1,232,309. Multiple-effect distillation apparatus; desalination of water. GENERAL ELECTRIC CO. 1 Oct., 1968 [5 Oct., 1967], No. 46436/68. Heading B1B. Saline water is desalinated in a multipleeffect distillation apparatus wherein the effects are disposed one above another, the first effect 4 being uppermost, each effect comprising a header 20, a vapour chest through which vertical double fluted heat-exchange tubes 24 extend, a liquid/vapour separator 22, and a heat-exchanger 40. The vapour chest 8 of the first effect is supplied with steam through connection 18, and the steam-condensate is returned to the steam-generator through line 16. The saline water is pumped up through heatexchangers 40 and lines 36 to the topmost header 20, filling all the other headers 20 in the process via lines 34. The saline water is sprayed from the headers 20 into the interior of the tubes 24 of each effect, so that the feed is supplied to the effects in parallel. A mixture of steam and brine emerges from the lower ends of each set of tubes 24 into the corresponding separator 22. The separated brine flows through line 26 into the separator of the next lower effect; and the steam flows through line 28 into the vapour chest of the next lower effect or, in the case of the last (i.e. lowermost) effect, to a condenser. The distillate formed in each vapour chest (except the first) drains through line 29 and line 28 into the vapour chest of the next lower effect. Desalinated water is withdrawn from the bottom of the apparatus through manifold 60. Brine is discharged from sump 64. Each brine drainline 26 is associated with a float valve for maintaining the required pressure differential between the effects.
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