Domestic solar thermal distillation apparatus

Abstract

To provide a distillation apparatus using solar heat to obtain fresh water from seawater or sewage.SOLUTION: The present invention provides a distillation apparatus using solar heat, comprising a container filled with seawater or sewage, the container being surrounded by a transparent material to create a closed space, wherein water vapor evaporated from the container condenses into water droplets on the inner surface of the transparent material, and fresh water flowing down the inner wall of the transparent material is collected in a space below the container.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a distillation apparatus that can be used at home to obtain fresh water from seawater or wastewater using solar heat. [Background technology]

[0002] There are two patent documents, Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2, which propose a solar distillation device that uses solar heat to obtain fresh water for daily life from raw water such as seawater. The water vapor evaporated from the water surface and the ground is condensed on a roof-shaped slope, and water droplets that run down the slope are collected by creating grooves under both slopes of the roof. Both documents state that the equipment is easy to assemble and can be manufactured inexpensively, but it is larger than an ordinary car and is not at a level where an average housewife can assemble it by herself. In addition, it has not been put to use, perhaps because it cannot obtain enough water for daily life. In Non-Patent Document 1, it is reported that when titanium nitride nanoparticles were dispersed in water and irradiated with sunlight, it was experimentally confirmed that the light was converted into heat with a high efficiency of nearly 90%, and it is hoped that it will be put to practical use soon. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 55-152587 [Patent Document 2] Patent Publication No. 10-286559 [Non-patent literature]

[0004] [Non-Patent Document 1] "Success in efficient water heating using solar heat with nanoparticles" 2016.01.25 National Institute for Materials Science Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] It is difficult to obtain drinkable water when the water supply and electricity are cut off due to natural disasters such as floods and earthquakes. It is good to have a way to obtain clean water yourself. It is desirable to obtain fresh water from seawater or wastewater on a daily basis, and it is desirable to have a device that can be assembled by one person on the beach of a remote island, by a muddy riverbank, or on the veranda or rooftop of a home, and that can obtain drinkable fresh water from seawater or wastewater using solar heat. The present invention is intended to solve the above problems. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A container for holding seawater or wastewater is provided, a holding part consisting of a rope, hook, lattice, support stand, etc. is provided to hold the container in the air, a transparent bag is provided to enclose the space around the container, and a fastening part is provided to close the mouth of the transparent bag to create an airtight space around the container, and water vapor evaporated from the container is condensed inside the transparent bag, and the water droplets flow downward along the inner wall of the transparent bag and gather under the transparent bag to obtain fresh water. The transparent bag may be made of transparent resin or glass. This is a simple distillation device that uses solar heat and is characterized by the above. Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to the present invention, seawater or wastewater can be turned into fresh water by utilizing the heat of sunlight in a sunny outdoor location or on a balcony or rooftop where clothes can be hung out to dry. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a hanging type using a lattice according to the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a vertical central cross-sectional view of FIG. 1 when the present invention is used; [Diagram 3] FIG. 1 is a vertical central cross-sectional view of a hanging type that retains space from the outside in the early stages of the present invention. [Figure 4] A cross-sectional view of the system with a supply pipe in place and a water intake near the fresh water reservoir shown in Figure 3 . [Diagram 5] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an example of a box-type hanging type for outdoor use of the present invention. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the container of the present invention before a transparent bag is attached when the container is held from the side. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a central cross-sectional view of the side of the device of the present invention when a transparent bag is attached to the device of FIG. 6 during use. [Figure 8] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an example in which a plurality of units according to FIG. 6 of the present invention are installed for outdoor use. [Figure 9] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing four support stands of the present invention placed at the four corners of a lattice before a transparent bag is attached. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a side cross-sectional view of the present invention when a transparent bag is attached to FIG. 9 and used. [Figure 11] 1 is a perspective view of a container of the present invention with a roof-shaped transparent resin plate placed on top and surrounded by a transparent bag. [Figure 12] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the present invention made from a resin plate and provided with a refill pipe and a water intake port. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is an enlarged perspective view of FIG. 12 of the present invention with a vertical transparent wall provided. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described. The present invention is considered to have four configurations. There are four patterns: I. When the container is hung, II. When the container is held from the side, III. When the container is held from above and below, IV. When transparent resin is used.

[0010] I An embodiment for suspending a container will now be described. (i) Provide a container (1) for holding seawater or wastewater (3). (b) A holder (5) is provided for holding the container (1) in the air, the holder (5) being made up of hooks (5a), ropes (5b), a lattice (5c), a surface (10) on which the container is placed, or the like. (c) A transparent bag (2) is provided around the container (1) to create an airtight space. The lattice (5c) is wider than the container (1) so that the transparent bag (2) does not come into contact with the container (1). (d) A fastening portion (2a) for closing the opening of the transparent bag (2) is provided on the hook (5a) or the rod portion (5d). The present invention is based on the above configuration. The present invention will be described in terms of hanging on a clothesline pole (6), which is the most convenient way to use the present invention at home. In Fig. 1, a container (1) is hung on a clothesline pole (6) by placing it on the lattice (5c) of a holder (5) consisting of hooks (5a), ropes (5b), and lattices (5c), seawater or wastewater (3) is poured into the container (1), and a transparent bag (2) is opened with both hands from under the lattice (5c) to enclose the container (1) while creating a space around it, and a fastening part (2a) is provided at the straight part of the hooks (5a) of the holder, and an airtight space is created with the transparent bag (2). The heat of the sun heats the container (1) and the water vapor that evaporates condenses on the top and inside of the sides of the transparent bag (2) that has been cooled by wind, etc., turns into water droplets that flow downward by gravity and are stored as fresh water (4) at the bottom inside the transparent bag (2).

[0011] The transparent bags (2) can be made of synthetic resin such as polyvinyl chloride, or synthetic resin plastic bags mainly made of polyethylene or polypropylene. In this project, we mainly used transparent polyethylene bags measuring 130 x 120 cm and 150 L, as shown in Figures 1 to 10.

[0012] Fig. 3 shows the initial design of the present invention, in which the transparent bag (2) is in contact with the container (1) and water droplets condensed above the container (1) are prevented from flowing into the container (1) by hanging a number of fasteners (10) such as clothespins from a clothesline pole (9) or the like to pull and hold the transparent bag (2) so that it swells. In Fig. 1, a lattice (5c) is provided under the container (1), but the lattice (5c) serves as a stand and also as a protrusion from the inside that maintains a space for air to flow around the container (1), and the hanging transparent bag (2) is pulled downward by its own weight and the weight of the fresh water (4), reducing contact between the container (1) and the transparent bag (2).

[0013] When replenishing seawater or wastewater (3) into the container (1) or when obtaining fresh water (4) stored in the transparent bag (2), the fastening part (2a) of the transparent bag (2) must be untied. As a countermeasure, in Fig. 4, a supply pipe (12) for replenishing seawater or wastewater from the outside of the container is provided passing through the fastening part (2a), and a supply water tank (12) is provided outside. The water level in the water tank (12a) and the container (1) can be made the same so that the water can be automatically replenished. Also, if a water intake port (2b) is provided near the fresh water (4) storage area at the bottom of the transparent bag (2), the fresh water (4) can be collected without removing the transparent bag (2). Experimental Example Experiment 1

[0014] To select the type of container (1), a simple evaporation experiment was conducted on the container (1) to absorb the heat of the sun and heat and evaporate seawater or wastewater (3). The experiment took place for seven hours from 9am in early July 2023. The temperature was 31.5°C to 29.8°C. The wind speed was 2-5m / s, and the humidity was around 40%. Six types of containers were placed on the same sunny flat surface outdoors. 500g of water was placed in each of the following containers: large black tray 29x35x5cm deep, small black tray 22x29x5cm deep, large white tray 29x35x5cm deep, small white tray 22x29x5cm deep, black deep trash can 25cm diameter 30cm height, and metal bowl 30cm diameter 20cm height, and the amount of evaporation was measured. The results were: large black tray 380g, small black tray 260g, small white tray 250g, small white tray 180g, black deep trash can 90g, and bowl 210g. As a result, we used a black, wide, shallow container measuring 29 x 35 x 5 cm in depth.

[0015] In experiment 1, two black trays measuring 29 x 35 x 5 cm deep were filled with 1L and 2L of water, and an evaporation experiment was conducted in mid-October. The amount of evaporation in 24 hours was 510cc and 550cc on a clear day. On cloudy days, the amount of evaporation was in the 300cc range, but the difference was within 10cc, and the amount of evaporation was always greater with 2L. A comparison was made between 750cc of water and 1L, and the amount of evaporation was always greater with 1L.

[0016] The color of the container (1) is black, which has a high heat absorption rate, but if a material with even better heat absorption were developed and used, it is believed that the efficiency of obtaining fresh water could be further improved. Also, since water evaporation relies on solar heat, it can be used more efficiently in areas with high temperatures. There have been reports that the titanium nitride nanoparticles mentioned above react with sunlight to generate heat, and if this can be put to practical use as a sheet that generates heat using solar heat, this idea could be used in areas with low temperatures as well. Experimental Example Experiment 3

[0017] In the hanging experiment shown in Figure 1 and Figure 2, a black tray measuring 29x35x5cm deep was used as the container (1), which was placed on a 40x50cm grid (5c) suspended by four ropes, and an airtight space was created using a 150L transparent bag measuring 120x130cm. On a clear day with an air temperature of 30 degrees or higher, about 170-200cc could be collected in one day from 2L of container (1).

[0018] This hanging type makes it very easy to attach and remove the transparent bag, but when the wind blows, the lattice (5c) moves and the seawater or wastewater (3) in the container (1) falls into the transparent bag (2), so some measure is required to keep the container (1) from moving when there is wind.

[0019] In Fig. 5, the surface (10) on which the container is placed is a 50x50cm lattice board with good ventilation, and the top of the rectangular parallelepiped is dome-shaped and hung from the top by a rod (5d). A transparent bag (2) that surrounds the whole is fastened to the upper rod (5d), and a space for storing fresh water (4) is provided under the container. A transparent bag (2) of 130x120cm can be used. In Fig. 5, the container is attached to a clothesline pole (6) with a hook (5a), and if a stabilizing rod (5e) protruding from the rod (5d) is fastened to the clothesline pole (6) to prevent it from swinging back and forth, swinging back and forth can be prevented. It is also possible to connect the rod (5d) directly to a metal rod hanging from the top instead of the clothesline pole (6).

[0020] II. An embodiment for holding a container from the side will be explained. (e) Provide a container (1) for holding seawater or wastewater (3). (f) A container horizontal holding rod (9) is installed horizontally from the wall, and beyond that is a surface (10) on which the container (1) is placed. (g) A space maintaining rod (8) is provided to suspend the fastener (6a) from the container horizontal maintaining rod (9) to the top of the container (1). (h) A fastener (6a) such as a clothespin is hung from the space maintaining rod (8). The above is the configuration. In Fig. 6, a container leveling bar (9) extends from the wall to support the container (1). It can also be connected to a rooftop fence or net. It can also be inserted or embedded in the wall. Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view of Fig. 6 when in use. The container (1) is held on the surface (10) on which the container is placed at the end of the container leveling bar (9) that extends from the wall like a pizza paddle, seawater or wastewater (3) is poured into the container (1), and a transparent bag (2) is filled with air and placed on the container (1) from the side while maintaining the space around it. The transparent bag (2) is held by a fastener (6a) suspended from a space maintaining bar (8) created on the top of the container (1), and a fastening part (2a) that creates an airtight space is provided on the container leveling bar (9). Since the surface (10) on which the container is placed is fixed, the container (1) is more stable than in a hanging pattern. Since a space that is not exposed to sunlight is created between the container (1) and the surface (10) on which the container is placed, resulting in high temperature and humidity, the surface (10) on which the container is placed is made in a lattice pattern to allow air and sunlight to reach the space and prevent bacterial infection.

