US4046637A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Distillatory apparatus
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1976-03-18
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Granted: 1977-09-06
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Expires: 1996-03-18
Abstract
Abstract Disclosed is a distillatory apparatus in which distilling chambers are disposed in array and the atmospheric pressures in the distilling chambers are selected to gradually lower in the order of them and maintained at such gradually decreased values. The distilling chambers are each supplied with an original liquid. The original liquid supplied to each distilling chamber flows on a partition wall between the distilling chamber and the adjacent one of higher atmospheric pressure. While flowing on the partition wall, the original liquid is heated to be evaporated and vapor makes contact with a partition wall on the side of the adjacent distilling chamber of lower atmospheric pressure and is cooled thereby to be condensed to a distilled liquid. The atmospheric pressures of the distilling chambers are selected so that, by the heat released by the condensation of the vapor in each distilling chamber, the partition wall is heated and that the original liquid in the adjacent distilling chamber of lower atmospheric pressure is evaporated by the heat of the partition wall. The original liquid supplied to each distilling chamber is heat exchanged with the distilled liquid and the remaining original liquid, that is, a concentrated liquid, drained out from the distilling chamber.
Inventors
- 👤 Shosuke Sasaki
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 11:35
CPC Classifications
B; B01; B01D; B01D3/00; B01D3/14; B01D3/16; B01D3/24; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S203/00; Y10S203/18
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
266 words
A distillatory apparatus, which comprises: a plurality of distilling chambers disposed in adjacent relation to one another; original liquid supplying means coupled to each of said chambers of individually supplying an original liquid to each of said distilling chambers; distilled liquid draining means coupled to each of said chambers for individually draining out distilled liquids produced in each of said distilling chambers; concentrated liquid draining means coupled to each of said chambers for individually draining out concentrated liquids remaining in each of said distilling chambers; pressure retaining means coupled to said chambers for maintaining the atmospheric pressures in said distilling chambers respectively at constant values which gradually decrease one after another; and a plurality of heat exchanging devices coupled to said plurality of distilling chambers respectively for effecting heat exchange between the original liquid which is supplied to each of said distilling chambers and the distilled and concentrated liquids which are drained out therefrom, each of said heat exchanging devices comprising at least three plate-shaped passageways formed in layers by disposing in opposing relation a plurality of parallel partition walls extending in the direction of liquid flow, the original liquid flowing in one of said three passageways for supply to the distilling chamber which is associated with said heat exchange device, and the distilled liquid resulting from condensation of vapor generated in said distilling chamber and the concentrated liquid drained from said distilling chamber respectively flowing in the other two of said passageways adjacent to said one passageway in a flow direction opposite to the direction of flow of the original liquid through said one passageway.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
266 words
A distillatory apparatus, which comprises: a plurality of distilling chambers disposed in adjacent relation to one another; original liquid supplying means coupled to each of said chambers of individually supplying an original liquid to each of said distilling chambers; distilled liquid draining means coupled to each of said chambers for individually draining out distilled liquids produced in each of said distilling chambers; concentrated liquid draining means coupled to each of said chambers for individually draining out concentrated liquids remaining in each of said distilling chambers; pressure retaining means coupled to said chambers for maintaining the atmospheric pressures in said distilling chambers respectively at constant values which gradually decrease one after another; and a plurality of heat exchanging devices coupled to said plurality of distilling chambers respectively for effecting heat exchange between the original liquid which is supplied to each of said distilling chambers and the distilled and concentrated liquids which are drained out therefrom, each of said heat exchanging devices comprising at least three plate-shaped passageways formed in layers by disposing in opposing relation a plurality of parallel partition walls extending in the direction of liquid flow, the original liquid flowing in one of said three passageways for supply to the distilling chamber which is associated with said heat exchange device, and the distilled liquid resulting from condensation of vapor generated in said distilling chamber and the concentrated liquid drained from said distilling chamber respectively flowing in the other two of said passageways adjacent to said one passageway in a flow direction opposite to the direction of flow of the original liquid through said one passageway.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
46 words
