Pot Still Heat Exchanger with Compressor Steam Jet Pump
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Solution Overview
Problem
The high energy requirement for distillation in pot stills, particularly for whiskey, is not efficiently managed, leading to increased live steam consumption without effective energy recovery, which can impact the quality of the distilled product.
Innovation Solution
A pot still system that incorporates a heat exchanger with a mechanical compressor and steam jet pump to recover energy from the cooling water circuit, maintaining a constant steam mass flow and adjusting compressor speed to compensate for changing alcohol concentrations, ensuring consistent energy input without affecting the distillation process parameters.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If water-fresh steam is used to cover the energy requirement of the distillation still, then the distillation process can be maintained, but the energy consumption and live steam requirement become comparatively high
Solution Approach 1:
The patent recovers energy from the cooling water circuit that previously discharged waste heat to the environment. A heat exchanger captures thermal energy from the cooling water, and a mechanical compressor with steam jet pump system compresses the extracted water vapor to deliver it to the heat exchanger for heating, thereby recovering and reusing energy that would otherwise be lost.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the harmful waste heat and water vapor discharged by the condenser into a beneficial resource. The mechanical compressor and steam jet pump system transforms the low-pressure water vapor from the cooling water circuit into high-pressure steam suitable for heating the distillation still, turning an energy loss into an energy gain.
2Use of energy by moving object
If energy recovery is attempted from the condenser, then energy consumption may be reduced, but control becomes difficult as changes in process parameters can affect whiskey quality
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the energy recovery process into distinct functional components: the mechanical compressor separates compression from heating, the steam jet pump handles vapor delivery independently, and the heat exchanger performs thermal transfer separately. This modular segmentation allows each component to be optimized and controlled independently, maintaining process stability and product quality while achieving energy recovery.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces intermediate devices between the condenser and the distillation still: the mechanical compressor acts as an intermediary to compress water vapor, and the steam jet pump serves as another intermediary to deliver and further compress the vapor. These intermediary components buffer and regulate the energy flow, preventing direct transmission of parameter variations that could affect whiskey quality.
3Use of energy by moving object
If the cooling water circuit is used for energy recovery, then energy consumption is reduced, but the system complexity increases with additional components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements multi-functionality by having the mechanical compressor perform both compression and water vapor separation, and the steam jet pump simultaneously compress and deliver vapor to the heat exchanger. The cooling water circuit serves dual purposes: condensing alcohol vapor and providing a source of water vapor for energy recovery. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional separate components, managing system complexity while achieving energy recovery.
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 reduces energy consumption while maintaining the quality of the whiskey by ensuring a constant steam mass flow and adjusting compressor settings to match changing distillation conditions, thereby optimizing energy recovery without compromising the distillation process.
Implementation Method 1
a heating device for heating the alcoholic liquid in the lower part with a steam-heated heat exchanger in contact with the alcoholic liquid
Implementation Method 2
a condenser for condensing alcoholic vapors supplied from the upper part with a cooling water circuit circulating over the condenser
Implementation Method 3
the cooling water circuit comprises a separator that separates water vapor from the cooling water circuit
Implementation Method 4
a mechanical compressor pre-compresses the water vapor separated by the separator
Implementation Method 5
supplies a suction port to a steam jet pump driven by water vapor from a water vapor source, which further compresses the pre-compressed water vapor and delivers the further compressed water vapor to the heat exchanger for heating
Data Source
Figure 1~2
AI summary
The invention relates to a pot distillation system, in particular for whiskey, which comprises a distillation bubble (1) with a base (5) equipped to heat an alcoholic liquid (13), and a top (7) removing alcohol vapors. The alcoholic liquid (13) in the base (5) is heated by means of a heating unit (35, 33) having a heat exchanger (35) which is in thermal contact with the alcoholic liquid (13) and heated by water vapor. A condenser (11) having a cooling water circuit (41) recirculating cooling water across the condenser condenses the alcohol vapor supplied from the top (7). The cooling water circuit (41) comprises a separator (45) which removes water vapor from the cooling water circuit. The water vapor removed by the separator (45) is pre-compressed in a mechanical compressor (49) and supplied to an intake port (51) of a steam jet pump (53) which is driven by water vapor from a water vapor source (37) and which further compresses the pre-compressed water vapor, said steam jet pump supplying the further compressed water vapor to the heat exchanger (35) for heating same.