Power generation and potable water recovery from salinous water

Patent · Tue Oct 24 04:00:00 EDT 1978

OSTI ID:5598884

Carson, D B

A process for simultaneously generating power and recovering potable water from a source of salinous water - e.g. sea water, is described. Salinous water which is proximate to the surface and at a relatively high temperature - about 85/sup 0/F - is increased in temperature via indirect contact with a vaporous phase, derived from the surface water at an elevated temperature and a subatmospheric pressure. The preheated salinous water is exposed to radiant solar energy, in a solar radiation heat sink, to further increase the temperature thereof. Thus-heated salinous water is introduced into a first flash separation zone, maintained at subatmospheric pressure, to provide a first substantially non-salinous vaporous phase and a first salinous liquid phase. The first vaporous phase is passed into and through a turbine, for power generation. The first liquid phase is introduced into a second flash separation zone, maintained at a lower absolute pressure than said first flash zone, to provide a second salinous liquid phase and a second substantially non-salinous vaporous phase. The latter is utilized to preheat the salinous surface water prior to the introduction thereof into the solar radiation heat sink. The second liquid phase is introduced into a third flash separation zone, to provide a third salinous liquid phase and a third substantially non-salinous vaporous phase. Vapors exiting from the turbine and the third vaporous phase are cooled and/or condensed via indirect contact with a second proton of the salinous water, obtained from a locus substantially lower than the surface, and at a comparatively lower temperature - e.g. about 70/sup 0/F - to recover liquid potable water. The third salinous liquid phase is returned to the original source of the salinous water.

• Assignee: UOP Inc.
• Patent Number(s): US 4121977
• OSTI ID: 5598884
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
140800 -- Solar Energy-- Ocean Energy Systems
140909* -- Solar Thermal Utilization-- Miscellaneous Solar Applications-- (1980-)
CONDENSERS
CONVERSION
COVERINGS
DEMINERALIZATION
DESALINATION
DESIGN
ENERGY CONVERSION
EQUIPMENT
EVAPORATION
EVAPORATORS
FLASHING
HEAT EXCHANGERS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
MACHINERY
OCEAN THERMAL ENERGY CONVERSION
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
PONDS
POWER GENERATION
SEAWATER
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SOLAR COLLECTORS
SOLAR ENERGY CONVERSION
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
SOLAR PONDS
SOLAR STILLS
TURBINES
TURBOMACHINERY
WATER