Desalination/power cycles with the biphase rotary separator and turbine. Final report

Technical Report · Mon Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1980

OSTI ID:5478446

Limburg, P L

The Biphase Rotary Separator Turbine (RST) generates fresh water and power when using salt water as a working fluid. Cycle studies of single- and two-stage RST cycles determined water-production rates to be 0.6 to 1.8 pounds per thousand Btus of heat input and net power-production efficiencies of 2 to 10 percent, depending on cycle configuration and the maximum saltwater temperature. The Biphase RST can be beneficially integrated with conventional desalination processes. Cycles studied include a topping cycle for distillation plants, shaft-power-source cycle for reverse osmosis and vapor-compression plants, and a reverse-osmosis cycle recovering the reject-brine pressure energy. Short duration tests of a Biphase RST showed that fresh water production (30 ppM TDS) from seawater is feasible. Conceptual design studies were made of a single-stage desalination/power system suitable for a first demonstration plant. The system produces 9000 gallons per day and 90 horsepower from the exhaust-gas energy of a 2125 horsepower diesel engine.

• Research Organization: Biphase Energy Systems, Santa Monica, CA (USA)
• OSTI ID: 5478446
• Report Number(s): PB-81-150237
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

20 FOSSIL-FUELED POWER PLANTS
200100* -- Fossil-Fueled Power Plants-- Power Plants & Power Generation
32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
320304 -- Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization-- Industrial & Agricultural Processes-- Waste Heat Recovery & Utilization
DESALINATION PLANTS
DIFFUSION
DISTILLATION
DUAL-PURPOSE POWER PLANTS
EFFICIENCY
EVAPORATION
FLASHING
FRESH WATER
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INDUSTRIAL PLANTS
MACHINERY
OSMOSIS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PERFORMANCE
PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
POWER GENERATION
POWER PLANTS
ROTARY SEPARATOR TURBINES
SEAWATER
SEPARATION PROCESSES
TURBINES
TURBOMACHINERY
WATER