US3607663A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Fluid purification system
Assignee: General Electric Co
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Filing: 1969-10-27
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Granted: 1971-09-21
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Expires: 1989-10-27
Abstract
Abstract A desalination system using a cascade of modified venturi tubes to extract fresh water from saturated steam in the nozzle throat with pressure recovery in a diffuser section. Heat transfer for regenerative feedwater heating as feedwater flows up the cascade is achieved by direct contact between fluids. Hydraulic regeneration to reduce pumping energy is obtained by feedwater flowing down the cascade providing energy to move brine and fresh liquid product up the cascade.
Inventors
- 👤 Leonard B Vandenberg
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 20:54
CPC Classifications
C; C02; C02F; C02F1/00; C02F1/02; C02F1/04; Y; Y02; Y02A; Y02A20/00; Y02A20/124; Y10; Y10S; Y10S159/00; Y10S159/22; Y10S159/39; Y10S203/00; Y10S203/11
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
75 words
The combination according to claim 1, wherein each of said stages includes a second chamber (18) connected to receive brine from a higher temperature and pressure stage and to supply it to a lower temperature and pressure stage, said second chamber being arranged to cool the brine by flashing a portion thereof into additional saturated steam and having third conduit means (38) connected to conduct said last mentioned saturated steam into said second conduit means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
79 words
The combination according to claim 1, wherein each of said stages includes a third chamber (40) connected to receive fresh product water from a higher temperature and pressure stage and to supply said product to a lower temperature and pressure stage, said third chamber being arranged to cool a portion of the product water by flashing it into saturated steam and having fourth conduit means (42) connected to conduct said last mentioned saturated steam into said second conduit means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
65 words
The combination according to claim 3, including fifth conduit means 31 connected to said collecting means and carrying fresh product water to a lower temperature and pressure stage, and further including sixth conduit means (43) conducting fresh product from the third chamber of a higher temperature and pressure stage and connected to supplement the fresh product flow from the third chamber of the instant stage.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
39 words
The combination according to claim 1, wherein said nozzle means, said collecting means and said diffusing means together comprise a convergent divergent tube with an extended throat section, said throat section defining openings in the wall for liquid collection.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
18 words
The combination according to claim 5, wherein said convergent portion includes whirl vanes to assist in centrifugal separation.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
86 words
The combination according to claim 1, including first extraction conduit means connected to extract a portion of the saturated steam from one of the intermediate stages of said cascade, and compressor means connected to said extraction conduit and arranged to compress said steam to the inlet pressure of the cascade and also connected to introduce said extracted compressed steam into a direct contact feed evaporator connected to receive superheated steam from a compressor means and serving as the source of saturated steam for the second stage.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
29 words
The combination according to claim 7 and further including second extraction conduit means withdrawing saturated steam from the cascade, and turbine means connected to the second extraction conduit means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
146 words
The process of purifying a fluid by extraction of liquid from a vapor thereof comprising the steps of: a. expanding substantially pure saturated vapor substantially isentropically into a partial liquid phase by accelerating it through a nozzle, b. collecting a substantially pure liquid portion from said accelerated vapor by separation at constant pressure until the resulting vapor again reaches a saturated condition, c. compressing the resulting vapor substantially isentropically into a superheated condition by passing it through a diffuser, d. contacting the superheated vapor with a source of impure liquid in a direct contact heat exchange to preheat the impure liquid and reduce the superheated vapor to a substantially pure saturated vapor, e. repeating steps a-d in a multistage cascade using the resulting saturated vapor generated by step (d) the source of saturated vapor for step (a) in the next lower temperature and pressure cascade stage.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-09-20 | 1975-03-22 | 1975-09-21 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-09-20 | 1979-03-22 | 1979-09-21 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-09-20 | 1983-03-22 | 1983-09-21 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |