GB1487569A - Vapour staging distillation system - Google Patents

Abstract

1487569 Distillation apparatus TERRAQUA PRODUCTS Inc 13 Dec 1974 53992/74 Heading BIB [Also in Division Cl] A vapour staging distillation apparatus for producing condensate and concentrate from a feed liquid, e.g. sea water, comprises vertic- ally extending evaporator and condenser sections separated by a vertically extending divider wall 44, means for passing feed liquid up the condenser 46, means 56 for heating the liquid after passage through the condenser and for transferring it to the upper part of, the evaporator section, means, e.g. netting 68, for generating in the evaporator section vertically extended thin films of the liquid, one or more openings 82 above the divider wall to allow evaporated liquid to pass from the evaporator section to the condenser section in a manner such that a vertically distributed bleed flow can exist between the top and bottom of the opening(s), means for flowing gas up the evaporator and down the condenser sections and means for collecting condensate 100 and concentrate 14. As shown, the wall 44 forms a top edge 78 and branches down at an acute angle and continues as a bottom wall 86 spaced above the chamber bottom wall 72. The branch wall 84 causes the netting 68 to be bunched close together near the evaporator sump 74. Although natural circulation can be used, a blower 108 is preferably employed which causes air to flow from the bottom of the condenser coil through the path 105 and up through the netting where it meets the heated water. The saturated air passes through the opening 82 into the cooling section 112 and fresh water precipitates into the sump 109. Instead of the single opening 82, a perforated plate or one with horizontal or vertical slots or a louvered plate may be interposed. Doors 116 and 118 are provided to admit fresh air into the system. Horizontal baffles may be slotted with the net curtains to obtain a multipass cross-counter flow and the netting may support a biological culture.