A wastewater collection tank feeds a vaporizing unit through an inlet near the unit's top. A burner produces heat, which a blower blows through a blower tube that passes through the upper portion of the unit to the bottom portion of the unit. A substrate through which heated air can pass extends across the unit between the bottom of the blower tube and the wastewater inlet, and pall rings rest on the substrate. The heated air moving upward through the unit heats the pall rings and the falling wastewater, a substantial portion of which is vaporized at approximately atmospheric pressure. The vapor is vented from the top of the unit. Un-vaporized wastewater collects at the bottom of the unit and is recycled through the system with raw wastewater in the collection tank.

A wastewater collection tank feeds a vaporizing unit through an inlet near the unit's top. A burner produces heat, which a blower blows through a blower tube that passes through the upper portion of the unit to the bottom portion of the unit. A substrate through which heated air can pass extends across the unit between the bottom of the blower tube and the wastewater inlet, and pall rings rest on the substrate. The heated air moving upward through the unit heats the pall rings and the falling wastewater, a substantial portion of which is vaporized at approximately atmospheric pressure. The vapor is vented from the top of the unit. Un-vaporized wastewater collects at the bottom of the unit and is recycled through the system with raw wastewater in the collection tank.

The invention relates to an anti-blocking seawater desalination device based on graphene filtering, comprising heating device, solar heat-collecting device, fresh water condensation heat-exchange device and thermal-expansion and cold-shrinkage control valve mechanism; the heating device can fully heat and distill seawater, the sprayed seawater is distilled by graphene heat-conduction layers to improve the distillation efficiency and avoiding blocking; the distilled water vapor enters into fresh water condensation heat-exchange device to exchange heat with seawater, increasing the seawater temperature, making full use of the heat in water vapor, and increasing water vapor condensation speed; the distilled concentrated seawater enters into the thermal-expansion and cold-shrinkage control valve mechanism, the flow of seawater entering into the heating device is controlled by the concentrated seawater temperature, when the temperature is too high, the flow of the seawater entering into the heating device increases, and when the temperature is too low, the flow decreases.

This disclosure concerns a system and a method for removing dissolved solids from liquids. Specific implementations concern desalinating water. The system may comprise a blower, such as a thermal fan/compressor, configured to atomize a solid-bearing liquid to produce a hot, humid gas containing dissolved solids; a gas-solid separator configured to receive hot, humid gas containing entrained dissolved solids from the blower to separate the solids from the humid gas and to transmit the humid gas with solids removed through an exit port; a heater configured to heat the hot, humid gas received from the exit port of the gas-solid separator; and a condenser configured to receive heated humid gas from the heater and to condense solids-free liquid therefrom. The thermal fan/compressor may comprise a plurality of nozzles with outlets positioned adjacent atomization apertures across which a solid-bearing liquid flows and through which gas exiting the nozzles passes.

This disclosure concerns a system and a method for removing dissolved solids from liquids. Specific implementations concern desalinating water. The system may comprise a blower, such as a thermal fan/compressor, configured to atomize a solid-bearing liquid to produce a hot, humid gas containing dissolved solids; a gas-solid separator configured to receive hot, humid gas containing entrained dissolved solids from the blower to separate the solids from the humid gas and to transmit the humid gas with solids removed through an exit port; a heater configured to heat the hot, humid gas received from the exit port of the gas-solid separator; and a condenser configured to receive heated humid gas from the heater and to condense solids-free liquid therefrom. The thermal fan/compressor may comprise a plurality of nozzles with outlets positioned adjacent atomization apertures across which a solid-bearing liquid flows and through which gas exiting the nozzles passes.

Methods and systems for circulating hot air in a solar desalination system include a desalination structure having an air flow path defined between an external surface layer and an internal surface layer. A return flow conduit has a fan, a check valve, and a control valve. Saline water is delivered through a nozzle to provide a mist. An air flow within the air flow path is heated to form a hot air supply. The mist is heated with the hot air supply to form an evaporated fluid. The fan is operated to divert a diverted portion of the hot air supply into the return flow conduit to be mixed with an ambient air to form and heat the air flow. The volume of the diverted portion can be controlled with the control valve. The check valve prevents ambient air from entering the return flow conduit at a base end.

A method for circulating hot air in a solar desalination system includes providing a desalination structure having an air flow path defined between an external surface layer and an internal surface layer. A return flow conduit provides an internal fluid flow path. Saline water is pumped through a center column in a direction from the base towards the peak. The saline water is delivered through a nozzle that extends through a sidewall of the center column to provide a mist within the desalination structure exterior of the center column. An air flow within the air flow path is heated to form a hot air supply. The mist is heated with the hot air supply to form an evaporated fluid. A diverted portion of the hot air supply is delivered into the return flow conduit and mixed with an ambient air to form and heat the air flow.

A solar distillation system includes at least one solar panel configured to reflect sunlight, and a distillation tube adjacent the at least one solar panel that is to receive a liquid to be processed into fresh water. The liquid flows through the distillation tube and is heated by the reflected sunlight. At least one supplemental distillation unit is connected to the distillation tube and has at least one curved surface to receive the reflected sunlight. The least one supplemental distillation unit includes a plurality of sprayers configured to spray the liquid onto the at least one curved surface to be further processed into fresh water.

A method may include providing a humidification-dehumidification unit proximate one or more abandoned wells, circulating a water feed through the one or more abandoned wells, using geothermal heat in the one or more abandoned wells to heat the water feed, directing the heated water feed to the humidification-dehumidification unit, and treating the heated water feed in the humidification-dehumidification unit to provide purified water.

A method and system for balancing water content in a liquid mixture is described. The method includes using an direct column contact evaporator to reduce the water content in the liquid mixture. The liquid mixture is provided in the open column direct contact evaporator with relatively dry air. The dry air evaporates excess water from the liquid mixture to concentrate the liquid mixture while at the same time reducing the energy required for water evaporation elsewhere in the plant.