Multi-Stage Bubble-Column Condenser for Low-Resistance Heat Recovery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current seawater desalination technologies are energy- and capital-intensive, with high energy costs due to inefficiencies in heat transfer and energy recovery, particularly due to the presence of incondensable gases which increase thermal resistance, limiting the effectiveness of existing humidification-dehumidification systems.
Innovation Solution
The use of multi-stage bubble-column vapor mixture condensers with direct contact between the carrier gas and liquid in each stage, optimizing heat transfer and energy recovery through a novel multi-staging technique, reducing thermal resistance and energy costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If standard indirect contact dehumidifier is used, then thermal resistance from incondensable gases is reduced, but energy efficiency decreases and energy costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The condensation process is divided into multiple stages with intermediate heat recovery points. The multi-stage design allows for segmented heat extraction and recovery, maintaining high heat transfer coefficients while capturing energy at each stage to preheat feedwater or generate power, thus resolving the contradiction between effective heat transfer and energy efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements energy feedback loops where heat recovered from condensing vapor is fed back to preheat the feedwater entering the evaporator or to generate electricity via turbines. This feedback mechanism ensures that the thermal energy that would otherwise be lost is reused, maintaining high energy efficiency while achieving effective condensation
2Power
If multi-stage bubble-column condenser with direct contact is used, then heat transfer coefficients are enhanced and energy recovery is maintained, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention employs bubble-column contactors where vapor rises through liquid columns, utilizing pneumatic-hydraulic interaction to achieve direct contact condensation. This approach enhances heat transfer coefficients significantly compared to indirect contact methods, while the modular multi-stage design manages the complexity through standardized hydraulic components
Solution Approach 2:
The system merges multiple functions into integrated components: the bubble-column contactors simultaneously perform condensation, heat transfer, and liquid-gas mixing; the multi-stage design combines condensation with intermediate heat recovery and power generation functions, reducing overall system complexity despite the enhanced capabilities
3Quantity of substance
If conventional desalination processes (RO, MSF, MED) are used, then fresh water is produced, but energy consumption and capital costs are excessively high
Solution Approach 1:
The invention utilizes phase transition of water (evaporation and condensation) as the core mechanism for desalination. By evaporating feedwater to produce vapor and then condensing the vapor to produce fresh water, the system achieves separation without the high energy penalties of reverse osmosis or the complex thermal systems of MSF and MED, significantly reducing energy consumption while maintaining production capacity
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements self-service through natural convection currents driven by temperature differences, which automatically circulate fluids through the evaporator and condenser sections without requiring high-energy pumps. The multi-stage design also enables self-heating of feedwater through heat recovery from condensing vapor, further reducing external energy input requirements
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
This approach significantly enhances heat-transfer coefficients, maintains high energy recovery, and reduces overall system costs by minimizing energy and equipment costs, making the process more efficient and cost-effective for producing fresh water from seawater.
Implementation Method 1
The condensable fluid in liquid phase fills the chambers of the first stage and the second stage such that the carrier-gas stream passes through in direct contact with the liquid... when passing from the inlet to the outlet of each stage
Implementation Method 2
Bubble-column vapor mixture condenser... the condensable fluid in liquid phase fills the chambers... carrier-gas stream passes through in direct contact with the liquid
Data Source
AI summary
In a bubble-column vapor mixture condenser, a fluid source supplies a carrier-gas stream including a condensable fluid in vapor phase. The condensable fluid in liquid form is contained as a bath in a chamber in each stage of the condenser, and the carrier gas is bubbled through the bath to condense the fluid into the bath. The bubble-column vapor mixture condenser can be used, e.g., in a humidification-dehumidification system for purifying a liquid, such as water.