Distillation: processes – separatory – With measuring – testing or inspecting
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-16
2001-10-16
Manoharan, Virginia (Department: 1764)
Distillation: processes, separatory
With measuring, testing or inspecting
C202S160000, C202S181000, C202S182000, C202S185300, C202S189000, C202S205000, C203S002000, C203S011000, C203S091000, C203S100000, C203SDIG008
Reexamination Certificate
active
06303006
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system for distilling liquid, and more particularly to a vapor collecting type distilling system for distilling seawater at a lower temperature to thereby obtain pure water. The present invention also relates to a method for distilling liquid.
2. Description of the Related Art
Taiwan Utility Model Publication No. 311588 entitled “APPARATUS FOR PURIFYING SEAWATER INTO PURE WATER” issued on Jul. 21, 1997 utilizes an exhaust pipe of the engine and an exhaust pipe of the engine of a generator as well as a condensing device. The condensing device includes an inlet and an outlet for water circulating, a distilling water inlet for pouring, and a condensing tube. The apparatus is characterized in that the exhaust pipe of the vessel engine and the exhaust pipe of the generator engine are enclosed by a metal plate to form a vaporizing device. A separation plate is mounted in the metal plate to separate the exhaust pipe of the vessel engine from the exhaust pipe of the generator engine such that the exhaust pipe of the vessel engine is located in a sealed steam chamber and the exhaust pipe of the generator engine is located in a thermostatic chamber. In addition, a water inlet tube and a steam tube are mounted to an upper part of the steam chamber, wherein one end of the water inlet tube is extended into the steam chamber and associated with the exhaust pipe of the vessel engine, the other end of the water inlet tube is connected to the water inlet of the condensing device, and the steam tube is connected to an end of the condensing tube of the condensing device.
In the above apparatus, water is vaporized in the steam chamber by means of heat generated by the exhaust pipe of the vessel engine. The amount of steam generated and the vaporizing efficiency are both low. In addition, the distilled water cannot be collected reliably since most of the steam condenses and flows back to the steam chamber as a result of arrangement of the water inlet tube rather than enters the steam tube. Furthermore, purification of seawater is proceeded at normal pressure in which the boiling point of water at normal pressure is 100° C., yet the boiling point of seawater is slightly above 100° C. Thus, more energy is required for vaporizing seawater and for condensing the steam. The cost for production pure water is accordingly high.
The present invention is intended to provide an improved distilling system that mitigates and/or obviates the above problems.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a vacuum type distilling system in which pressure is reduced to lower the boiling point of the liquid such that the distilling can proceed at a boiling point lower than that of the liquid at normal pressure, thereby saving energy for vaporizing the liquid and avoiding energy waste during heat exchange at high temperature for condensing the steam.
It is a secondary object of the present invention to provide a distilling system in which vapor is not apt to contact with an inner wall of the container to avoid leading vaporized vapor back to the liquid surface, thereby improving the vaporizing efficiency.
In order to reduce the pressure in the distilling system, a vacuum pump is provided, and the vacuum is maintained after a dynamic balance between vaporization and condensation such that the vacuum pump can be turned off to minimize the operation cost.
In order to achieve the above objects, the distilling system of the invention lowers the boiling point of the liquid to be distilled by means of reducing pressure of a sealed container. As a result, distillation can be proceeded at a temperature lower than the boiling point of the liquid at normal pressure. In addition, vaporizing surface area is reduced such that a contact area between a level surface of the liquid and the vapor is reduced, and the possibility of returning of vapor back to the surface of the liquid is reduced to improve vaporizing efficiency.
A vacuum type distilling system in accordance with the present invention includes a sealed container including a vaporization chamber for containing a liquid and a condensation chamber, a pressure-reducing device connected with the sealed container, a condensing device, a heating device for heating and thus vaporizing the liquid in the vaporization chamber into vapor, a vapor-collecting device for collecting and guiding vapor generated in the vaporization chamber into the condensation chamber, and a condensing device for condensing vapor in the condensation chamber into distilled liquid.
Other objects, advantages, and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3458404 (1969-07-01), Vincent et al.
patent: 3635799 (1972-01-01), Lowi, Jr.
patent: 4235678 (1980-11-01), McKien
patent: 4954223 (1990-09-01), Leary et al.
patent: 5441606 (1995-08-01), Schlesinger et al.
patent: 5525200 (1996-06-01), LaNois et al.
patent: 5549794 (1996-08-01), Mar
patent: 5676800 (1997-10-01), Chen
patent: 311588 (1997-07-01), None
Chang Charlie S. F.
Chang Chia-Wei
Tsung-Lin Shen
Bacon & Thomas
Manoharan Virginia
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