A system and method to reboil a process or feed water stream in a distillation system does so in a liquid pool zone of a vessel as the stream is removed from a distillation column and comes into contact with a heating medium that is immiscible with and less volatile than the process stream. To keep the pool hot, the heating medium can be recirculated through a heater of a pump-around loop or a heater can be placed in the liquid pool. As the process stream is partially vaporized, any solids present in the process stream together with the unvaporized process or feed water stream move into the heating medium. These solids and unvaporized liquids may be further removed from the heating medium in the pool or in the pump-around loop. The vaporized stream is returned to the distillation column.

An evaporator (1) for vaporizing a substance into its gaseous form, which comprises a cylindrical outer shell (2) and a plate pack (4) arranged inside the cylindrical shell in its lower part and a droplet separator (9) arranged above the plate pack. A recirculation of a substance to be vaporized is carried out by using flow guides (10a, 10b) arranged tightly between the plate pack and the outer shell and by an ejector pipe (13) arrangement comprising a collection pipe (11) arranged inside the outer shell.

A system and method to partially vaporize a process or feed water stream does so in a liquid pool zone of a vessel as the stream comes into contact with a heating medium that is less volatile than the process stream. To keep the pool hot, the heating medium can be recirculated through a heater of a pump-around loop or a heater can be placed in the liquid pool. As the process stream is partially vaporized, any solids present in the process stream together with the unvaporized process or feed water stream move into the heating medium. These solids and unvaporized liquids may be further removed from the heating medium in the pool or in the pump-around loop. The vaporized process stream can be further condensed. Any heat recovered can be used to pre-heat the process stream or in the pump-around loop's heater in case of mechanical vapor recovery.

A system and method to vaporize a process or feed water stream does so in a liquid pool zone of a vessel as the stream comes into contact with a heating medium that is less volatile than the process stream. To keep the pool hot, the heating medium can be recirculated through a heater of a pump-around loop or a heater can be placed in the liquid pool. As the process stream is vaporized, any solids present in the process stream come out of the process stream and move into the heating medium. These solids may be further removed from the heating medium in the pool or in the pump-around loop. The vaporized process stream can be further condensed. Any heat recovered can be used to pre-heat the process stream or used in the pump around loop's heater in case of mechanical vapor recovery.

A de-watering system for liquid industrial waste from an industrial cleaning process is provided. The liquid industrial waste has an initial water content, and comprises detergents and solid waste. A de-watering bed (430) holds the liquid industrial waste. Air in a first zone (420) is enclosed by a transparent structure (410) and is heated by the sun during daytime. A first controllable opening (450) controls a rate of flow of air in the first zone (420). Water from the liquid industrial waste evaporates into heated air in the first zone (420). An air removal conduit (440) allows heated air to vent to the atmosphere. A control system (380) selectively opens the first controllable opening (450), to regulate the flow of air. De-watering continues until a selectable end point, based on residual water content of the waste, or a final concentration of non-water components.

A system and method removes thermal decomposition components from biphenol and/or diphenyl oxide heat-transfer fluids. Light, volatile decomposition components such as benzene, water, hydrogen and phenol are passed out of the system for vapor recovery, chemical adsorption or thermal decomposition. Dimerized and polymerized heavy components such as biphenyl phenyl ether, terphenyl and isomers of each are concentrated and recovered for reprocessing and purification for reuse. The system can be operated as either a continuous, semi-continuous or batch operation. Solar electric plants employing the system can use solar field fluids and heating to operate the system during generator operation hours. A wash system operating at or near atmospheric pressure concentrates heavy thermal decomposition components while allowing light, volatile decomposition components to be removed for separation from the majority of the thermal fluid components. Temperature-controlled condensation of the majority of the thermal fluid components allows collection of the thermal fluid, while allowing light, volatile decomposition components to be removed from the system prior to vent processing.

A system and method to desalinate a feed water stream does so in a liquid pool zone of a vessel as the stream comes into contact with a heating medium that is less volatile than the feed water stream. To keep the pool hot, the heating medium can be recirculated through a heater of a pump-around loop or a heater can be placed in the liquid pool. As the feed water stream is vaporized or partially vaporized, any solids and unvaporized water present in the feed water stream come out of the stream and move into the heating medium. These solids and unvaporized water may be further removed from the heating medium in the pool or in the pump-around loop. The heat exchange surface does not contact the feed water.

A process to prevent fouling using a desublimating heat exchanger is disclosed. An outlet stream from the desublimating heat exchanger may be split into a plurality of parallel streams. The parallel streams may be sent through other devices for performing a unit operation, and the devices for performing a unit operation may change the temperature of at least one of the parallel streams. Parallel streams of differing temperature may emerge from the devices for performing a unit operation. The parallel streams of differing temperature may be sent to a mixing chamber. A mixed stream of uniform temperature may emerge from the mixing chamber, and the mixed stream may be recycled back to the desublimating heat exchanger. The mixing chamber may be separate from the desublimating heat exchanger, or the parallel streams of differing temperature may be mixed in the desublimating heat exchanger.

A system and method to partially vaporize a process or feed water stream does so in a liquid pool zone of a vessel as the stream comes into contact with a heating medium that is less volatile than the process stream. To keep the pool hot, the heating medium can be recirculated through a heater of a pump-around loop or a heater can be placed in the liquid pool. As the process stream is partially vaporized, any solids present in the process stream together with the unvaporized process or feed water stream move into the heating medium. These solids and unvaporized liquids may be further removed from the heating medium in the pool or in the pump-around loop. The vaporized process stream can be further condensed. Any heat recovered can be used to pre-heat the process stream or in the pump-around loop's heater in case of mechanical vapor recovery.

A solar distillation apparatus configured to produce a distillate from a source liquid mixture, including a base member defining at least one flow path, a transparent cover panel spaced apart from the base member to define a volume therebetween; and an intermediate panel positioned between the base member and the transparent cover panel to divide the volume into an evaporation chamber and a condensation chamber, wherein the evaporation chamber communicates with the condensation chamber, the flow path of the base member is configured to carry the source liquid mixture in a first direction in the evaporation chamber to increase evaporation of a liquid from the source liquid mixture, and the evaporated liquid is configured to flow from the evaporation chamber in a second and opposite direction into the condensation chamber where the evaporated liquid condenses into the distillate.