Desalination method and system using a continuous helical slush removal system
원문보기
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
C02F-001/22
B01D-009/00
C01D-009/00
C02F-001/10
C02F-001/12
C02F-103/08
출원번호
US-0309730
(2007-07-24)
등록번호
US-9650260
(2017-05-16)
국제출원번호
PCT/US2007/016765
(2007-07-24)
§371/§102 date
20090917
(20090917)
국제공개번호
WO2008/013870
(2008-01-31)
발명자
/ 주소
Enis, Ben M.
Lieberman, Paul
출원인 / 주소
Enis, Ben M.
대리인 / 주소
O'Sullivan, Garrett James
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
0인용 특허 :
10
초록▼
The invention relates to a desalination method and system that uses freeze crystallization technology that incorporates the use of compressed air energy as the source for freezing temperatures. When compressed air is released by a turbo expander, chilled air is produced as a by-product, wherein the
The invention relates to a desalination method and system that uses freeze crystallization technology that incorporates the use of compressed air energy as the source for freezing temperatures. When compressed air is released by a turbo expander, chilled air is produced as a by-product, wherein the chilled air is introduced into a chamber, wherein a spray cloud of seawater droplets, which has been pre-chilled by heat exchange with the cold chamber walls, is then circulated and exposed to the chilled air in the chamber. The droplets then settle at the bottom of the chamber, wherein they are deposited at slightly above the eutectic temperature, to form an ice/brine slush mixture. A slush removal mechanism with a screw-like helical blade is provided to continuously remove the ice particles from the chamber.
대표청구항▼
1. A system for desalinating seawater and continuously removing ice comprising: a. a compressor for compressing air;b. an expander for expanding compressed air to co-generate chilled air;c. a chamber with at least one nozzle through which the seawater can be sprayed as droplets into the chamber, and
1. A system for desalinating seawater and continuously removing ice comprising: a. a compressor for compressing air;b. an expander for expanding compressed air to co-generate chilled air;c. a chamber with at least one nozzle through which the seawater can be sprayed as droplets into the chamber, and into which the chilled air from the expander can be introduced, wherein the exposure of the seawater to the chilled air enables ice particles consisting of pure water to be formed therein; andd. a rotatable blade member on a shaft extending laterally through a laterally extended exit chamber located at the bottom of the chamber that helps to remove the ice particles from the chamber, thereby helping to separate the pure water in the ice particles from the impurities in the seawater, wherein the exit chamber is substantially sealed such that pressure inside the chamber can be increased before the system is activated, wherein the temperature of the chilled air introduced into the chamber is below the eutectic temperature for the seawater, wherein the ice particles are allowed to deposit at the bottom of the chamber in the form of a slush, wherein the temperature of the slush at the bottom of the chamber is above the eutectic temperature for the seawater, wherein the slush prevents airflow throughout the chamber, and wherein the slush increases pressure within the chamber. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the blade member comprises a helical screw-like member that extends laterally from the bottom of the chamber outward, through the exit chamber, wherein the blade member has a uniform diameter that extends substantially flush with an internal cylindrical surface of the exit chamber. 3. The system of claim 2, wherein a drain is provided along the bottom of the exit chamber downstream from the chamber. 4. The system of claim 3, wherein an exit point comprising a means for allowing the ice particles to be removed from the exit chamber is provided further downstream within the exit chamber from the drain. 5. The system of claim 4, wherein said means comprises a trap door that swings down to allow the ice particles to be dropped down below the exit chamber. 6. The system of claim 5, wherein the exit chamber is substantially sealed such that pressure inside the chamber can be increased before the system is activated. 7. The system of claim 6, wherein a vent is provided at the distal end of the exit chamber to allow a portion of the pressure inside the chamber to be released, and at least a portion of the internal surface of the exit chamber is made of brass. 8. The system of claim 1, wherein a side chamber is provided adjacent said chamber which allows the chilled air to circulate out of the chamber, while still allowing circulating air outside the main chamber to form ice crystals which fall at the bottom of the chamber. 9. The system of claim 8, wherein the side chamber extends in the same direction as the exit chamber, such that the ice particles dropping down in the side chamber will be deposited onto the blade member. 10. The system of claim 1, wherein the walls of the chamber are adapted with at least one tube or cavity which allows the seawater to be circulated therein, to help regulate temperature of the walls within the chamber, and to help cool the seawater. 11. The system of claim 1, wherein the walls of the chamber are adapted with at least one tube or cavity which allows heated air from the compressor to be used to regulate the temperature of the walls within the chamber, the cold temperature inside the chamber can help pre-chill the heated air as it circulated to the expander. 12. The system of claim 1, wherein the blade member is adapted with at least one pipe or cavity therein which allows seawater to circulated therein, to help regulate a temperature of the blade member, and to help cool the seawater. 13. The system of claim 1, wherein the system comprises at least one of the following: a. the system is adapted such that the seawater can be sprayed down into the chamber from above, and the chilled air can be introduced such that the air flows upward inside the chamber;b. the system is adapted such that the seawater can be sprayed down into the chamber from above, and the chilled air can be introduced such that the air flows downward inside the chamber in the same direction as the seawater. 14. A method of desalinating seawater comprising: a. compressing air to produce compressed air energy;b. releasing the compressed air with an expander to co-generate chilled air;c. introducing the chilled air into a chamber, wherein the chamber is substantially sealed such that pressure inside the chamber can be increased before the system is activated;d. spraying the seawater with at least one nozzle in the form of droplets into the chamber;e. exposing the seawater droplets to the chilled air within the chamber, wherein the temperature of the chilled air introduced into the chamber is below the eutectic temperature for the seawater, thereby forming ice particles consisting of pure water, and allowing them to drop down into the bottom of the chamber;f. the ice particles forming slush, wherein the ice particles are allowed to deposit at the bottom of the chamber in the form of a slush,g. the slush preventing airflow throughout the chamber, wherein the slush increases pressure within the chamberh. operating a rotatable helical screw-like blade member on a shaft extending laterally through a laterally extended exit chamber located at the bottom of the chamber to remove the ice particles from the chamber, thereby helping to separate the pure water in the ice particles from the impurities in the seawater. 15. The method of claim 14, wherein the blade member extends substantially flush with an internal cylindrical surface of the exit chamber, and the exit chamber is substantially sealed such that pressure inside the chamber can be increased before the system is activated, wherein before the blade member and nozzle are activated, the chamber is substantially sealed and chilled air is allowed to decrease the temperature of the chamber to a steady state predetermined temperature. 16. The method of claim 15, wherein a vent is provided at the distal end of the exit chamber to allow a portion of the pressure inside the chamber to be released, and wherein after the system is activated, the vent is allowed to open slightly to allow the slush mixture to travel longitudinally along the exit chamber, by action of the blade member. 17. The method of claim 16, wherein as the slush mixture begins to fill the blade member annulus at the bottom of the chamber, the slush mixture substantially provides an air impervious layer that helps to maintain the pressure inside the chamber, while at the same time, allowing the slush mixture to be forced laterally outward along the exit chamber. 18. The method of claim 17, wherein as the blade member is rotated, and the slush is mixed, the liquid brine is substantially drained through a drain provided along the bottom of the exit chamber downstream from the chamber. 19. The method of claim 18, wherein as the blade member is rotated, the slush containing the ice particles is moved laterally further downstream beyond the drain, and is allowed to drop down through an exit point such that the slush can be removed from the exit chamber. 20. The method of claim 14, wherein a side chamber is provided adjacent said chamber, and the chilled air in the chamber is allowed to circulate out of the chamber through the side chamber, while at the same time, smaller ice particles in the chamber are allowed to be deposited to the bottom of the chamber. 21. The method of claim 14, wherein the method comprises introducing the chilled air at below the eutectic temperature for the seawater, and keeping an ice/brine slush mixture at the bottom of the chamber at above the eutectic temperature. 22. The method of claim 14, comprising at least one of the following steps: a. spraying the seawater down into the chamber from above, and introducing the chilled air such that it flows upward inside the chamber;b. spraying the seawater down into the chamber from above, and introducing the chilled air such that it flows downward in the same direction as the seawater being sprayed into the chamber. 23. The method of claim 14, wherein the method comprises circulating the seawater through at least one tube or cavity within the chamber walls and/or blade to help warm up the chamber walls and/or blade, and in turn, cause the cold temperature inside the chamber and/or blade to help pre-chill the seawater before the sea water is sprayed into the chamber. 24. The method of claim 14, wherein the method comprises circulating heated air from the compressor through at least one tube or cavity in the chamber walls to help warm up the chamber walls, wherein the cold temperatures inside the chamber can help pre-chill the heated air as air circulates to the expander.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (10)
Ari Minkkinen FR; Paul Mikitenko FR, Device for crystallization by isentropic expansion and its use.
MacGregor Douglas (Salt Lake City UT) Smith Mark A. (Boulder CO), Method and apparatus for separating ions from liquids to produce separate diluted and concentrated effluents.
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