System and method for mining a body of water

Abstract

A metal recovery system and method having heat trays with a powder collection screen above. Water is sprayed on the heat trays and powder collection screen to cause evaporation. The powder collection screen is vibrated and deposited solids are collected.

Description

SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MINING A BODY OF WATER CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims priority to, and is a non-provisional of, U.S. PatentApplication 63 / 570,927 (filed March 28, 2024), the entirety of which is incorporatedherein by reference. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The subject matter disclosed herein relates to methods for mining for metals.Conventionally, metals and minerals are obtained through extensive open-pit mining. Inopen-pit mining, a large open excavation pit is formed instead of tunneling underground.Such methods are energy intensive and often caused significant environmental impact, including water pollution and the disruption of the local ecosystem. An improved method of mining for metals is therefore desired.

[0003] The discussion above is merely provided for general background informationand is not intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter. SUMMARY

[0004] This disclosure provides a metal recovery system and method having heattrays with a powder collection screen above. Water is sprayed on the heat trays and powder collection screen to cause evaporation. The powder collection screen is vibrated and deposited solids are collected. An advantage that may be realized in the practice ofsome disclosed embodiments of the metal collection is the disclosed methods havingminimal environmental impact.

[0005] In a first embodiment, a metal recovery system is provided. The metalrecovery system comprising: a housing with an interior space; a plurality of heat traysdisposed in the interior space; a means for heating the heat trays; a water input configuredto convey water into the housing and spray the water over the plurality of heat trays; ahood disposed at an upper portion of the housing, the hood comprising a water outletmanifold for removing condensed water from the housing; a plurality of powdercollection screens; a means for vibrating each powder collection screen in the plurality ofpowder collection screens; and an output disposed at a bottom portion of the housing, theoutput configured to remove solids from the housing.

[0006] In a second embodiment, a method for removing solids from water isprovided. The method comprising: heating a plurality of heat trays with a means for heating, the means for heating being part of a metal recovery system comprising: a housing with an interior space; the plurality of heat trays disposed in the interior space; the means for heating the heat trays; a water input configured to convey water into the housing and spray the water over the plurality of heat trays, wherein the water comprises dissolved solids; a hood disposed at an upper portion of the housing, the hood comprising a water outlet manifold for removing condensed water from the housing; a plurality of powder collection screens; a means for vibrating each powder collection screen in the plurality of powder collection screens; an output disposed at a bottom portion of the housing, the output configured to remove deposited solids from the housing, introducing water to the water input; waiting for the dissolved solids to be deposited on the plurality of powder collection screens, thereby producing deposited solids; vibrating the plurality of powder collection screens with the means for vibrating, thereby causing the deposited solids to fall to the bottom portion of the housing; and removing the deposited solids from the bottom portion of the housing.

[0007] This brief description of the invention is intended only to provide a briefoverview of subject matter disclosed herein according to one or more illustrative embodiments, and does not serve as a guide to interpreting the claims or to define or limit the scope of the invention, which is defined only by the appended claims. This brief description is provided to introduce an illustrative selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the detailed description. This brief description is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subjectmatter. The claimed subject matter is not limited to implementations that solve any or all disadvantages noted in the background. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] So that the manner in which the features of the invention can be understood, adetailed description of the invention may be had by reference to certain embodiments,some of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. It is to be noted, however,that the drawings illustrate only certain embodiments of this invention and are thereforenot to be considered limiting of its scope, for the scope of the invention encompasses other equally effective embodiments. The drawings are not necessarily to scale,emphasis generally being placed upon illustrating the features of certain embodiments ofthe invention. In the drawings, like numerals are used to indicate like parts throughout the various views. Thus, for further understanding of the invention, reference can be made to the following detailed description, read in connection with the drawings in which:

[0009] FIG. 1 is cross section view of a metal recovery system.

[0010] FIG. 2 is a detailed cross section view of a heat tray for use with the metalrecovery system.

