Simultaneous Regasification of Liquefied Natural Gas and Desalination

Inactive Publication Date: 2009-03-19
VANDEN BUSSCHE KURT M +1
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

This approach enhances the efficiency of freeze desalination by avoiding intermediate hydrocarbon mixing and equipment requirements, resulting in cost-effective and efficient production of fresh water without additional processing steps for hydrocarbon recovery.

Problems solved by technology

Desalination of water by freezing has been studied, but not commercialized.
The drawback of this process is the use of an intermediate heat exchange material, and the direct mixing of the butane with the seawater to form the butane-ice-brine mixture.
The use of an intermediate heat transfer medium requires more equipment, and entails greater losses, or lower efficiency in the process of freeze desalination.
This process has the significant drawback of working with systems under vacuum.

Method used

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  • Simultaneous Regasification of Liquefied Natural Gas and Desalination
  • Simultaneous Regasification of Liquefied Natural Gas and Desalination
  • Simultaneous Regasification of Liquefied Natural Gas and Desalination

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Embodiment Construction

[0012]Liquefied natural gas is transported around the world as a means to move natural gas from regions where natural gas exists to regions where the natural gas is needed. After shipment, the LNG is regasified. The ‘cold’ in the LNG can be used to provide fresh water through the process of freeze desalination.

[0013]The present invention provides a process and apparatus for taking advantage of the energy transfer in the process of regasifying LNG. In one embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the process for desalinating water with the regasification of LNG includes passing the LNG and seawater through a heat exchanger 10. The LNG is passed through one side 12 and the seawater is passed through the other side 14 of the heat exchanger 10 keeping the LNG and seawater separate while gasifying the LNG and freezing the seawater. As the seawater freezes the salt in the sea water is rejected and an ice-brine mixture is formed. In one embodiment, an agitator 16 is included in the seawater side of ...

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Abstract

A process and apparatus is presented for the desalination of water by freezing seawater. The process is integrated into a liquefied natural gas regasification system. The process comprises alternating the flow of liquefied natural gas to freeze seawater in a heat exchanger and then flowing a hot flue gas through the heat exchanger to melt the frozen seawater, and then repeating the process.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION[0001]This application is a Division of prior copending application Ser. No. 11 / 207,950, filed Aug. 19, 2005, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]The present invention relates to a process for the desalination of seawater.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003]The production of fresh water from sea water is produced from an evaporation of the water from the salt water and then condensing the purified water vapor. Another commercial method is the use of reverse osmosis. Fresh water also, can be produced by using a freezing process that separates the water as it freezes from the salt water.[0004]Desalination of water by freezing has been studied, but not commercialized. One such desalination process using the cold temperatures of liquefied natural gas (LNG) is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,675,436, issued on Jul. 11, 1972. This process uses LNG to cool butane to a liquid and sprays the liquid butane into a cr...

Claims

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Application Information

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Patent Type & AuthorityApplications(United States)
IPC IPC(8): B01D9/04
CPCB01D9/0013C02F1/22C02F2103/08B01D9/04Y02A20/124
InventorVANDEN BUSSCHE, KURT M.ARENA, BLAISE J.
OwnerVANDEN BUSSCHE KURT M