초록 ▼

Embodiments of the invention are directed toward a novel pressurized vapor cycle for distilling liquids. In some embodiments of the invention, a liquid purification system is revealed, including the elements of an input for receiving untreated liquid, a vaporizer coupled to the input for transformin

Embodiments of the invention are directed toward a novel pressurized vapor cycle for distilling liquids. In some embodiments of the invention, a liquid purification system is revealed, including the elements of an input for receiving untreated liquid, a vaporizer coupled to the input for transforming the liquid to vapor, a head chamber for collecting the vapor, a vapor pump with an internal drive shaft and an eccentric rotor with a rotatable housing for compressing vapor, and a condenser in communication with the vapor pump for transforming the compressed vapor into a distilled product. Other embodiments of the invention are directed toward heat management, and other process enhancements for making the system especially efficient.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A liquid distillation system comprising: an input for receiving untreated input liquid; a sump in communication with the input wherein the sump comprising at least one heating element and wherein input liquid is preheated; an evaporative condenser coupled to the sump for tra

What is claimed is: 1. A liquid distillation system comprising: an input for receiving untreated input liquid; a sump in communication with the input wherein the sump comprising at least one heating element and wherein input liquid is preheated; an evaporative condenser coupled to the sump for transforming the liquid to vapor and for transforming compressed vapor into a distilled liquid product; a head chamber for collecting vapor from the evaporative condenser; and a vapor pump for compressing the vapor, the vapor pump in communication with the head chamber and comprising: a single continuous internal drive shaft; at least one intake for axial feeding; and an eccentric rotor with a fully rotatable housing, the rotatable housing supported by a rotatable housing shaft; wherein the evaporative condenser comprising a plurality of parallel core evaporator tubes, each tube having a first open end in communication with the sump and a second open end in communication with the head chamber. 2. The liquid distillation system as in claim 1 wherein the rotor further comprises a multiplicity of vanes separated by chambers, each chamber having an exit. 3. A liquid distillation system according to claim 1 wherein the input is coupled to at least one heat source. 4. A liquid distillation system according to claim 1 further comprising an output for collection of distilled liquid product. 5. A liquid distillation system according to claim 1, the system further comprising a switch selected from the group consisting of a thermostatic switch, a pressure-sensing switch, a thermal transducer and a pressure transducer, for signaling completion of the heating phase and turning off the heating unit. 6. A liquid distillation system according to claim 1 further comprising a heat exchanger for receiving liquid from the input such that heat from at least one source is exchanged with the input liquid. 7. A liquid distillation system according to claim 6 wherein the heat exchanger is a multi-line exchanger for exchanging heat from a number of sources with the input liquid. 8. A liquid distillation system according to claim 1, the system further comprising a multi-unit filter having at least two units in the input for filtering the liquid before the liquid is received by the evaporative condenser. 9. A liquid distillation system according to claim 8 wherein the filter is a flip-filter. 10. A liquid distillation system according to claim 9, the system further comprising a mechanism for periodically rotating the flip-filter for back-washing filter units to prevent fouling. 11. A liquid distillation system according to claim 1 further comprising a power source coupled to the system wherein the power source is a clean-burning generator. 12. A liquid distillation system comprising: a) an input for receiving untreated liquid; b) an evaporative condenser coupled to the input for transforming the liquid to vapor and for transforming compressed vapor into a distilled liquid product, wherein the evaporative condenser comprising a plurality of parallel core evaporator tubes, each tube having a first open end in communication with a sump and a second open end in communication with a head chamber; c) a head chamber for collecting vapor from the evaporator; d) a vapor pump for compressing the vapor, the vapor pump in communication with the evaporative condenser and comprising: 1. an internal drive shaft; and 2. an eccentric motor, and e) a multi-unit filter having at least two filter units in the input for filtering liquid before it is received by the evaporator. 13. A liquid distillation system according to claim 12 further comprising a diverter whereby at least one filter unit is back-washed by a blowdown stream diverted from the head chamber. 