918results about "Water treatment installations" patented technology

A diffusion driven desalination apparatus and related method includes structure for receiving a heated water stream and creating at least one region having a thin film of water and structure for forcing a low humidity air stream over the thin film of water, wherein water from the thin film of water evaporates and diffuses into the air stream to create a humidified air stream. A diffusion tower including at least one plenum can be used to create and transfer the humidified air stream. At least one condenser, such as a direct contact condenser, condenses the humidified air stream, wherein purified water is produced. Waste heat from a power plant can be used to provide the heated water stream and power plants can use the waste heat generated to inexpensively provide purified water.

An apparatus for purifying water, such as for desalinization, includes a source of a heated air stream, the heated air stream having a temperature above an ambient temperature. A diffusion tower having high surface area material therein receives a water stream including at least one impurity and creates at least one region having thin films of water therein from the water stream. The heated air stream is directed over the thin films of water to create a humidified air stream that is at least substantially saturated. At least one direct contact condenser is in fluid communication with the humidified air stream for condensing the humidified air stream, thus producing purified water. A power plant can include the apparatus for purifying water, where energy to heat the air stream is provided by low pressure condensing steam.

A hydro-thermal exchange unit (HTEU) for desalinating feed water in accordance with a humidification-dehumidification includes feed water, fresh water and gas conduit circuits for transporting feed water, fresh water, and gas, respectively. The unit also includes an evaporator through which a portion of the feed water conduit and the gas conduit pass. The evaporator causes evaporation of a portion of the feed water to produce vapor that is transported through the gas conduit. The unit also includes a condenser through which a portion of the gas conduit and the fresh water conduit pass. The condenser has input and output ports for coupling the gas and fresh water conduit circuits. The condenser extracts moisture from the vapor transported therethrough by the gas conduit. The extracted moisture is discharged through the fresh water conduit. The unit also includes a heat exchanger through which a portion of the fresh water conduit and the feed water conduit pass to thereby extract residual heat from the fresh water such that the residual heat heats the feed water.

A desalination apparatus capable of obtaining fresh water stably at low cost by utilizing low-temperature waste, wherein the desalination apparatus including a heat exchanger 92 cooperating with an evaporation can 60 so as to subject a low-temperature waste heat 11 and raw water 62 in the evaporation can 60 to heat exchange and generate water vapor 63 in the evaporation can 60; a condenser 98 cooperating with a raw water tank 72 so as to receive the water vapor 63 from the evaporation can 60, cool the water vapor 63 by subjecting the water vapor 63 and raw water 71 in the raw water tank 72 to heat exchange and obtain distilled water 76; a distilled water tank for storing the distilled water 76; vacuum means for evacuating the evaporation can 60 and depressurizing the inside thereof so as to promote generation of water vapor 63 in the evaporation can 60; and raw water supply means for supplying raw water to the evaporation can.

A method for reducing and re-using waste heat and water resulting from thermal hydrocarbon recovery operations involving accessing a hot water stream produced in a thermal hydrocarbon recovery operation; vaporizing water from the water stream by applying a vacuum, thereby producing water vapor; and condensing the water vapor to produce high quality water. A system is described including a hot water intake interfacing with a hot water stream from a thermal hydrocarbon recovery operation; a vaporization module receiving the hot water stream from the hot water intake, comprising a vacuum chamber in which a vacuum is applied to produce water vapor from the hot water stream; a condensation module in which water vapor produced in the vaporization module is condensed to form high quality water; and a water outlet for releasing the high quality water from the condensation module for re-use within the thermal hydrocarbon recovery operation.

Rich-media applications are designed and created via the Internet. A host computer system, containing processes for creating rich-media applications, is accessed from a remote user computer system via an Internet connection. User account information and rich-media component specifications are uploaded via the established Internet connection for a specific user account. Rich-media applications are created, deleted, or modified in a user account via the established Internet connection. Rich-media components are added to, modified in, or deleted from scenes of a rich-media application based on information contained in user requests. After creation, the rich-media application is viewed or saved on the host computer system, or downloaded to the user computer system via the established Internet connection. In addition, the host process monitors the available computer and network resources and determines the particular component, scene, and application versions, if multiple versions exist, that most closely match the available resources.

A method for removing dissolved solids, particularly salts, from water. An apparatus for performing the inventive method is disclosed. The aqueous solution to be treated, for example sea water, is atomized using special non-pneumatic nozzles, and sprayed into an evaporation chamber through which air, heated by waste heat, is blown. The micro-droplets undergo rapid evaporation in the chamber, resulting in the separation of the salt solids from the vapor phase of the water. The mixture of suspended solids and water vapor is filtered to remove and collect the salts, and the water vapor is condensed to collect the salt-free water.

In accordance with particular embodiments, a desalination system includes a plurality of evaporators. The plurality of evaporators includes at least a first evaporator and a last evaporator. The plurality of evaporators are arranged in cascading fashion such that a concentration of salt in a brine solution increases as the brine solution passes through the plurality of evaporators from the first evaporator towards the last evaporator. The desalination system also includes a plurality of heat exchangers. An input of each evaporator is coupled to at least one of the plurality of heat exchangers. The system also includes a vapor source coupled to at least one of the plurality of evaporators.

