Multi-effect rotary distillation apparatus

Claim 2

Multi-effect rotary distillation apparatus comprising a plurality of adjacent evaporation and condensation chambers, means for introducing liquid to be distilled into said chambers, and means for introducing heat energy into said chambers in a direction countercurrent to the direction of the liquid to be distilled, the walls of said evaporation and condensation chambers being formed of spaced, heat conductive sheets, each of said sheets forming a heat transfer means and common wall between adjoining chambers and providing a condensing surface on the side facing towards the means for introducing heat energy to said chambers and an evaporating surface on the side facing towards the means for introducing liquid to be distilled into said chambers, said heat conductive sheets transferring substantially all of the heat of condensation from each of said chambers to the next downstream chamber while maintaining a minimum temperature differential of about 3° F. between each of said chambers, means connected to said chambers for separately removing condensate and distilland therefrom, shaft means connected to said chambers for rotating the chambers about an axis which passes through the points of introduction to the chambers of the liquid to be distilled and the heat energy, and means coupled to said shaft means for driving said shaft means at a speed of rotation at least sufficient to generate a centrifugal force and disperse the distilland, collect the condensate, generate rings or columns of said liquid in said chambers and balance and maintain differential pressures between said chambers.

Claim 3

Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said means for introducing liquid to be distilled to said plurality of adjacent evaporation and condensation chambers includes a terminal chamber and a manifold.

Claim 4

Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said means for separately removing condensate and distilland includes a plurality of manifolds connected to said chambers.

Claim 5

Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a plurality of bleeders connected between adjoining chambers for transferring liquid streams from chamber-to-chamber.

Claim 6

Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said means for separately removing condensate and distilland includes a plurality of "U" tubes.

Claim 7

Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein adjacent ones of said chambers each include internal dividing means partially dividing each chamber into a section for separately collecting the condensate and the distilland formed therein.

Claim 8

Multi-effect rotary distillation apparatus comprising a pair of spaced terminal chambers, a plurality of adjacent evaporation and condensation chambers located between said terminal chambers, means for introducing liquid to be distilled into one of said terminal chambers and means for introducing heat energy into the other of said terminal chambers in a direction countercurrent to the direction of the liquid to be distilled, the walls of said evaporation and condensation chambers being formed of a plurality of spaced, heat conductive sheets, each of said sheets forming a heat transfer means and a common wall between adjoining chambers and said terminal chambers and providing a condensing surface on the side facing towards the means for introducing heat energy to said chambers and an evaporating surface on the side facing towards the means for introducing liquid to be distilled into said chambers, said heat conductive sheets transferring substantially all of the heat of condensation from each of said chambers to the next downstream chamber while maintaining a minimum temperature differential of about 3° F. between each of said chambers, means connected to said adjacent evaporation and condensation chambers and to said terminal chamber through which heat energy is introduced to the apparatus for separately removing condensate therefrom, means connected to said evaporation and condensation chambers and to said terminal chambers through which liquid to be distilled is introduced to the apparatus for separately removing distilland therefrom, shaft means connected to said terminal chambers for rotating the chambers about an axis which passes through the points of introduction to the chambers of the liquid to be distilled and the heat energy, and means coupled to said shaft means for driving said shaft means at a speed of rotation at least sufficient to generate a centrifugal force and disperse the distilland, collect the condensate, generate rings or columns of said liquid in said chambers and balance and maintain differential pressures between said chambers.

Claim 9

Multi-effect rotary distillation apparatus comprising a pair of spaced terminal chambers, a plurality of adjacent evaporation and condensation chambers located between said terminal chambers, means for introducing liquid to be distilled into one of said terminal chambers and means for introducing heat energy into the other of said terminal chambers in a direction countercurrent to the direction of the liquid to be distilled, the walls of said evaporation and condensation chambers being formed of a plurality of spaced, heat conductive sheets, each of said sheets forming a heat transfer means and a common wall between adjoining chambers and said terminal chambers and providing a condensing surface on the side facing towards the means for introducing heat energy to said chambers and an evaporating surface on the side facing towards the means for introducing liquid to be distilled into said chambers, said heat conductive sheets transferring substantially all of the heat of condensation from each of said chambers to the next downstream chamber while maintaining a minimum temperature differential of about 3° F. between each of said chambers, means connected to said adjacent evaporation and condensation chambers and to said terminal chamber through which heat energy is introduced to the apparatus for separately removing condensate therefrom, means connected to said evaporation and condensation chambers and to said terminal chambers through which liquid to be distilled is introduced to the apparatus for separately removing distilland therefrom, shaft means connected to said terminal chambers for rotating the chambers about an axis which passes through the points of introduction to the chambers of the liquid to be distilled and the heat energy, and means coupled to said shaft means for driving said shaft means at a speed of rotation at least sufficient to generate a centrifugal force and disperse the distilland, collect the condensate, generate rings or columns of said liquid in said chambers and balance and maintain differential pressures between said chambers.

Claim 10

Apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein said means for introducing liquid to be distilled is a manifold.

Claim 11

Apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein said means for introducing heat energy is a plurality of manifolds.

Claim 12

Apparatus as claimed in claim 7, further comprising a plurality of bleeders connected between adjoining chambers for transferring liquid streams from chamber-to-chamber.