초록 ▼

A blade heat exchanger includes blades that extend axially with respect to an axis of rotation and are elongated in the radial direction. The blades are arranged about the axis such that, when they are disposed in a housing, they form composite condensation and evaporation chambers that are isolated

A blade heat exchanger includes blades that extend axially with respect to an axis of rotation and are elongated in the radial direction. The blades are arranged about the axis such that, when they are disposed in a housing, they form composite condensation and evaporation chambers that are isolated from each other. The interiors of at least some of the blades form the composite condensation chamber. The exteriors of the blades and the inner surface of the housing cooperate to form the composite evaporation chamber.

대표청구항 ▼

The invention claimed is: 1. A system for use in distilling a liquid, the system comprising: a housing, a rotary-power source for supplying rotary power within the housing, a liquid inlet for providing the liquid to be distilled to the housing, a compressor including a compressor inlet for receivin

The invention claimed is: 1. A system for use in distilling a liquid, the system comprising: a housing, a rotary-power source for supplying rotary power within the housing, a liquid inlet for providing the liquid to be distilled to the housing, a compressor including a compressor inlet for receiving a vapor at a first vapor pressure and a compressor outlet for emitting the vapor at a second higher vapor pressure, a distillate-collection receptacle for collecting distillate in the housing, and a heat exchanger disposed within the housing and operatively coupled to the rotary-power source for rotation thereby about an axis, the heat exchanger including axially extending blades that are elongated in the radial direction and arranged about the axis such that: the exteriors of the blades and the inner surface of the housing cooperate to form a composite evaporation chamber that is in fluid communication with the liquid inlet for receiving the liquid to be distilled therefrom and with the compressor inlet for providing a vapor at the first vapor pressure thereto, the composite evaporation chamber extends from the radially interior portion of the heat exchanger through radial passages between opposite exterior surfaces of adjacent blades to the radial extent of the housing, in which the entrances of the radial passages between the opposite exterior surfaces of a least some of the adjacent blades span a distance that is less than 1.8 mm (70 mils), and the interiors of at least some of the blades form respective constituent condensation chambers in such fluid communication with other such constituent condensation chambers as to form a composite condensation chamber that is isolated from the evaporation chamber and that is in fluid communication with the compressor outlet for receiving the vapor at the second vapor pressure therefrom and with the distillate-collection receptacle for providing distillate thereto. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the distance is between 0.4 mm (15 mils) and 0.8 mm (30 mils). 3. A system for use in distilling a liquid, the system comprising: a housing, a rotary-power source for supplying rotary power within the housing, a liquid inlet for providing the liquid to be distilled to the housing, a compressor including a compressor inlet for receiving a vapor at a first vapor pressure and a compressor outlet for emitting the vapor at a second, higher vapor pressure, a distillate-collection receptacle for collecting distillate in the housing, and a heat exchanger disposed within the housing and operatively coupled to the rotary-power source for rotation thereby about an axis, the heat exchanger including axially extending blades that are elongated in the radial direction and arranged about the axis such that: the exteriors of the blades and the inner surface of the housing cooperate to form a composite evaporation chamber that is in fluid communication with the liquid inlet for receiving the liquid to be distilled therefrom and with the compressor inlet for providing a vapor at the first vapor pressure thereto, the interiors of at least some of the blades form respective constituent condensation chambers in such fluid communication with other such constituent condensation chambers as to form a composite condensation chamber that is isolated from the evaporation chamber and that is in fluid communication with the compressor outlet for receiving the vapor at the second vapor pressure there from and with the distillate-collection receptacle for providing distillate thereto, and for a blade whose interior forms one of the constituent condensation chambers and whose exterior cooperates with the interior surface of the housing to form the composite evaporation chamber, the ratio of the volume of the interior of the blade to the surface area of the exterior of the blade is less than 1.5 mm (60 mils). 4. The system of claim 3, wherein the ratio is between 0.25 mm (10 mils) and 0.5 mm (20 ). 5. The system of claim 3, wherein the distillate-collection receptacle includes a region for collecting distillate and a region for collecting non-condensable, and the system further comprises: at least one distillate-removing tube extending through the housing and into the distillate-collection receptacle, the at least one distillate-removing tube so positioned in the distillate-collection receptacle as to extend into the region for collecting distillate so as to remove the distillate therefrom. 6. The system of claim 5, wherein each of the at least one distillate-removing tube extends axially between opposite exterior surfaces of a pair of adjacent blades. 7. The system of claim 5, further comprising: at least one non-condensable-removing tube extending through the housing and into the distillate-collection receptacle, the at least one non-condensable removing tube so positioned in the distillate-collection receptacle as to extend into the region for collecting non-condensables so as to remove the non-condensables therefrom. 