IP Library Granted Patent US 9,610,518
Granted Patent B2
US 9,610,518 · App. 13/982,022 · Granted Apr 4, 2017

Water vapor distillation apparatus, method and system

Inventors: Dean Kamen (Bedford, NH); Ryan K. LaRocque (Pepperell, MA); Christopher C. Langenfeld (Nashua, NH); Stephen M. Ent (Derry, NH); Andrew A. Schnellinger (Merrimack, NH); Prashant Bhat (Manchester, NH); Stanley B. Smith, III (Raymond, NH); Otis L. Clapp (Epping, NH)
Assignee: DEKA Products Limited Partnership
B01D1/0082B01D1/02B01D1/065B01D1/22B01D1/2818B01D1/2887B01D1/2893B01D1/305B01D3/00B01D3/42B01D5/006B01D5/0012C02F1/041C02F1/042C02F1/048C02F1/08C02F1/18C02F2103/06C02F2303/10Y02W10/37
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,610,518
App. No.
13/982,022
Granted
Apr 4, 2017
Kind
B2
Abstract

A fluid vapor distillation system. The system includes a control system for controlling a fluid vapor distillation apparatus including a blow down controller for controlling a blow down valve, a source flow controller for controlling a source flow valve, and a blow down level sensor in communication with a blow down controller and a source flow controller, the blow down level sensor sends signals related to the blow down level to the blow down controller and the source flow controller indicative of the blow down level, wherein the source flow controller actuates the source flow valve based at least on the blow down level sensor signals, and wherein the blow down controller actuates the blow down valve based at least on the blow down level sensor signals, whereby the blow down level and the source flow level are maintained using the blow down level sensor signals as input.

Claims (37)

1. A fluid vapor distillation system comprising:

a source fluid input;

an evaporator condenser apparatus comprising:

a housing; and

a plurality of tubes in said housing,

whereby said source fluid input is fluidly connected to said evaporator condenser and said evaporator condenser transforms source fluid into steam and transforms compressed steam into product fluid;

a heat exchanger fluidly connected to said source fluid input and a product fluid output, said heat exchanger comprising:

an outer tube;

at least one inner tube; and

two ends, and at each end a connector is attached, whereby said connectors form a connection to the evaporator condenser;

a regenerative blower fluidly connected to said evaporator condenser, whereby said regenerative blower compresses steam, and whereby compressed steam flows to said evaporative condenser whereby compressed steam is transformed into product fluid; and

a control system for controlling said fluid vapor distillation system comprising:

a blow down controller programmed to control a blow down valve;

a source flow controller programmed to control a source flow valve; and

a blow down level sensor in communication with a blow down controller and a source flow controller, said blow down level sensor sends signals related to said blow down level to said blow down controller and said source flow controller indicative of said blow down level,

wherein said source flow controller programmed to actuate said source flow valve based at least on said blow down level sensor signals, and

wherein said blow down controller programmed to actuate said blow down valve based at least on said blow down level sensor signals,

whereby said blow down level and said source flow level are maintained using said blow down level sensor signals as input.

2. The fluid vapor distillation system of claim 1 wherein said control system further comprising:

at least one controller;

an idle state wherein said at least one controllers are off;

a fill state wherein said source valve is opened and source fluid enters a sump in said fluid vapor distillation apparatus;

a heat state wherein a heater in said sump is maximized until fluid in said sump reaches a predetermined temperature;

a heat exchanger prime state wherein said source valve is opened to a predetermined duty cycle;

a start pump state wherein a bearing feed pump is run at a predetermined speed, and a blow motor is started; and

a run state wherein said fluid vapor distillation apparatus produces product water,

wherein said fluid vapor distillation apparatus is programmed with the idle state, the fill state, the heat state, the heat exchanger prime state, the start pump state and the run state.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein said heat exchanger is disposed about said housing of said evaporator condenser.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein said heat exchanger further comprising wherein said outer tube is a source fluid flow path and said at least one inner tube is a product fluid flow path.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein said heat exchanger further comprising at least three inner tubes.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein said at least three inner tubes are twined to form a substantially helical shape.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein said evaporator condenser tubes further comprising packing inside the tubes.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein said packing is a rod.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein said evaporator condenser further comprising a steam chest fluidly connected to said plurality of tubes.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein said regenerative blower further comprising an impeller assembly driven by a magnetic drive coupling.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein said control system comprising at least two processors, the at least two processors comprising a motor control engine processor and an ARM processor.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein said fluid vapor distillation apparatus further comprising a conductivity meter and a conductivity cell to determine the conductivity of the product fluid.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 6, 2014
From: ENT, STEPHEN M.
To: DEKA PRODUCTS LIMITED PARTNERSHIP
Reel/Frame 034116/0224 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 6, 2014
From: SMITH, STANLEY B., III
To: DEKA PRODUCTS LIMITED PARTNERSHIP
Reel/Frame 034116/0268 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 6, 2014
From: KAMEN, DEAN; LAROCQUE, RYAN K.; LANGENFELD, CHRISTOPHER C.; SCHNELLINGER, ANDREW A.; BHAT, PRASHANT; CLAPP, OTIS L.
To: DEKA PRODUCTS LIMITED PARTNERSHIP
Reel/Frame 034116/0313 →
Continuity (2)
Continuation In Part 13184169 · Jul 15, 2011
Related Publication 20140326592A1 · Nov 6, 2014