Room-Temperature Fresh Water Generation via Porous Substrate Vaporization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for purifying seawater, sludge water, and industrial waste water are inefficient in terms of heating energy usage and generate low quantities of fresh water, with high maintenance and installation costs due to complex systems and clogged membranes in reverse-osmosis systems.
Innovation Solution
A fresh-water generating apparatus using porous water-absorbing base materials, such as synthetic zeolite or nanocarbon, that vaporizes and condenses water at room temperature through air circulation, eliminating the need for high-pressure filtration and reducing maintenance costs by using a simple configuration with integrated substrates and air cooling for enhanced efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If multi-stage flushing systems are used to generate large quantities of fresh water, then productivity is improved, but use of energy deteriorates due to poor heating efficiency and large energy requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The invention utilizes phase transition of water from liquid to vapor and back to liquid through temperature differences created by geothermal heat, avoiding the need for high-energy heating systems while maintaining high productivity in fresh water generation
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the temperature parameter by utilizing natural geothermal heat sources to create temperature gradients that drive water evaporation and condensation, replacing conventional high-energy heating methods with low-energy thermal gradient utilization
2Manufacturing precision
If RO membranes are used with higher pressure for filtration, then manufacturing precision is improved with hollow fiber and spiral membranes, but device complexity deteriorates due to complicated membrane structures and high-pressure pump requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and utilizes natural geothermal heat energy from the ground to provide the thermal energy needed for water evaporation and condensation, eliminating the need for complex high-pressure pumps and sophisticated membrane structures while achieving effective salt separation through phase change
3Manufacturing precision
If RO membranes operate at high pressure to achieve lower salt concentrations, then manufacturing precision is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to membrane clogging requiring periodic maintenance and replacement
Solution Approach 1:
By using phase transition (evaporation and condensation) instead of pressure-driven filtration, the system avoids membrane clogging entirely, as the phase change process naturally separates water from salts without requiring membranes to withstand high pressure or deal with fouling, thereby improving reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The geothermal heat source provides self-sustaining thermal energy that drives the evaporation-condensation cycle continuously without requiring external high-pressure systems or periodic maintenance interventions, enabling the system to service itself through natural thermal gradients
4Productivity
If conventional heating and evaporation systems are used, then fresh water can be generated, but use of energy deteriorates due to large amounts of heating energy required
Solution Approach 1:
The system fundamentally changes the energy source parameter from conventional high-energy heating systems to low-temperature geothermal heat, utilizing natural thermal gradients to drive the evaporation-condensation process and achieve fresh water generation with minimal energy input
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 apparatus efficiently generates fresh water at room temperature with reduced energy consumption and lower costs by vaporizing and condensing moisture using air circulation, allowing for continuous operation without membrane clogging and high-pressure requirements, while maintaining high water quality.
Implementation Method 1
a first water-absorbing base material of which a lower end is impregnated with the stored liquid of the first storage tank
Implementation Method 2
a blowing means for blowing air at an upper-end side of the first water-absorbing base material; a second water-absorbing base material for causing water vapor vaporized and blown out
Implementation Method 3
a second water-absorbing base material for causing water vapor vaporized and blown out from the upper-end side of the first water-absorbing base material by the air blown by the blowing means to adsorb and condense on the upper-end side
Data Source
AI summary
To provide a fresh water-generating apparatus that does not require large amounts of heating energy as in the past, also does not require maintenance such as replacement of reverse osmosis membranes, and is simpler and inexpensive.[Solution] A fresh water-generating apparatus is configured from: a first porous water-absorbing substrate 3, each hole diameter of the porous structure that is immersed in a stored liquid 4 stored in a first storage tank 1 being formed in the size of a water molecule; a blower 6 for blowing air on the upper end of the first porous water-absorbing substrate 3; a second porous water-absorbing substrate 7 for catching water vapor, which is vaporized from the upper end of the first porous water-absorbing substrate 3 by the air flow from the blower 6 and is blown out, on the front surface thereof; a storage tank 2 for storing water that condenses inside the second porous water-absorbing substrate 7 and drips from the lower part of the second porous water-absorbing substrate 7; and a guide pipe 8 for connecting air that is sent out and discharged from the second porous water-absorbing substrate 7 to the air intake side of the blower 6.