A system and method for treating and removing hydrocarbon and other contaminants in bilge and ballast water, utilizing a multiple progressive process that chemically and electrically treats-and removes contaminants. Wastewater, received by a sump, is transmitted to a holding tank and treated, over a period of time while-influent wastewater continues off loading. The wastewater is pumped to an oil/water separator tank that decants free-floating oil from the wastewater to an oil retention tank. The wastewater then undergoes an electrocoagulation process where emulsions are broken and compounds that further aid treatment are created. The treated water flows to a retention/separation tank where contaminant particles coalesce and separate. Water is decanted and transferred to a clean water holding tank through an ozone injection system and an activated carbon filter. Treated water is recirculated until it exits the system meeting discharge limits for organics and metals allowing release into the environment.

The present invention relates to a remote managed ballast water treatment system using augmented reality, in particular, a ballast water treatment system (hereinafter, referred to as “BWTS”) which receives operation and failure information from various sensors installed in each component within a device, the remote managed ballast water treatment system comprising: an augmented reality terminal having a software application installed therein, which can recognize each component of the BWTS through shape information in a shot image while shooting a real-time image and provides information on a state of the BWTS and information required for the BWTS (provides augmented reality information), through a computer graphic image, in addition to a real-time image of reality; an augmented reality maintenance apparatus for the BWTS, the apparatus comprising a BWTS interface, an augmented reality interface, a satellite communication interface, and a control unit; and a remote management system of a terrestrial base station which shares sensing information of the BWTS and real-time image information of the augmented reality terminal with satellite communication through the satellite communication interface, wherein, when BWTS maintenance information has been sent from the remote management system of the terrestrial base station during a BWTS failure, the control unit outputs a failure point and repair information as augmented reality image information to the augmented reality terminal, a failure treatment method is guided to a user as a real-time augmented reality image, and the terrestrial base station supervises a failure treatment process of the BWTS through a real-time image.

The present invention is directed at a solar powered heat exchange system preferably used to drive a water collection device, which condenses water vapour in atmospheric air to water. The device comprises means for drawing the atmospheric air into the device; means for condensing the moisture vapour in the atmospheric air into water; and means for collecting the water.

Systems and methods for the separation and capture of carbon dioxide from water are generally described. In some embodiments, a vapor stream containing carbon dioxide and water is separated using a cascade of at least two flash drums. Additional flash steps may be incorporated to remove atmospheric gases, such as nitrogen and argon, from the feed. Carbon dioxide may be condensed and pressurized at purities suitable for pipeline transport and eventual storage in geological formations. In addition, water may be recovered at high purity.

In some embodiments, fuel cells may be used in combination with fuel reforming or gasification to produce syngas. Certain aspects of the invention involve innovations related to the combined reforming and fuel cell process, that, in certain embodiments, do not depend upon water and carbon dioxide separation. It should be understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the applications described above, and may be used with any suitable system in which the separation of carbon dioxide and water is desired.

An apparatus and method for the distillation of ocean and brackish water that includes insulation means for preventing heat from escaping to the atmosphere is disclosed. The insulation means comprises a second wall surrounding the basic assemblies of a desalination system in which the space between the second wall and basic assemblies is under low partial vacuum and is partially or totally filled with an insulation material for structural support. The system provides a means for flash evaporation of heated input water and condensing the resultant vapors into pure distilled water. A means for recapturing and using the heat of condensation as well as heat from the salt byproduct to preheat the input contaminated water is also disclosed.

A method and apparatus for separating draw solution solutes and product solvent from a draw solution using a plurality of distillation columns. In one embodiment, the draw solution is used in a Forward Osmosis (FO) water desalination process. In this embodiment, the draw solution is directed to the plurality of distillation columns in parallel while the energy stream (heat) is directed to the plurality of distillation columns in series such that the efficiency of heat use is improved and in turn the cost of the heat is reduced.

The inventive device is embodied in the form of a chamber-oven for diffusing vapour and saturated hot air which circulate in a closed circuit by natural convection. Said device is embodied in the form of a domestic-use solar energy collecting device provided with a greenhouse whose surface is equal to 1 m² and produces from 50 to 100 litres/day of distilled water. The device comprises a distillation unit arranged between two furnaces (59′, 79′) in a temperature-controlled container (48′). Said distillation unit comprises 100 flat thin hollow plates having a surface of 20 dm² by face and an active volume of 200 dm³. The fine and tensioned walls (54) of said plates are provided with a hydrophilic coating (60′) and internal (56′) and inter-plate (58′) spaces. The lower chimney (59′) comprises a greenhouse (118′, 119′) whose bottom is embodied in the form of an impermeable black layer provided with a thin hydrophilic carpet on the rear part thereof. Saturated hot air at a temperature of 80° C. enters inside (56′) hollow plates from bellow and exits from the top at a temperature of 50° C. A high chimney (79′) is provided with a monoblock heat exchanger (84′) which is transversed by a non-potable water to be distilled which, afterwards is spread warm (40° C.) over the hydrophilic coating (60′). During passage through the heat exchanger (84) the air is cooled to 30° C. and moved down by gravity to the inter-plate spaces (58′) and exits therefrom at a temperature of 78° C. The distilled water condensed in the plates and by the heat exchanger is collected and removed. Brine is received in the bottom of the inter-plate space and distributed along the thin hydrophilic carpet of the bottom (122′) of the greenhouse. An air current passes along said hot carpet is heated and saturated and enters the plates. The brine liquor finally flows in an air-preheating tank (63′) which is emptied each morning. The greenhouse can be substituted by a heating tube transversed by a heating fluid or associated with another steam-jet tube. The more powerful chamber-ovens can produce at least 200 m³/day of distilled water for collective consumption. Said invention can be used for salt removal from seawater, co-generating electricity and potable water and for producing food concentrates.