Solar distillation

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Drawing sheet — no readable text.

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United States Patent Office 3,190,816 Patented June 22, 1965

3,190,816 created in the vaporization chamber by the spraying action. SOLAR DESTLLATION The air, regardless of relative humidity, is drawn in from Oswald T. Adanec, 23 Union Square E, outside of the system by blowers 8. This operation may Mount Vernon, N.Y. be continuous in tropical or temperate climatic locations. Filed Dec. 16, 1958, Ser. No. 780,742 The semi-saturated stream of air passes to the vented 7 Claims. (C. 202-234) condensing chamber 9 where it is condensed by cooling coils, fins and baffles, the cooling being effected by cool sea

This invention is a continuation-in-part of my applica water circulating through or over the coils, fins and baffles. tion, Serial No. 757,595, filed. August 27, 1958, which is The resulting potable water is collected by a continuous now pending. 0 non-rusting metal tray near the bottom of the condensing This invention relates to a process of distillation adapted chamber. The trays of similar adjacent units are con for desalting sea water. nected by a common conduit leading to a storage, aeration In this process, there is used, as one factor, a current of and chlorination reservoir. Unvaporized sea water is col hot dry air passed through a spray of saline water, which lected at the bottom of each vaporization chamber, and has been heated by solar energy, as well as heat from other 15 flows by gravity to a collecting basin under condensing SOCCS. chamber 9. - An object of the invention is to provide apparatus and a it may then be recirculated, either with or without the process utilizing such apparatus, to make it possible con admixture of fresh sea water, by being pumped into reser tinuously to operate by increasing the efficiency and the voir 10 and then, by flowing by gravity over the metal roof thermal conductivity of the apparatus, so as to increase the 20 of condensing chamber 9, it serves to cool the roof by rate of vaporization and condensation. direct heat transfer and evaporation before flowing into a Another object of the invention is to provide a con crushed limestone trough 23, where strainer 4 is con struction of the heat-absorbing-and-heating elements to nected to conduits 4 in heating slab 2. Slab 2 is pre assure substantial continuity of vaporization and conden vented from cracking by expansion joints 11 made up of sation at a substantial rate. 25 a flexible perforated copper trough 15 supported by per For the attainment of these objects, and such other ob forated continuous copper bearing steel angles 16 and jects as will hereinafter appear or be pointed out, I have covered over by an abrasive plate 17. Expansion may be disclosed an illustrative embodiment of my invention in permitted in the lower structural slab by flexible mastic apparatus and a process, in the drawings, wherein joints 12. Concrete baffle 18 prevents sea water flowing FIG. 1 is a plan view of apparatus for effecting certain 30 over the condenser roof from flooding the heating slab. principles of the invention; Having described the construction and function of my FIG. 2 is a detail vertical cross-sectional view, Substan invention and process, what I claim as new and useful and tially on the line 2-2 of FIG. 1; desire to secure by Letters Patent is: FIG. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view, substantially 1. A solar distiller of sea water comprising a first struc on the line 3-3 of FIG.1; 35 tural means with an extensive top area commercially FIG. 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view, substantially utilizable by heavy vehicles and having the property of on the line 4-4 of FIG. i., and thermal absorption and conductivity of solar heat, a series FIG. 5 is a transverse cross-sectional view, substantially of tubular metal conduits spaced in and embedded within on the line 5-5 of FIG. 3. said structural means beneath said top surface to receive The structure discloses a concrete or asphalt slab or 40 the heat absorbed by the structural means and for trans similar structure which may serve as the surface of an air ferring the heat to sea water flowing therethrough, a way or runway. The top surface of this slab may be second structural means supporting said first structural black, to assist as a heat absorbing area of Solar energy. means, a vaporization chamber in said second structural Below this surface, the slab provides a Space to serve as a means for receiving and vaporizing heated water and vaporization chamber. The composition of the surface 45 having means for delivering moisture receptive air to move material is variable in thickness to meet the particular re quirements for the purposes to be served, being at least a from an end area of the chamber through the chamber, means for delivering the sea water flowing through said few inches thick. conduits to said vaporization chamber substantially in said In the construction of the slab, lamp black, semi-plastic 50 end area, means for spraying heated sea water into said asphalt, concrete, a densifier, wire mesh and heat exchang chamber to evaporate a part thereof, condensation means ers may be used in the proper proportions. Other sub separate from said first and second structural means and stances such as de-oiled industrial metal filings, or ground having cooling and condensing surfaces, said cooling sur Carborundum, may be added in the desired proportions faces conveying evaporating sea water to cool said con for increasing thermal conductivity or Wear.

