Vapor compression distiller

Claim 3

The method set forth in claim 1 and including measuring the density of liquid in said second liquid container and discharging a portion of said second liquid mixture when the same reaches a predetermined concentration.

Claim 4

The invention set forth in claim 2 and including the step of determining the level of liquid in said first container and delivering liquid to be concentrated thereto when the liquid level therein falls below a predetermined value.

Claim 5

The invention set forth in claim 1 and including the step of determining the level of liquid in said first container and delivering liquid to be concentrated thereto when the liquid level therein falls below a predetermined value.

Claim 6

A vapor compression distiller including a vessel, partition means disposed in said vessel for dividing the lower portion thereof into a plurality of compartments, said compartments being in communication at the upper end of said partition, a plurality of heat exchange tubes disposed within said vessel and extending uninterruptedly through said partition means, a portion of the evaporative surface of each of said tubes being disposed in each of said compartments, a plurality of liquid wells, each of said wells being connected to and in fluid communication with a different one of said compartments, means for serially interconnecting said wells, a plurality of liquid distributing means, one of said distributing means being disposed in each compartment, respectively, a plurality of liquid circulating means, each of said circulating means being connected for distributing liquid from a different one of said wells to the liquid distributing means in its associated compartment, each of said liquid distributing means being operative to distribute liquid over that portion of the evaporative surface of said heat exchange tubes in its associated compartment, said wells being disposed for receiving the respective unevaporated liquid from its associated liquid distributing means, feed liquid delivery means for delivering feed liquid to the initial one of said serially connected wells and discharge means for discharging concentrate from the last of said serially connected wells, vapor compression means connected to the upper portion of said vessel for receiving vapor from said compartments and for compressing the same, said vapor compression means also being connected to one end of said heat exchange tubes for delivering compressed vapor thereto, and means for collecting condensate from the other end of said heat exchange tubes.

Claim 7

A vapor compression distiller including a vessel, partition means disposed in said vessel for dividing the lower portion thereof into a plurality of compartments, said compartments being in communication at the upper end of said partition, a plurality of heat exchange tubes disposed within said vessel and extending uninterruptedly through said partition means, a portion of the evaporative surface of each of said tubes being disposed in each of said compartments, a plurality of liquid wells, each of said wells being connected to and in fluid communication with a different one of said compartments, means for serially interconnecting said wells, a plurality of liquid distributing means, one of said distributing means being disposed in each compartment, respectively, a plurality of liquid circulating means, each of said circulating means being connected for distributing liquid from a different one of said wells to the liquid distributing means in its associated compartment, each of said liquid distributing means being operative to distribute liquid over that portion of the evaporative surface of said heat exchange tubes in its associated compartment, said wells being disposed for receiving the respective unevaporated liquid from its associated liquid distributing means, feed liquid delivery means for delivering feed liquid to the initial one of said serially connected wells and discharge means for discharging concentrate from the last of said serially connected wells, vapor compression means connected to the upper portion of said vessel for receiving vapor from said compartments and for compressing the same, said vapor compression means also being connected to one end of said heat exchange tubes for delivering compressed vapor thereto, and means for collecting condensate from the other end of said heat exchange tubes.

Claim 8

A vapor compression distiller including a vessel, partition means disposed in said vessel for dividing the lower portion thereof into first and second compartments, said compartments being in communication at the upper end of said partition means, a plurality of heat exchange tubes disposed within said vessel and extending uninterruptedly through said partition means so that a substantial portion of the surface area of each tube is disposed in each compartment, first and second feed liquid circulating means, said first feed liquid circulating means incuding a first well connected to said vessel and communicating with said first compartment, first liquid distributing means disposed in the first compartment adjacent that portion of the tubes located in said compartment and first means for withdrawing liquid from said first well and delivering the same to said first liquid distributing means, whereby said liquid is distributed over that portion of the heat exchange tubes in said first compartment so that a portion of said liquid evaporates, said second liquid circulating means includes a second well connected to said vessel and communicating with said second compartment, second liquid distributing means disposed in said second compartment and disposed adjacent that portion of the tubes located within said second compartment and second means for withdrawing liquid from the second well and delivering the same to said second liquid distributing means whereby said liquid is distributed over that portion of the heat exchange tubes in said second compartment so that a portion of said liquid evaporates, said first and second wells being disposed for receiving the respective unevaporated liquid from said first and second liquid distributing means, means for interconnecting said wells to permit the flow of liquid from said first well to said second well, feed liquid delivery means for delivering feed liquid to the first liquid circulating means and discharge means for discharging concentrate from said second liquid circulating means, vapor collecting means communicating with each of said compartments for simultaneously collecting evaporated liquid therefrom, vapor compression means connected to said vapor collecting means for receiving said collected vapor and for compressing and delivering the same to said heat exchange tubes, and means for collecting condensate from said heat exchange tubes.

