Device and method for purifying liquid-phase fluid

Abstract

In one aspect, the invention relates to a device for purifying a liquid-phase fluid, comprising: a nozzle for dispersing the fluid in the form of droplets into the atmosphere; a wall of the condenser; and a membrane through which the fluid in a gas phase state can permeate but through which the fluid dispersed in the atmosphere in the form of droplets cannot permeate, the membrane being disposed between the nozzle and a wall of the condenser; wherein the wall of the condenser and the membrane define a first space; the condenser is provided with a refrigerant fluid circulation loop, the refrigerant fluid circulation loop is separated from the first space through the wall of the condenser, and the wall of the condenser cannot allow liquid-phase fluid to penetrate through and cannot allow gas-phase fluid to penetrate through. Meanwhile, the structural design of the membrane enables gas-phase fluid penetrating through the membrane to be condensed into liquid-state purification fluid.

Description

Technical Field of the Invention

[0001] The technical field of this invention is liquid purification.

[0002] Specifically, this invention relates to a technique for preparing and collecting purified liquid fluids from the same unpurified fluid (such as a fluid containing a solute) via thermal distillation. For example, this invention can be used to prepare and collect pure water from saline, mineral-containing, or contaminated water. Technical background of the invention

[0003] In the existing technology, there exists a so-called "semi-permeable membrane," which is defined as a porous membrane that allows gas to pass through but not liquids. This type of membrane is used between two media at different temperatures. By conventional definition, the medium with the higher temperature is called the "hot medium," and the medium with the lower temperature is called the "cold medium."

[0004] The temperature difference between a hot and a cold medium creates a vapor pressure difference, initiating an exchange between them. This exchange occurs in gaseous form through a semi-permeable membrane or perpendicular to it, flowing from the hot medium to the cold medium. After passing through the semi-permeable membrane, the vapor condenses in the cold medium, diluting the cold liquid medium.

[0005] To achieve industrial application of this property, a cold fluid flow needs to be introduced into the cold medium and a hot fluid flow into the hot medium. In this way, the hot liquid containing an initial concentration of solute, after flowing through the hot medium defined by the membrane, will form a cooled hot liquid with a higher concentration in the thermohydraulic circuit, while the cold liquid will be heated and diluted. This structure is a known prior art device for heat and fluid purification exchange between hot and cold media.

[0006] There is also a device in the prior art that includes a nozzle and a mechanically weak membrane immersed in gas, which can be used for dehumidification or humidification of gas, but such devices are not suitable for pure water generation equipment.

[0007] In the prior art, a first pressure reducing valve (or hot pressure reducing valve, such as a first nozzle or hot nozzle) can be set in the hot hydraulic circuit, and a second pressure reducing valve (or cold pressure reducing valve, such as a second nozzle or cold nozzle) can be set in the cold hydraulic circuit, so that both sides of the membrane can work under the same pressure (such as atmospheric pressure). This design can be adapted to various semi-permeable membranes, especially thinner membranes. Such thin membranes are easy to mass-produce industrially, but have low mechanical strength and can only withstand a small pressure difference between the media on both sides.

[0008] However, in practical applications, for nozzle devices that dilute the cooling medium by adding liquid (especially water), to generate the vapor condensate of the purified liquid, the purified liquid must be introduced into the cold hydraulic circuit, which requires a certain amount of initial purified liquid to be prepared in advance. Therefore, such systems are not intended for preparing purified liquid (especially pure water), but only for replenishing purified liquid to hydraulic circuits that already contain purified liquid (especially pure water).

[0009] Therefore, there is an urgent need for a technical solution that can prepare and collect purified liquids (such as pure water). Summary of the Invention

[0010] This invention solves the problems existing in the prior art by providing a simple, efficient and low-energy fluid purification device.

[0011] One aspect of the present invention relates to an apparatus for purifying liquid-phase fluids, the apparatus comprising: • Nozzle, used to disperse the fluid into the atmosphere in the form of droplets; • Condenser wall; and • A membrane that allows the fluid in the gas phase to pass through but does not allow the fluid dispersed in the atmosphere in the form of droplets to pass through, and the membrane is disposed between the nozzle and the condenser wall.

[0012] The condenser wall and the membrane define a first space, and the membrane separates the first space from a second space containing the nozzle. The condenser is provided with a refrigerant fluid circulation loop, and the condenser wall separates the refrigerant fluid circulation loop from the first space. The condenser wall does not allow either liquid or gaseous fluid to pass through, and its structural design allows the gaseous fluid passing through the membrane to condense into a purified liquid fluid.

[0013] In this article, "nozzle" refers to a component that can disperse liquid into droplets and spray the droplets into the atmosphere (i.e., disperse liquid in droplet form into the atmosphere or a medium); "condenser" refers to a device that can condense (or liquefy) vapor; and "refrigerant fluid" refers to a fluid with cooling capacity, the temperature of which is usually below the dew point of the vapor circulating in the space between the membrane and the condenser.

[0014] This device enables a thermal distillation process, specifically an evaporation-condensation cycle for fluids containing non-volatile / low-volatile (less volatile than the fluid itself) solutes or components. During this cycle, the solute concentration in the unevaporated portion of the fluid increases, while the solute concentration in the condensed portion decreases (or even completely removes the solute). Therefore, in this document, "purified fluid" or "pure fluid" refers to the fluid obtained through the evaporation-condensation process of thermal distillation. The unevaporated portion, due to its higher solute concentration, can be termed a "less pure fluid."

[0015] The fluid to be purified is called "unpurified fluid" or "impure fluid", such as water containing minerals or salts (hereinafter referred to as "salts") such as calcium and magnesium. Specifically, it can include water in the water distribution system, seawater, or polluted water.

[0016] In this article, "fluid" includes both liquid fluids (also referred to as "liquid") and gaseous fluids (also referred to as "gas" or "vapor").

[0017] When unpurified fluid and refrigerant fluid are introduced into the device, the unpurified fluid can be purified in a simple and efficient manner, and the purified fluid can be recovered from it, which is a major advantage of the device.