14. A liquid distillation system according to claim 12 further comprising a heat exchanger for receiving input liquid such that heat from at least one of a plurality of sources is added to the input liquid. 15. A liquid distillation system according to claim 14 wherein the heat exchanger is a multi-line heat exchanger for exchanging heat with the input liquid. 16. A liquid distillation system comprising: a) an input for receiving untreated liquid; b) an evaporative condenser coupled to the input for transforming the liquid to vapor and for transforming compressed vapor into a distilled liquid product; c) a head chamber for collecting vapor from the evaporator; d) a vapor pump for compressing the vapor, the vapor pump in communication with the evaporative condenser and comprising: 1. an internal drive shaft; and 2. an eccentric motor; e) a multi-unit filter having at least two filter units in the input for filtering liquid before it is received by the evaporator; f) a diverter whereby at least one filter unit is back-washed by a blowdown stream diverted from the head chamber; and g) a regulator coupled to the diverter for providing the minimum flow rate blowdown stream from the head chamber necessary to back-wash the at least one filter unit. 17. A liquid distillation system comprising: a) an input for receiving untreated liquid; b) an evaporative condenser coupled to the input for transforming the liquid to vapor and for transforming compressed vapor into a distilled liquid product; c) a head chamber for collecting vapor from the evaporator; d) a vapor pump for compressing the vapor, the vapor pump in communication with the evaporative condenser and comprising: 1. an internal drive shaft; and 2. an eccentric motor; e) a multi-unit flip-filter having at least two filter units in the input for filtering liquid before it is received by the evaporator; and f) a diverter whereby at least one filter unit is back-washed by a blowdown stream diverted from the head chamber. 18. A liquid distillation system comprising: a) an input for receiving untreated liquid; b) an evaporative condenser coupled to the input for transforming the liquid to vapor and for transforming compressed vapor into a distilled liquid product; c) a head chamber for collecting vapor from the evaporator; d) a vapor pump for compressing the vapor, the vapor pump in communication with the evaporative condenser and comprising: 1. an internal drive shaft; and 2. an eccentric motor; e) a multi-unit flip-filter having at least two filter units in the input for filtering liquid before it is received by the evaporator; f) a diverter whereby at least one filter unit is back-washed by a blowdown stream diverted from the head chamber; and g) a mechanism for periodically rotating the flip-filter at appropriate intervals to prevent fouling. 19. A liquid distillation system comprising: a) an input for receiving untreated liquid; b) an evaporative condenser coupled to the input for transforming the liquid to vapor and for transforming compressed vapor into a distilled liquid product; c) a head chamber for collecting vapor from the evaporator; d) a vapor pump for compressing the vapor, the vapor pump in communication with the evaporative condenser and comprising: 1. an internal drive shaft; and 2. an eccentric motor; e) a multi-unit filter having at least two filter units in the input for filtering liquid before it is received by the evaporator; and f) a heat exchanger for receiving input liquid such that heat from at least one of a plurality of sources is added to the input liquid, wherein the at least one of a plurality of heat sources is selected from the group consisting of a product stream, a blowdown stream, system waste heat, vapor pump waste heat, motor waste heat, exhaust heat from a power source, and an external heat source. 20. A method for distilling in a distillation system a liquid comprising: a. evaporating untreated input liquid in an evaporative condenser to form a vapor to fill a head chamber; b. collecting the vapor from the evaporative condenser in the head chamber; c. compressing the vapor by rotating the vapor in a vapor pump having at least one intake for axial feeding and using a continuous internal drive shaft and eccentric rotor with a fully rotatable housing supported by rotatable housing shaft to produce compressed vapor; d. condensing the compressed vapor in the evaporative condenser having an internal pressure into a distilled liquid product; e. measuring total dissolved solid in a blowdown stream from vaporized untreated liquid; and f. adjusting a source feed rate of the untreated liquid if the total dissolved solid is above a prescribed level. 21. A method of distilling a liquid according to claim 20, further comprising coupling a clean-burning generator to the system. 22. A method of distilling a liquid according to claim 20, further comprising eliminating entrained liquid droplets from the vapor in the vapor pump.