A solar distillation system for producing a distillate and providing cooling for a structure or appliance, and a method of using the system to produce a distillate and cool a structure or appliance. The system includes a distillate cooling coil, a secondary cooling coil, an expansion valve which is capable of controlling an amount of a coolant that flows through each of the coils. The system also includes a compressor, a plurality of sensors including a temperature sensor and a distillate flow sensor, and a controller which receives input from the sensors and controls the activity of the compressor and expansion valve. The system is capable of producing distillate at night in the absence of solar radiation.

Processes and systems are provided to compress vapors produced in distillation and recover the heat of condensation through vapor compression and to derive mechanical, thermal, and electrical energy from a combined heat and power system, while maintaining the plant's original ability to operate. The plant's existing distillation system, steam generation, and electrical demand determine the design basis for the retrofit system that is targeted at an optimized combination of energy usage, energy cost, and environmental impact. Vapor compression (by mechanical vapor recompression and/or thermal vapor recompression) minimizes the total energy usage. Optionally, combined heat and power provides a means of converting energy between fuel, electricity, and thermal energy in a manner that best complements plant requirements and energy economics and minimizes inefficiencies and energy losses.

A device for obtaining water from air on an island includes: a concentrated solution air water obtaining system, a solar collector, a dilute solution dehydration system, a heat pump system, a solution heating system, and a water purification system. Humid air is introduced into the concentrated solution air water obtaining system, which performs a heat and mass transfer into a dilute solution and relatively low-temperature dry air. This air is used as interior fresh air. The diluted solution is heated by the solar collector, delivered to the dilute solution dehydration system, and sent to the solution heating system for heating and evaporating into water vapor. The water purification system cools, purifies, filters and stores the water vapor. At the same time, the heat pump system introduces heated humid air into the dilute solution dehydration system to recover heat contained in the heated humid air, and to extract water.

A system and method for separating a hydrocarbon feed stream by flashing the feed stream under vacuum to form a remaining flashed vapor comprising atmospheric hydrocarbons, vacuum distillable hydrocarbons and a non-volatile liquid; condensing the flashed vapor to a liquid using a two-stage condenser and heat recovery system; and recycling a portion of the condensed liquid to be flashed under vacuum. Separation is accomplished by combining atmospheric and vacuum separation in one column. The non-volatile liquid recovered from the vacuum vessel may comprise asphalt. This process also injects steam generated within the process into the vacuum vessel which is condensed in a two-stage condenser system to augment vacuum and aid in separation. The feed stream may comprise diluted bitumen which may be removed using a feed preparation vessel.

The disclosure is directed to an apparatus and method for recovering ethanol from a fermentation broth. The fermentation broth comprises microbial biomass, ethanol, methanol, ethyl acetate, at least one thiol, and at least one compound having 3 or more carbon atoms. The method comprises separating at least microbial biomass from the fermentation broth to generate a process stream; removing, in any order, from the process stream: ethyl acetate by reacting ethyl acetate with a base compound followed by distillation; at least one thiol by adsorption or reaction to disulfide; methanol by distillation; compounds having 3 or more carbon atoms by distillation; and recovering ethanol by distillation; wherein the distillations may be conducted in a single column or two or more columns.

Provided is a novel process and a novel apparatus for urea production capable of performing heat recovery from a relatively low-temperature fluid. A process for urea production includes a synthesis step, a high-pressure decomposition step and a condensation step and includes a) a step of heat-exchanging steam condensate whose temperature is higher than 90° C. with another fluid to cool this steam condensate to 90° C. or less, b) a step of, by heat-exchanging the steam condensate obtained from the step a with a further fluid having a temperature lower than a temperature of the low-pressure steam, heating the steam condensate obtained from the step a, and c) a step of supplying the steam condensate obtained from the step b to the condensation step as the steam condensate for generating the low-pressure steam. An apparatus for performing the process.

A cooling and desalination system includes a humidification-dehumidification (HDH) system and an ejector cooling cycle (ECC) system. The HDH system includes a heater for heating saline water, a humidifier for humidifying a carrier gas using the saline water, and a dehumidifier for dehumidifying the carrier gas to obtain desalinated water. The ECC system includes a generator for generating a primary flow of a refrigerant, an evaporator for cooling and providing a secondary flow of the refrigerant, an ejector for the primary flow and the secondary flow to pass through to obtain a super-heated stream, and a condenser. The heater and the generator are configured to connect to a heat source. The ECC system and the HDH system are connected at the condenser for heat exchange between the super-heated stream and the saline water to pre-heat the saline water.

A multimode system for cooling and desalination includes a humidification-dehumidification (HDH) system, an ejector cooling cycle (ECC) system and valves. The HDH system includes a heater, a humidifier and a dehumidifier. The ECC system includes a generator, an evaporator, an ejector and a condenser. The valves are configured to connect to inlets and outlets of the heater, the generator and a heat source so that by selectively opening and closing the valves, the heat source is connected to the heater while disconnected from the generator, or connected to the generator while disconnected from the heater, or connected to both the heater and the generator, or disconnected from both the heater and the generator. The ECC system and the HDH system are connected at the condenser for heat exchange.

A tapering exponential spiral for a gas expander for work extraction or air cooling. A gas compressor to increase the pressure and temperature of air. The compressor-expander forms a single and simple structure. A generator with a disk format using a circle of alternating polarity magnets to induce current in polygon solenoids. A heat turbine, Firefly Electric, is small, simple, and efficient heat engine. A heat pump, Firefly Air, for cooling, refrigeration, water capture, and heating. Solar power can be generated and stored as compress air. A water purifier, Firefly Aqua, to desalinate water by solar power. Sunlight is concentrated by a sun tracking conic reflective surface onto a column of salty water. Solar photovoltaic power can be used to power a spiral compressor to condense low pressure steam. Also, we reuse solar heat by extracting the heat of compressing and condensing steam for evaporating more salty water under reduced pressure.

Systems and methods in accordance with the present invention provide for the efficient distillation of ethanol in an ethanol plant including a beer column. Heat is captured in the distillation process and utilized to drive operations in the ethanol plant.