[0011] FIG. 3 is a top view of the heat tray.

[0012] FIG. 4 depicts the heat tray with a powder collection screen.

[0013] FIG. 5 is a top view of the heat tray with the powder collection screen.

[0014] FIG. 6 is a cross section view of the metal recovery system with a clean-outaccess door depicted. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0015] Many bodies of water contain valuable minerals. For example, ocean watercontains many minerals such as ionic compounds (see Table 1).Table 1 Ion StandardRas Al- Jubail ocean Jubail ocean Jubail oceanormetals. The metals may be isolated from water as their corresponding salt (e.g. sodiumions may be isolated as sodium chloride, sodium carbonate, etc.).

[0018] Referring to FIG. 1 a metal recovery system 100 is depicted. The metalrecovery system 100 has a housing 102 with an interior space 104. In the embodiment depicted in FIG.1, the housing 102 is an elongated, vertical tower. The housing 102 maybe formed of corrosion-resistant materials such as stainless steel. The metal recoverysystem 100 also has a plurality of heat trays 106 disposed in the interior space 104. The plurality of heat trays 106 is connected to a means for heating 108. The means for heating may be, for example, a hot fluid that is circulated through pipes. In such an embodiment, the hot fluid (e.g. a temperature of 100° or greater or a temperature of 189° or greater) is passed through a bottom portion of the heat trays 106. The hot fluid may be, for example, hot oil from an energy production plant. Energy production plants oftenuse such fluids as coolants to remove waste heat. The disclosed configuration permits the waste heat to be utilized in the metal recovery system 100. In another embodiment, the hot fluid is hot water. The hot water may be heated by a solar device such as that disclosed in International Patent Publication WO2024015977, U.S. Patent 10,150,049and / or 10,150,050. In the embodiment of FIG. 1, the means for heating 108 is split intomultiple pipes with a manifold that is disposed within the interior space 104. In another embodiment, the manifold is disposed outside of the interior space 104. Additionally or alternatively, the means for heating 108 may be an electric heater that heats the heat trays 106.

[0019] After the hot fluid heats the heat trays 106, the hot fluid may be returned toits source via fluid return 109. For example, the hot oil may be returned to the energy production plant for subsequent re-use as a cooling fluid. In the embodiment of FIG.1,each pipe of the means for heating 108 is unified into a single fluid return 109 with amanifold that is disposed within the interior space 104. In another embodiment, the manifold is disposed outside of the interior space 104.

[0020] The metal recovery system 100 also has a water input 110 configured toconvey water into the housing 102 and spray the water over the plurality of heat trays 106. The spraying may utilize, for example, high-pressure atomizing sprayers to disburse the water as a mist. In the embodiment of FIG.1, a single water input 110 is split into multiple sprayers with a manifold that is disposed within the interior space 104. In another embodiment, the manifold is disposed outside of the interior space 104. The water may be supplied to the water input 110 from a body of water, such as a lake, river or ocean, or may be highly concentrated brine from a desalination plant. Examples of such desalination plants include the plant disclosed in International Patent Publication WO2024015977.

[0021] When the water is sprayed over the plurality of heat trays 106 the waterevaporates. A hood 112 is disposed at an upper portion 113 of the housing 102 which condenses the evaporated water into condensed water. The condensed water is thenremoved from the housing 102 at water outlet manifold 114. In this manner, potablewater is produced. The dissolved solids in the water are deposited on solid surfaces within the interior space 104.

[0022] Most of the dissolved solids (e.g. powders) are deposited on the heat trays106 and on powder collection screens 116, although some may also be deposited on other surfaces such as interior walls of the housing 102. In the embodiment of FIG.1, the heat trays 106 are angled from horizontal by a non-zero angle and are spaced from interior walls at their lower edge by a gap 200 (see FIG.2). As powder accumulates on the heat trays 106, gravity pulls the powder through the gap 200 where it is deposited at a bottomportion 118 of the housing 102. The may be, for example greater than 0° but less than90°, greater than 10° but less than 80°, greater than 20° but less than 70°, or greater than 30° but less than 60°, greater than 40° but less than 50°.

