Patent · US Expired

Apparatus for producing power using concentrated brine

US4704993A · kind A · utility

1Cited by
1References
13Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateAug 8, 1986
Grant dateNov 10, 1987
Priority date
Expiry dateAug 8, 2006

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10S165/914
  • WIPO fieldChemical engineering
  • WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

A power plant includes a source of water, a heat exchanger having an evaporator side maintained below atmospheric pressure for converting the water to steam, and a turbine responsive to said steam for producing work and heat depleted steam. The heat exchanger also has a condenser side for receiving and condensing the heat depleted steam. The evaporator side of the heat exchanger is separated by a barrier from the condenser side. Concentrated brine from a source thereof is caused to fall in a film on the condenser side of the barrier, and water from the water source is caused to fall in a film on the evaporator side of the barrier. The heat of dilution of the film of concentrated brine, as it is directly contacted by the heat depleted steam in the condenser side of the heat exchanger, is transferred through the barrier from the condenser side to the evaporator side raising the temperature of the film of water on the evaporator side which evaporates in the reduced pressure in the evaporator. The cooled and diluted brine withdrawn from the condenser is reconcentrated in a constant enthalpy brine evaporator.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.