Geothermal Desalination Plant with Working Fluid Circuit
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current desalination technologies require significant amounts of energy from costly fossil fuels and electrical sources, leading to low efficiency in producing fresh water and contributing to carbon emissions.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus and method that utilize a working fluid circuit with geothermal water or renewable energy sources to produce vapour for multiple distillation modules, enhancing condensate yield through heat transfer and vapour recycling, with the working fluid being pre-heated to increase the enthalpy and vapour content for non-potable water desalination.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If current desalination technology is used, then fresh water can be produced, but significant amounts of energy from costly fossil fuels and electrical sources are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the thermal parameters of the working fluid by pre-heating it to increase enthalpy and vapour content before it enters the distillation modules. This parameter change allows the working fluid to transfer more thermal energy to the non-potable water, thereby increasing fresh water yield without proportionally increasing energy consumption from fossil fuels or electrical sources.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a system where the working fluid serves multiple functions: it pre-heats incoming non-potable water, provides vapour for distillation, and transfers heat to additional vapour producing modules. This self-service approach maximizes the utilization of the working fluid's thermal energy, reducing the need for additional external energy input and thereby decreasing overall energy consumption while maintaining fresh water production.
2Productivity
If current desalination technology is used, then fresh water can be produced, but the efficiency in terms of fresh water yield as it relates to the cost of energy used is considerably low
Solution Approach 1:
The working fluid is designed to perform multiple functions within the desalination system: it pre-heats non-potable water in the pre-heater, generates vapour in the vapour producing modules, and transfers heat to additional vapour producing modules. This multi-functionality ensures that the energy invested in heating the working fluid is utilized maximally across multiple stages, thereby improving fresh water yield efficiency and reducing the cost per unit of energy consumed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent establishes a continuous cycle where the working fluid continuously circulates through the system, repeatedly pre-heating water, generating vapour, and transferring heat. This continuous operation ensures that the thermal energy in the working fluid is consistently utilized to produce fresh water without interruption, thereby maintaining high productivity efficiency and reducing the overall energy cost by eliminating idle heating cycles.
3Quantity of substance
If current desalination technology is used, then fresh water can be produced, but significant carbon emissions are contributed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the thermal energy that would otherwise be wasted or require additional fossil fuel combustion into a beneficial resource by using pre-heated working fluid to pre-heat non-potable water and generate vapour. This conversion reduces the need for additional fossil fuel combustion, thereby decreasing carbon emissions while maintaining fresh water production.
Solution Approach 2:
The system recovers thermal energy from the working fluid after it has passed through the distillation modules by using it to pre-heat incoming non-potable water in the pre-heater. This recovery process eliminates waste heat that would otherwise require additional energy input, thereby reducing the need for fossil fuel combustion and associated carbon emissions while sustaining fresh water production.
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 increases the efficiency of fresh water yield while reducing energy costs and carbon emissions by leveraging geothermal energy and waste heat for desalination processes.
Implementation Method 1
produce vapour from non-potable water by heat transfer by a heated working fluid
Implementation Method 2
produce vapour from non-potable water by heat transfer by a heated working fluid
Implementation Method 3
introducing a quantity of heated working fluid to a first vapour producing module to produce a vapour from a volume of non-potable water contained therein; supplying said vapour to at least one water distillation module to produce condensate
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided an apparatus 2 for desalinating non-potable water. The apparatus has a first vapor producing module 5 configured to receive a heated working fluid for producing vapor from a volume of non-potable water for driving at least one first distillation module 10 for producing condensate 12. The apparatus also includes a second vapor producing module 14 configured to receive working fluid from the first vapor producing module 5 for producing additional vapor from a further volume of non-potable water 8′.