[0023] Referring to FIG. 3, a top view of a heat tray 106 is provided. The heat tray106 extends for at least 50%, but less than 95%, of the area (i.e. area of the cross sectional slice) of the interior space 104, with the remainder of the area being the gap200. In another embodiment, each heat tray 106 extends for at least 75%, but less than90%, of the area of the interior space 104. The heat tray 106 of FIG.3 is a solid tray withthe means for heating 108 running underneath. The heat tray 106 is heated to atemperature well above the boiling point of water such that the mist of water is rapidly evaporated on contact. The heat tray 106 may be formed from corrosion-resistant materials such as stainless steel.

[0024] The powder is also deposited on the powder collection screens 116.Referring to FIG.4, the powder collection screens 116 are disposed parallel to the top surface of the heat trays 106 and proximate thereto. In one embodiment, the powder collection screens 116 are spaced from a respective heat tray 106 by a distance between 0 cm and 4 cm, between 0 cm and 1 cm or between 0.1 cm and 1 cm.

[0025] Each powder collection screen 116 is connected to a means for vibrating 120,such as a reciprocal shaking mechanism with a motor. In use, the means for vibrating 120 causes the powder collection screen 116 to vibrate and release any powder that accumulated on its surface such that the powder falls through the gap 200 and into thebottom portion 118. The means for vibrating 120 vibrates the powder collection screen116 such that the powder is displaced from its resting position by a displacement distanceof at least 0.1 mm but less than 5 cm, at least 0.1 mm but less than 2 cm, at least 1 mm but less than 2 cm. In those embodiments, where the powder collection screens 116 and the heat trays 106 are proximate each other such that they are within the displacementdistance, the powder collection screens 116 will contact the heat trays 106 during theirvibration and dislodge powder than accumulates on the heat trays 106. In some embodiments, the powder collection screen 116 rests on a top surface of the heat trays 106 such that the two are in direct contact.

[0026] Referring to FIG. 4, in the embodiment depicted the means for vibrating 120includes an arm 400 disposed within the interior space 104. Vibrations from the means for vibrating 120 are conveyed inside of the housing 102 through the arm 400 such that the powder collection screens 116 vibrate. FIG.4 depicts a gap between the powder collection screens 116 and the heat trays 106 but, in other embodiments, these elementsare in direct physical contact with the powder collection screens 116 resting atop the heattrays 106. FIG.5 depicts a top view of FIG.4. In the embodiment depicted, the powder collection screen 116 is a wire mesh screen formed of corrosion-resistant materials suchas stainless steel. Like the heat trays 106, the powder collection screens 116 extendshorizontally for at least 50%, but less than 95%, of the area (i.e. area of the cross sectional slice) of the interior space 104. In another embodiment, each powder collectionscreen 116 extends horizontally for at least 75%, but less than 90%, of the area of theinterior space 104.

[0027] The means for vibrating 120 may be actuated intermittently or continually.In those embodiments, where the means for vibrating 120 is actuated intermittently, the timing may be at regular intervals (e.g. once per minute, once per five minutes, once per ten minutes, etc.).

[0028] The powder that accumulates in the bottom portion 118 may be removedthrough an output 122. The output 122 may be selectively closed by, for example, avalve. In another embodiment, the output 112 is continually open.

[0029] Once the powder is removed from the housing 102 the powder, in someembodiments, is subjected to conventional purification processes before being used commercially. For example, sodium chloride may be further purified before commercial use. Alternatively, the unpurified powder may be used commercially. In other embodiments, the powder may be treated to separate its components. For example, thepowder may contain gold (III) chloride (AuCl3) and / or silver chloride (AgCl) which canbe separated from the other components in the powder and then chemically converted to gold (Au) or silver (Ag), respectively, using conventional means.

