Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
256 words
A process for simultaneously generating power and recovering potable water from a source of salinous water which comprises the sequential steps of: (a) introducing a portion of salinous water from said source into a solar radiation heat sink, at a rate greater than the total rate of water removal from said heat sink; (b) introducing an air stream into said solar radiation heat sink and flowing said air stream over said salinous water; (c) exposing said salinous water and said air stream, within said solar radiation heat sink, to absorbed radiant solar energy for a time sufficient to increase (i) the temperature of said salinous water and, (ii) the temperature and water content of said flowing air stream; (d) withdrawing the thus-heated, evaporated water-containing air stream from said solar radiation heat sink, reducing the temperature thereof and recovering potable, non-salinous water therefrom; (e) recycling the resulting cooled air stream to said solar radiation heat sink; (f) introducing heated salinous water, withdrawn from said solar radiation heat sink, into a plurality of vacuum flash separation zones, each succeeding one of which is maintained at a lower subatmospheric pressure than the preceding zone, (i) to produce substantially non-salinous vaporous phases equal in number to the number of flash separation zones and, (ii) wherein the salinous liquid phase is introduced in series through the plurality of zones; and, (g) passing each of said vaporous phases through a turbine and (i) cooling the exit vapors to recover additional non-salinous, potable water, and, (ii) generating power from the resulting turbine motion.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
256 words
A process for simultaneously generating power and recovering potable water from a source of salinous water which comprises the sequential steps of: (a) introducing a portion of salinous water from said source into a solar radiation heat sink, at a rate greater than the total rate of water removal from said heat sink; (b) introducing an air stream into said solar radiation heat sink and flowing said air stream over said salinous water; (c) exposing said salinous water and said air stream, within said solar radiation heat sink, to absorbed radiant solar energy for a time sufficient to increase (i) the temperature of said salinous water and, (ii) the temperature and water content of said flowing air stream; (d) withdrawing the thus-heated, evaporated water-containing air stream from said solar radiation heat sink, reducing the temperature thereof and recovering potable, non-salinous water therefrom; (e) recycling the resulting cooled air stream to said solar radiation heat sink; (f) introducing heated salinous water, withdrawn from said solar radiation heat sink, into a plurality of vacuum flash separation zones, each succeeding one of which is maintained at a lower subatmospheric pressure than the preceding zone, (i) to produce substantially non-salinous vaporous phases equal in number to the number of flash separation zones and, (ii) wherein the salinous liquid phase is introduced in series through the plurality of zones; and, (g) passing each of said vaporous phases through a turbine and (i) cooling the exit vapors to recover additional non-salinous, potable water, and, (ii) generating power from the resulting turbine motion.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
26 words
The process of claim 1 further characterized in that at least a portion of the heated salinous water withdrawn from said heat sink is recycled thereto.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
26 words
The process of claim 1 further characterized in that said air stream is introduced into solar radiation heat sink at a temperature above about 120° F.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
40 words
The process of claim 1 further characterized in that (i) said air stream and, (ii) and salinous water are withdrawn from said solar radiation heat sink at a temperature in the range of about 130° F. to about 210° F.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
32 words
The process of claim 4 further characterized in that said air stream and said salinous water portion are withdrawn from said solar radiation heat sink at a temperature above about 150° F.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
30 words
The process of claim 1 further characterized in that said salinous water is withdrawn from said solar radiation heat sink at a temperature higher than that of said air stream.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
43 words
The process of claim 1 further characterized in that (i) said heated water-containing air stream indirectly contacts and vaporizes a hydrocarbon, and, (ii) the resulting vaporized hydrocarbon is introduced into and through a turbine, from the resulting motion of which energy is produced.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
22 words
The process of claim 7 further characterized in that said hydrocarbon contains from about one to about four carbon atoms per molecule.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
55 words
The process of claim 1 further characterized in that the first flash zone in said plurality is maintained at a subatmospheric pressure in the range of about 2.5 psia. to about 8.5 psia., and the last flash zone is maintained at a subatmospheric pressure in the range of about 0.9 psia. to about 3.5 psia.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
71 words
The process of claim 9 further characterized in that the salinous liquid phase from the last flash separation zone is introduced into a separate vacuum flash separation zone maintained at a lower absolute pressure than said last flash zone to provide a non-salinous vaporous phase and a salinous liquid phase at a temperature not more than 15° F. higher than the temperature of the coldest salinous water removed from said source.