Abstract
Apparatus and methods are disclosed for relocating blocks of ice produced by freezing contained water in a downward vertical direction in order to separate, minerals, organic matter and other impurities from seawater, brackish water, wastewater or other water resources. Generally, salt and other impurities will be rejected into feed water below the frozen water and may be drained from the tank through a drain pipe after a block of ice is formed. Additional feed water may then be pumped into the tank to raise the block of ice for removal or ejection from the tank. Surfaces of the block of ice that contact the tank may be heated to facilitate relocation of the block of ice.
Claims
1. An apparatus for separating salt, minerals, organic matter or other impurities from seawater, brackish water, wastewater or other water resource, comprising: at least one tank having at least one opening for supplying a refrigerant to an upper portion of said tank, wherein at least one block of ice is raised through said opening of said tank by supplying additional feed water into said tank; at least one water intake pipe connected to said tank for supplying feed water into said tank; at least one drain pipe connected to said tank for draining a portion of said feed water from said tank; and at least one heating coil affixed to said tank for melting surfaces of said block of ice that contact said tank.
2. An apparatus for separating salt, minerals, organic matter or other impurities from seawater, brackish water, wastewater or other water resource, comprising: at least one enclosed tank having at least one panel which is opened and closed; at least one refrigerant intake pipe connected to said enclosed tank for supplying refrigerant to an upper portion of said enclosed tank; at least one water intake pipe connected to said enclosed tank for supplying feed water into said tank; at least one drain pipe connected to said tank for draining a portion of said feed water from said enclosed tank; and at least one heating coil affixed to said tank for melting at least one surface of at least one block of ice, wherein said block of ice is raised by supplying additional feed water into said enclosed tank.
3. An apparatus for separating salt, minerals, organic matter or other impurities from seawater, brackish water, wastewater or other water resource, comprising: at least one enclosed tank having at least one panel which is opened and closed, wherein said enclosed tank has at least one insulation chamber between at least one internal wall and at least one external wall of said enclosed tank; at least one refrigerant intake pipe connected to said enclosed tank for supplying refrigerant to an upper portion of said enclosed tank; at least one water intake pipe connected to said enclosed tank for supplying feed water into said tank; at least one drain pipe connected to said tank for draining a portion of said feed water from said enclosed tank; and at least one insulation intake pipe connected to said insulation chamber for supplying a fluid to control the temperature of said internal wall, wherein waste heat from a condenser is supplied to a heat exchanger connected to said insulation intake pipe to heat said fluid.
10. A method for separating salt, minerals, organic matter or other impurities from seawater, brackish water, wastewater or other water resource, comprising: supplying feed water into at least one tank; freezing said feed water in a downward vertical direction by supplying a refrigerant to the upper surface of said feed water; draining brine from said tank after at least one block of ice is formed by said freezing of said feed water; and supplying additional feed water into said tank to raise said block of ice, wherein at least one surface of said block of ice is melted before said block of ice is raised.
11. A method according to claim 10, wherein said enclosed tank further comprises at least one insulation chamber between at least one internal wall and at least one external wall of said enclosed tank and a fluid is supplied into said insulation chamber to control the temperature of said internal wall.
12. A method according to claim 11, wherein said internal wall is heated by a fluid in said insulation chamber to melt at least one surface of said block of ice along said internal wall.
13. A method according to claim 12, wherein waste heat from a condenser is used to heat said fluid.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0018] FIG. 1 is a schematic view of an apparatus for freezing water in a downward vertical direction.
[0019] FIG. 2 is a schematic view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1, further showing a refrigerant supplied to the upper surface of feed water contained in the apparatus.
[0020] FIG. 3 is a schematic view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1, further showing a block of ice formed by freezing water in a downward vertical direction.
[0021] FIG. 3A is a schematic view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1, further showing a heating coil for melting surfaces of the block of ice.
[0022] FIG. 4 is a schematic view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1, further showing a block of ice raised by additional feed water for removal by a mechanical device.
[0023] FIG. 5 is a schematic view of another embodiment of an apparatus for freezing water in a downward vertical direction.
[0024] FIG. 5A is a schematic view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 5, further showing a heating coil for melting surfaces of the block of ice.
[0025] FIG. 6 is a schematic view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 5, further showing a block of ice raised by additional feed water for ejection by a refrigerant with positive pressure.
[0026] FIG. 7 is a schematic view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 5, further showing an insulation chamber for insulating the feed water from the refrigerant and melting surfaces of the block of ice to facilitate vertical movement.
[0027] FIG. 7A is a schematic view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 7, further showing a condenser and heat exchanger for supplying waste heat to the insulation chamber to melt surfaces of the block of ice.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0028] Referring to FIG. 1, feed water 10 from a water resource such as seawater, brackish water or wastewater is pumped into a tank 20 through a water intake pipe 30 and discharged through a drain pipe 40. As shown in FIG. 2, a refrigerant 50 such as chilled air, nitrogen or oxygen is supplied to the upper surface of the water 10 contained in the tank 20 at an appropriate temperature to form a layer of ice 60. During this freezing process, water molecules crystallize to form a lattice structure which allows the ice layer 60 to float on top of the water 10 while rejecting salt, organic compounds, minerals or other impurities into the water 10 beneath the layer of ice 60.
[0029] Referring to FIG. 3, the temperature of the refrigerant 50 is indirectly transferred through the layer of ice 60 to continuously freeze the water 10 in a downward vertical direction until a block of ice 60a is formed. Impurities are then discharged with the remaining water 10 through the drain pipe 40. As shown in FIG. 4, feed water 10a is then pumped into the tank 20 to raise the block of ice 60a above at least one wall of the tank 20 and a mechanical device such as a push rod 70 or moveable arm is used to remove the block of ice 60a from the tank 20. The block of ice 60a is then melted to provide product water. As shown in FIG. 3A, a heating coil 24 is used to melt surfaces of the block of ice 60a that contact the tank 20 in order to facilitate relocation of the block of ice 60a while it is being raised by feed water 10a for removal from the tank 20.
[0030] In an alternative embodiment, shown in FIG. 5, feed water 10 is pumped into an enclosed tank 20a through a water intake pipe 30 and discharged through a drain pipe 40. Refrigerant 50 is pumped into the enclosed tank 20a through a refrigerant intake and exhaust pipe 32, which may consist of separate pipes. As in the previous embodiment, the refrigerant 50 freezes the contained water 10 to form a block of ice 60a. After rejected impurities are discharged with the remaining water 10 through the drain pipe 40, additional feed water 10a is pumped into the enclosed tank 20a to raise the block of ice 60a, as shown in FIG. 6. During this process, the block of ice 60a displaces the refrigerant 50 out of the enclosed tank 20a and the refrigerant is removed through the refrigerant intake and exhaust pipe 32. A panel 22 of the enclosed tank 20a is then opened, for example by swinging or sliding the panel, to enable the block of ice 60a to be removed from the enclosed tank 20a. The displaced refrigerant 50 is then pumped or otherwise supplied back into the enclosed tank 20a through the refrigerant intake and exhaust pipe 32 to eject the block of ice 60a out the opening of panel 22 with positive pressure. After the block of ice 60a is completely outside the tank 20a, the panel 22 is closed. In this manner, the refrigerant 50 may be recycled or recirculated in order to reduce or minimize the amount of energy required to form multiple blocks of ice 60a. The feed water 10a may also be partially drained through the drain pipe 40 to draw additional refrigerant 50 into the tank 20a through the refrigerant intake and exhaust pipe 32 with negative pressure after the ice block 60a has been ejected.
[0031] As shown in FIG. 5A, a heating coil 24 is used to melt surfaces of the block of ice 60a that contact the tank 20a in order to facilitate relocation of the block of ice 60a while it is being raised by feed water 10a for removal from the tank 20a.
[0032] FIG. 7 shows another embodiment of the present invention with a double-walled tank 20b having an insulation chamber 80 between internal 26 and external 28 walls of the tank 20b. A fluid, such as oil or air, is pumped into the insulation chamber 80 through an insulation intake pipe 34 in order to control or modify the temperature of the internal walls. When the temperature of the internal walls is higher than the temperature of the water 10 contained inside the tank 20b, the water 10 will be insulated from the refrigerant 50 along the internal walls. This insulation will allow the refrigerant 50 to freeze the upper surface 60 of the water 10 in a downward vertical direction to form a block of ice 60a. After the block of ice 60a is formed, the temperature of the internal walls may be increased to facilitate vertical movement of the block of ice 60a by pumping a higher temperature fluid through the insulation intake pipe 34 and purging or removing the lower temperature fluid through an insulation exhaust pipe 36. The increased temperature of the internal walls will facilitate vertical movement of the block of ice 60a by melting the surfaces of the block of ice 60a that contact the internal walls. As in the previously described embodiments, the block of ice 60a is raised by pumping additional feed water 10a into the tank 20b and then removed by opening the panel 22 and pumping the refrigerant 50 into the tank 20b to eject the block of ice 60a outside the tank 20b with positive pressure. As shown in FIG. 7A, waste heat from a compressor 33 is pumped through a waste heat pipe 37 to a heat exchanger 35 to provide a high temperature fluid to the insulation chamber 80 to melt surfaces of the ice block 60a that contact the internal walls of the tank 20b.
[0033] While several embodiments of the present invention have been described above, it should be understood that other variations, modifications, equivalents and embodiments may be made or used by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention.
