Apparatus for vapor compression distillation

Claim 1

DISTILLING APPARATUS ADAPTED FOR CONTINUOUS SEPARATION OF SOLVENT FROM A BRINE BY VAPOR COMPRESSION, SAID APPARATUS COMPRISING A RISER OPEN AT BOTH ENDS, THE LOWER END OF SAID RISER BEING BELOW THE SURFACE OF A NATURALLY OCCURRING SOURCE OF BRINE OF LARGE VOLUME RELATIVE TO THE CAPACITY OF THE APPARATUS, AN EVAPORATION CHAMBER MOUNTED OVER SAID RISER, THE TOP OF THE RISER OPENING TO THE BOTTOM OF SAID CHAMBER, A CONDUIT LEADING DOWNWARDLY FROM SAID CHAMBER INTO THE RISER, A COMPRESSOR HAVING INLET MEANS FOR RECEIVING VAPORS FROM SAID CHAMBER, SAID COMPRESSOR BEING ADAPTED TO MAINTAIN A SUBATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE IN SAID CHAMBER AND TO COMPRESS VAPORS THEREFROM, THE COMBINED HEIGHT OF SAID RISER AND EVAPORATION CHAMBER ABOVE THE SURFACE OF SAID SOURCE BEING GREATER THAN THE HEIGHT OF THE COLUMN OF BRINE WHICH CAN BE MAINTAINED THEREIN BY ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE ACTING ON THE SOURCE, HEAT-EXCHANGER MEANS IN SAID CHAMBER ADAPTED TO RECEIVE COMPRESSED VAPORS FROM SAID BRINE AND HAVING A SUBSTANTIAL PORTION THEREOF ADAPTED TO BE SUBMERGED IN THE BRINE WITHIN THE CHAMBER, SAID EXCHANGER HAVING OUTLET MEANS FEEDING CONDENSED VAPORS TO THE UPPER END OF SAID CONDUIT, DISCHARGE MEANS CONNECTED TO THE LOWER END OF SAID CONDUIT, DISCHARGE MEANS CONNECTED TO THE LOWER END OF SAID CONDUIT, MEANS FOR DRIVING SAID COMPRESSOR, A VAPOR CHAMBER MOUNTED OVER THE EVAPORATION CHAMBER, A LOAD-BEARING SEPTUM ADAPTED TO SUPPORT THE ENTIRE APPARATUS AND HAVING SAID CHAMBERS MOUNTED ON OPPOSITE SIDES THEREOF, AND MEANS EXTERNAL TO THE ADDARATUS ADAPTED TO SUPPORT THE SEPTUM AS THE SOLE SUPPORT FOR THE APPARATUS, SAID COMPRESSOR BEING MOUNTED TO SAID SEPTUM AND BEING LOCATED WITHIN THE VAPOR CHAMBER, SAID HEAT-EXCHANGER COMPRISING TUBES THE UPPER ENDS OF WHICH EXTEND THROUGH SAID SEPTUM AND ARE SEALED THERETO IN COMMUNICATION WITH SAID VAPOR CHAMBER, SAID COMPRESSOR HAVING INLET MEANS COMMUNICATING CENTRALLY THROUGH THE SEPTUM WITH THE EVAPORATION CHAMBER AND HAVING DISCHARGE MEANS COMMUNICATING WITH SAID VAPOR CHAMBER, SAID RISER BEING ADAPTED TO RETURN CONCENTRATED BRINE FROM SAID EVAPORATION CHAMBER TO SAID SOURCE IN LIQUID CONTACT WITH THE COLUMN OF BRINE THEREIN BY MEANS OF NATURAL, GRAVITY-INDUCED CURRENTS.