Vacuum still having heat exchange coils and particle means therewith

Abstract

Abstract A METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DISTILLING LIQUIDS INCLUDING A CLOSED HOUSING VERTICALLY DIVIDED INTO FEED AND DISTILLATE COMPARTMENTS HAVING RESPECTIVELY INTERCOMMUNICATING EVAPORATION AND CONDENSATION CHAMBERS THEREABOVE. A VACUUM IS INDUCED IN THE CHAMBERS BY INTRODUCING A PRIMING CHARGE TO FILL THE HOUSING AND EXPEL THE FREE GASES FROM A VENT IN THE TOP, FOLLOWED BY CLOSING THE VENT AND DISCHARGING A PORTION OF THE PRIMING CHARGE. DISTILLATION IS ACCOMPLISHED BY HEATING THE LIQUID IN THE FEED COMPARTMENT TO PRODUCE VAPOR IN THE EVAPORATION CHAMBER AND BY COOLING THE VAPOR TRANSMITTED TO THE CONDENSATION CHAMBER TO PRODUCE DISTILLATE WHICH DRIPS INTO THE BOTTOM OF THE DISTILLATE COMPARTMENT. AN IRREVRSIBLE HEAT PUMP MAY BE THE MAIN SOURCE OF BOTH HEAT AND COLD. THE TRANSMISSION OF VAPOR FROM EVAPORATION TO CONDENSATION CHAMBERS MAY BE INCREASED BY USING A DUCTED FAN, WHICH WOULD ALSO SERVE BOTH TO DECREASE THE VAPOR PRESSURE IN THE EVAPORATION CHAMBER AND TO INCREASE THE VAPOR PRESSURE IN THE CONDENSATION CHAMBER. TO PREVENT THE SUDDEN FORMATION OF LARGE AMOUNTS OF VAPOR ON THE HEATING COILS IN THE FEED COMPARTMENT, NONBUOYANT SPHERES MAY BE USED ON TOP OF THE COILS AND BUOYANT SPHERES MAY BE USED BELOW THE COILS. TO INCREASE THE SURFACE OF THE WATER IN THE EVAPORATION CHAMBER, JETS OPERATING BY THE SUCTION OF THE VACUUM MAY BE USED TO INJECT THE LIQUID INTO THE CHAMBER OR INTO THE FEED COMPARTMENT.

Inventors

• 👤 James G Hasslacher

Bibliographic Details