Recovering purified water and potassium chloride from spent basic hydrogen peroxide

Abstract

Methods and apparatus are provided for the removal and purification of the water and salt by-products from spent BHP emitted from a lasing process. The apparatus comprises a liquid processing system that freezes the water and salt by-products into a slurry, and then separates out the water (as ice) and salt components by filtering in a centrifuge. In order to remove as much residual BHP from the wet mixed ice-salt component as possible, a heat source is used to partially melt ice crystals, thereby generating an aqueous rinsing liquid on the surface of the wet mixed ice-salt crystals. The applied centrifugal force causes a continual displacement of the liquid film wetting the surface, so that it becomes progressively diluted. As such, the purification of the mixture of ice and salt crystals is implemented with an aqueous (water) rinse that is unaffected by the sub-freezing temperatures within the centrifuge. The separation and purification may also be performed with a filter in which the conventional built-in water rinse is replaced with a heat source. The filter's driving force, for example gas pressure or vacuum, would be continuously applied during warming.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD [0001] The present invention generally relates to fuel regeneration for a chemical oxygen iodine laser (COIL), and more particularly relates to recovering purified water (H2O) and potassium chloride (KCl) from spent basic hydrogen peroxide (BHP). BACKGROUND [0002] The chemical oxygen iodine laser (COIL) is typically configured as a medium to high power laser for both industrial and military applications. A COIL laser can generally produce output power on the order of about 100 kW or less to a megawatt or more. For industrial applications, COIL lasers can be used for cutting metals and other substances. In the military arena, COIL lasers are particularly useful in precision strike situations where it is desirable to minimize collateral damage. COIL lasers can be mounted on spacecraft, aircraft, ships and land-based vehicles for various military purposes, such as missile defense. [0003] COIL lasers are conventionally fueled by reacting a basic hydrogen peroxide solutio...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

Removal of the water waste product can be achieved through vacuum distillation, but this process is generally not desirable for mobile or transportable applications such as military weapon systems, because it tends to be energy-intensive and typically requires large equipment.

An alternative process that would generally be more compact and energy efficient involves the freezing of ice from the spent BHP, but this process tends to generate a product excessively contaminated with BHP chemicals.

Washing with water, however, is generally impractical for this application due to the extremely low BHP / ice temperature, which is typically in the approximate range of −20 to −50 degrees Celsius, and would cause freeze-up of an aqueous wash fluid.

Alternative washing fluids, such as non-aqueous solvents have generally proven relatively ineffective in achieving the desired product purity.

As such, the overall efficiency of a fuel regeneration system is typically reduced due to BHP contamination, which tends to increase the size, weight and cost of a COIL fuel regeneration system.

Images