The invention relates to a mechanical vapour compression (MVC) desalination arrangement having a low compression ratio, with latent-heat exchangers having a high latent-heat exchange coefficient, with a temperature gradient between primary vapour and secondary vapour of approximately 1° C. or less, a compression ratio of 1.11 or less, high vapour volume, low overheating and a low-temperature saline solution to be desalinated, which arrangement allows industrial desalination with less specific energy per unit of desalinated water and is coupled to 100% renewable off-grid energy sources.

The invention relates to an arrangement for a latent-heat exchanger chamber, usable in distillation devices, which comprises an evaporator in a capillary evaporation regime on the inner face thereof and a condenser in a capillary condensation regime on the outer face thereof, with a system for the dosed supply of liquid into microgrooves or micro undulations of the inner evaporator face, preventing the formation of thin films of water on the evaporator face, the arrangement achieving high latent-heat transfer coefficients.

A membrane evaporative condenser (MEC) includes a repeating sequence of channels for evaporation and/or condensation are arranged, each sequence of channels includes a condensation channel for condensation of a vapor to a liquid, an evaporation channel, and zero to one hundred evaporation-condensation channels. The condensation channel has walls of a non-permeable material which exterior to the condensation channel share the wall with a liquid evaporative medium (LEM) conduit that contains a LEM. The LEM conduit includes a moisture transfer membrane (MTM), where the LEM can evaporate into an evaporation channel or an evaporation-condensation channel that can amplify the effect of the heat transfer for additional mass transfer.

A heat exchanger (10) of heat pipe configuration for transferring heat between a first and second process streams via a heat transfer fluid comprises: at least one first process stream passage (19); at least one second process stream passage (29); and a shell (11) enclosing the first and second process stream passages (19, 29) within a volume (55). The volume (55), as a result of a heat transfer process, is fully filled with both vapour and liquid phases of the heat transfer fluid. The first and second process stream passages (19, 29) are spaced by a disengagement zone (50) enabling gravitational separation of said vapour and liquid phases and limiting accumulation of liquid phase heat transfer fluid about the first process stream passage(s) (19). Such heat exchangers can be used, among other applications, to replace a flash cooling stage in a Bayer process plant.

An evaporator with integrated heat recovery incorporates a vapor tube in a combustion chamber surrounded by a water jacket. The water jacket is in fluid communication with an exhaust gas heat exchanger. Coolant circulates in series or parallel first and second coolant flows through the exhaust gas heat exchanger to recover heat from exhaust gasses leaving the combustion chamber and through the water jacket surrounding the combustion chamber to recover heat not delivered to the operating fluid. The evaporator may incorporate a condenser within the housing and in fluid communication with the exhaust gas heat exchanger and/or water jacket. The evaporator may be divided to flow in parallel through the condenser the exhaust gas heat exchanger. The water jacket may be fluidly connected with one or the other of the condenser or the exhaust gas heat exchanger.

A distillation apparatus includes an evaporator-condenser heat exchanger in combination with a compressor. The heat exchanger is mounted to float in an at least partially immersed position in a sump of liquid. The liquid may be a sap, or may be soiled water, and may have suspended solid. Heating of the liquid yield steam, the steam is compressed, and the heated, compressed steam is fed back into the heat exchanger to provide further heat to the liquid. The process yields a concentrated in the liquid bath and distilled water, each of which may be a desired product. The system may include a pre-heater that exchanges residual heat from the hot distillate with the cooler input liquid. The apparatus and process may have multiple stages.

A system comprising a first plurality of microchannels, a second plurality of microchannels in thermal communication with the first plurality of microchannels such that the first plurality of microchannels and second plurality of microchannels form a heat exchanger, and a phase change composite in thermal communication with the heat exchanger and methods of operating are disclosed herein.

A sheet material is used for a heat exchange between a first fluid and a second fluid, and inducing a phase change in the fluids. Additionally, the sheet material is folded to form a plurality of slits to constitute flow paths of the fluids. Further, the slits for the first fluid, through at least one seal, are closed. Furthermore, the slits for the second fluid, through at least one seal, are fully or partly open for fluid outflow.

A thermosyphon-type heat dissipation device includes a heat-absorbing head and a radiator. The heat-absorbing head includes a first outlet, a first inlet, an evaporation chamber and a liquid return chamber. The first outlet is connected with the evaporation chamber. The first inlet is connected with the liquid return chamber. The evaporation chamber and the liquid return chamber are in communication with each other through a gap. An inner space of the evaporation chamber is larger than an inner space of the liquid return chamber. The radiator includes a second inlet and a second outlet. The second inlet is in communication with the first outlet. The second outlet is in communication with the first inlet.

A heat exchanger (10) of heat pipe configuration for transferring heat between a first and second process streams via a heat transfer fluid comprises: at least one first process stream passage (19); at least one second process stream passage (29); and a shell (11) enclosing the first and second process stream passages (19, 29) within a volume (55). The volume (55), as a result of a heat transfer process, is fully filled with both vapour and liquid phases of the heat transfer fluid. The first and second process stream passages (19, 29) are spaced by a disengagement zone (50) enabling gravitational separation of said vapour and liquid phases and limiting accumulation of liquid phase heat transfer fluid about the first process stream passage(s) (19). Such heat exchangers can be used, among other applications, to replace a flash cooling stage in a Bayer process plant.