8. The system of claim 3, wherein each blade includes an axially-extending fold and a pair of opposing edges joined together in an axially-extending junction radially spaced from the fold. 9. The system of claim 8, wherein the axially-extending fold is disposed at a location radially outward from the axially-extending junction. 10. A system for use in distilling a liquid, the system comprising: a housing, a rotary-power source for supplying rotary power within the housing, a liquid inlet for providing the liquid to be distilled to the housing, a compressor including a compressor inlet for receiving a vapor at a first vapor pressure and a compressor outlet for emitting the vapor at a second, higher vapor pressure, a distillate-collection receptacle for collecting distillate in the housing, and a heat exchanger disposed within the housing and operatively coupled to the rotary-power source for rotation thereby about an axis, the heat exchanger including axially extending blades that are elongated in the radial direction and arranged about the axis such that: the exteriors of the blades and the inner surface of the housing cooperate to form a composite evaporation chamber that is in fluid communication with the liquid inlet for receiving the liquid to be distilled therefrom and with the compressor inlet for providing a vapor at the first vapor pressure thereto, the interiors of at least some of the blades form respective constituent condensation chambers in such fluid communication with other such constituent condensation chambers as to form a composite condensation chamber that is isolated from the evaporation chamber and that is in fluid communication with the compressor outlet for receiving the vapor at the second vapor pressure therefrom and with the distillate-collection receptacle for providing distillate thereto, and for a blade whose interior forms one of the constituent condensation chambers and whose exterior cooperates with the interior surface of the housing to form the composite evaporation chamber, the ratio of the radial extent of the blade to the circumferential extent of the blade is a least 10. 11. The system of claim 10, wherein the ratio is between 20 and 50. 12. The system of claim 10 wherein: the distillate-collection receptacle includes a region for collecting distillate and a region for collecting non-condensables, and the system further comprises at least one distillate-removing tube extending through the housing and into the distillate-collection receptacle, the at least one distillate-removing tube so positioned in the distillate-collection receptacle as to extend into the region for collecting distillate so as to remove the distillate therefrom. 13. The system of claim 12 wherein each of the at least one distillate-removing tube extends exially between opposite exterior surfaces of a pair of adjacent blades. 14. The system of claim 12, further comprising at least one non-condensable-removing tube extending through the housing and into the distillate-collection receptacle, the at least one non-condensable removing tube so positioned in the distillate-collection receptacle as to extend into the region for collecting non-condensables so as to remove the non-condensables therefrom. 15. The system of claim 10 wherein each blade includes an axially-extending fold and a pair of opposing edges joined together in an axially-extending junction radially spaced from the fold. 16. A system for use in distilling a liquid, the system comprising: a housing, a rotary-power source for supplying rotary power within the housing, a liquid inlet for providing the liquid to be distilled to the housing, a compressor including a compressor inlet for receiving a vapor at a first vapor pressure and a compressor outlet for emitting the vapor at a second, higher vapor pressure, a distillate-collection receptacle for collecting distillate in the housing, and a heat exchanger disposed within the housing and operatively coupled to the rotary-power source for rotation thereby about an axis, the heat exchanger including axially extending blades that are elongated in the radial direction and arranged about the axis such that; the exteriors of the blades and the inner surface of the housing cooperate to form a composite evaporation chamber that is in fluid communication with the liquid inlet for receiving the liquid to be distilled therefrom and with the compressor inlet for providing a vapor at the first vapor pressure thereto, the interiors of a least some of the blades form respective constituent condensation chambers in such fluid communication with other such constituent the evaporation chamber and that is in fluid communication with the compressor outlet for receiving the vapor at the second vapor pressure therefrom and with the distillate-collection receptacle for providing distillate thereto, the interiors of those blades that form the composite condensation chamber are in fluid communication with the compressor outlet via first openings formed in first axial ends of those blades and with the distillate-collection receptacle via second openings formed in second axial ends of those blades, and the first openings extend along substantially the entire radial extents of the interiors of those blades, and at least some of the second openings extend along only a portion of the radial extents of the interiors of those blades. 17. A system for use in distilling a liquid, the system comprising: a housing, a first end plate disposed within the housing as to be substantially perpendicular to an axis, the first end plate including a central aperture and radially extending slots, a second end plate so disposed within the housing as to be substantially perpendicular to the axis, the second end plate including a central aperture and radially extending slots, a rotary-power source for supplying rotary power within the housing, a liquid inlet for providing the liquid to be distilled to the housing, a compressor including a compressor inlet for receiving a vapor at a first vapor pressure and a compressor outlet for emitting the vapor at a second, higher vapor pressure, a distillate-collection receptacle for collecting distillate in the housing, and a heat exchanger disposed within the housing and operatively coupled to the rotary-power source for rotation thereby about the axis, the heat exchanger including axially extending blades that are elongated in the radial direction and arranged about the axis such that: the exteriors of the blades and the inner surface of the housing cooperate to form a composite evaporation chamber that is in fluid communication with the liquid inlet for receiving the liquid to be distilled therefrom and with the compressor inlet for providing a vapor at the first vapor pressure thereto, the interiors of at least some of the blades form respective constituent condensation chambers in such fluid communication with other such constituent condensation chambers as to form a composite condensation chamber that is isolated from the evaporation chamber and that is in fluid communication with the compressor outlet for receiving the vapor at the second vapor pressure therefrom and with the distillate-collection receptacle for providing distillate thereto, the interiors of those blades that form the composite condensation chamber are fluid communication with the compressor outlet via first openings formed in first axial ends of those blades and with the distillate-collection receptacle via second openings formed in second axial ends of those blades, and the radially extending slots in the first end plate seal the exteriors of those blades adjacent the first openings formed in the axial ends of at least some of those blades, and the radially extending slots in the second end plate seal the exteriors of those blades adjacent the second openings formed in the second axial ends of at least some of those blades, such that the first and second end plates cooperate to isolate the composite evaporation chamber from the composite condensation chamber. 18. The system of claim 17, wherein the distillate-collection receptacle is mounted to the inner and outer diameter edges of the second end plate so as to collect distillate formed in the composite condensation chamber and flowing through the second openings in the second axial ends of those blades. 19. The system of claim 18, wherein the distillate-collection receptacle is substantially toroidal. 20. The system of claim 17, further comprising: first and second frame elements disposed within the housing substantially perpendicular to the axis, each frame element including an inner ring and an outer ring concentric with the inner ring and connected to the inner ring via radially-extending support members disposed at substantially equal angular intervals, wherein the heat exchanger is mounted between the first frame element and the second frame element, such that the first and second end plates are disposed between the inner and outer rings of the respective first and second frame elements. 21. A system for use in distilling a liquid, the system comprising: a housing, a rotary-power source for supplying rotary power within the housing, a liquid inlet for providing the liquid to be distilled to the housing, the liquid inlet including at least one spray tube extending generally in the same direction as an axis of the system, p1 a compressor including a compressor inlet for receiving a vapor at a first vapor pressure and a compressor outlet for emitting the vapor at a second, higher vapor pressure, a distillate-collection receptacle for collecting distillate in the housing, and a heat exchanger disposed within the housing and operatively coupled to the rotary-power source for rotation thereby about the axis, the heat exchanger including axially extending blades that are elongated in the radial direction and arranged about the axis such that; the exteriors of the blades and the inner surface of the housing cooperate to form a composite evaporation chamber that is in fluid communication with the liquid inlet for receiving the liquid to be distilled therefrom and with the compressor inlet for providing a vapor at the first vapor pressure thereto, the interiors of at least some of the blades form respective constituent condensation chambers in such fluid communication with other such constituent condensation chambers as to form a composite condensation chamber that is isolated from the evaporation chamber and that is in fluid communication with the compressor outlet for receiving the vapor at the second vapor pressure therefrom and with the distillate-collection receptacle for providing distillate thereto, the at least one spray tube is disposed in the radially interior portion of the heat exchanger at a location radially inward from the blades and includes openings facing in a radially outward direction from the axis, such that a liquid-flow path exists for the liquid to be distilled to flow to the composite evaporation chamber via the at least one spray tube, and the composite evaporation chamber extends through radial passages between opposite exterior surfaces of adjacent blades to the radial extent of the housing, in which the openings of the at least one spray tube and the entrances of the radial passages are sized and shaped such that, for at least one liquid flow rate in the at least one spray tube, the entrances span a distance that is less than the average diameter of liquid droplets emanating from the openings. 