Solar thermal devices are formed from a block of wood, where the natural cell lumens of the wood form an interconnected network that transports fluid or material therein. The block of wood can be modified to increase absorption of solar radiation. Combining the solar absorption effects with the natural transport network can be used for various applications. In some embodiments, heating of the modified block of wood by insolation can be used to evaporate a fluid, for example, evaporating water for extraction, distillation, or desalination. In other embodiments, heating of the modified block of wood by insolation can be used to change transport properties of a material to allow it to be transported in the interconnected network, for example, heating crude oil to adsorb the oil within the block of wood.

The invention relates to 100% renewably-powered desalination/water purification stations for universal applications, the station is disruptive, scalable, amphibious and deportable to seawater, brackish or spill oil sites for simple wave-powered and autonomous operations, the station has a mooring assembly with pumping-purification-delivery subsystems powered by wave and solar energies, the pumping subsystems has the simplest, most efficient wave push/pull pump mechanisms powered by amplified wave centrifugal forces , the mechanical purifications has turbine filters, reverse-osmosis filters, forward-osmosis filters and relief valves to backwash buildups without releasing brine, release water through collecting spill oil, the solar thermal purifications are provided with distilling processes under vaccine conditions, the delivery subsystems with wave turbines and solar panels for generating electricity, propellering and transferring the stations for delivering fresh waters to destinations under GPS guide with the lowest LCOW.

The present disclosure includes systems and methods for enhancing evaporation rates of a fluid, such as fluid including dissolved solids (e.g., a wastewater pond). In one example, a system includes a pump configured to pressurize air and an agitation assembly fluidly coupled to the pump, where the agitation assembly is configured to emit an air stream that impacts a top surface of the fluid body to generate droplets.

The invention relates to 100% renewably-powered desalination/water purification stations for universal applications, the station is disruptive, scalable, amphibious and deportable to seawater, brackish or spill oil sites for simple wave-powered and autonomous operations, the station has a mooring assembly with pumping-purification-delivery subsystems powered by wave and solar energies, the pumping subsystems has the simplest, most efficient wave push/pull pump mechanisms powered by amplified wave centrifugal forces , the mechanical purifications has turbine filters, reverse-osmosis filters, forward-osmosis filters and relief valves to backwash buildups without releasing brine, release water through collecting spill oil, the solar thermal purifications are provided with distilling processes under vaccine conditions, the delivery subsystems with wave turbines and solar panels for generating electricity, propellering and transferring the stations for delivering fresh waters to destinations under GPS guide with the lowest LCOW.

The proposed system in which its purpose is to produce crystallized salt and bittern using extracted seawater containing amounts of specific minerals. The seawater is extracted at specific water depths and at a specific offshore location being around underwater volcanic sites where the seawater is affected by volcanic eruption activity. The proposed system further comprises of a refinery facility being a chemical plant for producing specific chemical products using produced crystallized salt and bittern, which contain amounts of specific minerals having amounts of specific chemical elements and specific chemical compounds.

A liquid desalination, distillation, disinfection, purification, or concentration system by repeatedly re-using thermal energy is provided. Thermal heat source can be solar, fossil fuel, or low grade heat discharged from industrial systems. Multiple thermally insulated and isolated stages of vaporization-condensation chambers can be connected to enhance production yield. Vapor is generated by direct heating of liquid and flash evaporation. Vapor generated is condensed in condenser cooled by intake liquid. Counter circulating intake liquid will be heated by released latent heat from vapor. Externally provided thermal energy will accumulate and be re-used in the system. Vaporization and condensation process will be continuously re-cycled to enhance production yield. The system can be configured to support flexible deployment in various configurations and in different locations, including direct floating installation on water surface.

A fluid contact tray (10) for a fractionation column (1), in particular a vapor-liquid contact tray suitable for the use in an offshore fractionation column, comprises: •a tray deck (12) comprising an active mass transfer surface (20) suitable for contacting two fluids (l, g) of different densities, wherein the active mass transfer surface (20) comprises one or more orifices (18) for the passage of a fluid/gas (g), and wherein at least two at least partially radially extending separation walls (22-1, 22-2, 22-3, 22-4) and/or at least one separation weir (42) are arranged on the active mass transfer surface (20), which divides the active mass transfer surface (20) into at least two sections (24-1, 24-2, 24-3, 24-4), •an annular channel (26) suitable for collecting fluids/liquids (l), which is arranged at the peripheral area of the active mass transfer surface (20) and at least partially embraces the mass transfer surface (20), •a central downcomer (34) for collecting and discharging a fluid/liquid (l) from the annular channel (26), wherein the central downcomer (34) has the form of a hollow body with an opening (36) in the bottom section thereof being suitable for the distribution of liquid vertically downwardly, and wherein the central downcomer (34) is non-rotatably fixed at the fluid contact tray (10), and •at least one conducting means (40) for transferring fluid collected in the annular channel (26) from the annular channel (26) to the central downcomer (34). This fluid contact tray (10) is in particular useable for offshore applications, such as for a fractionation column located on a FLNG or FPSO vessel.

A water vapor collector assembly, which consists of an optional capillary net, a dome, a water conveying channel, an optional capillary mat, a floatation base, and a water tube anchor, which many of it can be looped together by ropes and tubes and can float on sea surface to take sun rays to generate freshwater.

A desalination system includes a water tank, a water-repellent particle layer located at a lower portion of the tank and composed of water-repellent particles, and a devolatilizing layer located below the water-repellent particle layer. Liquid is introduced to the tank, the introduced liquid is heated to be evaporated into water vapor, and the water vapor passes through the water-repellent particle layer and is liquefied at the devolatilizing layer, so that fresh water is obtained from the liquid. The desalination system further includes a liquid level controller for determining a level of the liquid introduced to the tank in accordance with information on relationship between information corresponding to an amount of the liquid introduced to the tank and a surface level of the liquid in the tank, and an introduced amount controller for adjusting the amount of the liquid introduced to the tank in accordance with the determined liquid surface level.

A system that includes a marine vessel with a vaporizer skid disposed on the marine vessel. The vaporizer skid is configured to convert a liquid to a gas. The system further includes a first tank disposed on the marine vessel that is configured to store the liquid. The system further includes a plurality of header modules disposed on the marine vessel. The plurality of header modules form a piping network that provide a first flow path from the first tank to the vaporizer skid and a second flow path from the vaporizer skid to a connective interface. The connective interface is configured to provide a flow path from at least one of the plurality of header modules to an end-user system.