Process and apparatus for the extraction of fresh water from warm seawater
US5306397A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 28, 1992 |
| Grant date | Apr 26, 1994 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 28, 2012 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S203/19
- WIPO fieldChemical engineering
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
The apparatus is located almost completely under the surface of the sea. The vacua in the de-aeration and the evaporation chambers are generated by a vacuum pump and are maintained by the effects of a pressure reduction device at the inlet for warm seawater and a lifting pump at the outlet for brine. The de-aerator and the evaporator are laid out as heat exchangers and penetrated by heating tubes, which are flowed through passively by warm seawater. The immersion tube forming the steam compartment which is suspended vertically in the sea serves as a condenser. The condenser is cooled passively by cold seawater. The attachment to the bottom of the sea is performed by a single point mooring construction via an anchor chain at an anchor weight. The elevation of the water production unit is controlled automatically by means of an air chamber and an air compressor.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.