[0030] In FIG. 6, a clean-out access door 600 is shown in the side of the housing 102that permits access to the interior of the housing 102 such that a user can clean the interior and / or provide maintenance to the internal components.

[0031] This written description uses examples to disclose the invention, including thebest mode, and also to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the invention, including making and using any devices or systems and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope of the invention is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they have structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal language of the claims.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A metal recovery system comprising:a housing with an interior space; a plurality of heat trays disposed in the interior space; a means for heating the heat trays; a water input configured to convey water into the housing and spray the water over the plurality of heat trays; a hood disposed at an upper portion of the housing, the hood comprising a water outlet manifold for removing condensed water from the housing; a plurality of powder collection screens; a means for vibrating each powder collection screen in the plurality of powder collection screens; andan output disposed at a bottom portion of the housing, the output configured toremove solids from the housing.

2. The metal recovery system as recited in claim 1, wherein the means for heating ishot fluid that is circulated through pipes.

3. The metal recovery system as recited in claim 1, wherein the means for heating ishot water that is circulated through pipes.

4. The metal recovery system as recited in claim 1, wherein the means for heating ishot oil that is circulated through pipes.

5. The metal recovery system as recited in claim 1, wherein the water input comprisesatomizing sprayers that spray the water as a mist over the plurality of heat trays.

6. The metal recovery system as recited in claim 1, wherein each powder collectionscreen in the plurality of powder collection screens rests atop, and is in direct contact with, a respective heat tray.

7. The metal recovery system as recited in claim 6, wherein each powder collectionscreen extends horizontally for at least 50%, but less than 95%, of a cross-sectional area of the interior space.

8. The metal recovery system as recited in claim 1, wherein the housing comprises aclean-out access door.

9. The metal recovery system as recited in claim 1, wherein each heat tray in theplurality of heat trays is angled from horizontal by a non-zero angle ( ) and isspaced from an interior wall of the housing by a gap.

10. The metal recovery system as recited in claim 1, wherein each heat tray in theplurality of heat trays is angled from horizontal by an angle ( ) and is spaced froman interior wall of the housing by a gap, wherein the angle ( ) is greater than 0°but less than 90°.

11. The metal recovery system as recited in claim 1, wherein each heat tray in theplurality of heat trays is angled from horizontal by an angle ( ) and is spaced froman interior wall of the housing by a gap, wherein the angle ( ) is greater than 30°but less than 60°.

12. The metal recovery system as recited in claim 1, wherein each heat tray extendshorizontally for at least 50%, but less than 95%, of a cross-sectional area of theinterior space.

13. The metal recovery system as recited in claim 1, wherein each heat tray extendshorizontally for at least 75%, but less than 90%, of a cross-sectional area of the interior space.

14. The metal recovery system as recited in claim 13, wherein each powder collectionscreen in the plurality of powder collection screens rests atop, and is in direct contact with, a respective heat tray.

15. A method for removing solids from water, the method comprising:heating a plurality of heat trays with a means for heating, the means for heating being part of a metal recovery system comprising:a housing with an interior space; the plurality of heat trays disposed in the interior space; the means for heating the heat trays;a water input configured to convey water into the housing and spray the water over the plurality of heat trays, wherein the water comprises dissolved solids; a hood disposed at an upper portion of the housing, the hood comprising a water outlet manifold for removing condensed water from the housing; a plurality of powder collection screens; a means for vibrating each powder collection screen in the plurality of powder collection screens; an output disposed at a bottom portion of the housing, the output configuredto remove deposited solids from the housing,introducing water to the water input;waiting for the dissolved solids to be deposited on the plurality of powder collectionscreens, thereby producing deposited solids; vibrating the plurality of powder collection screens with the means for vibrating, thereby causing the deposited solids to fall to the bottom portion of thehousing; andremoving the deposited solids from the bottom portion of the housing.

Images