[0021] Regarding the cooling tank, a cooling tank was initially installed at the bottom of Figure 1, Figure 2, and Figure 7. We tried using everything from washbasins to large basins as cooling tanks, but well water at 15 degrees would rise to about 40 degrees in a few hours when the air temperature was 30 degrees. Since the cooling tank was not directly cooling the evaporated steam, we removed it midway through, taking into account its effectiveness and the effort required.

[0022] In Fig. 8, horizontal container support rods (9) are provided on both sides of a central support pillar (8a), a surface (10) is provided for placing a container, and five space maintaining rods (8) are provided not for hanging fasteners (6a) but for holding the transparent bag (2) outside. The fresh water (4) is cleaner when the space maintaining rods (8) in Fig. 7 are on the outside of the transparent bag (2), but by placing the space maintaining rods (8) on the inside of the transparent bag (2), an airtight space can be maintained without the transparent bag (2) touching the container (1) against the wind. The method of installing the space maintaining rods (8) in Fig. 8 is one example, and the arrangement, size, length, and number of rods can be changed depending on the container (1).

[0023] III. An embodiment in which the container is held from above and below will be described. (i) Two containers (1) are provided for holding seawater or wastewater (3). (Ju) Two containers (1) were placed on a wider lattice (5c), and a second lattice (5c) was placed on top of the container (1) so that the rope (5a) suspending the lattice (5c) and the transparent bag (2) would not come into contact with the container (1). The upper lattice (5c) was pulled upwards by a rope (5b) from the middle. (k) Spread the mouth of the transparent bag (2) and lift it up so as to enclose the two lattices (5c) from below, and fasten it with the straight parts of the hooks (5a). (l) Support stands (7) are provided at the four corners under the lattice (5c). The above is the configuration. The heavy container (1) is supported on a support stand (7) and does not move. Two lattices (5c) are used to prevent the container (1) and the transparent bag (2) from coming into contact when the wind blows. Figure 9 is a perspective view of the lattice (5c) on which the two containers (1) are placed, with support stands (7) attached under the four corners, before the transparent bag (2) is attached. The lattice (5c) is more than 5 cm larger in both length and width than the two containers (1). Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view of the containers (1) overlapping in Figure 9, seen from the side. The left side shows a cross-section of the support stand (7), and the right side shows a cross-section avoiding the support stand (7), showing how fresh water (4) is stored under the container (1). The shadow of the container (1) cools the stored fresh water (4) and prevents it from re-evaporating due to solar heat.

[0024] Care must be taken to prevent the thin transparent bag (2) from being damaged if it is pinched between the support base (7) under the lattice that supports it from below and the lattice (5c).

[0025] We considered using a footstool to support the grid (5c) on which the container (1) was placed, but since the bottom of the container (1) would be covered with a flat plate, it would be dark, hot, and humid, which would contribute to the growth of bacteria. Therefore, we decided not to use a footstool in order to obtain clean fresh water (4).

[0026] An experiment was conducted to answer the question of how to increase the amount of fresh water (4) obtained in the transparent bag (2). Experimental example: Experiment 4 Three bags measuring 130 x 120 cm were used, and two containers (1) containing 1 L of water each were used. If the height of the support stand (7) supporting the grid (5c) in Figure 9 and Figure 10 is 80 cm, 40 cm, or 0 cm (no support stand), the amount of water obtained at the temperature in mid-October was 250 cc, 270 cc, and 350 cc, and the larger the space above the container (1), the greater the amount of water obtained. Next, two containers (1) containing 1L of water were placed in a 130x120cm bag and a 130x180cm bag without a support (7). In 24 hours, the larger transparent bag produced more fresh water (4). Also, the amount of evaporation from the two containers (1) in the larger transparent bag was greater than the amount of evaporation from the two containers (1) in the smaller transparent bag. In other words, the amount of evaporation and the amount of water produced were greater when the airtight space above the containers was larger. Even in October, when the maximum temperature was 22°C and the minimum temperature was 14°C, the insides of both transparent bags (2) were covered with water droplets all day long, and the airtight space was considered to be saturated with water vapor. In three experiments, the small bag produced a maximum of 240g of water, and the large bag produced 450g.

[0027] From the above experiment 4, it is expected that the amount of water obtained from four 130x180cm bags at an air temperature of 30 degrees Celsius will be close to the daily water requirement of a human. In Figures 5 and 8, the placement surface (10), container (1), transparent bag (2), etc. can be enlarged to increase the airtight space.

[0028] An embodiment in which a resin plate is used will be described. In Figures 11 and 12, a grid (5c) is used to make it easier to secure space. If the support base (7) is made larger and placed at the four corners of the container (1), the grid (5c) is not necessary. There are cases where a resin plate and a transparent bag (2) are used together, and cases where only a resin plate is used. (i) An embodiment in which a resin plate and a transparent bag (2) are used together will be described. (Wa) A container (1) containing seawater or wastewater (3) is placed on the grating (5c). (k) Four support stands (7) are provided at the four corners of the lattice (5c). (Y) A transparent roof slope (13) is provided in the shape of a roof made of a transparent resin plate. (p) A transparent roof support base (15) is provided on the outside of the support base (7). (R) Place the lattice (5c), container (1), and transparent roof slope (13) inside the transparent bag (2). The above is the configuration. In Fig. 11, the transparent bag (2) is used to secure space under the lattice (5c) for the fresh water (4) to accumulate, while the lattice (5c) is placed on the support base (7) through the transparent bag (2), and the transparent roof slope (13) is placed on the transparent roof support base (15), and the mouth of the transparent bag (2) is fastened sideways. The transparent bag (2) may also be placed with its mouth facing upwards, with the fastening part (2a) on the transparent roof slope (13).

[0029] In Figure 11, the transparent bag (2) is fixed between the lattice (5c) and the support (7), and between the transparent roof slope (13) and the transparent roof support (15), and the size of the space above the container (1) is determined by the height of the transparent roof support (15b). The transparent roof slope (13) was compared between two cases where the roof peak was bent 90 degrees and 30 degrees, and the roof bent 90 degrees gained more water. The water that evaporates in the container (1) turns into droplets on the transparent roof slope (13) and is stored in the transparent bag (2) below the container (1).

[0030] (ii) An embodiment in which a resin plate is used will be explained. (o) Two transparent resin plates are bent at 90 degrees to form the transparent roof slope (13) and valley slope (14). (T) Four slope support stands (18) for placing the valley slopes (14) are provided and fixed to the base surface (19). (N) A support stand (7) is provided within the valley slope (14), and a grid (5c) and a container (1) containing seawater or wastewater (3) are placed on top of the support stand (7). (n) The front and rear are sealed with a resin surface, and a water intake port (17) and a faucet (17) are provided at the lower end of the front transparent wall (16a). (R) A supply pipe (11) is provided to supply seawater or wastewater (3) to the container (1). The above is the configuration. In Figure 12, two transparent resin plates are bent at 90 degrees, and the top of the container (1) is the roof and the bottom of the container (1) is the valley slope (14). The valley slope (14) is fixed with four slope stands (18) on the base surface (19). A support stand (7) is installed inside the valley slope (14), and a container (1) containing a grid (5c) and seawater or sewage (3) is placed on top of it. The open front and back are covered with square transparent resin, and a water intake port (2b) is installed under the front transparent wall (16). The front transparent wall (16) needs to be removable to take the container (1) in and out. Figure 12 is a rectangular parallelepiped that can be made with four rectangular transparent resin sheets and two square transparent resin sheets. In Figure 13, four rectangular transparent walls (16) are sandwiched vertically to Figure 12 to increase the capacity. Create a cubic container using five square transparent resin sheets with sides of 60 cm that can be purchased at a hardware store, and either make the entrance removable with resin sheets, or create an airtight space at the entrance with a sheet or plastic wrap. The shape is infinite, such as making the top dome-shaped or enlarging the slope of the transparent roof (13), but the top must be convex so that the water vapor turns into droplets and flows downward.

[0031] In Figure 12, the grid (5c) and container (1) are supported by a support stand (7), but as shown in Figures 6, 7 and 8, a container horizontal holding rod (9) may be provided parallel to and below the supply pipe (11) to provide a surface (10) on which the container is placed, and the container (1) may be supported laterally from outside the transparent resin plate.

[0032] Figure 12 shows the cross-sectional view of Figure 2 where the transparent bag (2) is made of resin, with the container (1) floating in an airtight space. In Figure 11, the roof slope is made of transparent board and the airtight space is created with the transparent bag (2), but the valley slope (14) can be made of wood board and the transparent roof slope (13) and the transparent bag (2) can create an airtight space together. The airtight space can also be created by combining transparent resin with plastic wrap or tape. The mouth of the transparent bag (2) can be facing upward or sideways, and the water intake port (17) can be a bag-sealing clip.

[0033] This device is characterized by the fact that, whether it is hung, held from the side, or held from below, the steam from the container (1) turns into droplets on the inside of the transparent wall that forms an airtight space, flows down the inside of the wall, and is stored in one place below the container (1).

[0034] Although the above describes a distillation apparatus that utilizes solar heat, the invention is not limited to the structure and operation as shown in the drawings. For example, a reflector or mirror could be placed on the north side of the apparatus to collect solar heat in the container (1), or a light-blocking plate or curtain could be placed under the container when too much sunlight hits the water storage area under the container. It is well understood that many modifications and changes to the invention are possible in consideration of the shape, size, and relative relationship of the container (1) and the transparent bag (2). Furthermore, all modifications and changes should be considered to fall within the scope of the invention. [Industrial Applicability]

[0035] This distillation system can extract fresh water from seawater or wastewater using solar heat. [Explanation of symbols]

[0036] 1 container 2 transparent bag 2a Fastening section 2b Water intake 3. Seawater and wastewater 4. Fresh Water 5 Holding part 5a Hook 5b Rope 5c grid 5d rod part 5e Stabilizing bar 6 Clothesline 6a Fastener 7 Support stand 8 Space holding rod 8a Support column 9 Container horizontal holding rod 10 Surface for placing containers 11 Supply Pipe 12 Seawater and wastewater replenishment tank 12a Aquarium stand 13 Transparent roof slope 14 Valley slope 15 Transparent roof support stand 16 transparent wall 16a front transparent wall 17 Faucet 18 Slope Stand 19 Base surface

Claims

1. A solar distillation apparatus comprising: a container for holding seawater or wastewater; covering the top, bottom, front, back, left and right spaces of the container with transparent materials such as transparent bags, glass, resin or sheets to provide airtight spaces; water vapor evaporated from the container turns into water droplets on the inner wall of the transparent material and flows downward along the wall, and fresh water is stored in the transparent material below the container.

2. 2. A solar distillation apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which grids, rods, hooks, ropes, fasteners, boards, surfaces or the like are used to maintain space around the container containing seawater or wastewater so that the transparent material does not come into contact with the container.

3. A solar distillation apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the transparent material on the top of the container is covered with an upwardly convex spatial shape using a cone, pyramid, hemisphere, cube, horizontally placed triangular prism or a part of one of these, and the bottom of the container is also in a downwardly convex spatial shape where water collects at the lowest point.

4. 4. A solar distillation system as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3, further comprising a water intake located at a location where fresh water accumulates in the enclosed space below the vessel.

5. 5. A solar distillation apparatus according to claim 1, 2, 3, or 4, further comprising a supply pipe for supplying seawater or wastewater to the vessel from outside the closed space.

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