[0018] In practice, unpurified liquid droplets at a first temperature (“hot” here means above the condenser wall temperature) are passed through a nozzle and dispersed in the region between the pressurized inlet and the atmospheric pressure outlet of the nozzle. During this process, in addition to the droplets, vapor is generated in the air within this region. This vapor is the gaseous form of the purified fluid. Some of the vapor naturally moves towards the condenser (or cold trap) at a second temperature lower than the first temperature, and condenses at atmospheric pressure on the impermeable cold wall of the condenser, forming purified liquid droplets.

[0019] In practice, when a hot liquid (whether or not a multi-component mixture) comes into contact with a liquid or surface at a temperature lower than its own and lower than the atmospheric dew point near a colder surface or liquid, a vapor pressure difference is created, triggering evaporation and condensation processes. The vapor generated by the liquid forming on the hot liquid surface moves towards the liquid or surface at a temperature lower than its condensation temperature and condenses on that liquid or surface. During this process, the hot liquid cools as the heat required for evaporation is carried away, while the cold liquid or surface cools as it absorbs the heat released during condensation.

[0020] Implementing this physical principle in practical applications presents numerous technical and functional challenges. One known problem is that hot liquids may be sprayed onto cold liquids or cold surfaces, mixing with the condensate and leading to condensate contamination or loss.

[0021] In the apparatus described above, the semi-permeable membrane disposed between the nozzle and the condenser wall can separate the purified fluid vapor from the unpurified fluid droplets. Thus, only the purified portion of the fluid dispersed in droplets can enter the space defined by the condenser wall and the membrane, without being "contaminated" by the unpurified fluid flowing on the other side of the membrane (the side where the nozzle is located). The membrane can operate under the same pressure (e.g., atmospheric pressure) on both sides, thus experiencing less mechanical stress. Consequently, no special mechanical properties are required, thereby reducing manufacturing costs.

[0022] Therefore, in the context of this invention, the phrase "impermeable to fluids dispersed in droplet form" refers to the membrane's property of preventing droplet permeation during device operation (especially when the nozzle disperses the fluid in droplet form). For example, membranes that do not absorb droplets, membranes made of hydrophobic materials, or membranes coated with hydrophobic materials (these types of membranes do not allow droplet permeation) are all within the scope of this invention. It should be noted that the membrane does not necessarily have to be completely impermeable to liquids: for example, when the membrane is subjected to high liquid pressure (such as when a liquid jet impacts the membrane), it may become permeable, allowing liquid to pass through. However, the key is that the membrane must be able to prevent droplet permeation to ensure that only pure liquid vapor can enter the space between the condenser and the membrane, while impure liquid cannot enter that space.

[0023] Of course, the device may include multiple of the above-mentioned components (such as...) Figure 1 (As shown). By increasing the required number of channels and nozzles to achieve heat and mass exchange, the exchange area can be increased in a modular manner.

[0024] The first and second spaces described below may also be referred to as “channels” or “fluid channels.” A “channel” or “fluid channel” refers to an element or group of elements that allows for the circulation of gaseous fluids or the flow / circulation of liquid fluids. Fluid channels can transport vapors of gaseous fluids and / or collect liquid droplets dripping along the channel. In particular, when the fluid channel is made of two membranes or two fabric-like walls, and these membranes or walls are mounted on a frame, parallel to each other, and spaced apart by a distance equal to the channel thickness (similar to a beehive frame or partition structure), while a seal is achieved between the frames by elements connecting the frames (the sealing method depends on the channel thickness), the thickness of the fluid channel can be less than or even much less than its length and width.

[0025] For example, the nozzle can be a spray nozzle. In this embodiment, the fluid is sprayed through the spray nozzle in the form of fine droplets, and the spray direction can be parallel to the membrane. The fine droplets not only facilitate liquid evaporation but also reduce the pressure on the membrane.

[0026] For example, the nozzle can be a jet nozzle. In this embodiment, fluid is ejected in the form of a jet through the spray nozzle, and the jet direction can be parallel to the membrane.

[0027] In addition, other implementation methods can be adopted. For example, the nozzle can be a hollow rod (or handle) (or pipe) with several small holes drilled along its length, through which liquid can be dispersed in the form of droplets.

[0028] In one or more embodiments, the membrane has a first surface facing a first space and a second surface facing a second space, and the membrane is structurally designed such that the first surface and the second surface can operate under the same pressure.

[0029] For example, the pressure mentioned above could be atmospheric pressure.

[0030] In one or more embodiments, the membrane and condenser wall extend in a generally vertical plane.

[0031] According to these embodiments, both the membrane and the condenser wall are planar structures (it should be noted that the membrane surface may have corrugations, and the condenser wall may also have patterns). "Approximately perpendicular" means that the angles formed by the membrane and the condenser wall with the ground are between 70° and 110°.

[0032] This structural design maximizes heat exchange and condensation area while minimizing the stress on the membrane.

[0033] In these embodiments, if the nozzle is a rod with a small hole, the rod can extend generally horizontally to disperse the fluid in droplets into the second space.

[0034] In one or more embodiments, the device further includes a first fluid distributor and a second fluid distributor, wherein the first fluid distributor is used to supply the liquid phase fluid to the nozzle, and the second fluid distributor is used to supply refrigerant fluid to the refrigerant fluid circulation loop.

[0035] The first distributor (hereinafter referred to as the "hot liquid distributor" or "hot water distributor") and the second distributor (hereinafter referred to as the "cold liquid / refrigerant distributor" or "cold water distributor") provide the device with a dispersed fluid and a refrigerant fluid, respectively, through nozzles. As detailed below, these two distributors can (possibly through other components) be connected so that the same fluid can be used both as a fluid dispersed in droplets and as a refrigerant fluid.

[0036] In one or more embodiments, the device includes a collector for collecting at least a portion of the fluid dispersed in droplets by the nozzle and circulating in a second space.

[0037] This collector, hereinafter referred to as a "hot liquid collector" or "hot water collector," has the advantage of recovering the portion of fluid that, after being dispersed in droplets by the nozzle, does not pass through the membrane as vapor. The recovered fluid has multiple uses. For example, when the "purity" of the recovered fluid is too low (e.g., too high salt content), it can be discharged from the device. Alternatively, as detailed later, the recovered fluid can be cooled and used as a refrigerant. It should be noted that the temperature of the liquid collected by the hot liquid collector is lower than the temperature of the liquid at the nozzle outlet because the liquid cools due to evaporation as it flows through the secondary space.

[0038] In one or more embodiments, the refrigerant fluid circulation loop, the nozzle, and the second space belong to the same fluid loop.

[0039] In this document, "fluid circuit" refers to a fluid circulation circuit, that is, a circuit that enables fluid exchange between components. Therefore, according to these embodiments, the same fluid can circulate in the refrigerant fluid circulation circuit and the second space. That is, the fluid circulating in the second space (which may pass through other components of the device, such as the cooling system) can enter the refrigerant fluid circulation circuit for circulation, and / or the fluid circulating in the refrigerant fluid circulation circuit can be dispersed into the second space through nozzles.

[0040] Specifically, the fluid circuit can be a "closed fluid circuit" (or a "fluid circulation circuit"), meaning that at least a portion of the fluid flowing out of the circuit outlet is re-injected into the circuit inlet. It should be noted that a "closed circuit" does not preclude the possibility of fluid input and / or output devices within the circuit. In other words, a portion of the circulating fluid (such as a high-salt liquid) can be discharged from the closed circuit, and / or fluid from outside the circuit (such as a low-salt liquid) can be added to the closed circuit.

[0041] In addition, other implementation methods can be adopted. For example, the fluid circulating in the second space can be reinjected into the refrigerant circulation loop and then discharged from the refrigerant circulation loop outlet; as another example, the fluid circulating in the refrigerant circulation loop can be dispersed into the second space through a nozzle, and the remaining liquid in the second space can then be discharged. The loops in the above examples are not closed fluid loops (because the loops do not form a cycle), but there is indeed fluid exchange between the refrigerant circulation loop, the nozzle, and the second space, so for the purposes of this invention, they belong to the same fluid loop.

[0042] To realize the above-mentioned fluid circuit, the refrigerant circulation circuit may be provided with an inlet and an outlet, and the device may also include a first connecting circuit, which connects the outlet of the refrigerant fluid circulation circuit to a first fluid distributor.

[0043] In this document, a “connection loop” between two components refers to an element or group of elements that enables fluid to circulate from one component to another. A connection loop may include, for example, one or more pipes, and one or more intermediate systems, which may include, for example, an inlet (through which fluid enters the system), a circulation loop through which fluid circulates within the system, and an outlet (through which fluid exits the system). Such a system may be, for example, a fluid heating or cooling system.

[0044] Therefore, in one embodiment, the first connection loop may include a heating system, a first connection pipe, and a second connection pipe; wherein the heating system is used to heat the fluid circulating in the first connection loop; the first connection pipe is used to connect the outlet of the refrigerant fluid circulation loop to the heating system; and the second connection pipe is used to connect the heating system to the first fluid distributor.

[0045] This heating system is advantageous for heating the fluid flowing out of the condenser circulation loop to a first temperature, and the heated fluid can then be used to supply liquid to the nozzle.

[0046] In addition, the collector can be connected to a second fluid distributor.

[0047] In this way, the fluid collected by the collector can be reinjected into the second fluid distributor and used as refrigerant in the condenser circulation loop.

[0048] In this embodiment, the collector can be connected to a second fluid distributor via a second connection loop. The second connection loop includes a cooling system, a third connection pipe, and a fourth connection pipe; wherein, the cooling system is used to cool the fluid circulating in the second connection loop; the third connection pipe is used to connect the cooling system to the inlet of the refrigerant fluid circulation loop; and the fourth connection pipe is used to connect the cooling system to the collector.

[0049] This cooling system is beneficial for cooling the portion of the unpurified fluid that, after being dispersed by the nozzle in droplet form, does not pass through the membrane in vapor form, making it usable as a refrigerant fluid.

[0050] As mentioned above, in some embodiments, the refrigerant fluid circulation loop and the second space belong to the same closed fluid loop.

[0051] In one or more alternative embodiments, the refrigerant fluid circulation loop and the second space are two independent fluid loops.

[0052] In other words, according to these embodiments, there is no fluid exchange between the second space and the refrigerant fluid circulation loop. Therefore, the fluid circulating in the condenser and the fluid dispersed through the nozzles are not necessarily the same fluid.

[0053] In one or more embodiments, the device may also include a drain for collecting condensate formed on the condenser wall.

[0054] In this article, "drainage channel" refers to any component that can collect condensate (i.e., clean liquid) that forms on the condenser wall. For example, a drainage channel can be a trough connected to the condenser wall (such as...). Figure 1 (as shown in the example), and the tank has a certain slope to transport the condensate to the purified liquid collector; the drain can also be one or more raised patterns on the condenser wall, which have the same function as the tank described above.

[0055] The drain tank serves two purposes: it can recover condensate (purified liquid) and it can prevent condensate from coming into contact with the collector (the collector contains fluid that has not evaporated after being dispersed by the nozzle and has not passed through the membrane, and its purity is lower than that of the fluid dispersed by the nozzle). Therefore, the drain tank can collect condensate without it coming into contact with unpurified fluid and then transport it to a pure water circuit or storage tank.

[0056] Another aspect of the present invention relates to a method for purifying a liquid fluid using the above-described apparatus, the method comprising the following steps: • The fluid is dispersed into droplets through a nozzle, and the fluid dispersed into droplets is at a first temperature; • Supplying refrigerant fluid at a second temperature, which is strictly lower than the first temperature, into the condenser circulation loop; and • The liquid phase purified fluid, which is formed by the condensation of the gas phase purified fluid on the condenser wall, is collected. The gas phase purified fluid is formed by the gas phase portion of the fluid dispersed into droplets passing through the membrane.

[0057] In one or more embodiments, the fluid dispersed in droplet form is saline water, and the liquid-phase purification fluid is pure water.

[0058] In one or more embodiments, the nozzle disperses the fluid in droplet form along a first direction, while the refrigerant fluid circulates in the condenser loop along a second direction opposite to the first direction.

[0059] According to these embodiments, the refrigerant fluid and the droplet fluid dispersed by the nozzle flow in opposite directions, which is beneficial to improving heat exchange efficiency.

[0060] In one or more embodiments, the method further includes the following steps: • Collects a portion of the fluid that is dispersed in droplets by the nozzle and circulates within the region containing the nozzle defined by the membrane; • Cool the collected portion of fluid to a second temperature;

[0061] The cooled portion of the fluid is at least partially used to supply liquid to the condenser circulation loop.

[0062] According to these embodiments, the remaining portion of the unpurified droplets dispersed by the nozzle that did not pass through the membrane in the form of vapor is recovered, cooled, and reinjected into the system as a refrigerant fluid.

[0063] In addition, the method may also include the following steps: • Heat the refrigerant fluid flowing out of the condenser circulation loop outlet to a first temperature;

[0064] The heated refrigerant fluid is used at least in part as the fluid required for the nozzle to disperse the droplets.

[0065] In this case, the refrigerant fluid is heated after flowing through the condenser and used to supply liquid to the nozzle.

[0066] The aforementioned additional steps facilitate closed-loop operation, allowing the fluid to be reused, sometimes as a hot fluid supplied to the nozzle, and sometimes as a refrigerant. As explained in detail below, the refrigerant fluid heats up as it flows through the condenser, while the unevaporated portion of the fluid dispersed in the nozzle cools down as it moves from being dispersed into droplets to being collected. Therefore, the fluid to be heated is already partially heated, reducing the energy required to heat the fluid exiting the condenser to a first temperature. In other words, the heat of condensation can be used to reduce the energy consumption required for system operation. Brief description of the attached figures

[0067] Other features and advantages of the invention can be further understood by reading the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The drawings are for illustrative purposes only and do not constitute a limitation of the invention.

[0068] Figure 1 This is an example diagram of an apparatus for purifying liquid fluids according to one embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0069] The following uses water as an example to illustrate the relevant phenomena, but it should be understood that the present invention is applicable to any fluid.

[0070] Figure 1 This is an example diagram of an apparatus for purifying liquid fluids according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0071] Figure 1 The illustrated device comprises multiple semi-permeable membranes 5, meaning these membranes allow gaseous fluids to pass through but not liquid fluids. More precisely, when a liquid fluid (e.g., impinges on the membrane 5 in droplet form) is present, the membrane 5 prevents it from passing through. The core objective of this invention is to ensure that, in this technical scenario, only liquid gas molecules can pass through the membrane 5. The device also includes multiple condensers (or cold traps) 9. As used herein, "condenser" refers to a device for condensing (or liquefying) vapor. For example, each condenser may be a flat-plate condenser comprising two walls 9a, 9b, with a refrigerant fluid circulation loop formed between the walls. The walls 9a, 9b of the condenser 9 are preferably impermeable to fluids (whether liquid or gaseous).

[0072] Membrane 5 does not allow the liquid dispersed by nozzle 3 to pass through. For example, membrane 5 can prevent droplets from passing through. The material used to make membrane 5 can be one or more of the following: polytetrafluoroethylene (Teflon or PTFE), polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), polypropylene (PP), and polyethylene (PE). Those skilled in the art can determine the pore size of membrane 5 through conventional testing, and membranes with pore sizes in the range of 60 micrometers to 60 nanometers are typically selected. In some embodiments, membrane 5 may be made of a liquid-impermeable fabric treated to prevent liquid penetration.

[0073] The walls of the condenser (or cold trap) can be made of metal or other thermally conductive materials. For example, stainless steel can be used; if the cold liquid circulating in the condenser is brine or corrosive water, plastic can also be used.

[0074] Refer again Figure 1 The membrane 5 and the condenser 9 are arranged in pairs and alternately, that is, there are two membranes 5 between the two condensers 9.

[0075] Two membranes 5 between two adjacent condensers 9 define a space 4, above which nozzles 3 are positioned to disperse the liquid fluid in droplet form. This space constitutes a "first fluid channel" 4, within which the fluid dispersed by the nozzles 3 circulates. As used herein, "fluid channel" refers to a space where fluid (liquid or gaseous phase) can flow or circulate. The fluid channel is preferably defined by two separators (such as the membranes 5 and / or the walls of the condensers 9), a structure that maximizes the area for heat or mass exchange (such as vapor permeation).

[0076] The space 13 between the condenser 9 and the nearest membrane 3 is called the "second fluid channel" 13. Each second fluid channel 13 may be provided with a drain trough 11 or other device for collecting the liquid condensed on the condenser 9. The drain trough 11 may be connected to a pure water collector 12.

[0077] Therefore, in Figure 1 In the middle, a small liquid storage tank or drain tank 11 is provided between the channel 4 and the condenser 9 to collect liquid water droplets formed on the surfaces of the walls 9a and 9b of the condenser 9. The first channel 4, nozzle 3, drain tank 11 and condenser 9 constitute a periodic structural unit, which in Figure 1 The hot water distributor 2 and the hot water collector 6 are connected through a channel 4 containing a nozzle 3, and the cold water distributor 8 and the cold water collector 10 are connected through a condenser 9.

[0078] As can be seen from the following description, the technical solution of the present invention can be achieved as long as the device includes a nozzle 3, a membrane 5, and a condenser 9, with the membrane 5 located between the nozzle 3 and the condenser 9. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to a structure containing multiple nozzles 3, condensers 9, and membranes 5. When the device includes multiple of the above-mentioned elements, purified liquid can be collected in parallel in multiple channels (each channel is defined by the walls 9a and 9b of the membrane 5 and the condenser 9, for example, through multiple drainage channels similar to drainage channels 11), thereby increasing the amount of purified liquid collected.

[0079] Figure 1 The diagram also shows that the hot water source 1 is connected to the nozzle 3 located inside the membrane of the channel 4 via the hot water distributor 2 through a fluid connection, and the hot water collector 6 extends from the channel 4.

[0080] Figure 1The document also shows that the cold water source 7 is connected to the condenser 9 via the cold water distributor 8, and the cold water distributor 8 is connected to the cold water collector 10 via the condenser 9 through a fluid connection.

[0081] exist Figure 1 In this invention, the walls 9a and 9b of the membrane 5 and condenser 9 are both vertical and parallel surfaces. It should be understood that the parallelism of these components may vary to some extent without deviating from the technical solution of this application. Specifically, the gaseous fluid must be able to reach the wall of the condenser 9 through the channel 4. Therefore, in this application, the "vertical" characteristic of the walls 9a and 9b of the membrane 5 and condenser 9 should be understood as a feature that helps maximize the vapor liquefaction conversion efficiency between the inner side of the membrane in the first channel 4 and the surfaces of the walls 9a and 9b of the condenser 9. This structure also facilitates the collection of condensate through a drainage trough and reduces the overall volume of the device. From this perspective, in this invention and all its embodiments, "vertical" can be understood geometrically as an angle between 70° and 110° with respect to the ground.

[0082] According to the invention, an unpurified hot liquid (which may be a mixture, such as a liquid containing water and minerals, water and salt or other solutes) is introduced through a source 1 and then distributed to a nozzle 3 via a hot liquid distributor 2, which vertically disperses it into droplets inside a channel 4. For example, the unpurified hot liquid may be water from a water storage source (such as ocean, lake or wastewater storage pond) and may have been heated to a first temperature (i.e., a “hot” temperature).

[0083] A second liquid (called refrigerant fluid) with a temperature lower than that of the hot liquid is introduced through source 7 and then distributed to the cold liquid distributor 8. Figure 1 Each condenser 9 is arranged in parallel in the middle.

[0084] In this document, "hot liquid" refers to a liquid with a temperature higher than the highest temperature of the refrigerant fluid circulating in condenser 9. For example, the temperature difference between the hot liquid (when dispersed into droplets by nozzle 3) and the highest temperature of the refrigerant fluid circulating in condenser 9 can be greater than 30°C. For instance, the temperature at which the hot liquid disperses into droplets can be between 60°C and 90°C, while the temperature of the refrigerant fluid can be between 10°C and 30°C. Of course, the above temperatures are merely examples, and other temperatures or temperature differences may also be used.

[0085] Unpurified hot liquid is dispersed into droplets by nozzle 3 and flows within a channel 4 defined by two membranes 5. A portion of the unpurified hot liquid passes through membrane 5 as purified fluid vapor. For example, if the unpurified hot liquid is brine, a portion of it will pass through membrane 5 as pure water vapor. At this point, a liquid of lower purity (i.e., a higher concentration of at least one component, such as water with a higher salt content because some of the pure water has evaporated) remains within the channel 4 defined by the two membranes 5, and the temperature of this residual liquid is lower than that of the liquid at the nozzle 3 outlet. This residual liquid, containing a higher salt concentration and a lower temperature than the liquid at the nozzle 3 outlet, can then be collected in collector 6.

[0086] In practice, one or more membranes 5 serve to prevent all or part of the liquid dispersed in droplets within the channel 4 from entering the region 13 defined by the condenser 9 and the membranes 5. Only liquid vapor can pass through the membranes 5, thus preventing the hot liquid in the channel 4 from contacting the condensate vapor formed on the wall of the condenser 9 within region 13. When a temperature difference forms across the membrane 5, a vapor partial pressure difference is generated, which in turn drives the aforementioned process. This causes evaporation on the hot-side liquid surface, and the resulting vapor passes through the membrane 5 and then condenses on the cold side where the condenser 9 is located.

[0087] The space between the condenser 9 and the membrane 5 forms a channel 13, within which the hot liquid vapor generated by the nozzle 3 diffuses after passing through the membrane 5. The function of the condenser 9 is to condense this vapor on one of its walls 9a and 9b, forming a purified liquid. The purified liquid has a lower temperature than the vapor that produces it; conversely, the refrigerant liquid is heated when it comes into contact with the higher-temperature vapor through the walls 9a and 9b of the condenser 9.

[0088] After flowing through the condenser 9 circulation loop, the refrigerant liquid can be collected in the cold liquid collector 10, where its temperature is higher than the temperature at the inlet of the condenser 9 circulation loop.

[0089] Condensate (such as purified water) will slide down the wall of condenser 9 and can be collected by drain channels 11 provided on the wall (for example, multiple drain channels can be provided in the height direction of condenser 9). The condensate can then be transported laterally to a purified water storage tank or collector 12.

[0090] In an alternative embodiment, one or more drain channels 11 may be assembled with the condenser by mechanical attachment of the material constituting the drain channel, or may be formed directly from the external shape of the condenser by a molding process—that is, defined by the condenser wall, specifically by the shape of its outer surface that performs the condensation function.

[0091] It should be noted that, in Figure 1In the example shown, the arrangement of the components (along a direction parallel to the membrane 5, with the cold water collector 10 and refrigerant liquid distributor 8 as the initial orientation) is: cold water collector 10, hot water distributor 2, hot water collector 6, and refrigerant liquid distributor 8. This arrangement allows the liquid to flow in the opposite direction (countercurrent) in the refrigerant fluid circulation loop of the channel 4 and the condenser 9. This countercurrent flow method is beneficial for improving the heat exchange efficiency between the hot droplets generated by the nozzle 3 and the cold liquid (through the membrane 5 and the walls 9a, 9b of the condenser 9).

[0092] Other structural configurations can also be adopted. In one alternative embodiment of the invention, the arrangement order of the components (along a direction parallel to the membrane 5, with the cold water collector 10 and refrigerant distributor 8 as the initial orientation) is: cold water collector 10, hot water collector 6, hot water distributor 2, and refrigerant distributor 8. In this case, the liquid flows in the same direction in the refrigerant fluid circulation loop of the channel 4 and the condenser 9. Although the heat exchange efficiency in this case is lower than that in the reverse flow embodiment, the technical solution of the present invention is still feasible.

[0093] As described above, the implementation process of this invention is as follows: Hot water or hot fluid at a first temperature is supplied through source 1 and dispersed into droplets through nozzle 3 to form (purified) fluid vapor and fluid droplets (with a purity lower than that of the hot fluid dispersed by nozzle 3); the fluid vapor passes through membrane 5 (which is permeable to vapor but not to droplets) and reaches the impermeable walls 9a and 9b; refrigerant fluid is supplied to walls 9a and 9b through cold water source 7, and the refrigerant fluid is injected between the walls of condenser 9 at a second temperature lower than the first temperature. In this way, the fluid vapor condenses into pure water droplets on the surface of walls 9a and 9b, and the surface of walls 9a and 9b comes into contact with cold water or purified cold fluid at a temperature lower than the first temperature.

[0094] There are multiple implementation methods for supplying hot and cold fluids.

[0095] First implementation: Neither the hot nor cold fluid is reused; both are discharged directly after use. In this case, the hot and cold fluid supplies are open circuits and independent of each other. That is, the refrigerant liquid flows through the condenser 9 and is then discharged from the device; similarly, the unevaporated portion of the hot liquid (the liquid reaching the bottom of channel 4, whose temperature is lower than the temperature of the droplets dispersed by nozzle 3 and has a higher salt content) is also discharged from the device (e.g., into the wastewater circuit). New refrigerant fluid is injected into the condenser 9 through the cold water source 7, and new hot liquid is supplied to the nozzle 3 through the hot liquid distributor 2.

[0096] The second implementation involves reusing the hot fluid for further purification. Specifically, the portion of the hot, saline liquid droplets dispersed by nozzle 3 that does not pass through membrane 5 as vapor is collected at the bottom of channel 4. Since this residual liquid is cooled as it flows through channel 4, it can be heated to a first temperature by a heating system and then reinjected into the hot fluid distributor 2, where it is dispersed into droplets by nozzle 3. For example, liquid collector 6 can be connected to the inlet of the heating system via a connecting pipe, and the outlet of the heating system can be connected to the hot fluid distributor 2 via a connecting pipe. In this case, the hot fluid supply is referred to as a "closed loop," but it should be noted that this term does not preclude the possibility of injecting liquid into the loop via hot water supply 1. In this implementation, after the liquid passes through the device several times, the salt content of the residual liquid becomes very high, thus requiring it to be discharged after a certain number of cycles. Alternatively, a liquid with a lower salt content (such as seawater heated to a first temperature) can be reinjected after each passage through the device or after a predetermined number of cycles. Therefore, in this implementation, the hot fluid distributor 2 is preferably connected to an unpurified liquid source via a heating system to periodically dilute the hot liquid droplets dispersed by nozzle 3. In the second embodiment, the refrigerant can be discharged in the same manner as in the first embodiment, or it can be reused using the third embodiment described below. However, in this embodiment, the hot fluid supply and the refrigerant fluid supply remain independent of each other.

[0097] The third embodiment (compatible with the second embodiment): The refrigerant fluid at the outlet of condenser 9 is re-injected into its inlet. That is, the cold liquid collector 10 is connected to the cold liquid distributor 8, allowing the refrigerant flowing from condenser 9 into the cold liquid collector 10 to be re-injected into the inlet of condenser 9 via the cold liquid distributor 8. When the refrigerant fluid flows from the condenser inlet (connected to the cold liquid distributor 8) to the condenser 9 outlet (entering the cold liquid collector 10), it is heated by contact between hot liquid vapor and the condenser walls 9a and 9b. Therefore, the refrigerant fluid flowing from the outlet of condenser 9 is preferably cooled by a cooling system before being re-injected into condenser 9. For example, the cold liquid collector 10 can be connected to the inlet of the cooling system via a connecting pipe, and the outlet of the cooling system can be connected to the cold liquid distributor via another connecting pipe. According to this embodiment, the refrigerant fluid supply is a "closed loop" (no additional refrigerant fluid is required because it does not change or leak). In the third embodiment, the hot fluid is discharged in the same manner as in the first embodiment, and it can also be reused using the second embodiment. However, in the third embodiment, the hot fluid supply and the refrigerant fluid supply remain independent of each other.

[0098] The fourth implementation: The hot fluid supply and refrigerant fluid supply are not independent: the residual portion of the hot liquid, after being cooled to a second temperature, is used as refrigerant liquid, and then heated to a first temperature at the outlet of condenser 9, dispersed into droplets by nozzle 3, thus circulating. It should be noted that the coolant flowing out of the outlet of condenser 9 is heated, which reduces the energy required to heat it to the first temperature. Therefore, the residual portion of the hot fluid flowing out of the outlet of channel 4 is cooled, which also reduces the energy required to cool it to the second temperature. To implement the fourth implementation, for example, the hot liquid collector 6 can be connected to the inlet of the cooling system, and the outlet of the cooling system can be connected to the cold liquid distributor 8 to supply liquid to condenser 9. The cold liquid collector 10 can be connected to the inlet of the heating system, and the outlet of the heating system can be connected to the hot liquid distributor 2 to supply liquid to nozzle 3, which disperses the liquid into droplets. In the fourth implementation, there is only one closed-loop fluid supply circuit in which the hot fluid and subsequently (possibly with a higher salt content) the same cooling fluid flow. It should also be noted that the term "closed-loop" does not preclude the possibility of adding additional liquid to the fluid circulation circuit. In practice, after the liquid has passed through the device several times, the salt content of the residual liquid may become very high. Therefore, periodically or when the salt concentration of the circulating liquid exceeds a threshold, a liquid with a lower salt content (such as seawater) can be reinjected into the fluid circulation loop. For example, the cooling system and / or heating system may have an inlet for receiving the liquid with a lower salt content; alternatively, the liquid with a lower salt content may be supplied upstream of the cooling system or heating system. Therefore, in the fourth embodiment, the liquid circulation loop is preferably connected to an unpurified liquid source to periodically dilute the circulating liquid that supplies both the condenser 9 and the nozzle 3.

[0099] The fourth embodiment improves the thermodynamic efficiency of the liquid purification method. Specifically, latent heat exchange occurs between the fluid vapor and the fluid droplets dispersed in the form of circulating droplets in an unstratified liquid phase, upon contact with the wall. This characteristic not only helps improve condensation efficiency but also heats the recovered liquid, thereby reducing the energy required to heat the recovered liquid to the dispersion temperature of nozzle 3. Compared to other embodiments, this embodiment can save 50% of heating energy consumption, although the figure may vary depending on the size of the device.

[0100] In a fourth embodiment, a pump can be used to draw liquid dispersed in the form of hot droplets and liquid from a hot water source, thereby providing initial hot water to the nozzle of the closed fluid loop, thus enabling the device of this application to function as a pure water or purified liquid generator. In other words, in this embodiment, the device includes an initial hot water supply, where hot water is dispersed in droplets through a nozzle and separated by a membrane that is permeable to water vapor but impermeable to the dispersed water droplets and does not absorb water; it also includes a fluid-impermeable condenser, one side of which is in contact with cold water and the other side with the condensed water vapor collected. The water vapor is transported through the membrane from the area between the nozzle and the condenser and condenses to form pure water droplets. The purified liquid can be collected through one or more drain channels provided on the surface of the condenser.

[0101] Reference Figure 1 A first fluid connection can be established between the hot water collector 6 and the cold water source 7, and a second fluid connection can be established between the cold water collector 10 and the hot water supply 1 of the nozzle 3, thereby forming a closed fluid loop in the fourth embodiment. Furthermore, a cooling device (especially a heat exchanger) can be inserted into the first connecting pipe. Finally, a heating device (such as a heat exchanger with a heat source) can be inserted into the second connecting pipe, and a pump can also be connected in series in the second connecting pipe, ultimately forming a complete purified fluid (especially pure water) generating device.

[0102] In all embodiments, the heating system may include, for example, a resistance heater, or a system that enables thermal contact between the fluid and a heat source (i.e., a heat source at a temperature higher than that of the fluid). Particularly advantageously, the heating system may utilize waste heat from industrial processes.

[0103] A cooling system can be a system that allows a fluid to come into thermal contact with a cold source (i.e., a cold source whose temperature is lower than that of the fluid).

[0104] In one or more embodiments, the liquid can be compressed after being dispersed into droplets by the nozzle. The liquid in a "dispersed" state (i.e., in droplet form) can be collected or gathered at the outlet of channel 4 to restore it to a "non-dispersed" liquid state (i.e., gathered state rather than droplet state). Then, the liquid is drawn in by a pump and the liquid is pressurized by the pump.

[0105] The following text will take a seawater purification device that produces 30 tons of pure water condensate per day as an example to explain in detail the parameter design of each characteristic of the device in one embodiment. This example is for illustration only.

[0106] Cold, saline seawater (such as seawater drawn from the ocean) can be used as a cold source and diluent, as well as a heat source, such as heat generated by solar heating or waste heat recovery from engines.

[0107] Cold, saline seawater can be introduced into a closed fluid loop and circulated within the loop by a pump.

[0108] In this closed fluid loop, seawater, flowing through condenser 9, is preheated by condensed water vapor through a counter-current flow (counter-current configuration) with the hot droplets. Subsequently, it is further heated by a heat source in the first independent fluid heat exchanger. Next, the seawater flows through a nozzle immersed in the atmosphere and is dispersed into the atmosphere as droplets (e.g., a spray), losing some water vapor in the process. It is then collected in a storage tank as concentrated salt. The concentrated salt seawater is drawn from the storage tank and cooled with cold seawater in a second independent fluid heat exchanger. Finally, it is diluted with cold seawater in a mixer. In the atmospheric environment, a membrane 5, permeable to water vapor but impermeable to liquid water, is provided between nozzle 3 and condenser 9. This membrane enables independent fluid condensation between the liquid ejected from nozzle 3 and the condensate. Condenser 9 is made of an impermeable material, separating the circulating liquid and condensate within it.

[0109] In this way, a closed seawater loop can be formed; in this loop, water vapor escaping from the droplets and transported through the membrane condenses on the outer wall of the condenser, forming condensate. The resulting pure water will not come into contact with any of the following forms of seawater throughout the process: seawater dispersed by the nozzles, seawater flowing inside the condenser, or seawater stored in the obtained hot water source.

[0110] Since water vapor escapes from the loop as steam, the mixer can use seawater from a cold water source to dilute the seawater whose salt concentration has increased due to evaporation. In this process, the seawater source primarily serves as a storage medium, storing seawater with a constant salt concentration. The mixer can be connected intermittently or continuously to the loop based on the required salt concentration range of the seawater circulating in the closed loop.

[0111] In addition, the seawater source can be used to further cool the concentrated salt water flowing out of the hot water collector, bringing its temperature close to that of the cold saline seawater source. At this point, the seawater source plays a secondary role in heat storage, which is another major advantage.

[0112] The device designed as described above offers significant advantages in heat and condensation recovery. Tests conducted on this device used two different condenser and membrane heights (the condenser and membrane were the same height): a height of 3 meters in the first test and a height of 2 meters in the second test. This size design allows for energy consumption of 300 kWh per cubic meter (first case) to 450 kWh per cubic meter (second case). In contrast, a device without heat recovery consumes approximately 700 kWh per cubic meter. Therefore, the first test case represents a 57% reduction in energy consumption, and the second test case represents a 35% reduction.

[0113] Based on this energy efficiency, to achieve the goal of producing 30 tons of pure water per day, the fluid flow rate at the nozzle needs to reach 6.55 kg / s. The inlet flow rate of the mixer can be divided into two parts: 5.51 kg / s from the water collected by the droplets ejected from the nozzle, and 1.04 kg / s from the water drawn from the cold seawater source.

[0114] To ensure that the water temperature at the mixer outlet and nozzle inlet is 2.5K higher than the cold seawater source temperature, the flow rate of the cold seawater used for additional cooling through sensible heat loss can be adjusted to make its temperature 3K higher than the cold seawater source temperature. Similarly, under stable pure water production conditions, the heat source temperature can be 58K higher than the cold seawater source temperature.

[0115] To achieve the above performance indicators, the temperature of the cold seawater source can be set to 305K, and the temperature of the hot seawater source can be set to 363K.

[0116] Those skilled in the art can adjust the size of the device in the above embodiments through simple routine experiments, based on the recovered heat, available solar energy, and climatic conditions, to achieve different pure water outputs or different energy efficiencies, and these adjustments will not deviate from the technical teachings of this application.

[0117] The technical solution of this application can also be extended to solvents containing solutes to obtain purified (or pure) solvents or ultrapure (or ultrapure) solvents.

[0118] In all embodiments of this application, the membrane must not come into mechanical contact with the condenser wall; this is essential to ensure that the purified fluid achieves optimal purity. However, if there are contact points between the membrane and the wall, the apparatus and method of this invention can still operate, but performance will be reduced. For example, for water with an initial mineral conductivity of 500 microsiemens / cm, the conductivity of the purified water can be less than 9 microsiemens / cm when there is no mechanical contact between the membrane and the wall; while when there are contact points between the membrane and the wall, the conductivity of the purified water is approximately 50 microsiemens / cm.

Claims

1. An apparatus for purifying liquid fluids, comprising: Nozzle (3) for dispersing the fluid into the atmosphere in the form of droplets; The walls (9a, 9b) of the condenser (9); and A membrane (5) is provided, which allows the fluid in the gas phase to pass through but does not allow the fluid dispersed in the atmosphere in the form of droplets to pass through, and the membrane (5) is disposed between the nozzle (3) and the wall of the condenser (9); The condenser (9) wall and the membrane (5) define a first space (13), and the membrane (5) separates the first space (13) from the second space (4) containing the nozzle (3). The condenser (9) is provided with a refrigerant fluid circulation loop. The condenser (9) wall separates the refrigerant fluid circulation loop from the first space (13). The condenser (9) wall cannot allow liquid fluid or gaseous fluid to pass through. At the same time, its structural design allows the gaseous fluid passing through the membrane to condense into a liquid purified fluid.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, The membrane (5) has a first surface facing the first space (13) and a second surface facing the second space (4), and the structure of the membrane (5) is designed so that the first surface and the second surface can work under the same pressure.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein, The pressure mentioned is atmospheric pressure.

4. The apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, wherein, The walls of the membrane (5) and the condenser (9) extend in a generally vertical plane.

5. The apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, wherein, It also includes a first fluid distributor (2) and a second fluid distributor (8), the first fluid distributor (2) being used to supply the liquid phase fluid to the nozzle (3), and the second fluid distributor (8) being used to supply refrigerant fluid to the refrigerant fluid circulation loop.

6. The apparatus according to the preceding claim, wherein, It also includes a collector (6) for collecting at least a portion of the fluid dispersed in droplets by the nozzle (3) and flowing in the second space (4).

7. The apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, wherein, The refrigerant fluid circulation loop, the nozzle (3), and the second space (4) belong to the same fluid loop.

8. The apparatus according to the combination of claim 7 and claim 5, wherein, The refrigerant fluid circulation loop is provided with an inlet and an outlet. The device also includes a first connecting loop, which connects the outlet of the refrigerant fluid circulation loop to the first fluid distributor (2).

9. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein, The first connection loop includes a heating system, a first connection pipe, and a second connection pipe; the heating system is used to heat the fluid flowing in the first connection loop; the first connection pipe is used to connect the outlet of the refrigerant fluid circulation loop to the heating system; the second connection pipe is used to connect the heating system to the first fluid distributor (2).

10. The apparatus according to the combination of claim 9 and claim 6, wherein, The collector (6) is connected to the second fluid distributor (8).

11. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein, The collector is connected to the second fluid distributor (8) via a second connection loop; the second connection loop includes a cooling system, a third connection pipe, and a fourth connection pipe; the cooling system is used to cool the fluid flowing in the second connection loop; the third connection pipe is used to connect the cooling system to the inlet of the refrigerant circulation loop; the fourth connection pipe is used to connect the cooling system to the collector (6).

12. The apparatus according to any one of claims 7 to 11, wherein, The refrigerant circulation loop, the nozzle (3), and the second space (4) belong to the same closed fluid loop.

13. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein, The refrigerant fluid circulation loop and the second space (4) are two independent fluid loops.

14. The apparatus according to any of the preceding claims further includes a drain (11) for collecting condensate formed on the wall of the condenser (9).

15. A method for purifying a liquid fluid using the apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 14, comprising the following steps: The fluid is dispersed in droplet form through the nozzle (3), and the fluid dispersed into droplets is at a first temperature; A refrigerant fluid at a second temperature, which is strictly lower than the first temperature, is supplied to the circulation loop of the condenser (9). and The liquid phase purified fluid collected on the wall of the condenser (9) is formed by the condensation of the gas phase purified fluid, which is formed by the gas phase portion of the fluid dispersed into droplets passing through the membrane (5).

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein, The fluid dispersed in droplet form is saline water, and the liquid-phase purification fluid is pure water.

17. The method according to any one of claims 15 to 16, wherein, The nozzle (3) disperses the fluid in droplet form along a first direction, and the refrigerant fluid flows in the circulation loop of the condenser (9) along a second direction opposite to the first direction.

18. The method according to any one of claims 15 to 17, wherein, It also includes the following steps: Collect a portion of the fluid dispersed in droplet form by the nozzle (3) and flowing within the region containing the nozzle (3) defined by the membrane (5); The collected portion of fluid is cooled to the second temperature; The cooled portion of the fluid is used at least in part to supply liquid to the circulation loop of the condenser (9).

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein, It also includes the following steps: The refrigerant fluid flowing out of the circulation loop outlet of the condenser (9) is heated to the first temperature; The heated refrigerant fluid is used at least in part as the fluid required for the nozzle (3) to disperse the droplets.

Images