Dual Closed-Loop Water Purification System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing water purification systems, particularly those using distillation, require substantial energy for heating and condensing steam, which can be unsustainable in environments with limited or no electrical grid service, especially when purifying saltwater or contaminated water.
Innovation Solution
A dual closed-loop system utilizing a closed air loop and a closed refrigerant loop with heat exchangers to efficiently evaporate and condense water, recovering energy typically lost and reducing the overall energy required for water purification by maximizing the heat differential between cool dry air and hot refrigerant gas.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If traditional distillation is used to purify water, then purified water is produced, but substantial energy is required for heating and condensing
Solution Approach 1:
The system utilizes phase transitions of water (liquid to vapor to liquid) and refrigerant (gas to liquid to gas) to achieve purification. Water evaporates in the evaporation chamber, the vapor condenses in the condensation chamber, and the refrigerant cycles between gas and liquid phases in the heat exchangers to transfer heat efficiently, enabling purification with reduced energy input
Solution Approach 2:
The refrigerant acts as an intermediary substance that facilitates heat transfer between the water to be purified and the environment. The refrigerant absorbs heat from the water in the first heat exchanger and releases heat to condense water vapor in the second heat exchanger, enabling the purification process without direct high-temperature heating
Solution Approach 3:
The system changes the temperature and pressure parameters of both the water and refrigerant to optimize the purification process. The refrigerant is pressurized and heated in specific ranges to efficiently transfer heat, while the water temperature is maintained in a range that enables evaporation without requiring excessive energy input
2Productivity
If heating temperature is increased to improve evaporation efficiency, then more water evaporates, but energy consumption increases substantially
Solution Approach 1:
The system utilizes the phase transition of water from liquid to vapor at controlled temperatures. By maintaining the water temperature in the evaporation chamber at a level that promotes evaporation without excessive heating, and by using the refrigerant's phase transitions to efficiently transfer heat, the system achieves high evaporation rates with reduced energy consumption
Solution Approach 2:
The refrigerant serves as a heat transfer intermediary that efficiently transfers thermal energy to the water in the evaporation chamber. This indirect heating method through the refrigerant heat exchanger is more energy-efficient than direct heating, as the refrigerant can be optimized for specific heat capacity and thermal conductivity
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 achieves efficient water purification with reduced energy consumption, making it suitable for environments with limited energy resources, such as saltwater or contaminated water treatment without relying on external electrical sources.
Implementation Method 1
Heat from the pressurized hot gas refrigerant is absorbed by cool dry air flowing through the air/refrigerant heat exchanger
Implementation Method 2
The hot dry air is delivered to a water evaporator containing saltwater or contaminated water. Because the relative humidity of the dry air is low, a maximum amount of water evaporates.
Implementation Method 3
Inside the expander/condenser heat exchanger, the warm moist air condenses. Purified water is removed from the expander/condenser heat exchanger
Implementation Method 4
the compressor pressurizes the cool gas refrigerant into pressurized hot gas refrigerant
Implementation Method 5
Inside the expander/condenser heat exchanger, the warm liquid refrigerant undergoes a phase change back to cool gas refrigerant, cooling the warm moist air produced in the closed air loop which condenses to form freshwater
Data Source
AI summary
A water purification system that produces freshwater from saltwater/contaminated water via two closed but connected and offset heating-evaporation-condensation-cooling processes that share energy via two heat exchangers. The system includes a closed air subsystem and a closed refrigerant subsystem. The closed air subsystem uses air repeatedly heated via a heat exchanger and a supplemental heating source. In the air/refrigerant heat exchanger, hot compressed gas refrigerant from the closed refrigerant system releases heat and undergoes a phase change to a liquid refrigerant. The supplemental heating source adds heat energy to produce hot, dry air delivered to a water evaporator containing saltwater/contaminated water. The hot, dry air causes evaporation of the saltwater/contaminated water forming hot air/water vapor. The hot air/water vapor is then delivered to an expander/condenser heat exchanger, where it is condensed into freshwater by the phase change of the liquid refrigerant back into a gas refrigerant. The two subsystems operate continuously and repeatedly exchange energies to efficiently produce freshwater.