Acoustic Process Cell for Brine Dissociation and Water Separation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for treating continuous fluid streams, such as wastewater, are inefficient and costly due to the reliance on chemical additives and thermal processes, which are not effectively removing contaminants and producing clean water.
Innovation Solution
A system that applies sonic energy to a continuous fluid stream using a transducer and insert configuration, creating cavitation to dissociate complex substances and separate them from the fluid stream, thereby improving the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of fluid treatment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If chemical additives are applied to treat wastewater streams, then contaminants may be neutralized, but the process becomes costly and time consuming with marginal effectiveness
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces chemical treatment methods with a mechanical/physical system using acoustic waves and cavitation to remove contaminants. The transducer generates acoustic fields that create cavitation bubbles, which mechanically disrupt and remove contaminants from the fluid stream without requiring chemical additives.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the physical parameters of the fluid stream by applying acoustic energy at specific frequencies and intensities. This creates cavitation conditions (extreme pressure and temperature changes) that enable effective contaminant removal, transforming the treatment mechanism from chemical to physical parameter-based processing.
2Reliability
If thermal processes are used for fluid treatment, then contaminants may be removed, but operational costs increase and effectiveness remains marginal
Solution Approach 1:
The patent substitutes thermal processing with acoustic field-based cavitation. Instead of heating the fluid to remove contaminants, the system uses acoustic waves to generate cavitation bubbles that mechanically remove contaminants, significantly reducing energy consumption while maintaining or improving effectiveness.
3Reliability
If standard membrane filters are used for separation, then contaminants may be removed, but the system becomes complex and costly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the separation function from complex multi-stage membrane filtration systems and achieves it through a single acoustic cavitation process. The cavitation bubbles selectively remove contaminants from the fluid stream, simplifying the system architecture while maintaining separation effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces mechanical filtration through membranes with acoustic field-based cavitation. This substitution eliminates the need for complex membrane structures and multiple filtration stages, reducing device complexity while achieving effective contaminant separation.
4Reliability
If reverse osmosis desalination is applied, then salt may be removed from seawater, but the process becomes costly and time consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces reverse osmosis membrane filtration with acoustic cavitation for desalination. The cavitation process mechanically removes dissolved salts and contaminants from seawater without requiring high-pressure membrane systems, reducing both time and cost while maintaining removal effectiveness.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system effectively dissociates contaminants in fluid streams, allowing for their separation from the water, resulting in cleaner water with reduced operational costs and environmental impact.
Implementation Method 1
a transducer operably engaged with the housing and disposed about the at least one insert at a distance away from said at least one insert inside of the housing, wherein the transducer is configured to create cavitation inside of the housing, via sonic waves, to eviscerate contaminants in the continuous fluid stream flowing through the at least one insert
Data Source
AI summary
A liquid treatment loop system for dissociating and removing brine compositions found in wastewater and producing clean water for freshwater and potable water applications. The system includes an acoustic source process cell stage (SPCS) operatively in communication with a continuous stream from a fluid source. The SPCS is configured to eviscerate contaminants in the continuous fluid stream in at least one treatment process. The SPCS is also configured to separate the eviscerated contaminants from the continuous fluid stream to provide permeated water in the at least one treatment process. The system includes at least one mining process cell stage (MPCS) operatively in communication with SPCS. The at least one MPCS is adapted to receive the eviscerated contaminants from the SPCS. The system includes at least one permeate outlet operatively in communication with SPCS, wherein the at least one permeate outlet is adapted to receive the permeated water from the SPCS.