Desalination using positively buoyant or negatively buoyant/assisted buoyancy hydrate
First Claim
1. A method of desalinating or purifying saline or polluted input water, respectively, said method comprising:
- providing said input water to a hydrate formation region of a desalination fractionation installation that is located inland and causing said input water to be mixed with a hydrate-forming substance under pressure conditions and temperature conditions conducive to formation of hydrate such that hydrate spontaneously forms;
providing said hydrate to a hydrate dissociation region of said installation;
removing heat from said desalination fractionation installation by removing residual saline or polluted water that has been warmed by heat of endothermic formation of said hydrate;
allowing said hydrate to dissociate into fresh water and the hydrate-forming substance in a dissociation region of said desalination fractionation installation; and
collecting said fresh water;
said method further comprising at least partially cooling said input water toward said temperature conditions conducive to formation of hydrate before said input water is mixed with said hydrate-forming substance.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and apparatus for desalination of salt water (and purification of polluted water) are disclosed. Saline (or otherwise polluted) water is pumped to a desalination installation and down to the base of a desalination fractionation column, where it is mixed with hydrate-forming gas or liquid to form either positively buoyant (also assisted buoyancy) or negatively buoyant hydrate. The hydrate rises or sinks or is carried into a lower pressure area and dissociates (melts) into the gas and pure water. In preferred embodiments, residual salt water which is heated by heat given off during formation of the hydrate is removed from the system to create a bias towards overall cooling as the hydrate dissociates endothermically at shallower depths, and input water is passed through regions of dissociation in heat-exchanging relationship therewith so as to be cooled sufficiently for hydrate to form at pressure-depth. The fresh water produced by the system is cold enough that it can be used to provide refrigeration, air conditioning, or other cooling; heat removed from the system with the heated residual water can be used for heating or other applications. In other embodiments, desalination or other purification is carried out in “artificially” or mechanically pressurized vessels, which embodiments may be comparatively mobile.
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Citations
54 Claims
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1. A method of desalinating or purifying saline or polluted input water, respectively, said method comprising:
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providing said input water to a hydrate formation region of a desalination fractionation installation that is located inland and causing said input water to be mixed with a hydrate-forming substance under pressure conditions and temperature conditions conducive to formation of hydrate such that hydrate spontaneously forms;
providing said hydrate to a hydrate dissociation region of said installation;
removing heat from said desalination fractionation installation by removing residual saline or polluted water that has been warmed by heat of endothermic formation of said hydrate;
allowing said hydrate to dissociate into fresh water and the hydrate-forming substance in a dissociation region of said desalination fractionation installation; and
collecting said fresh water;
said method further comprising at least partially cooling said input water toward said temperature conditions conducive to formation of hydrate before said input water is mixed with said hydrate-forming substance. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50)
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20. A method of desalinating or purifying saline or polluted input water, respectively, said method comprising:
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providing said input water to a hydrate formation region of a desalination fractionation installation and causing said input water to be mixed with a liquid hydrate-forming substance under pressure conditions and temperature conditions conducive to formation of hydrate such that hydrate spontaneously forms;
providing said hydrate to a hydrate dissociation region of said installation;
allowing said hydrate to dissociate into fresh water and the hydrate-forming substance in a dissociation region of said desalination fractionation installation; and
collecting said fresh water. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 51, 52, 53, 54)
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24. An apparatus for desalinating or purifying saline or polluted input water, respectively, said apparatus comprising:
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a mechanically pressurized hydrate formation vessel in fluid communication with a hydrate dissociation vessel;
an input water supply conduit configured to provide said input water to said hydrate formation vessel;
a hydrate-forming substance supply conduit configured to provide a hydrate-forming substance to said hydrate formation vessel;
a fresh water output conduit configured and disposed for removal from said hydrate formation vessel of fresh water released by hydrate dissociating therein; and
a saline water output conduit configured and disposed for removal from said hydrate formation vessel of interstitial residual saline water or gray water. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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Specification