22. A system for use in distilling a liquid, the system comprising: a housing, a rotary-power source for supplying rotary power within the housing, a liquid inlet for providing the liquid to be distilled to the housing, the liquid inlet including at least one spray tube extending generally in the same direction as an axis of the system, a compressor including a compressor inlet for receiving a vapor at a first vapor pressure and a compressor outlet for emitting the vapor at a second, higher vapor pressure, a distillate-collection receptacle for collecting distillate in the housing, and a heat exchanger disposed within the housing and operatively coupled to the rotary-power source for rotation thereby about the axis, the heat exchanger including axially extending blades that are elongated in the radial direction and arranged about the axis such that; the exteriors of the blades and the inner surface of the housing cooperate to form a composite evaporation chamber that is in fluid communication with the liquid inlet for receiving the liquid to be distilled therefrom and with the compressor inlet for providing a vapor at the first vapor pressure thereto, the interior of at least some of the blades form respective constituent condensation chambers in such fluid communication with other such constituent condensation chambers as to form a composite condensation chamber that is isolated from the evaporation chamber and that is in fluid communication with the compressor outlet for receiving the vapor at the second vapor pressure therefrom and with the distillate-collection receptacle for providing distillate thereto, the at least one spray tube is disposed in the radially interior portion of the heat exchanger at a location radially inward from the blades and includes openings facing in a radially outward direction from the axis, such that a liquid flow-path exists for the liquid to be distilled to flow to the composite evaporation chamber via the at least one spray tube, and the liquid inlet includes at least one liquid-supplying feed tube in fluid communication with the at least one spray tube and extending into a sump defining the liquid to be distilled, such that the at least one liquid-supplying feed tube and the at least one spray tube cooperate to provide a liquid flow-path between the sump and the composite evaporation chamber. 23. A system for use in distilling a liquid, the system comprising: a housing, a rotary-power source for supplying rotary power within the housing, a liquid inlet for providing the liquid to be distilled to the housing, a compressor including a compressor inlet for receiving a vapor at a first vapor pressure and a compressor outlet for emitting the vapor at a second, higher vapor pressure, a distillate-collection receptacle for collecting distillate in the housing, the distillate-collection receptacle including a region for collecting distillate and a region for collecting non-condensables, at least one distillate-removing tube extending through the housing and into the distillate-collection receptacle, the at least one distillate-removing tube so positioned in the distillate-collection receptacle so as to extend into the region for collecting distillate so as to remove the distillate therefrom, at least one non-condensable-removing tube extending through the housing, axially between opposite exterior surfaces of a pair of adjacent blades, and into the distillate-collection receptacle, the at least one non-condensable removing tube so positioned in the distillate-collection receptacle so as to extend into the region for collecting non-condensables so as to remove the non-condensables therefrom a heat exchanger disposed within the housing and operatively coupled to the rotary-power source for rotation thereby about an axis, the heat exchanger including axially that; the exteriors of the blades and the inner surface of the housing cooperate to form a composite evaporation chamber that is in fluid communication with the liquid inlet for receiving the liquid to be distilled therefrom and with the compressor inlet for providing a vapor at the first vapor pressure thereto, and the interiors of a least some of the blades form respective constituent condensation chambers in such fluid communication with other such constituent condensation chambers so as to form a composite condensation chamber that is isolated from the evaporation chamber and that is in fluid communication with the compressor outlet for receiving the vapor at the second vapor pressure therefrom and with the distillate-collection receptacle for providing distillate thereto. 24. A system for use in distilling a liquid, the system comprising: a housing, a rotary-power source for supplying rotary power within the housing, a liquid inlet for providing the liquid to be distilled to the housing, a compressor including a compressor inlet for receiving a vapor at a first vapor pressure and a compressor outlet for emitting the vapor at a second, higher vapor pressure, a distillate-collection receptacle for collecting distillate in the housing, and a heat exchanger disposed within the housing and operatively coupled to the rotary-power source for rotation thereby about an axis, the heat exchanger including axially extending blades that are elongated in the radial direction, have an axial elongation ratio that is greater than 1 and a radial elongation ration that is greater than 10, and are arranged about the axis such that; the exteriors of the blades and the inner surface of the housing cooperate to form a composite evaporation chamber that is in fluid communication with the liquid inlet for receiving the liquid to be distilled therefrom and with the compressor inlet for providing a vapor at the first vapor pressure thereto, and the interiors of at least some of the blades form respective constituent condensation chambers in such fluid communication with other such constituent condensation chambers as to form a composite condensation chamber that is isolated from the evaporation chamber and that is in fluid communication with the compressor outlet for receiving the vapor at the second vapor pressure therefrom and with the distillate-collection receptacle for providing distillate thereto.