A multi-effect system and a multi-effect method for desalination are provided. The method comprises flowing saline water over a thermally conductive plate of a first evaporation chamber; heating the thermally conductive plate to evaporate the saline water, resulting in vapor; removing the vapor from the first evaporation chamber; compressing, using a compressor, the vapor, thereby creating compressed vapor; pumping the compressed vapor into a first condensation chamber; condensing the compressed vapor in the first condensation chamber, resulting in fresh water. The method further comprises heating, by heat released by the condensing of the compressed vapor, a second thermally conductive plate forming a top of the first condensation chamber and a bottom surface of a next evaporation chamber in a next desalination chamber in the vertical stack of desalination chambers.

A multi-effect system and a multi-effect method for desalination are provided. The method comprises flowing saline water over a thermally conductive plate of a first evaporation chamber; heating the thermally conductive plate to evaporate the saline water, resulting in vapor; removing the vapor from the first evaporation chamber; compressing, using a compressor, the vapor, thereby creating compressed vapor; pumping the compressed vapor into a first condensation chamber; condensing the compressed vapor in the first condensation chamber, resulting in fresh water. The method further comprises heating, by heat released by the condensing of the compressed vapor, a second thermally conductive plate forming a top of the first condensation chamber and a bottom surface of a next evaporation chamber in a next desalination chamber in the vertical stack of desalination chambers.

Processes and systems suitable for purifying or otherwise treating liquids to remove contaminants therein, including but not limited to contaminated water, to permit reclaiming, recycling, and reuse of the liquids. Such a process and system entails the use of a cascading distillation system that evaporates a liquid from the feedstock and then condenses and collects a more purified form of the liquid. The cascading distillation system can be operated to selectively process the feedstock through any of a series of vessels at which different amounts and/or contaminants may be removed from the feedstock.

A heat and mass transfer system configured to be a passive system using gravitational force to form a thin liquid film flow on an outer surface of a flow distribution head and downstream conduit member to subject the thin liquid film to heat transfer mediums. The at least partially spherical flow distribution head creates a uniform thin flow of liquid on the outer surface increasing the efficiency of the heat and mass transfer system. The heat and mass transfer system may include a heat transfer medium supply system in fluid communication with internal aspects of the downstream conduit such that a heat transfer medium flows within the downstream conduit while the liquid film flows on the outer surface of the downstream conduit. Rather than conventional sheet flow on inner surfaces of a conduit, the flow distribution head enables sheet flow to be formed on an outside surface of a component.

A heat and mass transfer system configured to be a passive system using gravitational force to form a thin liquid film flow on an outer surface of a flow distribution head and downstream conduit member to subject the thin liquid film to heat transfer mediums. The at least partially spherical flow distribution head creates a uniform thin flow of liquid on the outer surface increasing the efficiency of the heat and mass transfer system. The heat and mass transfer system may include a heat transfer medium supply system in fluid communication with internal aspects of the downstream conduit such that a heat transfer medium flows within the downstream conduit while the liquid film flows on the outer surface of the downstream conduit. Rather than conventional sheet flow on inner surfaces of a conduit, the flow distribution head enables sheet flow to be formed on an outside surface of a component.

This disclosure describes energy efficient process to distill a process stream in a production facility. A process uses multiple effect evaporators, ranging from one evaporator to eight evaporators in each effect. The process arrangement shows an example of four effect evaporators, with a zero-effect evaporator having a single evaporator, a first-effect evaporator having a set of three evaporators, a second-effect evaporator having a set of three evaporators, and a third-effect evaporator having a set of evaporators to create condensed distillers solubles.

This disclosure describes energy efficient process to distill a process stream in a production facility. A process uses multiple effect evaporators, ranging from one evaporator to eight evaporators in each effect. The process arrangement shows an example of four effect evaporators, with a zero-effect evaporator having a single evaporator, a first-effect evaporator having a set of three evaporators, a second-effect evaporator having a set of three evaporators, and a third-effect evaporator having a set of evaporators to create condensed distillers solubles.

Multi-chamber Compressor (6, 206, 506) of Mechanical Vapor re-Compression (MVC) and water treatment methods, the compressor bearing independent compression chambers of positive displacement, for heat-pumps, of two main variants: a) reciprocating-rotary motion (6, 206) wherein the compression chambers (7V) are radially arranged cylindrical sectors based on concentric circular sectors of the same angle, with, pistons of radially arranged vanes (20, 220) of respective surface and with the plane of the vanes passing through the axis of the common rotor (14) and the shaft (16) and b) reciprocating-linear motion (506) wherein the compression chambers (52v) are in series arranged cylinders with pistons/vanes (50v) of corresponding circular surfaces and with the plane of the vanes perpendicular to the common shaft (51). In both cases, the shaft (16, 51) and the motor are common to all the vanes (20v, 50v), which follow identical strokes. The surfaces of the vanes (20v, 50v), as well as of the compression chambers (7V, 52v), differ from each other, since each compression chamber (7V, 52v) has its own and independent pair of evaporation (ev, dv, Lv, by) and heat-exchanger chambers/areas (Cv/eCv, 32v/33v, 132v, 54v/53v), said compression chamber exclusively sucks from, compresses and discharges to, and the fluids/vapors being dispensed, are under different thermodynamic state conditions. The stages are independent from each other, the medium-vapor providing the energy of evaporation is produced in the stage itself, and flow rate and compression ratio CR are independently controlled and adjusted in each stage.

Multi-chamber Compressor (6, 206, 506) of Mechanical Vapor re-Compression (MVC) and water treatment methods, the compressor bearing independent compression chambers of positive displacement, for heat-pumps, of two main variants: a) reciprocating-rotary motion (6, 206) wherein the compression chambers (7V) are radially arranged cylindrical sectors based on concentric circular sectors of the same angle, with, pistons of radially arranged vanes (20, 220) of respective surface and with the plane of the vanes passing through the axis of the common rotor (14) and the shaft (16) and b) reciprocating-linear motion (506) wherein the compression chambers (52v) are in series arranged cylinders with pistons/vanes (50v) of corresponding circular surfaces and with the plane of the vanes perpendicular to the common shaft (51). In both cases, the shaft (16, 51) and the motor are common to all the vanes (20v, 50v), which follow identical strokes. The surfaces of the vanes (20v, 50v), as well as of the compression chambers (7V, 52v), differ from each other, since each compression chamber (7V, 52v) has its own and independent pair of evaporation (ev, dv, Lv, by) and heat-exchanger chambers/areas (Cv/eCv, 32v/33v, 132v, 54v/53v), said compression chamber exclusively sucks from, compresses and discharges to, and the fluids/vapors being dispensed, are under different thermodynamic state conditions. The stages are independent from each other, the medium-vapor providing the energy of evaporation is produced in the stage itself, and flow rate and compression ratio CR are independently controlled and adjusted in each stage.

A direct-contact, spray-assisted, evaporation and condensation, DCSEC system includes a heating block configured to receive and heat up seawater; plural evaporation and condensation stages, wherein n is a natural number, each stage being configured to generate water vapors through flash evaporation; an evaporation only stage connected to a last stage of the plural evaporation and condensation stages, the evaporation only stage configured to receive a brine from the last stage n of the plural evaporation and condensation stages; an input/output block configured to receive the brine from the evaporation only stage and to discharge it outside the system, and also to receive cooling water; and a pressure-swing regeneration block fluidly connected to the evaporation only stage to receive the water vapors and to generate a hot vapor, which is provided to the heating block for heating the seawater.