Claim 9

A vapor compression distiller including a vessel, partition means disposed in said vessel for dividing the lower portion thereof into first and second compartments, said compartments being in communication at the upper end of said partition means, a plurality of heat exchange tubes disposed within said vessel and extending uninterruptedly through said partition means so that a substantial portion of the surface area of each tube is disposed in each compartment, first and second feed liquid circulating means, said first feed liquid circulating means incuding a first well connected to said vessel and communicating with said first compartment, first liquid distributing means disposed in the first compartment adjacent that portion of the tubes located in said compartment and first means for withdrawing liquid from said first well and delivering the same to said first liquid distributing means, whereby said liquid is distributed over that portion of the heat exchange tubes in said first compartment so that a portion of said liquid evaporates, said second liquid circulating means includes a second well connected to said vessel and communicating with said second compartment, second liquid distributing means disposed in said second compartment and disposed adjacent that portion of the tubes located within said second compartment and second means for withdrawing liquid from the second well and delivering the same to said second liquid distributing means whereby said liquid is distributed over that portion of the heat exchange tubes in said second compartment so that a portion of said liquid evaporates, said first and second wells being disposed for receiving the respective unevaporated liquid from said first and second liquid distributing means, means for interconnecting said wells to permit the flow of liquid from said first well to said second well, feed liquid delivery means for delivering feed liquid to the first liquid circulating means and discharge means for discharging concentrate from said second liquid circulating means, vapor collecting means communicating with each of said compartments for simultaneously collecting evaporated liquid therefrom, vapor compression means connected to said vapor collecting means for receiving said collected vapor and for compressing and delivering the same to said heat exchange tubes, and means for collecting condensate from said heat exchange tubes.

Claim 10

The vapor compression distiller set forth in claim 6 wherein said heat exchange tubes extends generally horizontally, said first and second wells are connected to the lower portion of said vessel.

Claim 11

The vapor compression distiller set forth in claim 7 wherein said well interconnecting means includes pipe means extending between each of said wells and below the expected level of liquid in each.

Claim 12

The vapor compression distiller set forth in claim 8 wherein said feed liquid delivery means includes liquid level control means coupled to said first well for delivering feed liquid thereto when the liquid level therein falls below a predetermined level.

Claim 13

The vapor compression distiller set forth in claim 9 wherein said partition means divides the surface areas of said head exchange tubes in first and second areas disposed respectively in said first and second compartments, said first surface area being substantially larger than the second.

Claim 14

The vapor compression distiller set forth in claim 10 wherein said discharge means includes density measuring means coupled to said second well and operative for discharging liquid therefrom when the liquid therein reaches a predetermined concentration.

Claim 15

The vapor compression distiller set forth in claim 6 wherein said partition means divides the surface areas of said heat exchange tubes into first and second areas disposed respectively in said first and second compartments, said first surface area being substantially larger than the second.

Claim 16

The vapor compression distiller set forth in claim 6 wherein said well interconnecting means includes pipe means extending between each of said wells and below the expected level of liquid in each.

Claim 17

The vapor compression distiller set forth in claim 6 wherein said feed liquid delivery means includes liquid level control means coupled to said first well for delivering feed liquid thereto when the liquid level therein falls below a predetermined level.

Claim 18

The vapor compression distiller set forth in claim 6 wherein said discharge means includes density measuring means coupled to said second well and operative for discharging liquid therefrom when the liquid therein reaches a predetermined concentration.