Method of and means for water desalinization

Abstract

Desalination of sea water is achieved using a solar pond that includes a halocline interposed between a convective upper wind mixed layer exposed to the ambient atmosphere, and a lower heat storage layer of hot, concentrated brine, Hot brine from the heat storage layer is flashed into steam which is condensed into desalted water using an indirect heat exchanger cooled by saline water. The latent heat of condensation of the steam warms the saline water and effects evaporation of water therefrom in the form of vapor. The last mentioned water vapor is condensed into desalted water using a two-stage condenser, the first stage of which is an indirect heat exchanger cooled by saline feed water which is heated as a result producing warmed saline feed water that constitutes the saline water used for condensing the steam produced by flashing the brine from the heat storage layer of the pond. The major part of the water vapor is condensed into desalted water in a second stage of the condenser that utilizes an indirect heat exchanger cooled by cooling water from the wind-mixed layer of the solar pond. The major portion of the warmed cooling water leaving the second stage of the condenser are returned to the wind-mixed layer of the solar pond.