date of Patent: September 21, 1993Assignee: A. Ahlstrom CorporationInventor: Rolf Ryham
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Patent number: 5232556Abstract: A water desalination apparatus which is constructed of a main housing which includes a condensation chamber and a vapor chamber located above the condensation chamber. Brackish water is to be supplied into the vapor chamber with this brackish water to produce a vapor which is to be removed by a centrifugal compressor arrangement into the condensation chamber. The condensed brackish water from the vapor chamber is to flow through a mass of thin-walled tubes to be eventually discharged into the ambient. The exterior wall of these tubes is located within the condensation chamber and it is on the walls of these tubes that the distilled water vapor is to collect and condense and flow from the condensation chamber to a collection source.Type: GrantFiled: September 30, 1991Date of Patent: August 3, 1993Inventor: Frank J. Passarelli
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Patent number: 5221439Abstract: An orbital evaporator has a vertical heat transfer tube or tubes mounted in a container driven in an orbital motion. A stiff whip rod is freely movable within the tube. Its lower end rests on a horizontal plate. The orbital motion causes the rod to roll over the interior surface of the tube to distribute the liquid in a thin film and to control fouling. A set of fins is mounted on the exterior of the tube to collect and channel the condensate to improve heat transfer through the tube. The fins are preferably longitudinal and the whip rod is preferably hydrophobic. Operating the evaporator with boiling temperatures substantially below 100.degree. C. in combination with the fins and a rolling whip rod allows operation as a desalinization unit for an indefinite period of time with a high total heat transfer coefficient. The evaporator preferably also includes a degasser to control the formation of a gas barrier at the exterior surface of the tube.Type: GrantFiled: June 17, 1991Date of Patent: June 22, 1993Assignee: Y. T. Li Engineering, Inc.Inventors: Yao-Tzu Li, Henry Huang, I-Chieng Ho, Albert P. Yundt, Jr.
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Patent number: 5217579Abstract: A system for continuously recovering renewable volatile compounds by boiling points from waste organic solvent with minimum energy loss, and an improved thin membrane distillation apparatus for efficient distillation of renewable volatile compounds from waste organic solvent and enforced discharge of the residue or sludge. The waste treatment system includes a thin membrane distillation apparatus, a cooling unit, a first distillation unit, and a second distillation unit connected in this sequence. Alternatively, the system includes two thin membrane distillation apparatus, a reduced pressure distillation unit, and a normal pressure distillation unit connected in this sequence. The thin membrane distillation apparatus includes a decompression chamber, a waste inlet, an outlet for volatile compound, an air-tight chamber, and a breaking mechanism with a screw head movable into the air-tight chamber.Type: GrantFiled: June 28, 1991Date of Patent: June 8, 1993Assignee: Toyota Kagaku Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Fumiyuki Kusakabe, Tadao Fujii, Fumio Morishita, Shiro Ohta
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Patent number: 5176799Abstract: An evaporation apparatus including a vessel defining an opening at the top thereof and forming an evaporation chamber to hold a liquid composition; a condenser assembly disposed above and hermetically sealed to the vessel and having a wall defining a condensation chamber communicating with the evaporation chamber through the opening, an accumulator for receiving liquid condensed on the wall, and a drain for removing liquid received by the accumulator; a fluid drive disposed above the condenser assembly and adapted to produce fluid flow downwardly through the condensation chamber and into contact with the liquid composition in the evaporation chamber and then upwardly into the condensation chamber; a heating mechanism for heating the liquid composition in the evaporation chamber so as to cause evaporation thereof; and a cooling means for cooling the wall so as to produce condensation thereon of vapor included in the fluid flowing upwardly from the evaporation chamber.Type: GrantFiled: February 28, 1991Date of Patent: January 5, 1993Assignee: Zymark CorporationInventors: John S. Roe, Larry A. Simonson
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Patent number: 5156706Abstract: A vertical tube evaporation process for the concentration of saline water and other liquids, including the addition of an anionic mono-molecular dispersant thereto which interacts with materials precipitated during concentration and inhibits the formation of scale or fouling depositions on evaporator surfaces, and wherein the additive is incorporated into the precipitated materials and improves their removal during the descaling or defouling of evaporator surfaces by rendering such precipitates redispersable in fresh water or in a non-saturated liquid used for descaling or defouling of evaporator surfaces.Type: GrantFiled: April 29, 1988Date of Patent: October 20, 1992Inventor: Hugo H. Sephton
