METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONCENTRATING AND EVAPORATING FLUID
A system and method are provided for heating, concentrating and/or evaporating a fluid by heating the fluid in a heating subsystem comprising a rotary heating device, such as a water brake dynamometer, and then evaporating all or a portion of the fluid in an evaporation subsystem and/or concentrating the fluid in a concentration subsystem.
1 - 5 . (canceled)
6 . A method of evaporating a fluid, comprising:
providing a prime mover adapted to generate rotational kinetic energy and thermal energy;
coupling a rotary heating device to the prime mover so that rotational kinetic energy is transferred to the rotary heating device;
circulating a first fluid through the rotary heating device to impart thermal energy to the fluid;
circulating the first fluid through at least one heat exchanger adapted to transfer thermal energy of the prime mover to the fluid;
circulating the fluid through at least a second heat exchanger;
passing a second fluid through the at least second heat exchanger to transfer thermal energy from the first fluid to the second fluid thereby heating the second fluid;
flashing the second fluid into its vapor and liquid phases;
providing a holding tank adapted to contain the liquid and vapor phases of the second fluid;
providing a fluid-to-air condenser in fluid communication with the tank for condensing a portion of the second fluid vapor by passing air across the condenser to transfer thermal energy from the vapor to the air; and
providing an evaporation chamber in fluid communication with the tank for evaporating a portion of the second fluid liquid with the heated air.
7 . (canceled)
8 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the first fluid is a water-based mixture.
9 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the prime mover is an internal combustion engine.
10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the internal combustion engine is a natural gas engine.
11 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising heating the air with thermal energy from a cooling system of the internal combustion engine.
12 . The method of claim 6 , further comprising removing unevaporated fluid from the evaporation chamber.
13 . The method of claim 6 , further comprising disposing of the unevaporated fluid.
14 . The method of claim 6 , further comprising evaporating at least 80% of the fluid introduced into the evaporation chamber.
15 . A method of concentrating a fluid, comprising:
providing a prime mover adapted to generate rotational kinetic energy and thermal energy;
coupling a rotary heating device to the prime mover so that rotational kinetic energy is transferred to the rotary heating device;
circulating a first fluid through the rotary heating device to impart thermal energy to the fluid;
circulating the first fluid through at least one heat exchanger adapted to transfer thermal energy of the prime mover to the fluid;
circulating the fluid through at least a second heat exchanger;
passing a second fluid through the at least second heat exchanger to transfer thermal energy from the first fluid to the second fluid thereby heating the second fluid;
flashing the second fluid into its vapor and liquid phases;
providing a holding tank adapted to contain the liquid and vapor phases of the second fluid;
providing a condenser in fluid communication with the tank for condensing a portion of the second fluid vapor;
condensing the second fluid vapor to its liquid phase; and
extracting at least a portion of the condensed vapor to thereby concentrated the second fluid.
16 . (canceled)
17 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the first fluid is a water-based mixture.
18 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the prime mover is an internal combustion engine.
19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the internal combustion engine is a diesel engine.
20 . The method of claim 18 , further comprising using thermal energy from exhaust gasses of the internal combustion engine to heat the first fluid.