The distillatory apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said distilling chambers comprise a plurality of plate-like members which are respectively disposed with their plate surfaces extending in a vertical direction to form partition walls between said chambers, said distilling chambers being arranged in a lateral direction.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
44 words
The distillatory apparatus according to claim 2, wherein each of said distilling chambers is provided with means for flowing the original liquid in a filmy form substantially all over the partition wall on the side of the adjacent distilling chamber of higher atmospheric pressure.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
34 words
The distillatory apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said distilling chambers are disposed one on another in a vertical direction and the lower partition wall of each distilling chamber forms an original liquid reservoir.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
138 words
The distillatory apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said pressure retaining means comprises a plurality of partly-liquid-containing containers respectively corresponding to said plurality of distilling chambers, the liquid-filled portions of said containers being respectively connected through pipes to the empty portions of the subsequent ones of them; means for applying a reference atmospheric pressure to one of outermost ones of the coupled containers; and pressure control means coupled to the other outermost container, the upper empty portions of said containers being respectively coupled to the distilling chambers corresponding thereto to maintain said distilling chambers under the corresponding atmospheric pressures, and the atmospheric pressure difference between adjacent ones of said containers being selected in accordance with the difference between the level of the liquid surface in each container and the lower end of the pipe attached to said container.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
120 words
The distillatory apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said original liquid supplying means comprises a plurality of containers respectively corresponding to said plurality of distilling chambers and maintained under the same atmospheric pressures as said distilling chambers, each of said containers partly containing said original liquid; the liquid-filled portions of said containers being respectively connected to the empty portions of subsequent ones of said containers through pipes; the liquid-filled portion of each of said containers being connected to an original liquid inlet port of the corresponding one of said distilling chambers; means for supplying the original liquid to the container of the highest atmospheric pressure; and means for draining excess original liquid from the container of the lowest atmospheric pressure.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
139 words
The distillatory apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said distilled liquid draining means comprises a plurality of containers respectively corresponding to said plurality of distilling chambers and maintained under the same atmospheric pressures as said distilling chambers, a plurality of distilled liquid drain pipes extending from said distilling chambers and respectively connected to said containers at their intermediate portion to supply thereto the distilled liquid; the liquid-filled portions of said containers being respectively connected to the empty portions of the subsequent ones of said containers through pipes; said containers being so interconnected to one another that when the distilled liquid in any one of said containers exceeds its predetermined level, the excess distilled liquid flows therefrom into the containers of lower atmospheric pressures one after another and is fully drained out from the container of the lowest atmospheric pressure.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
136 words
The distillatory apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said concentrated liquid draining means comprises a plurality of containers respectively corresponding to said plurality of distilling chambers and maintained under the same atmospheric pressures as said distilling chambers, concentrated liquid drain pipes extending from said distilling chambers and respectively connected to said containers at their intermediate portion to supply thereto the concentrated liquid; the liquid-filled portions of said containers being respectively connected to the empty portions of the subsequent ones of said containers through pipes; said containers being so interconnected to one another that when the concentrated liquid in any one of said containers exceeds its predetermined level, the excess concentrated liquid flows therefrom into the containers of lower atmospheric pressures one after another and is finally drained out from the container of the lowest atmospheric pressure.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
88 words
The apparatus of claim 1 in which said distilling chambers are respectively separated from one another by partition walls each common to adjacent ones of said distilling chambers; vapor generated in each of said distilling chambers being condensed on the partition wall on the side of that one of the distilling chambers adjacent thereto which is held under lower atmospheric pressure; and said partition wall being heated by the heat of condensation of the vapor to heat the original liquid in said distilling chamber of lower atmospheric pressure.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1980-09-05 | 1981-03-07 | 1981-09-06 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1984-09-05 | 1985-03-07 | 1985-09-06 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1988-09-05 | 1989-03-07 | 1989-09-06 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |