Processes and systems are provided to compress vapors produced in distillation and recover the heat of condensation through mechanical vapor compression and to derive mechanical 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. Mechanical vapor compression minimizes the total energy usage. 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.

Processes and systems are provided to compress vapors produced in distillation and recover the heat of condensation through mechanical vapor compression and to derive mechanical 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. Mechanical vapor compression minimizes the total energy usage. 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 modular distillation apparatus including at least one heat exchanger that preheats contaminated liquids; a heater that heats the contaminated liquid from the heat exchanger; an evaporator condenser adapted o boil the contaminated liquid coming out of the heater to produce water vapor and contaminant concentrate, and condenser the water vapor into distilled water; a vacuum chamber capable of operating at below atmospheric pressure, the vacuum chamber housing the evaporator condenser and including at least one partition to separate the distilled water from the contaminate concentrate; a vapor compressor operably associated with the vacuum chamber to receive water vapor from the evaporator condenser in the vacuum chamber and pump the water vapor at pressure back through the evaporator condenser, wherein the heat exchanger recovers sensible heat from outgoing condensed distilled water and contaminant concentrate recycled from the vacuum chamber.

Mechanical vapor recompression (MVR) liquid purification system includes a pressure-tight enclosure having a circular cylindrical elongated shape along a longitudinal axis A, and evaporation compartments E1-E3 arranged within the enclosure. Each compartment has a plurality of longitudinal pipes running from one sidewall to another sidewall, and circular sidewalls having openings for the plurality of pipes. A central tube runs along the axis A through the centers of the compartments E1-E3, and allows steam to flow from the second end to the first end. The number of pipes is highest in the first compartment E1, then gradually fewer in the second E2 and third E3. The pipes allow steam to flow from the first end to the second end. A compressor assembly includes a compressor provided with compressor vane members structured to provide steam flow along the longitudinal axis and a motor for rotating the compressor at a variable rotational speed.

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 distiller including an evaporator having at least one evaporation surface for evaporating liquid into vapor. At least one movable liquid applicator assembly has a wiper applicator which can move over the at least one evaporation surface, for wiping and applying a thin even film of the liquid on the at least one evaporation surface for evaporation.

Processes and systems are provided to compress vapors produced in distillation and recover the heat of condensation through mechanical vapor compression and to derive mechanical 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. Mechanical vapor compression minimizes the total energy usage. 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 system capable of providing a liquid purification process using heat regenerating or recovering via heat exchangers (HEs). The system, in one embodiment, includes a first set of thermal conductive channels (TCC), a second set of TCC, and a third set of TCC. The first set of TCC configured in a first HE is arranged in cylindrical shape which is able to surround or enclose a boiler. A function of TCC is to guide a liquid flow traveling through an HE. The second set of TCC configured in a second HE guides a second liquid flow traveling through the second HE. The third liquid flow such as a cold water stream, for example, flows through the third set of TCC adjacent to the first set of TCC and extracts heat from the first liquid flow such as hot purified water via TCC.

A system for distributed utilities including electrical power and water. A generation device is provided for converting an available resource to a desired utility; the resource may be water, in which case the generator is a purifier for purifying untreated water, or, alternatively, the generator may convert a fuel to electrical power. In either case, an input sensor is provided for measuring input to the generation device, while an output sensor is provided for measuring consumption of output from the generation device. The monitoring system has a controller for concatenating measured input and consumption of output on the basis of the input and output sensors. Measured parameters are telemetered to a remote site where utility generation and use are monitored and may also be controlled. At least a portion of the electrical power capacity of the electric generation unit may power a water purification unit such as a vapor compression distillation unit, and heat output of the electric generation unit may supply heat to the water purification unit.

A fluid vapor distillation system. The system includes a control system for controlling a fluid vapor distillation apparatus including a blow down controller for controlling a blow down valve, a source flow controller for controlling a source flow valve, and a blow down level sensor in communication with a blow down controller and a source flow controller, the blow down level sensor sends signals related to the blow down level to the blow down controller and the source flow controller indicative of the blow down level, wherein the source flow controller actuates the source flow valve based at least on the blow down level sensor signals, and wherein the blow down controller actuates the blow down valve based at least on the blow down level sensor signals, whereby the blow down level and the source flow level are maintained using the blow down level sensor signals as input.