APPARATUS TO OBTAIN FRESH WATER FROM MOISTURE CONTAINING AIR

• US 3,748,867 A
• Filed: 01/26/1972
• Issued: 07/31/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bernard Andre Bel Hamri
• Original Assignee: Bernard Andre Bel Hamri
• Inventors: Bel Hamri, Bernard Andre
• Primary Examiner(s): Perlin, Meyer
• Assistant Examiner(s): Capossela, Ronald C.
• Application Number:
  US05/220,869
• Time in Patent Office: 552 Days
• Field of Search: 203/11 202/185B 239/2,14 62/268,176,271
• US Class Current: 62/271
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/10 by direct contact with a particulate solid or with a fluid, as a heat transfer medium
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/14 using solar energy
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 20/212 Solar-powered wastewater sewage treatment, e.g. spray evaporation

Abstract

An elongated flexible tube has its upper end attached to a lighter-than-air balloon, preferably in the form of a non-rigid air ship (blimp), the length of the tube being sufficiently great to extend from about ground level to a temperature zone having a climatic condition in which the temperature or moisture distribution of the atmosphere is sufficiently different from that at ground level to permit, either, condensation of moisture as moisture-containing atmosphere is conducted upwardly into the tube or introduction of seed crystals, such as silver iodide, into the atmosphere to cause precipitation. In the first case, the tube is preferably terminated at its lower end at an opening spaced a short distance above a large body of water, such as an ocean, and maintained on floats or pontoons located in the subtropical or tropical regions, moisture-laden air from the ocean being drawn into the tube so that the water only will condense on the tube walls, at the upper atmospheric reaches thereof, to be drawn off and collected. In the second case, when seed crystals are to be introducted, the tube is preferably mounted on an automotive vehicle for wide dispersion of seed crystals.

Claims

1. Apparatus to obtain fresh water from moisture-containing air comprising an elongated flexible tube;

lighter-than-air balloon means attached to the upper end of the elongated tube, the lower end of the tube being located at essentially ground level, the length of the tube being sufficient to extend from a temperature zone, at ground level, to a zone of climatic conditions including termperature or moisture distribution in the air which is different from the climatic conditions at ground level and where the temperature is less than at ground level;

the balloon means having sufficient lift to hold the tube extended from ground level to said zone having lesser temperature;

means generating an updraft in the tube; and

means in fluid communication with the tube to collect water condensing at the side walls of the tube and running along the tube walls, by gravity.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the lower end of the tube is located above a body of water;

means are provided funnelling moisture-laden air from above the surface of the body of water into the lower end of the tube, the tube being of sufficient length to reach to a height at which the ambient temperature outside of the tube is sufficient for condensation of moisture of the air in the tube at the sidewalls of the tube.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2, including float means supporting the lower end of the tube above the water;

and said means funnelling the air into the tube comprising directing baffle means spaced from above the surface of the body of water and having means extending into said tube to direct moisture-laden air into the inlet of the tube.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the air directing baffles comprise sheet-like flexible materials;

pontoons are provided supporting said sheet-like flexible material above the surface of the ocean.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the area of said sheet-like material is at least in the order of 100 m2.

6. Apparatus according to claim 2, including forced air circulation means introducing moisture-laden air from above the surface of the body of water into the tube and blowing the air upwardly therein.

7. Apparatus according to claim 6, including valve means in said tube selectively effecting connection at the lower end of the tube, cyclically, with

8. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the lighter-than-air balloon means are in streamlined form;

and the upper end of the tube is arranged on the lighter-than-air balloon means in such a manner that winds blowing against the balloon means create a partial vacuum adjacent the upper end of the tube to assist in causing a draft within the tube.

9. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the length of the tube is in the order of several thousands of meters.