A water purification system can include an enclosed chamber having an evaporation region and a condensation region. The evaporation region can include an evaporation tower with a series of shelves to receive and increase a surface area of impure water while cascading downward from an upper shelf to lower shelves therebeneath as water evaporates therefrom to form water vapor within the enclosed chamber, and a fluid directing assembly to cyclically transport the impure water from a reservoir source to the upper shelf. The condensation region can include a purified water-receiving vessel and a plurality of water collectors. Individual water collectors of the plurality of water collectors can include an exterior surface coolable to a temperature below a dew point of air carrying the water vapor and shaped to channel water formed thereon by condensation to the purified water-receiving vessel.

The vertical pipe structure for water and energy harvesting is an artificial structure formed from concentric sets or rings of pipes having sufficient height such that atmospheric water vapor will condense on upper ends thereof. Water vapor condensing on external faces of the pipes flows downward, under the force of gravity, for collection in at least one reservoir. Water vapor condensing on internal faces of the pipes also flows downward within the concentric sets or rings of pipes for collection in an underground chamber. At least one hydrodynamic generator or the like is provided on the exterior of the artificial structure, such that water flowing thereover may be used for the generation of power.

A horizontal sulfur condenser may include an exterior casing with a plurality of condenser tubes arranged longitudinally within the casing, a liquid sulfur reservoir at a longitudinal end within the exterior casing, and an internal baffle that protrudes into the liquid sulfur reservoir from the surface. The lowest of the plurality of condenser tubes is parallel to a wall of the exterior casing. A Claus process gas inlet is proximate a first end of the plurality of condenser tubes, which are arranged horizontally but are positioned vertically above the sulfur reservoir. A liquid sulfur outlet is located at the liquid sulfur surface. The baffle creates multiple chambers above the sulfur reservoir, such as a first chamber defined by the exterior casing and the baffle to receive condensed Claus sulfur in the liquid reservoir, and a second chamber defined by the exterior casing and the baffle to receive degassed liquid sulfur.

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.

Apparatus for desubliming, condensing or evaporating a fluid. The apparatus includes a chamber and at least one tubular member for desubliming, condensing or evaporating the fluid on the outer surface of the at least one tubular member. The chamber is provided with at least one inlet for the fluid and at least one outlet for the condensate and/or evaporate, and at least one supply and at least one discharge for a cooling and/or heating fluid. The tubular member includes an outer member and an inner member enclosed within the outer member. The inner member is in communication with the supply at a first end. The outer member is in communication with the discharge at a first end. The outer member is closed at a second end. The inner member is open and mouths into the outer member at a second end.

Vapor flow-diverting devices that re-direct upwardly flowing vapor, for example, in a downward direction across condenser tubes disposed in the upper or top section of a vapor-liquid contacting apparatus, are described. These devices are particularly beneficial in tubular condensers within distillation columns and may be used in combination with other associated equipment (e.g., a deflector plate and divider plate) as well as in combination with the tube surface enhancements to improve the heat transfer coefficient.

A gas condensing device may be configured to condense regeneration gas and separate target gas from condensate. The gas condensing device may include: a housing; a condenser mounted in an upper portion of the housing and configured to condense the regeneration gas; and a reflux apparatus mounted in the housing below the condenser and configured to temporarily store the condensate and discharge evaporation gas evaporated from the condensate back to the condenser.

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.

Depolymerization method and system The depolymerization method is provided for recovering a monomer from a polymer and comprises the successive steps of pyrolyzing a feed material containing the polymer into a pyrolysis reactor so as to generate a gas stream, directing the gas stream from the pyrolysis reactor to a separator configured for removing impurities from the gas stream and directing the gas stream from the separator to a condenser for condensing the monomer contained in the gas stream. The temperature of the gas stream in the separator is maintained equal or higher than the boiling temperature of the monomer.

According to the invention, in the housing of a condenser, a carrier gas laden with a substance to be condensed out is fed to a first and a second heat exchanger surface in succession, where, in indirect contact with a heat transfer medium, it is brought to a temperature below the respective dew point temperature of the substance to be condensed out. An evaporation area, in which suitable heating means ensure that the carrier gas is heated up to a temperature above the dew point temperature, is provided between the first and the second heat exchanger surface in the flow path of the carrier gas. As a result, aerosols of the substance to be condensed out that have formed on the first heat exchanger surface evaporate and are at least partially condensed out on the second heat exchanger surface.