Patent US3847019A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US4725359A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4725359A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Potable water from internal combustion engines
Assignee: Bend Research Inc
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Filing: 1985-02-25
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Granted: 1988-02-16
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Expires: 2005-02-25
Abstract
Abstract A method of and apparatus for obtaining potable water from the exhaust of an internal combustion engine is disclosed essentially comprising separating a water vapor permeate containing water vapor and noncondensable gases from the exhaust by a nonporous nonionic hydrophilic membrane, then separating the water vapor from noncondensable gases by either condensing the water vapor or compressing the entire water vapor permeate followed by condensation of the water vapor contained in the permeate.
Inventors
- 👤 Roderick J. Ray
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 09:32
CPC Classifications
C; C02; C02F; C02F1/00; C02F1/02; C02F1/04; C02F1/16; B; B01; B01D; B01D53/00; B01D53/26; B01D53/268; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S55/00; Y10S55/30
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
147 words
A method of obtaining substantially pure water from the exhaust stream of an internal combustion engine comprising: (a) cooling said exhaust stream to a temperature between about 65° and 150° C.; (b) separating water vapor from said exhaust stream by contacting said exhaust stream with one side of a nonporous nonionic hydrophilic polymeric membrane that is substantially permeable to water vapor and substantially impermeable to noncondensable components of said exhaust stream so as to form (1) a reject stream comprising a major portion of noncondensable gases and a minor portion of hydrocarbon compounds and (2) a separated water vapor permeate on the permeate side of said membrane, said separated water vapor permeate comprising a major portion of water vapor and a minor portion of noncondensable gases; and (c) recovering substantially pure water from said separated water vapor permeate by separating said water vapor from said noncondensable gases.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
147 words
A method of obtaining substantially pure water from the exhaust stream of an internal combustion engine comprising: (a) cooling said exhaust stream to a temperature between about 65° and 150° C.; (b) separating water vapor from said exhaust stream by contacting said exhaust stream with one side of a nonporous nonionic hydrophilic polymeric membrane that is substantially permeable to water vapor and substantially impermeable to noncondensable components of said exhaust stream so as to form (1) a reject stream comprising a major portion of noncondensable gases and a minor portion of hydrocarbon compounds and (2) a separated water vapor permeate on the permeate side of said membrane, said separated water vapor permeate comprising a major portion of water vapor and a minor portion of noncondensable gases; and (c) recovering substantially pure water from said separated water vapor permeate by separating said water vapor from said noncondensable gases.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said recovery of substantially pure water is accomplished by condensation of said water vapor in said separated water vapor permeate followed by compression of said noncondensable gases in said separated water vapor permeate.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said recovery of substantially pure water is accomplished by compression of said separated water vapor permeate followed by condensation of said water vapor in said separated water vapor permeate.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
71 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said membrane is selected from interfacially-polymerized composite reverse osmosis membranes, asymmetric reverse osmosis membranes, dialysis membranes and gas separation membranes, said membranes being made of silicone rubbers, natural rubbers, synthetic rubbers, nylons, organopolysiloxanepolycarbonate block copolymers, cellulose, ethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, cellulose esters, sulfonated polyphenylene oxides, polyvinylalcohols, polyvinylidene fluoride, polyethyleneimines, polystyrene sulfonates, polyvinyl butyral, polyvinyl acetate, polyacrylonitrile, polymethacrylates, polyacrylics, polybutadiene, polyesters, polyamides, polyimides, polycarbonates, and polybenzimidazoles.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 4 wherein said membrane is in the form of a module.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 5 wherein said membrane comprises one or more spirally-wound asymmetric cellulose acetate membrane modules.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 5 wherein said membrane comprises cuprammonium cellulose hollow fine fibers.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 1 including the additional step of charcoal filtration of said substantially pure water.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the pressure on the contact side of said membrane is substantially atmospheric and the pressure on the permeate side of said membrane is lower than the partial pressure of said water vapor in said exhaust stream.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said cooling of said exhaust stream is accomplished by means selected from convection, radiation and heat exchange.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
44 words
The method of claim 2 wherein said condensation of said water vapor in said separated water vapor permeate is by means of a condenser and said compression of said noncondensable gases in said separated water vapor permeate is by means of a vacuum pump.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 3 wherein said compression of said separated water vapor permeate is by means of a vacuum pump and said condensation of said water vapor is by means of a condenser.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said internal combustion engine is a hydrocarbon fuel-burning engine
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 13 wherein said hydrocarbon fuel is diesel.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 13 wherein said hydrocarbon fuel is gasoline.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 13 wherein said hydrocarbon fuel is methane.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1991-02-15 | 1991-08-17 | 1992-02-16 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1995-02-15 | 1995-08-17 | 1996-02-16 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1999-02-15 | 1999-08-17 | 2000-02-16 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |