US4402793A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Multiple effect thin film distillation system and process
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1981-11-09
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Granted: 1983-09-06
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Expires: 2001-11-09
Abstract
Abstract A multiple effect diffusion distillation system includes a plurality of parallel plates for continuous recovery of heat having opposed evaporation and condensation faces for alternately evaporating and condensing phases of a liquid fed on to the upper end of the plates in a thin film for gravity flow along the evaporator face of the plates with vapor condensing on the condensation faces and with means for collecting and recovering the condensed product from the system. Alternate embodiments including a solar heat input system and others include multiple modular systems.
Inventors
- 👤 John P. Petrek
- 👤 Clifford M. Cantrell
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 20:02
CPC Classifications
C; C02; C02F; C02F1/00; C02F1/02; C02F1/04; C02F1/14; B; B01; B01D; B01D1/00; B01D1/22; B01D1/26; B01D5/00; B01D5/0003; B01D5/0015; B01D5/0057; B01D5/006; C02F1/08; F; F24; F24S; F24S10/00; F24S10/60; F28; F28D; F28D21/00; F28D2021/0019; F28D2021/0061; F28D2021/0064; Y; Y02; Y02A; Y02A20/00; Y02A20/20; Y02A20/208; Y02A20/212; Y02E; Y02E10/00; Y02E10/40; Y02E10/44; Y02P; Y02P70/00; Y02P70/10; Y02W; Y02W10/00; Y02W10/30; Y02W10/37; Y10; Y10S; Y10S203/00; Y10S203/01
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
198 words
A multiple effect distillation unit, said unit comprising: a plurality of heat conducting plates including a primary heat input plate and a heat output plate, and at least one intermediate plate, said heat input plate having an evaporation surface and said heat output plate having a condensing surface, said intermediate plate having both evaporation surfaces and condensing surfaces, said plates being disposed in a closely spaced parallel face to face arrangement of one-half inch or less apart having alternately evaporating and condensing faces in opposed face to face relation defining a vapor chamber therebetween, said plates disposed substantially vertically for defining an upper end and a lower end for enabling gravity flow of a liquid from said upper end to said lower end, means for introducing a liquid feedstock onto the evaporator surfaces at the upper end thereof at a controlled rate for establishing a thin film flow of said liquid along said evaporator face from the upper end to the lower end, and means for establishing a heat flow from said heat input plate through the intermediate plate to the heat output plate, and means for separately collecting the distillate at the lower end of said plates.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
198 words
A multiple effect distillation unit, said unit comprising: a plurality of heat conducting plates including a primary heat input plate and a heat output plate, and at least one intermediate plate, said heat input plate having an evaporation surface and said heat output plate having a condensing surface, said intermediate plate having both evaporation surfaces and condensing surfaces, said plates being disposed in a closely spaced parallel face to face arrangement of one-half inch or less apart having alternately evaporating and condensing faces in opposed face to face relation defining a vapor chamber therebetween, said plates disposed substantially vertically for defining an upper end and a lower end for enabling gravity flow of a liquid from said upper end to said lower end, means for introducing a liquid feedstock onto the evaporator surfaces at the upper end thereof at a controlled rate for establishing a thin film flow of said liquid along said evaporator face from the upper end to the lower end, and means for establishing a heat flow from said heat input plate through the intermediate plate to the heat output plate, and means for separately collecting the distillate at the lower end of said plates.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
32 words
The distillation unit of claim 1 wherein the means for establishing the heat flow includes a source of heat for said heat input plate and means for cooling said heat output plate.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
20 words
The distillation unit of claim 2 wherein each evaporating face includes a plurality of ribs extending along the length thereof.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
20 words
The distillation unit of claim 3 wherein the spacing between said plates is no greater than three-sixteenths of an inch.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
57 words
The distillation unit of claim 4 including a pair of centrally disposed heat input plates disposed face to face and a pair of heat output plates disposed on opposite sides of said heat input plates with a plurality of intermediate plates disposed between each one of said heat input plates and each one of said output plates.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
17 words
The distillation unit of claim 5 including a common source of heat for said heat input plates.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
29 words
The distillation unit of claim 6 wherein said means for cooling said heat output plate includes a heat exchanger and a source of liquid flowing through said heat exchanger.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
12 words
The system of claim 5 wherein said source of heat is electrical.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
13 words
The system of claim 5 wherein said source of heat is hot water.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
42 words
The multiple effect distillation system of claim 1 comprising: a non-condensing gas disposed between said plates so that the partial pressure of said non-condensing gas and the partial pressure of said vapor establish a fixed total pressure on all of said plates.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
12 words
The system of claim 1 comprising at least ten heat transfer plates.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
19 words
The system of claim 11 wherein the spacing between said plates is no greater than three-sixteenths of an inch.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
87 words
A process for the distillation liquid comprising the steps of: arranging heat transfer plates vertically in opposed parallel face to face relationship having a spacing of one-half inch or less therebetween, establishing a heat differential between said plates, flowing a thin film of a liquid down the face of the higher temperature plates thereby evaporating part of said liquid film, and condensing the resultant vapor onto the opposed face of the adjacent plate and separately collecting and recovering the distillate at the lower end of said plates.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
87 words
A process for the distillation liquid comprising the steps of: arranging heat transfer plates vertically in opposed parallel face to face relationship having a spacing of one-half inch or less therebetween, establishing a heat differential between said plates, flowing a thin film of a liquid down the face of the higher temperature plates thereby evaporating part of said liquid film, and condensing the resultant vapor onto the opposed face of the adjacent plate and separately collecting and recovering the distillate at the lower end of said plates.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
29 words
The process in accordance with claim 13 wherein the step of establishing said temperature differentials include supplying heat to one outermost plate and removing heat from another outermost plate.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
18 words
The process in accordance with claim 13 wherein said plates are selected to number between 5 and 50.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
23 words
The process in accordance with claim 15 wherein said plates are arranged with a spacing of no greater than three-sixteenths of an inch.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
17 words
The process of claim 13 including the step of altering the coefficient of diffusion between said plates.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
22 words
The process of claim 13 including the step of preheating said liquid to approximately its boiling point before introduction into said system.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
59 words
A process in accordance with claim 13 including the step of arranging said plates in alternate banks having alternately opposed input and output plates and a plurality of plates between said input and output plates, the step of application of heat to said plates includes the step of simultaneously applying heat to said input plates from a common source.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
46 words
The multiple effect distillation system of claim 13 comprising the step of: introducing a noncondensing gas disposed between said plates so that the partial pressure of said noncondensing gas and the partial pressure of said vapor establish a fixed total pressure on all of said plates.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3788954A
Cited
US3785931A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1986-09-05 | 1987-03-07 | 1987-09-06 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1990-09-05 | 1991-03-07 | 1991-09-06 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1994-09-05 | 1995-03-07 | 1995-09-06 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |