US4452696A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Reverse-osmosis apparatus for producing fresh water from seawater
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1982-04-06
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Granted: 1984-06-05
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Expires: 2002-04-06
Abstract
Abstract The invention concerns a fresh-water producing apparatus to be immersed in a marine medium and of the type comprising at least one reverse-osmosis selective semi-permeable membrane. This apparatus comprises three stages: a fresh-water stage consisting of collecting means for the produced chamber provided with a semi-permeable membrane placed between this chamber and the fresh-water collecting means; and, a third stage comprising a mobile piston and an hermetic chamber having a gaseous atmosphere. The piston is designed to enter in variable depth the high-pressure chamber by one side having an effective area s and comprising an opposite side with an effective area S exceeding the area s and arranged to be at the pressure of the marine medium.
Inventors
- 👤 Fernand Lopez
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 13:47
CPC Classifications
C; C02; C02F; C02F1/00; C02F1/44; C02F1/441; B; B01; B01D; B01D61/00; B01D61/02; B01D61/08; B01D63/00; B01D63/02; B01D63/024; B01D63/0241; C02F1/001; C02F1/002; B01D2311/00; B01D2311/14; B01D2313/00; B01D2313/06; B01D2313/18; B01D2313/20; B01D2313/201; B01D2313/2011; B01D2313/24; B01D2315/00; B01D2315/06; C02F2103/00; C02F2103/08; Y; Y02; Y02A; Y02A20/00; Y02A20/124; Y02A20/131
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 29
Claim 1
Independent Claim
142 words
A reverse-osmosis fresh water from seawater system adapted for being submersed in a marine medium, comprising: (a) fresh-water collecting means; (b) a high-pressure chamber adapted for containing seawater therein; (c) an hermetic chamber; (d) a semi-permeable membrane positioned in said high-pressure chamber and adapted for reverse-osmosis separation of fresh water from seawater and having a fresh water side in fluid communication with fresh water collecting means and a salt water side immersible in salt water containable in said high-pressure chamber; (e) pressure application means associated with said hermetic chamber and in pressure communication with said high-pressure chamber for applying pressure to seawater containable therein whereby fresh water flows through said semi-permeable membrane to said fresh water collecting means thereby; and (f) valve means in fluid communication with said marine medium and said high pressure chamber for filling said high-pressure chamber with seawater.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
142 words
A reverse-osmosis fresh water from seawater system adapted for being submersed in a marine medium, comprising: (a) fresh-water collecting means; (b) a high-pressure chamber adapted for containing seawater therein; (c) an hermetic chamber; (d) a semi-permeable membrane positioned in said high-pressure chamber and adapted for reverse-osmosis separation of fresh water from seawater and having a fresh water side in fluid communication with fresh water collecting means and a salt water side immersible in salt water containable in said high-pressure chamber; (e) pressure application means associated with said hermetic chamber and in pressure communication with said high-pressure chamber for applying pressure to seawater containable therein whereby fresh water flows through said semi-permeable membrane to said fresh water collecting means thereby; and (f) valve means in fluid communication with said marine medium and said high pressure chamber for filling said high-pressure chamber with seawater.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
24 words
A system as defined in claim 1, further comprising: (a) fresh-water withdraw means associated with said fresh-water collecting means for withdrawing collected fresh water.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
87 words
A system as defined in claim 2, further comprising: (a) said fresh-water collecting means including a collecting tank detachably sealed to said high-pressure chamber; (b) support means secured to said collecting tank and disposed between said collecting tank and said high-pressure chamber and having fresh water distribution means therethrough in fluid communication with said semi-permeable membrane and said fresh-water collecting tank; and, (c) said semi-permeable membrane secured to said support means and extending into said high-pressure chamber when said collecting tank is sealed to said high-pressure chamber.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
67 words
A system as defined in claim 3, wherein: (a) said support means including a threaded lid; (b) said collecting tank having interior threads in threaded engagement with said lid threads; (c) a membrane support secured to said lid opposite said fresh-water collecting tank for supporting said semi-permeable membrane; and, (d) a plurality of apertures aligned with said semi-permeable membrane and traversing said membrane support and said lid.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
21 words
A system as defined in claim 3, wherein: (a) a snap-in system detachably sealing said collecting tank to said high-pressure chamber.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
36 words
A system as defined in claim 1, further comprising: (a) said fresh-water collecting means including a collecting chamber; and, (b) a flexible conduit extending from and sealed to said collecting chamber for withdrawing collected fresh water.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
42 words
A system as defined in claim 6, further comprising: (a) said system having a hydrodynamic profile adapted for towing by a boat; (b) cable means secured to said boat and said system; and, (c) said flexible conduit secured to said cable means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
52 words