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Patent number: 5149399Abstract: A liquid evaporator includes an air-tight outer container containing liquid therein, the liquid container having support legs adjacent the bottom surface thereof; an inner container mounted on the legs for partitioning the interior space of the outer container, the inner container having a wall made of insulating material; and a heater fixed to an upper portion of the outer container and positioned inside the inner container. The liquid evaporator may be combined with a deodorizing device for forming a urine treating device, wherein the urine treating device includes a deodorizing housing having an upper portion provided with a secondary heater therein, a catalyst surrounding the secondary heater, a blower provided outside the housing, and a diffusion pipe provided at the upper portion of the housing.Type: GrantFiled: January 24, 1989Date of Patent: September 22, 1992Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Japanic/Japanic CorporationInventors: Mitsuhiro Kishi, Toyohiko Sunaoka
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Patent number: 5057190Abstract: A stripping column installation especially for separating starting materials with a high boiling point difference comprises a stripping column having a withdrawal plate and a column sump, and a circulating boiler connected with the stripping column and having a pipe bundle through which a sump product from the stripping column flows. The circulating boiler has an upper plate and a separating wall which separates a space above the upper plate into two chambers. One of the chambers has a connection for receiving the sump product from the stripping column, while the other of the chambers has a connection for discharging the sump product after heating in the boiler.Type: GrantFiled: February 2, 1990Date of Patent: October 15, 1991Assignee: Krupp Koppers GmbHInventors: Luzian Skatulla, Hans-Jurgen Vollmer
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Patent number: 4981554Abstract: A thin-layer evaporator particularly suited for treating high-viscosity fluids, including a treating chamber surrounded by a heating or cooling shell, and a rotor equipped with feed and thrust elements. The feed and thrust elements include at least two axial, equidistant and staggered rows of blade members having the same pitch and sloping with respect both to the rotor axis and to the axial plane passing through their connection line; each member being offset, with respect to the members of the adjacent rows, by a space equal to the half pitch of the member.Type: GrantFiled: October 19, 1989Date of Patent: January 1, 1991Assignee: Montedipe S.p.A.Inventors: Mauro Loconsolo, Claudio Buonerba, Antonio Fucile, Francesco Ferrari
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Patent number: 4954223Abstract: A distillation apparatus including a pair of vertical lower vessels each open at its upper end, and a pair of elongate upper vessels each having an open lower end, slidably mounted in a respective one of the lower vessels. A heat exchanger is mounted in each of the upper vessels, with the upper end of one upper vessel being connected to the inlet of the heat exchanger in the other vessel, and vice versa. A reciprocating drive mechanism drives the two upper vessels up and down in opposite directions so as to simultaneously effect compression in the space above the liquid level in the downwardly moving vessel while expanding the space above the liquid in the other vessel, driving vapor from the downwardly moving vessel into the heat exchanger in the other vessel, where it condenses.Type: GrantFiled: July 29, 1988Date of Patent: September 4, 1990Inventors: Joseph E. Leary, Edward L. Parr
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Patent number: 4947983Abstract: A distillation apparatus includes a heating device, an inlet for medium to be distilled, a vapor outlet, a distillation space between the distillation medium inlet and the vapor outlet and a drain for the separate components of the solvent, arranged in the bottom part of the distilling space and extending from same. In a heating vessel, which is able to be filled with a heating medium to be heated by the heating device, there is a downwardly extending down tube joined with the inlet and an up tube extending upwards to the vapor inlet. During operation the two tubes are surrounded by heating medium and form the distillation space. The drain is arranged under the junction between the up and down tubes and is provided with a U-trap.Type: GrantFiled: May 25, 1989Date of Patent: August 14, 1990Inventor: Walter Jost
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Patent number: 4925526Abstract: A falling film evaporator having vertical outer tubes with closed upper ends connected to an upper tube plate disposed in the lower region of the evaporator. Other parallel tubes are disposed inside the outer tubes and are connected to a lower tube plate under the upper tube plate. The evaporator also has a mechanism for distributing the material to be evaporated onto the upper ends of the outer tubes in such a way that the material flows down along the tubes and forms a film on the external surface of the tubes. The space between the tube plates, in which the ends of the outer pipes are located, is divided by an intermediate wall into an inlet and an outlet compartments. Heating steam is fed to the inlet compartment. Clean condensate is recovered from the inlet compartment and contaminated condensate from the outlet compartment.Type: GrantFiled: October 3, 1988Date of Patent: May 15, 1990Assignee: A. Ahlstrom CorporationInventor: Reino I. Havukainen
