Atomizing Separation Device for Hot Spring Water Concentration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for separating components with different vapor pressures from solutions, such as hot spring water, are inefficient and costly due to high energy consumption and difficulties in achieving high concentration, with issues like deposition of hot spring components in evaporative devices and high condensation costs in reverse osmotic membrane systems.
Innovation Solution
An atomizing separation method and device that atomizes solutions into mist, classifies droplets by particle diameter, exhausts fine mist with air to remove solvent, and collects heat energy from exhaust air to heat the solution and air, reducing energy input and enhancing atomization efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If water component is evaporated and removed from hot spring water to condense it, then hot spring water can be concentrated, but a large amount of energy is consumed due to the high heat of vaporization of water
Solution Approach 1:
The invention utilizes phase transition by atomizing hot spring water into fine droplets that rapidly evaporate and then condense the vapor to form concentrated liquid. This atomization-condensation process achieves concentration with lower energy input compared to conventional evaporation methods
Solution Approach 2:
The invention segments the water into fine droplets through atomization, increasing the surface area to volume ratio. This segmentation enables more efficient heat transfer and faster evaporation-condensation cycles, reducing the overall energy required for concentration
2Quantity of substance
If hot spring water is evaporated to concentrate it, then water component is removed, but hot spring components are deposited and adhered on the surface of the evaporating device reducing thermal conduction and evaporation efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
By using rapid atomization followed by condensation rather than slow surface evaporation, the invention prevents hot spring components from depositing on heated surfaces. The phase transition occurs in the bulk fluid and vapor phase, keeping the heating surface clean and maintaining high evaporation efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts the water component from hot spring water through atomization and condensation, separating it from the dissolved substances without requiring contact between the heating surface and the concentrated solution, thus preventing deposition
3Quantity of substance
If reverse osmotic membrane is used to remove water component from hot spring water, then water separation is achieved, but it is difficult to efficiently and quickly remove water component resulting in high condensation cost and the membrane requires periodic cleaning
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces the mechanical reverse osmosis membrane system with a thermal field-based atomization-condensation system. This substitution eliminates membrane fouling and cleaning requirements, enabling continuous operation without periodic maintenance interruptions
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the separation mechanism from pressure-driven reverse osmosis to heat-driven atomization and condensation. This parameter change allows for faster water removal rates and continuous operation without the limitations of membrane capacity and cleaning cycles
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 method achieves high-efficiency separation of components with reduced energy consumption and cost, allowing for high concentration of solutes like hot spring water without deposition issues, by effectively utilizing exhaust heat and classifying mist droplets for solvent removal.
Implementation Method 1
vibrates an aqueous alcohol solution at an ultrasonic frequency to produce mist
Implementation Method 2
the heat energy of both of the latent heat and sensible heat that are included in the exhaust air exhausted in the separation step are collected, and one or both of the solution L to be atomized in the atomization step and air to be blown toward the solution L are heated by the collected heat
Data Source
AI summary
A method for separating at least one of components with different vapor pressures from a solution that includes the components by atomizing the solution. The method includes an atomization step, and a separation step. A solution L is atomized into mist in air whereby producing mist-mixed air in the atomization step. Droplets of the mist included in the mist-mixed air are classified according to their particle diameter sizes, and exhaust air that contains air as carrier gas is exhausted in the separation step. In the atomizing separation method, the heat energy of both of the latent heat and sensible heat that are included in the exhaust air exhausted in the separation step are collected, and one or both of the solution L to be atomized in the atomization step and air to be blown toward the solution L are heated by the collected heat.