Systems and methods for distillation of water from seawater, brackish water, waste waters, and effluent waters

Abstract

The present invention relates to water purification using solar energy. More specifically, systems and methods according to the present invention collect solar energy to heat non-potable water in a super-insulated structure. Compressed heated air is injected to evaporate water vapor out of brackish water, saltwater, or dirty water, thereby creating saturated air. The saturated air is drawn through a cooling tower and distilled water is precipitated. The systems and methods employ heat recovery and recycling processes to maximize energy efficiency.

Claims

1. A system for purifying water, comprising: a solar energy collection device, collecting solar energy and heating a heat transfer fluid in a heat exchanger, the heat exchanger receiving and heating non-potable water; a super-insulated structure, comprising: a distillation tower, receiving the heated non-potable water; a high-volume low-pressure (HVLP) blower, compressing intake air to form compressed air having a temperature of between about 208 F. and about 210 F., and injecting the compressed air into the distillation tower to form saturated air and a concentrated effluent in the distillation tower, wherein the compressed air enters the distillation tower via a plurality of microbubble nozzles located at a vertical midpoint of a water column comprising the heated non-potable water and the concentrated effluent; a cooling tower, receiving the saturated air from the distillation tower and comprising a plurality of cooling coils, the plurality of cooling coils cooling the saturated air to form distilled water and cool, dry air; a reheat tower, receiving at least a portion of the cool, dry air from the cooling tower, heating the portion of the cool, dry air to form preheated air, and providing the preheated air to the HVLP blower as at least a portion of the intake air; a heat recovery means for recovering at least a portion of waste heat generated by the system; and a chiller, chilling a fluid used by the cooling coils of the cooling tower, returning the fluid to the cooling coils, and expelling waste heat to the reheat tower for use in heating the portion of the cool, dry air; a distilled water reservoir, receiving the distilled water from the cooling tower; and a concentrated effluent reservoir, receiving the concentrated effluent from the distillation tower for subsequent treatment.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the super-insulated structure is made substantially of concrete.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the super-insulated structure is made substantially of steel.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the super-insulated structure forms a box structure.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the solar energy collection device comprises a parabolic trough solar collector.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the heat transfer fluid comprises at least one of a synthetic oil and a molten salt.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising a pump configured to pump the distilled water in the distilled water reservoir into a supply pipeline.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the heat recovery means recovers waste heat generated by the HVLP blower.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the heat recovery means recovers waste heat generated by the chiller.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the non-potable water comprises saltwater.

11. A method for purifying water, comprising: (a) collecting solar energy; (b) heating a heat transfer fluid with the collected solar energy; (c) heating non-potable water by heat exchange with the heat transfer fluid; (d) compressing intake air to form compressed air having a temperature of between about 208 F. and about 210 F.; (e) combining the heated non-potable water and the compressed air in a distillation tower to form saturated air and a concentrated effluent, wherein the compressed air is injected into the distillation tower by a plurality of microbubble nozzles located at a vertical midpoint of a water column comprising the heated non-potable water and the concentrated effluent; (f) cooling the saturated air to form distilled water and cool, dry air; (g) heating at least a portion of the cool, dry air to form preheated air for recycle as at least a portion of the intake air; (h) collecting the distilled water; and (i) collecting the concentrated effluent for subsequent treatment.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein at least steps (d) through (g) are carried out in a super-insulated structure made substantially of concrete to minimize heat loss.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein at least steps (d) through (g) are carried out in a super-insulated structure made substantially of steel to minimize heat loss.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein step (a) is carried out by a parabolic trough solar collector.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the heat transfer fluid comprises at least one of a synthetic oil and a molten salt.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising pumping the collected distilled water into a supply pipeline.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising recovering at least a portion of waste heat generated by any one or more of steps (b) through (g).

18. The method of claim 17, wherein, in the recovering step, at least a portion of waste heat generated by step (d) is recovered.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein, in the recovering step, at least a portion of waste heat generated by step (f) is recovered.

20. The method of step 11, wherein the non-potable water comprises saltwater.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

[0050] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a water purification system, according to embodiments of the present invention;

[0051] FIGS. 2A, 2B, and 2C are top, front, and side views, respectively, of a heat trapping tank for a water purification system, according to embodiments of the present invention;

[0052] FIG. 3 is a side view of a cooling tower for a water purification system, according to embodiments of the present invention;

[0053] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of an equipment and control room and a heat recovery subsystem for a water purification system, according to embodiments of the present invention; and

[0054] FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of a water purification system, according to embodiments of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF CERTAIN EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

[0055] Referring now to FIG. 1, a water purification system is illustrated, comprising three subsystems: a heat trapping tank, a cooling tower, and an equipment and control room. In the system of FIG. 1, non-potable water, such as seawater, brackish water, industrial waste water, treated effluent water, or mixtures thereof, is retained in the heat trapping tank and heated. The energy by which the non-potable water is heated may come from any one or more of several sources, including but not limited to trapped solar energy, injected hot air, and recycled waste heat energy. As a result of the heating of the non-potable water, water vapor evaporates from the non-potable water and saturates the air within the heat trapping tank. The saturated air is then provided to the cooling tower. Within the cooling tower, heat is removed from the saturated air, which causes water vapor within the saturated air to condense and collect within a reservoir in the cooling tower. In embodiments, the now-cooled, dry air may then be passed by a high-volume low-pressure (HVLP) blower through a heating coil and returned to the heat trapping tank as injected hot air, which can heat the non-potable water therein. The equipment and control room monitors and controls the various components and processes of the system and may, in embodiments, comprise a heat recovery subsystem that allows waste heat energy generated by equipment in the equipment and control room to be provided to the heat trapping tank to assist in evaporating water vapor from the non-potable water.

[0056] Referring now to FIGS. 2A, 2B, and 2C, the heat trapping tank has insulated vertical walls and a roof. In some embodiments, the roof may be a sloping roof, as illustrated in FIG. 2C. In embodiments, the roof may be made of glass, such as, by way of non-limiting example, low-iron glass. The glass roof may, in some embodiments, comprise or take the form of at least one parabolic mirror, which may have at least one focal point within or on a surface of the non-potable water in the heat trapping tank. In some embodiments, such as those illustrated in FIGS. 2A and 2B, at least one of the non-potable water and the injected hot air may flow and/or be pumped through multiple lines. In some embodiments, the non-potable water and injected hot air are made to flow in perpendicular directions; FIG. 2A illustrates one such embodiment, wherein the non-potable water flows either north or south while the injected hot air flows east. Alternatively or in addition, the non-potable water and the injected hot air may be made to flow in opposing directions; FIG. 2B illustrates one such embodiment, wherein the non-potable water flows up while the injected hot air flows down. The heat trapping tank may also have an insulated base, which may be made, by way of non-limiting example, of concrete. The insulated walls may form a box structure, as illustrated in FIGS. 2A through 2C, and may be made, by way of non-limiting example, of steel.

[0057] Referring now to FIG. 3, air saturated with water vapor enters the cooling tower near the top of the cooling tower and flows through a plurality of cooling coils. The cooling coils are, in the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3, disposed roughly parallel to each other and take the form of long linear structures extending from vertical walls of the cooling tower. This design provides greater surface area for cooling of the saturated air to take place and induces turbulent flow in the saturated air, ensuring that the saturated air is well-mixed and that laminae having different temperatures and thus different water contents do not form. This design also allows water to condense on the surfaces of the cooling coils and fall into a water reservoir at the base of the cooling tower. Near the bottom of the cooling tower but above the water level in the water reservoir, the now-cool, dry air flows or is pumped into the equipment and control room, near a top of the equipment and control room. In some embodiments, as illustrated in FIG. 3, chiller lines may also run from the water reservoir of the cooling tower into the equipment and control room. The cool, dry air, and optionally the chiller lines, remove heat from equipment in the equipment and control room, and may flow or be pumped into the heat trapping tank to assist in evaporating water vapor out of the non-potable water. The cooling tower preferably is not taller than an abutting wall of the heat trapping tank so as not to cast a shadow over the heat trapping tank.

[0058] Referring now to FIG. 4, an equipment and control room according to embodiments of the present invention is illustrated. In this embodiment, equipment in the equipment and control room comprises a chiller, an air handler, and a blower. Cool, dry air from the cooling tower may flow or be pumped through the chiller and into the air handler, where it may be mixed with hot air brought in via an input line. The blower may then send this combined warm, dry air into the heat trapping tank to assist in evaporating water vapor out of the non-potable water. The chiller may comprise a pump for pumping water from the water reservoir of the cooling tower out of the system, and the air handler may comprise a pump for taking in water from outside the system.

[0059] Referring now to FIG. 5, a water purification system is illustrated, comprising a solar collector 100, a super-insulated structure 200, a distilled water reservoir 300, and a concentrated effluent reservoir 400. In the system of FIG. 5, the solar collector 100 collects solar energy 101 and uses the solar energy 101 to heat a heat transfer fluid. By way of non-limiting example, the solar collector 100 may comprise a parabolic trough solar collector, as described, for example, in PCT Patent Application Publication 2015/103559 to Viljoen et al., the entirety of which is herein incorporated by reference, and the heat transfer fluid may comprise at least one of a synthetic oil and a molten salt. The heat transfer fluid exchanges heat with non-potable water, such as seawater, brackish water, industrial waste water, treated effluent water, or mixtures thereof, thereby heating the non-potable water. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 5, the exchange of heat from the heat transfer fluid to the non-potable water takes place in a solar collector heat exchanger 110 outside the super-insulated structure 200, but may also take place within the super-insulated structure 200. The heated non-potable water 111 enters a distillation tower 210 within the super-insulated structure 200, which receives compressed air 221 from a high-volume low-pressure (HVLP) blower 220 within the super-insulated structure 200. The compressed air 221 preferably has a temperature of between about 208 F. and about 210 F., i.e. just below the boiling point of pure water, to speed separation of the heated non-potable water 111 into water vapor 212, which rises to form saturated air 211, and a concentrated effluent 213. The temperature of the compressed air 221 and the vertical point at which it is injected into the distillation tower 210, which is preferably above a level of the concentrated effluent 213 and most preferably at a vertical midpoint of a water column comprising the heated non-potable water 111 and the concentrated effluent 213, are selected to substantially prevent convection and thus avoid sudden boiling or flashing of either the heated non-potable water 111 or the concentrated effluent 213, which may adversely affect system performance. By way of non-limiting example, the heated non-potable water 111 and the concentrated effluent 213 may form a water column having a height of ten feet, in which case the compressed air 221 is most preferably injected into the distillation tower 210 at a vertical midpoint of the water column, i.e. at a height of five feet. In preferred embodiments, the compressed air 221 is injected by a plurality of microbubble nozzles 214. The concentrated effluent 213 may, as illustrated in FIG. 5, be passed out of the super-insulated structure 200 and into the concentrated effluent reservoir 400 for further treatment, such as, by way of non-limiting example, further recovery of water and/or salt by processes known and described in the art. The saturated air 211 is then passed to a cooling tower 230 within the super-insulated structure 200, comprising a plurality of cooling coils 231. As a result of the cooling of the saturated air 211, substantially pure distilled water 201 condenses out of the saturated air 211, whereupon the substantially pure distilled water 201 is passed out of the super-insulated structure 200 and into the distilled water reservoir 300 and, optionally, into a supply pipeline (not shown). After condensation, the resulting cool, dry air 232, or some portion thereof, is passed to a reheat tower 240 within the super-insulated structure 200, where it is heated to form preheated air 241. This preheated air 241 is then provided to the HVLP blower 220 as at least a portion of intake air compressed by the HVLP blower 220 to form the compressed air 221 that is injected into the distillation tower 210.

[0060] A distinct benefit of the present invention, and in particular of the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 5, is substantial energy savings as compared to current water purification systems and processes. In particular, the use of the super-insulated structure 200 to enclose most of the components of the system ensures that any waste heat, e.g. heat that escapes from the distillation tower 210 or reheat tower 240 by radiation or convection, is captured and retained for further heating use. Likewise, because no motor is 100% efficient, any motor within the super-insulated structure 200, e.g. a compressor motor 222 within the HVLP blower 220, may, in addition to providing shaft work, put out some amount of waste heat; this waste heat is substantially retained by the super-insulated structure 200 and may be recovered by a mechanical heat recovery means 250 within the super-insulated structure 200. The super-insulated structure 200 may be made of any suitable material, such as, by way of non-limiting example, concrete and/or steel, and may in some embodiments take the shape of a box. As illustrated in FIG. 5, the mechanical heat recovery means 250 may work in conjunction with other elements within the super-insulated structure 200, such as further heat exchangers 260, 270, to further improve the energy efficiency of the system. In particular, a chiller 280, which provides fluid 281 for use in the plurality of cooling coils 231 in the cooling tower 230, may put out recoverable heat in the form of waste heat, i.e. from a motor, and/or a hot outlet stream.

[0061] The invention illustratively disclosed herein suitably may be practiced in the absence of any element which is not specifically disclosed herein. It is apparent to those skilled in the art, however, that many changes, variations, modifications, other uses, and applications of the invention are possible, and also changes, variations, modifications, other uses, and applications which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention are deemed to be covered by the invention, which is limited only by the claims which follow.

[0062] The foregoing discussion of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. The foregoing is not intended to limit the invention to the form or forms disclosed herein. In the foregoing Detailed Description of Certain Embodiments of the Invention, for example, various features of the invention are grouped together in one or more embodiments for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure. The features of the embodiments of the invention may be combined in alternate embodiments other than those discussed above. This method of disclosure is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed invention requires more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive aspects lie in less than all features of a single foregoing disclosed embodiment. Thus, the following claims are hereby incorporated into this Detailed Description of Certain Embodiments of the Invention, with each claim standing on its own as a separate preferred embodiment of the invention.

[0063] Moreover, though the description of the invention has included description of one or more embodiments and certain variations and modifications, other variations, combinations, and modifications are within the scope of the invention, e.g. as may be within the skill and knowledge of those in the art, after understanding the present disclosure. It is intended to obtain rights which include alternative embodiments to the extent permitted, including alternate, interchangeable, and/or equivalent structures, functions, ranges, or steps to those claimed, whether or not such alternate, interchangeable, and/or equivalent structures, functions, ranges, or steps are disclosed herein, and without intending to publicly dedicate any patentable subject matter.