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Patent number: 4917771Abstract: A column construction or boiling space in a distilling apparatus, having a pure vapor input connector, an input connector for water to be distilled, numerous heat exchange tubes within the column construction, a pure vapor removal connector, a condensate removal connector, and a connector for removing water to be distilled that has not vaporized. Pure steam is disposed to flow through heat exchange tubes, while impure water to be distilled is disposed to flow through an intermediate space between the heat exchange tubes. The heat exchange tubes are, at both ends, joined to flanges.Type: GrantFiled: February 25, 1988Date of Patent: April 17, 1990Assignee: Oy Santasalo-Sohlberg OyInventors: Lauri Santasalo, Esko Huhta-Koivisto, Jouko Ruokonen
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Patent number: 4915793Abstract: A potable water dispenser includes a first reservoir for storing raw water, a second reservoir for storing boiled hot water, and a third reservoir for storing boiled warm water. The second reservoir is surrounded by the raw water in the first reservoir so as to effect a heat exchange therebetween. A condenser is disposed on the top end of the second reservoir. A heating device is interposed between the first and second reservoirs so as to vaporize the raw water from the first reservoir. Then, the vapor flows into the condenser so as to form boiled hot water which falls into the second reservoir. The boiled hot water will flow from the second reserovir into the third reservoir through a water duct so as to form boiled warm water. Two water tap units are respectively communicated with the second and third reservoirs so as to supply hot and warm water.Type: GrantFiled: October 7, 1988Date of Patent: April 10, 1990Inventor: Tien-Fu Chou
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Patent number: 4894140Abstract: Waste oil is treated in a tubular reactor having a length of up to and in excess of 2 km in a plurality of stages each of which involves heating the product to a different temperature and maintaining the product at a different pressure. The released fractions are evacuated from the path for the flow of waste oil and are immediately condensed and distilled to yield a variety of products from oil having a low boiling point to coke. One or more withdrawn fractions can be treated (for example, hydrogenated) in one or more discrete tubular reactors. The heating can involve raising the temperature of waste oil to several times the critical cracking temperature, and the regulation of pressure can involve a reduction of pressure to less than 1 mbar. The last stage of the reactor can be cleaned by abrasive particles, by vibration at high frequencies and/or by acceleration of the conveyed stream to an elevated speed.Type: GrantFiled: November 4, 1987Date of Patent: January 16, 1990Inventor: Christian O. Schon
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Patent number: 4872955Abstract: A vapor-and-liquid contact structure for distillation, fractionation, rectification, absorption, and the refining, in a column, of various liquid materials such as petroleum, chemical, and alcohol solutions wherein provision is made for the inclusion of vertically-spaced bubble plate chambers, having respective liquid and vapor contact devices, to accommodate contact of counter-current flows of reflux liquid and vapors. A downcomer, including slanted ramps, is disposed outside of the vapor conduit-defining interior, and defines an elongate downcomer structure for liquid flow. Accordingly, descending reflux liquid flow is kept outside of primary vapor flow, with secondary vapor evolving from descending reflux being conducted circuitously back into the primary vapor flow for ascent to the next-above contact device. Plate efficiency is enhanced through maximum plate-area effective use and unidirectional liquid-flow over such plates.Type: GrantFiled: April 18, 1988Date of Patent: October 10, 1989Assignee: Uni-Frac Inc.Inventors: Trent J. Parker, Byron M. Parker
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Patent number: 4865689Abstract: A device for removing the volatile components of a polymer in a polymer train includes a hollow pipe which defines an interior chamber, a pair of flanges mounted on opposite axial ends of the pipe, a heat jacket mounted on the pipe and disposed to surround the pipe, a plurality of band heating elements mounted on the outer peripheral surface of the heat jacket, and an arrangement of fin elements disposed in the interior chamber of the pipe to contact the polymer flowing through the pipe. Heat from the heating elements is distributed by the heat jacket over the axial length of the pipe and is transferred to the fin elements to heat the polymer flowing through the pipe. The fin elements may be in a cruciform arrangement within the interior chamber of the pipe. A method of removing the volatile components includes forming a thin film of polymer and heating and distributing the heat evenly on the thin film of polymer so that the volatile components may be vaporized.Type: GrantFiled: January 27, 1988Date of Patent: September 12, 1989Assignee: Mobil Oil CorporationInventor: Clarence C. Hon
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Patent number: 4857144Abstract: An evaporator having a vertically mounted elongated tubular chamber, a pair of upper and lower tube sheets mounted near the ends of said tubular chamber, each tube sheet having a plurality of openings therein with a plurality of vertical evaporator tubes mounted between the pair of tube sheets, tangentially mounted inlet tubes between the upper tube sheet and a top cover for the tubular chamber, and an inverted cone mounted as a filler piece on the underside of the top cover and having its apex just slightly spaced from the upper tube sheet and its circumferential edge substantially spaced therefrom for effecting a uniform and even flow and distribution to the evaporator tubes of a liquid/solid mixture inputted into the tangential inlet tubes. The elongated tubular chamber is also provided with lateral inlet and outlet openings for inputting/outputting heated and subsequently cooled fluid to flow externally past the evaporator tubes.Type: GrantFiled: September 2, 1988Date of Patent: August 15, 1989Assignee: Hanover Research CorporationInventor: Robert E. Casparian
