Occidental Research Corporation

Other

Pasupati Sadhukhan

James C Fletcher

Alexis T Bell

Direct contact heat transfer process and system for recovery of energy from geothermal brines or other hot aqueous solutions of a non-volatile solute, or for desalination, using staged evaporator-condenser units operating with a low boiling water-immiscible liquid hydrocarbon. Each stage comprises a closed vessel divided into two compartments, an evaporator and a condenser, by a bubble cap tray similar in construction to those used in distillation. In one embodiment, hot geothermal brine or other hot aqueous liquid is introduced into the liquid hydrocarbon contained in the lower compartment of each stage, causing boiling of the hydrocarbon. Hydrocarbon vapors pass from the evaporator compartment through the bubble caps to the upper condenser compartment where they are condensed in contact with a cooler water stream. The heated water stream under substantial pressure is fed to an expander or turbine to produce work. In another embodiment using the same staged heat transfer system for desalination, relatively hot fresh water is introduced into the liquid hydrocarbon contained in the lower compartment of each stage, causing boiling of the hydrocarbon, and the hydrocarbon vapors pass from the evaporator compartment to the upper condenser compartment where they are condensed in contact with a colder saline stream. The heated saline stream is flash evaporated and the vapors are condensed with a portion of this condensed stream taken off as product.

Heat transfer process and system

A process and system for obtaining fresh water from salt water such as sea water, by direct contact heat transfer using staged evaporator-condenser units operating with a low boiling water-immiscible liquid hydrocarbon. Each stage comprises a closed vessel divided into two compartments, an evaporator and a condenser, by a bubble cap tray similar in construction to those used in distillation. Relatively hot fresh water is introduced into the liquid hydrocarbon contained in the lower compartment of each stage, causing boiling of the hydrocarbon at a temperature differnce of 2.degree.-4.degree. F. Hydrocarbon vapors pass from the evaporator compartment through the bubble caps to the upper condenser compartment where they are condensed in contact with a colder saline stream, and the condensed hydrocarbon is returned to the lower compartment. The heated saline stream is flash evaporated and the vapors are condensed in direct contact with recycled fresh water from the evaporator compartments, and a portion of this combined stream is taken off as product, the remainder of the combined stream being further heated and reintroduced into the evaporator compartments of the staged units. Sea water feed is introduced into the condenser compartment of the last stage and passes into the respective condenser compartments of each of the preceding stages, and is further heated therein in each stage, and the hot fresh water introduced into the evaporator compartment of the first stage is passed through the evaporator compartments of each succssive stage and is further cooled in each successive stage.

Process and system of desalination by direct contact heat transfer

A process and system for recovery of energy from geothermal brines or other hot aqueous solutions of a non-volatile solute, by direct contact heat transfer using staged evaporator-condenser units operating with a low boiling water-immiscible liquid hydrocarbon. Each stage comprises a closed vessel divided into two compartments, an evaporator and a condenser, by a bubble cap tray similar in construction to those used in distillation. Hot geothermal brine or other hot aqueous liuqid is introduced into the liquid hydrocarbon contained in the lower compartment of each stage, causing boiling of the hydrocarbon at a temperature difference of 2.degree.-4.degree. F. Hydrocarbon vapors pass from the evaporator compartment through the bubble caps to the upper condenser compartment where they are condensed in contact with a cooler water stream, and the condensed hydrocarbon is returned to the lower compartment. The heated water stream under substantial pressure is fed to an expander or turbine to produce work, and the expander discharge, after cooling and condensation of any steam therein, is reintroduced into the evaporator compartments of the staged units. Such recycled water, together with make-up water is introduced as feed into the condenser compartment of the last stage and passes into the respective condenser compartments of each of the preceding stages, and is further heated in each stage, and the hot brine, or the like, introduced into the evaporator compartment of the first stage is passed through the evaporator compartments of each successive stage and is further cooled in each successive stage, and is finally passed to waste.

Recovery of energy from geothermal brine and other aqueous sources

A process and system for obtaining fresh water from salt water such as sea water, by direct contact heat transfer using staged evaporator-condenser units operating with a low boiling water-immiscible liquid hydrocarbon. Each stage comprises a closed vessel divided into two compartments, an evaporator and a condenser, by a bubble cap tray similar in construction to those used in distillation. Relatively hot fresh water is introduced into the liquid hydrocarbon contained in the lower compartment of each stage, causing boiling of the hydrocarbon at a temperature difference of 2.degree.-4.degree. F. Hydrocarbon vapors pass from the evaporator compartment through the bubble caps to the upper condenser compartment where they are condensed in contact with a colder saline stream, and the condensed hydrocarbon is returned to the lower compartment. The heated saline stream is flash evaporated and the vapors are condensed in direct contact with recycled fresh water from the evaporator compartments, and a portion of this combined stream is taken off as product, the remainder of the combined stream being further heated and reintroduced into the evaporator compartments of the staged units. Sea water feed is introduced into the condenser compartment of the last stage and passes into the respective condenser compartments of each of the preceding stages, and is further heated therein in each stage, and the hot fresh water introduced into the evaporator compartment of the first stage is passed through the evaporator compartments of each successive stage and is further cooled in each successive stage.

Process of desalination by direct contact heat transfer

The present invention relates to a process for preparing high purity inorganic higher oxides of the alkali and alkaline earth metals by subjecting the hydroxide of the alkali or alkaline earth metal to a radio frequency discharge sustained in oxygen. The invention is particularly adaptable to the production of high purity potassium superoxide (KO.sub.2) by subjecting potassium hydroxide to glow discharge sustained in oxygen under the pressure of about 0.75 to 1.00 torr.

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La Verne, CA, United States of America

Pasupati Sadhukhan