The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 22, 1991
Filed:
Apr. 30, 1990
Chen-Yen Cheng, Albuquerque, NM (US);
Other;
Abstract
The present invention consists of processes and apparatuses for conducting thermal storage as well as thermal storage in combination with treatment of dilute waste water streams. In all cases, the ice or crystals are made at reduced pressure and do not leave the location where they are formed for washing or melting, but are fixed in one location, thus avoiding the difficulties associated with movement of solids. For cool storage, ice is made at off-peak power consumption hours and melted during on peak power consumption hours. Melting is accomplished at reduced pressure by flashing warm water into a zone which has vapor communication with the ice. The vapor formed condenses onto the ice to melt the ice. The warm water is chilled by the flashing operation and is sent to fulfill either a process or building cooling requirement. In combination with the treatment of dilute waste streams, ice is formed on slanted or vertical plates to the exclusion of solute impurities by having a large liquid flow over the plates. Crystallization is induced on the plates by evaporation at reduced pressures. The vapor formed is liquefied either by condensation at refrigerated coils followed by melting via direct contact with super-triple point vapor, by compression followed by condensation or by absorption. Ice is melted by the same method as for cool storage alone. The apparatus introduced includes the definition of zones required for the vacuum freezing, vapor liquefaction and ice melting zones as well as the valving means and heat exchangers required.