A system as defined in claim 7, further comprising: (a) at least one external orientable flap associated with said hermetic chamber and adapted for raising and lowering said system as said system is towed by said boat; and, (b) control means cooperating with said piston for controlling said at least one flap.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
26 words
A system as defined in claim 6, wherein: (a) said collected fresh water being under pressure for forcing said collected fresh water through said flexible conduit.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
21 words
A system as defined in claim 1, wherein: (a) said semi-permeable membrane including a plurality of loop shaped hollow capillary fibers.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
109 words
A system as defined in claim 1, further comprising: (a) said hermetic chamber having a gaseous medium sealed therein; (b) a hollow cylinder secured to said high pressure chamber and having a portion extending into said hermetic chamber; (c) a pressure displaceable reciprocal piston positioned in said hermetic chamber co-axial with said cylinder and having a first portion displaceable through said cylinder; and, (d) said piston being displaceable from a first low-pressure position to a second high-pressure position associated with said piston first portion being displaced into said cylinder for applying pressure to said high-pressure chamber when said system is emerged in said marine medium to a pre-selected depth.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
37 words
A system as defined in claim 1, further comprising: (a) return means cooperating with said piston for displacing said piston to said first low-pressure position when said system is at a pre-selected depth in said marine medium.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
21 words
A system as defined in claim 12, wherein: (a) said return means including a coil spring coaxially mounted about said piston.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
22 words
A system as defined in claim 11, wherein: (a) said fresh-water collecting means, said high-pressure chamber, and said hermetic chamber being coaxial.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
23 words
A system as defined in claim 14, further comprising: (a) an envelope surrounding said semi-permeable membrane and having a plurality of apertures therethrough.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
19 words
A system as defined in claim 15, wherein: (a) said valve means being coaxial with said pressure application means.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
65 words
A system as defined in claim 16, further comprising: (a) said valve means including a displaceable control member cooperating with said pressure application means; (b) a first rod connected to said control member and displaceable therewith; (c) first and second valve means secured to said first rod and adapted for being opened and closed by said pressure application means as said piston is reciprocally displaced.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
24 words
A system as defined in claim 16, wherein: (a) said fresh-water collecting means, said high-pressure chamber, and said hermetic chamber being generally cylindrically shaped.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
21 words
A system as defined in claim 15, wherein: (a) said collecting tank having a volume of between 0.5 and 2.0 liters.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
28 words
A system as defined in claim 14, further comprising: (a) cable hookup means associated with said collecting tank for raising and lowering said system into said marine medium.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
40 words
A system as defined in claim 11, wherein: (a) said piston first portion having a pre-selected area; and, (b) said piston having a second portion positioned in said hermetic chamber and a pre-selected area exceeding said first portion pre-selected area.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
27 words
A system as defined in claim 21, further comprising: (a) said piston second portion having a peripheral seal for maintaining said gaseous medium in said hermetic chamber.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
24 words
A system as defined in claim 22, wherein: (a) said hermetic chamber being generally cylindrical and adapted for guiding said piston second portion therein.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
25 words
A system as defined in claim 21, wherein: (a) said piston second portion area being between 15 to 40 times said piston first portion area.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
61 words
A system as defined in claim 11, further comprising: (a) said piston including a bell having a circular portion, a lateral cylindrical wall, and an axial extension; (b) said hermetic chamber being generally cylindrical and adapted for receipt of said bell; and, (c) an hermetic flexible membrane disposed between said bell and said hermetic chamber for retaining said gaseous medium therein.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
37 words
A system as defined in claim 25, further comprising: (a) a platform associated with marine medium surface; and, (b) a rise and descent assembly secured to said platform and said system for raising and lowering said system.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
38 words
A system as defined in claim 1, wherein: (a) said valve means adapted for opening at a pre-selected depth associated with a pre-selected marine medium pressure whereby said high-pressure chamber pressure is less than said marine medium pressure.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
28 words
A system as defined in claim 27, wherein: (a) said valve means adapted for sweeping seawater into said high-pressure chamber for removing concentrated seawater from said high-pressure chamber.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
CA1050899A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1987-06-05 | 1987-12-05 | 1988-06-05 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1991-06-05 | 1991-12-05 | 1992-06-05 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1995-06-05 | 1995-12-05 | 1996-06-05 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |