Method for transfer of liquid in multiple-effect refrigeration processes and apparatus therefor

Claim 1

A PROCESS FOR REFRIGERATION OF FLUID, WHICH COMPRISES: (A) HEATING AN AQUEOUS SALT SOLUTION TO ITS VAPORIZATION POINT AT A RELATIVELY ELEVATED TEMPERATURE, TO PRODUE A PARTIALLY CONCENTRATED SALT SOLUTION AND WATER VAPOR AT A RELATIVELY ELEVATED PRESSURE; (B) SEPARATING SAID VAPOR FROM SAID PARTIALLY CONCENTRATED SALT SOLUTION IN A SEPARATING ZONE AT SAID PRESSURE; (C) WITHDRAWING AND COOLING SAID PARTIALLY CONCENTRATED SALT SOLUTION; (D) PASSING SAID COOLED, PARTIALLY CONCENTRATED SALT SOLUTION IN HEAT EXCHANGE WITH SAID WATER VAPOR, AND CONDENSING SAID WATER VAPOR IN A CONDENSATION ZONE, AND SEPARATING WATER CONDENSATE AND UNCONDENSED VAPOR IN SAID CONDENSATION ZONE AT A RELATIVELY ELEVATED PRESSURE; (E) INTRODUCING SAID PARTIALLY CONCENTRATED SALT SOLUTION INTO A ZONE OF LOWER PRESSURE THAN IN SAID SEPARATING ZONE AND (A) SEPARATING WATER VAPOR FROM FURTHER CONCENTRATED SALT SOLUTION INSAID SECOND ZONE REFERRED TO IN (E) ABOVE, AND FORMING FURTHER CONCENTRATED SALT SOLUTION; (F) PASSING WATER CONDENSATE AND WATER VAPOR FROM SAID CONDENSATION ZONE INTO A COOLING ZONE AND FLOWING SAID WATER CONDENSATE FROM SAID COOLING ZONE THROUGH A DISCHARGE PASSAGEWAY TO A CONDENSATE VAPORIZING ZONE. (A) WHICH CONDENSATE VAPORIZING ZONE IS MAINTAINED AT A SUBSTANTIALLY LOWER PRESSURE THAN IN SAID CONDENSATION ZONE REFERRED TO IN (D) ABOVE;