DESALINATION SYSTEM AND PROCESS USING ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE AS RENEWABLE ENERGY

摘要

A system configured according to principles of the disclosure and process performed according to principles of the disclosure exploit a phase change cycle associated with cavitation on the suction side of (or inside) a pump to separate salt and/or impurities from water with exceptional efficiency. The exploitation involves enhancing the well-known process of cavitation by providing a large container in which the phase changes can occur safely, creating initial vapor inside the large container to start and perpetuate the process, using atmospheric pressure to drive water or recycled water into (or downstream of) the large container to force vapor compression and condensation inside the large container, and then providing a heat exchanger inside the large container to transfer heat released by condensation and vapor compression from its freshwater side to its vaporization side. A specialized pump configured to handle very low pressure conditions on its suction side more effectively and efficiently than other pumps may be used. The system and process may produce freshwater at about 0.01 gpm to about 1,080 gpm, or more.