A water distiller provides distilled water from an input water supply for domestic, clinic, studio, hospital or factory applications with greatly improved energy efficiency. Stages of the distiller may employ under pressure conditions and/or various vapor compression, heat pump or intermediate process arrangements to provide efficient heat transfer and heating, without requiring boiling of the full input water volume. Enhanced mixing and/or heat transfer may be effected by passing water vapor through the water heating pool and result in clean, efficient distillation in a unit designed for a defined rate or volume of distillate or small system. Embodiments of the invention require less energy than required for comparably-sized direct boiling systems, and may be configured to purge gases or impurities to attain, or maintain, clean heat transfer surfaces and a desired level of product purity.

A heat exchange system having at least one closed compartment containing in a first portion a first liquid having a first temperature at or near the first liquid's boiling point; a first thermally conductive conduit, containing a first fluid having a second temperature higher than the first temperature, submerged in the first liquid, causing at least a portion of the first liquid to absorb latent heat and boil within the at least one closed compartment, and convert to vapors; and a second thermally conductive conduit, containing a second fluid having a third temperature lower than the first temperature, passing through a second portion of the at least one closed compartment where the vapors contact the second thermally conductive conduit containing the second fluid, causing the vapors to lose latent heat and condense, and join the first liquid in the first portion of the at least one closed compartment.

Systems and processes for heat recovery associated with the separation of hydrocarbon components. Two compressors are used to compress a portion of an overhead vapor stream from a fractionation column. A pressure of the liquid portion of the compressed overhead is reduced and used to recover heat from an overhead of another separation zone having a fractionation column. Once the heat has been recovered the stream is recompressed. The recovered heat may be removed from the recompressed stream in a reboiler of another fractionation column. The fractionation columns may comprise a deethanizer stripper, propane-propylene splitter, and a depropanizer column.

A system for purifying incoming fluid is modular and includes a heat exchanger module, an evaporator-condenser module and a compressor. The system components are arranged in a stacked configuration to facilitate gravitational flow of the purified fluid such that the purified fluid drains passively for collection. A system for preparation of ready-to-use treatment fluid includes the modular fluid purification system, a preparation station and a coupling device. The components are configured to be retained in a portable carrier that is manually operable for improved access to and mobility of the components. A coupling device can connect the flow channels of several components and can be used in preparing ready-to-use dialysate. A system prepares a receptacle and a ready-to-use treatment fluid in the receptacle.

Systems and methods for recovering light hydrocarbons from refinery waste gas using a back-end turboexpander to generate a higher recovery of the light hydrocarbons for use as petrochemical feedstock and to remove the liquid light hydrocarbons before entering the turboexpander.

An energy system comprising a mechanical vapor recompression (MVR) subsystem is disclosed. The MVR-subsystem is arranged to receive a liquid and is arranged to produce compressed vapor from the liquid and to heat the liquid being received. The energy system comprises a heat subsystem connected to the MVR-subsystem, which heat subsystem is arranged to use a branched portion of the compressed vapor and/or at least a portion of the liquid being heated to produce energy. A method for producing energy is also disclosed.

Systems and processes for heat recovery associated with the separation of hydrocarbon components. Two compressors are used to compress a portion of an overhead vapor stream from a fractionation column. A pressure of the liquid portion of the compressed overhead is reduced and used to recover heat from an overhead of another separation zone having a fractionation column. Once the heat has been recovered the stream is recompressed. The recovered heat may be removed from the recompressed stream in a reboiler of another fractionation column. The fractionation columns may comprise a deethanizer stripper, propane-propylene splitter, and a depropanizer column.

An ethylene recycle method may include: obtaining an overheads stream comprising ethylene in a first gaseous state from an ethylene purification column; heating the overheads stream in a first heat exchanger to produce a heated overheads stream comprising the ethylene in a second gaseous state; compressing the heated overheads stream to yield a compressed ethylene stream comprising the ethylene in a first supercritical state; cooling the compressed ethylene stream to produce a cooled, compressed ethylene stream comprising the ethylene in a first liquid state, wherein the cooling comprises passing the compressed ethylene through the first heat exchanger; reducing the pressure of the cooled, compressed ethylene stream to produce a first recycle stream comprising the ethylene in a second liquid state and optionally a third gaseous state; and introducing the first recycle stream into the ethylene purification column.

A process system comprising a mechanical vapor compression (MVC/MVR) subsystem arranged to receive a liquid and arranged to produce compressed vapor from the liquid and to heat the liquid being received is disclosed. The MVR-subsystem is arranged as a closed loop vapor MVR-subsystem arranged to reuse the produced vapor. The process system comprises a process subsystem connected to the MVC/MVR-subsystem and arranged to receive a branched portion of the compressed vapor, wherein the process subsystem is arranged to use the branched portion of the compressed vapor during operation of the process subsystem. A method for operating a process system is also disclosed.

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.