Evaporation system
View Patent ↗A water evaporation system comprising a gas turbine engine is disclosed. The exhaust of the gas turbine engine directly impinges on wastewater to entrain and evaporate at least a portion of the wastewater.
1 . A water evaporation system, comprising:
a gas turbine engine, comprising:
an air compressor;
a burner in fluidic communication with the air compressor;
a rotatable shaft; and
an exhaust outlet in communication with the burner configured to receive heated air from the burner; and
an evaporation tank, comprising:
an exhaust inlet in communication with the exhaust outlet of the gas turbine engine;
a water supply system; and
a boiling chamber in communication with the exhaust inlet, wherein the boiling chamber is configured to receive water from the water supply system and direct heated exhaust from the gas turbine engine directly onto the water to evaporate at least a portion of the water,
wherein the boiling chamber comprises an interior volume in communication with the exhaust inlet and a nozzle extending longitudinally along the boiling chamber that directs the heated exhaust received in the interior volume out of the interior volume,
wherein the evaporation tank further comprises a baffle positioned opposite the nozzle such that a flow of evaporated water from the boiling chamber through the nozzle impinges on the baffle,
wherein the baffle comprises a first wall portion and a second wall portion that meet at a vertex, wherein the vertex is vertically aligned with the nozzle, wherein the first wall portion comprises a first angled surface that faces the nozzle and is pitched away from the nozzle, and wherein the second wall portion comprises a second angled surface that faces the nozzle and is pitched away the nozzle.
2 . The water evaporation system of claim 1 , wherein the baffle and the boiling chamber define a receiving chamber in fluid communication with the interior volume.
3 . The water evaporation system of claim 1 , wherein the evaporation tank comprises a tank control system in communication with the water supply system, and wherein the tank control system is configured to control the level of water in the boiling chamber.
4 . The water evaporation system of claim 3 , wherein the tank control system comprises a water level sensor configured to sense the level of water in the boiling chamber.
5 . The water evaporation system of claim 3 , wherein the tank control system is configured to control a backpressure on the heated exhaust exiting the exhaust outlet of the gas turbine engine.
6 . The water evaporation system of claim 3 , wherein the turbine engine further comprises an engine controller configured to control the rotational speed of the drive shaft, and wherein the engine controller is in communication with the tank control system.
7 . The water evaporation system of claim 6 , wherein the engine controller is configured to transmit a signal to the tank control system when the drive shaft is rotating at a speed within a range of operational speeds between a first operational speed and a second operational speed.
8 . The water evaporation system of claim 7 , wherein the water supply system comprises a pump in communication with a water source, wherein the tank control system is in communication with the pump, and wherein the tank control system is configured to operate the pump in response to the signal from the engine controller.
9 . The water evaporation system of claim 3 , wherein the gas turbine engine further comprises an electrical generator configured to supply electrical power to the tank control system.
10 . The water evaporation system of claim 1 , wherein the evaporation tank further comprises a tank control system configured to transmit data to the gas turbine engine.
11 . The water evaporation system of claim 1 , wherein the evaporation tank further comprises a tank control system configured to control an operational aspect of the gas turbine engine.
12 . The water evaporation system of claim 1 , wherein the boiling chamber comprises an interior volume in communication with the exhaust inlet and a series of nozzles configured to entrain the water in the heated exhaust flowing through the nozzles.
13 . The water evaporation system of claim 1 , wherein the exhaust inlet is positioned directly above and pointed directly downwardly at the water in the boiling chamber.
14 . A water evaporation system, comprising:
a gas turbine engine, comprising:
an air compressor;
a burner in fluidic communication with the air compressor;
a rotatable shaft; and
an exhaust outlet in communication with the burner configured to receive heated air from the burner; and
an evaporation tank, comprising:
an exhaust inlet in communication with the exhaust outlet of the gas turbine engine;
a water supply system; and
a boiling chamber in communication with the exhaust inlet, wherein the boiling chamber is configured to receive water from the water supply system and direct heated exhaust from the gas turbine engine directly onto the water to evaporate at least a portion of the water,
wherein the boiling chamber comprises an interior volume in communication with the exhaust inlet and a nozzle extending longitudinally along the boiling chamber that directs the heated exhaust received in the interior volume out of the interior volume,
wherein the evaporation tank further comprises a baffle positioned opposite the nozzle such that a flow of evaporated water from the boiling chamber through the nozzle impinges on the baffle,
wherein the baffle comprises a first wall portion and a second wall portion that meet at a vertex, wherein the vertex is vertically aligned with the nozzle, and wherein the baffle comprises at least one window defined therein that is positioned above the vertex and configured to vent the flow of evaporated water toward an outlet of the evaporation tank.
15 . The water evaporation system of claim 14 , wherein the evaporation tank comprises a tank control system in communication with the water supply system, and wherein the tank control system is configured to control the level of water in the boiling chamber.
16 . The water evaporation system of claim 15 , wherein the tank control system is configured to control a backpressure on the heated exhaust exiting the exhaust outlet of the gas turbine engine.
17 . The water evaporation system of claim 15 , wherein the turbine engine further comprises an engine controller configured to control the rotational speed of the drive shaft, and wherein the engine controller is in communication with the tank control system.
18 . The water evaporation system of claim 17 , wherein the engine controller is configured to transmit a signal to the tank control system when the drive shaft is rotating at a speed within a range of operational speeds between a first operational speed and a second operational speed.
19 . The water evaporation system of claim 18 , wherein the water supply system comprises a pump in communication with a water source, wherein the tank control system is in communication with the pump, and wherein the tank control system is configured to operate the pump in response to the signal from the engine controller.
20 . The water evaporation system of claim 14 , wherein the evaporation tank further comprises a tank control system configured to transmit data to the gas turbine engine.
21 . The water evaporation system of claim 14 , wherein the evaporation tank further comprises a tank control system configured to control an operational aspect of the gas turbine engine.
22 . An evaporation tank for use with a gas turbine engine and a water supply system, the evaporation tank comprising:
an exhaust inlet in communication with an exhaust outlet of the gas turbine engine;
a boiling chamber in communication with the exhaust inlet, wherein the boiling chamber is configured to receive water from the water supply system and direct heated exhaust from the gas turbine engine directly onto the water to evaporate at least a portion of the water;
a plurality of baffles configured to control a flow of evaporated water; and
a plurality of nozzles configured to control the flow of evaporated water,
wherein at least one of the nozzles is defined in a said baffle.