Solar distillation apparatus

Patent · Tue Jun 02 00:00:00 EDT 1981

OSTI ID:6325269

Stark, V

Solar distillation apparatus are disclosed in which a substantial part of the heat of condensation of the condensing liquid is recovered. A conduit having an inclined smooth lower surface is disposed above the liquid to be distilled and on which the evaporated liquid condenses and releases its heat of condensation. A fluid is circulated through the conduit in a heat exchanging relationship with the lower surface thereof, the fluid absorbing a substantial part of the released heat of condensation. The condensed liquid flows along the bottom of the inclined lower surface and is discharged from the lower end thereof and collected. The conduit in the preferred embodiments is flat and transparent and the spacing between the upper and lower walls of the conduit is selected so that only a small part of the solar energy is absorbed in the conduit while the fluid in the conduit recovers a substantial part of the released heat of condensation. In accordance with the invention, more fluid is circulated in the conduit means than the quantity of liquid evaporated from the distillation compartments and condensed on the conduit means in order to carry away the released heat of condensation while maintaining the temperature of the fluid below that of the condensing liquid vapor. In accordance with the preferred embodiments, salt water is distilled and the quantity of fluid circulated through the conduit to absorb and carry the heat of condensation released by the condensing water vapor, will greatly exceed, for example, by 10 times, the quantity of condensed water evaporated, and distilled by the apparatus. Much more fluid is circulated in the conduit to maintain the fluid temperature below that of the condensing water vapor. The concentrated brine at for instance 80* C. May be recycled one or several times in separate distillation units or in distillation channels or compartments of the same unit wherein brine instead of preheated water to be distilled is introduced into the dist

• Assignee: North American Utility Construction CorP.
• Patent Number(s): US 4270981
• OSTI ID: 6325269
• Resource Relation: Patent File Date: Filed date 13 Jun 1978
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
SOLAR STILLS
DESIGN
BRINES
EVAPORATION
FRESNEL LENS
PIPES
SOLAR CONCENTRATORS
SOLAR DISTILLATION
WATER
EQUIPMENT
EVAPORATORS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
LENSES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
140909* - Solar Thermal Utilization- Miscellaneous Solar Applications- (1980-)