Method and apparatus for high-efficiency direct contact condensation

Patent · Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1999

OSTI ID:872394

Bharathan, Desikan ^[1]; Parent, Yves ^[2]; Hassani, A Vahab ^[2]

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1. Lakewood, CO
2. Golden, CO

A direct contact condenser having a downward vapor flow chamber and an upward vapor flow chamber, wherein each of the vapor flow chambers includes a plurality of cooling liquid supplying pipes and a vapor-liquid contact medium disposed thereunder to facilitate contact and direct heat exchange between the vapor and cooling liquid. The contact medium includes a plurality of sheets arranged to form vertical interleaved channels or passageways for the vapor and cooling liquid streams. The upward vapor flow chamber also includes a second set of cooling liquid supplying pipes disposed beneath the vapor-liquid contact medium which operate intermittently in response to a pressure differential within the upward vapor flow chamber. The condenser further includes separate wells for collecting condensate and cooling liquid from each of the vapor flow chambers. In alternate embodiments, the condenser includes a cross-current flow chamber and an upward flow chamber, a plurality of upward flow chambers, or a single upward flow chamber. The method of use of the direct contact condenser of this invention includes passing a vapor stream sequentially through the downward and upward vapor flow chambers, where the vapor is condensed as a result of heat exchange with the cooling liquid in the contact medium. The concentration of noncondensable gases in the resulting condensate-liquid mixtures can be minimized by controlling the partial pressure of the vapor, which depends in part upon the geometry of the vapor-liquid contact medium. In another aspect of this invention, the physical and chemical performance of a direct contact condenser can be predicted based on the vapor and coolant compositions, the condensation conditions. and the geometric properties of the contact medium.

• Research Organization: Midwest Research Institute, Kansas City, MO (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC36-83CH10093
• Assignee: Midwest Research Institute ()
• Patent Number(s): US 5925291
• OSTI ID: 872394
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

method
apparatus
high-efficiency
direct
contact
condensation
condenser
downward
vapor
flow
chamber
upward
chambers
plurality
cooling
liquid
supplying
pipes
vapor-liquid
medium
disposed
thereunder
facilitate
heat
exchange
sheets
arranged
form
vertical
interleaved
channels
passageways
streams
set
beneath
operate
intermittently
response
pressure
differential
separate
collecting
condensate
alternate
embodiments
cross-current
single
passing
stream
sequentially
condensed
result
concentration
noncondensable
gases
resulting
condensate-liquid
mixtures
minimized
controlling
partial
depends
geometry
aspect
physical
chemical
performance
predicted
based
coolant
compositions
conditions
geometric
properties
upward flow
liquid mixture
medium disposed
liquid mixtures
liquid stream
cooling liquid
vapor flow
direct contact
heat exchange
pressure differential
current flow
partial pressure
vapor stream
alternate embodiment
noncondensable gases
flow chamber
liquid streams
alternate embodiments
flow chambers
contact condenser
noncondensable gas
direct heat
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