The heating and vaporization chamber 1 (FIG. 4) has 55 densing surfaces, means for delivering the moisture-laden vertical concrete supports between upper heating slab 2 air from said vaporization chamber for condensing the and lower structural slab 3, the vertical support not being moisture therefrom and forming purified water. 2. A solar distiller of sea water as set forth in claim shown owing to many variations possible, according to the 1 wherein said tubular metal conduits are made of cast uses for which the upper slab may be applied, in addition to its function of solar heat absorption. In some associa 60 iron and have a flat upper wall and a semi-circular fluted bottom wall, and square reinforced mesh is embedded in tions, both the heating and structural slabs may rest di rectly on the earth so that supports would not be required. said structural means and connected to said cast iron con duits, and a heavy reinforcing mesh is embedded in said vaporization chamber 1 (FIG. 1) is designed to permit sea water, heated by its passage through either grooves 65 structural means on the opposite side of the first mesh from the top surface and metal corrugated masonry ties formed or over cast iron corrugated troughs 4, in slab 2, extend laterally to said conduits interconnecting said rein to be drained into a sump pit 5. The grooves may be forcing mesh for the strengthening of said structural lined with sheets of non-rusting sheet metal. aS -

From pit 5, this heated water, by means of a centriful 3. A solar distiller of sea water as set forth in claim gal pump 7, is picked up and sprayed through perforated 70 1 wherein said structural means are formed with con or nozzle-equipped cast iron pipes 6 which may be ap crete channels and said metal conduits comprise thin proximately 30% as long as the chamber. A strong cur sheets of non-rusting sheet metal formed in said channels rent of water and/or ionized air is blown through the mist to surface said channels with metal.

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4. In combination with a vaporization unit and con 7. A solar distiller comprising a member having a sub densation unit to form a purified water, structural means stantially flat surface, the member being of a Substantial formed of a material having the property of high ther load-supporting thickness and its top surface being ex mal absorption and high conductivity of Solar heat, rein posed to solar rays and being capable of supporting mov forcing means and conduit members embedded in said 5 ing loads, said top surface having means for increasing material to reinforce said structural means for Supporting its heat-absorbing capacity, the member having cavities moving vehicles, said conduit means being in a heat trans extending Substantially parallel to said Surface and hav fer relation with said material to heat sea water flowing ing means therein to define substantially parallel inclined through the conduits for subsequent vaporization and con ways, the cavities being disposed a short distance below densation to form a purified water. O the exposed surface, a plurality of chambers formed in 5. A solar distiller comprising a member having a sub the merinber separated from and below the cavities, spray stantially flat surface, the member being of a substantial ing members disposed in said chambers, means for de load-supporting thickness and its top surface being ex livering water to be heated to the inclined ways, means posed to solar rays and being capable of supporting mov for forcing the water heated by passage through the ways ing loads, the member having a plurality of grooves pro through the spraying members, means for causing air to viding passages at a short distance below the exposed Sur move through the chambers past the water being sprayed face, a plurality of chambers formed in the member sepa to take up moisture from the spray, and means for con rated from and below the grooves, spraying members dis posed in said chambers, means for delivering Water to ducting the moisture-laden air from the chambers over a cooling means.

be heated to the grooves, means for forcing the Water 20 heated by passage through the grooves through the Spray References Cited by the Examiner ing members, and means for causing air to move through UNITED STATES PATENTS the chambers past the water being sprayed to take up mois ture from the spray. 966,070 8/10 Bailey --------??-------------- 126-271 6. A solar distiller comprising a member having a Sub 25 1,544, 130 6/25 Christensen. stantially flat surface, the member being of a substantial 1,705,068 3/29 Sadtler ------------------ 94-8 load-supporting thickness and its top surface being eX 2,066,656 1/37 Stromberg --------------- 94-3 posed to solar rays and being capable of supporting mov 2,202,756 5/40 Cline ---------------- 126-271 ing loads, said top surface having means for increasing its 2,268,320 12/41 Brandt ------------- 126-270 X heat-absorbing capacity, the member having cavities ex 30 2,456,562. 12/48 Lindsay.

tending substantially parallel to said surface and having 2,466,150 4/49 Burt ------------------ 94-1 X means therein to define substantially parallel in 2,902,028 9/59 Maniy --------------------------- 9-59 clined ways, the cavities being disposed a short distance FOREIGN PATENTS below the exposed surface, a plurality of chambers formed in the member separated from and below the cavities, 3 5 28,130 - 12/07 Great Britain.

spraying members disposed in said chambers, means for 760,517 10/56 Great Britain.

delivering water to be heated to the inclined Ways, means 183,621 4/36 Switzerland.

for forcing the water heated by passage through the ways NORMANYUDKOFF, Primary Examiner.

through the spraying members, and means for causing air to move through the chambers past the water being 40 ROBERT D. NEVIUS, GEORGE D. MITCHELL, sprayed to take up moisture from the spray. - Examiners.