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Patent number: 4836891Abstract: A method for concentrating salt water. Salt water is separated from oil-water mixture which has been produced from a well. Salt water is introduced into a recirculating weir and mixed with more concentrated brine. Brine is recirculated through a thermal syphon apparatus. Recirculation includes passing brine, including some salt water, from weir into boiler vessel. Brine is heated within boiler vessel to a boiling temperature whereby brine, while boiling, generates steam which passes up out of weir. All of foregoing steps are performed at atmospheric pressure. The density of brine is sensed at a location in the lower vicinity of weir. Concentrated brine is released from lower vicinity when density at sensed temperature is at a level corresponding to a brine concentration near the precipitation of salt from solution. Salt water and brine is passed through a magnetic water treating unit. The concentrated brine, as released, is passed into a holding vessel.Type: GrantFiled: May 19, 1986Date of Patent: June 6, 1989Assignee: Evaporation, Inc.Inventors: James H. Files, Donald M. Harrel, John M. Montague, Thomas L. Stansbury Sr., Carlton T. Sikes
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Patent number: 4810327Abstract: In a falling film evaporator of the vertical-tube type in which liquid to be evaporated is supplied at the top on the outer surface of vertical heat exchanger tubes and the heat medium is supplied to the heat exchanger tubes at the bottom for flow inside the same, at least one larger tube element than the heat exchanger tubes is disposed between and fixed to tube plates at the both ends of the group of tubes to stabilize the group of tubes against tension and especially compression stresses.Type: GrantFiled: April 18, 1985Date of Patent: March 7, 1989Assignee: Ahlstromforetagen Svenska ABInventor: Kjell Norrmen
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Patent number: 4781797Abstract: An apparatus and process for separating a more volatile substance from a liquid in which it is dissolved by vacuum means. The apparatus has a perforated inner casing having a plurality of sub-stages which contain packing material to provide a tortuous path of interstices for the liquid to flow through; an outer casing surrounds the inner casing to define an evacuating space between the outer and inner casing and vacuum means to create a vacuum in the evacuating space which communicates with the sub-stages through the perforations in the inner casing. The vacuum means also acts to pull off the more volatile substance.Type: GrantFiled: September 11, 1987Date of Patent: November 1, 1988Assignee: Energy Conservation Partnership, Ltd.Inventor: Arthur F. Johnson
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Patent number: 4770746Abstract: Spinning band fractionating column apparatus is disclosed having a spinning band formed with a magnet embedded in its bottom end in the manner of a magnetic stirring vane for rotation by a rotating external magnetic field at the bottom of the apparatus. Reflux is controlled by an angled drip edge on a rotatable condenser column that passes a portion of dripped condensate to a collecting spout with the portion varying as rotation of the condenser column brings the drip from said edge closer or further from center opposition with the spout.Type: GrantFiled: January 5, 1987Date of Patent: September 13, 1988Assignee: Microscale Organic Laboratory CorporationInventors: Dana W. Mayo, Ronald M. Pike, Robert J. Hinkle
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Patent number: 4767502Abstract: A steam generator, especially a pure steam generator, having a feed line for conducting feed water to the same, an electrode system for heating the feed water, a steam outlet for removing generated steam, and a separating space in a lower part of the generator 10, along with a droplet separator through which the steam that has been generated is disposed to flow from the separating space to the steam outlet. Electrodes have been placed in small tubular spaces in a water space (i.e. a space receiving incoming feed water). The steam generator may be used in a multi-stage distilling apparatus by conducting the steam that has been formed to a second column or stage of the distilling apparatus, to constitute feed steam therefor.Type: GrantFiled: May 20, 1987Date of Patent: August 30, 1988Assignee: Oy Santasalo-Sohlberg ABInventors: Lauri Santasalo, Esko Santasalo
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Patent number: 4762592Abstract: A wobbling-type evaporator mounts a container 1 holding at least one vertically oriented heat transfer tube 30 fed by a liquid inlet 35 to the container 1. The container 1 is supported with respect to a base 10 so that it wobbles in response to the rotation of an orbiting counterweight 2,2' the counterweight and container wobble as a two body system about common axis. In one form a set of struts 6 located around the container are part of the support system. The invention also includes inlet water distribution systems, compatible with this orbital drive.Type: GrantFiled: October 20, 1986Date of Patent: August 9, 1988Inventor: Yao T. Li