Rotating Tray Water Decontamination System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current desalination methods are energy-intensive and inefficient, particularly when dealing with heavily salted solutions, and lack effective real-time monitoring and control systems to optimize water decontamination and energy consumption.
Innovation Solution
A system featuring a horizontally oriented vessel with a rotatable shaft and alternately spaced trays and baffles for centrifugal and axial compression of fluids, incorporating sensors and a controller to adjust operational parameters, and a turbine connected to an electric generator for energy recovery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If conventional desalination methods (multi-stage flash distillation, reverse osmosis) are used, then water decontamination is achieved, but energy consumption is excessive and operating costs are high
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes phase transitions of water (liquid to vapor to liquid) as the core mechanism for desalination. Water is evaporated to separate from salts and contaminants, then condensed to produce fresh water. This phase transition approach replaces energy-intensive thermal distillation and high-pressure reverse osmosis with a more efficient evaporation-condensation cycle, directly addressing the energy consumption problem while maintaining decontamination effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs a self-service mechanism where the evaporated water vapor itself drives the rotation of the shaft and trays through impingement, creating a self-sustaining cycle. The kinetic energy of the rising vapor is converted to rotational motion, which in turn drives the evaporation process, reducing the need for external energy input while maintaining continuous operation and reliable water production.
2Productivity
If high-pressure pumps or centrifuges are used in reverse osmosis systems, then water filtration through membranes is improved, but energy consumption and system complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical high-pressure pump or centrifuge system with a vapor-driven rotational system. Instead of using mechanical force to push water through membranes, the system uses the kinetic energy of evaporating water vapor to rotate trays that facilitate water-salt separation through centrifugal and gravitational forces, eliminating the need for high-pressure mechanical pumping while maintaining filtration productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts and utilizes the kinetic energy of water vapor during evaporation, separating this energy from the mechanical pumping system. By capturing the momentum of rising vapor and converting it to rotational motion, the system extracts useful work from the evaporation process itself, eliminating the need for separate high-energy mechanical compression devices.
3Reliability
If evaporation-condensation systems are used for desalination, then water purification is achieved, but significant energy input is required to evaporate the water
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the evaporation and power generation functions into a single integrated system. The evaporation process that was previously solely for purification now simultaneously generates mechanical power through vapor impingement on rotating trays. This combination reduces the net energy input required for evaporation by recovering and utilizing the energy contained in the vapor phase.
Solution Approach 2:
The system converts what would be wasted energy (the kinetic energy of rising water vapor) into useful mechanical work. By positioning trays to capture the impinging vapor, the system transforms the potentially lossful evaporation process into a dual-purpose operation that both purifies water and generates rotational energy, thereby reducing the net energy input required.
4Use of energy by moving object
If vacuum distillation is used to operate at lower temperatures, then energy consumption is reduced, but system complexity and vacuum maintenance requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system creates a self-regulating atmospheric pressure environment where the evaporation and condensation processes naturally balance without requiring active vacuum control. The rotating trays and natural convection currents maintain optimal flow patterns that work effectively at atmospheric pressure, eliminating the need for complex vacuum generation and maintenance systems while keeping energy consumption low through moderate-temperature operation.
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 system enhances water decontamination efficiency, increases potable water recovery, and reduces energy consumption by optimizing fluid processing and utilizing energy recovery, achieving up to 99% water recovery with improved mechanical reliability and reduced maintenance needs.
Implementation Method 1
The means for centrifugally and axially compressing vaporizes at least part of the fluid through cavitation such that the fluid comprises non-vaporized dissolved solids, a liquid and a vapor. The means for centrifugally and axially compressing causes centrifugal compression of the fluid, resulting in the non-vaporized dissolved solids and at least some of the liquid moving toward an outer wall of the vessel.
Implementation Method 2
The means for centrifugally and axially compressing vaporizes at least part of the fluid through cavitation such that the fluid comprises non-vaporized dissolved solids, a liquid and a vapor.
Implementation Method 3
The distal set of alternately spaced trays and baffles functions as an unlighted gas turbine or an hydraulic/water turbine
Implementation Method 4
The means for centrifugally and axially compressing causes axial flow compression of the liquid and vapor increasing the pressure of the fluid.
Data Source
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AI summary
A system and method for processing a fluid, including decontaminating water and generating water vapor includes introducing the fluid into a vessel. The fluid is moved through a series of rotating trays alternately separated by stationary baffles so as to swirl and heat the fluid to effect the vaporization thereof to produce a vapor having at least some of the contaminants separated therefrom. The vapor is removed from the vessel for condensing apart from the separated contaminants and the remaining water. The vapor may be passed through a turbine connected to an electric generator. Sensors in a controller may be employed to adjust the speed of rotation of the trays or fluid input into the vessel in response to the sensed conditions. The treated fluid may be recirculated and reprocessed through the vessel to increase the purification thereof.