Supersonic Water Purification via Shockwave Atomization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current water purification methods are energy-intensive, costly, and have throughput limitations, especially when dealing with large quantities of impure water from various industrial and natural sources, and often require significant logistical challenges for management and disposal.
Innovation Solution
The use of shockwave technology to generate a supersonic gas stream that atomizes impure water, allowing for efficient heat absorption and phase change into steam, separating contaminants and producing high-purity water with lower energy consumption and higher throughput compared to traditional methods.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If distillation processes are used for water purification, then high purity water can be obtained, but energy consumption increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes phase transition of water from liquid to vapor and back to liquid through evaporation and condensation processes. The evaporator converts liquid water to vapor, leaving contaminants behind, and the condenser transforms the vapor back to liquid, producing purified water. This phase transition mechanism achieves high purity water separation without requiring excessive energy input compared to traditional distillation.
Solution Approach 2:
The purification system is divided into distinct functional segments: an evaporator section for vaporization, a condenser section for condensation, and separate contamination collection chambers. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function efficiently, with the evaporator handling water-vapor conversion and the condenser handling vapor-to-liquid conversion, thereby optimizing energy utilization across the system.
2Manufacturing precision
If membrane separation processes are used for water purification, then highly purified water can be formed, but membrane surface fouling or pore occlusion occurs when remediating highly impure water sources
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts contaminants from water through evaporation before the condensation process. The evaporator selectively vaporizes water molecules, leaving behind suspended solids, dissolved solids, and other contaminants in the evaporation chamber. This extraction mechanism prevents contaminants from reaching and fouling the condenser surface, maintaining reliable operation without membrane clogging issues.
Solution Approach 2:
Water vapor acts as an intermediary medium between the evaporator and condenser. The vapor phase transports purified water molecules from the evaporator to the condenser without carrying contaminants, which remain in the liquid phase in the evaporator. This intermediary vapor phase protects the condenser from direct contact with contaminants, preventing surface fouling.
3Manufacturing precision
If traditional water purification processes are used, then water can be purified, but throughput is limited and cannot support large-scale purification
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements continuous operation where water is continuously fed to the evaporator, vaporized, condensed, and collected as purified water in an uninterrupted cycle. The system maintains continuous phase transition and flow through all components, eliminating batch processing interruptions. This continuous operation enables high throughput capable of supporting large-scale purification applications.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from liquid-phase processing to vapor-phase processing and back to liquid. By utilizing the vapor phase as an intermediate dimension, the system achieves rapid mass transfer and separation that is not constrained by liquid-phase diffusion limitations. This dimensional change enables faster processing rates and higher throughput while maintaining purification effectiveness.
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 enables energy-efficient, high-throughput, and cost-effective water purification, capable of handling large volumes of impure water, reducing logistical challenges and providing a contaminant profile suitable for reuse in industrial processes, such as forming treatment fluids, while minimizing energy use and environmental impact.
Implementation Method 1
supplying impure water into the supersonic gas stream to produce a standing fluid wave comprising atomized water droplets
Implementation Method 2
introducing sufficient heat into the standing fluid wave to cause at least a portion of the atomized water droplets to phase change into steam
Implementation Method 3
introducing sufficient heat into the standing fluid wave to cause at least a portion of the atomized water droplets to phase change into steam
Implementation Method 4
generating a supersonic gas stream by feeding a gas through a shockwave nozzle under conditions sufficient to achieve a supersonic velocity
Data Source
AI summary
Water purification may occur by introducing sufficient heat into a standing fluid wave produced by supplying impure water into a supersonic gas stream. At least partially purified water may be recovered in the form of steam and undergo condensation into liquid water thereafter. Such water purification methods may comprise: generating a supersonic gas stream by feeding a gas through a shockwave nozzle under conditions sufficient to achieve a supersonic velocity, supplying impure water into the supersonic gas stream to produce a standing fluid wave comprising atomized water droplets downstream from an exit end of the shockwave nozzle, introducing sufficient heat into the standing fluid wave to cause at least a portion of the atomized water droplets to phase change into steam, and obtaining the steam as an overhead stream separated from an effluent stream containing one or more contaminants.