Production of potable water and freshwater needs for human, animal and plants from hot and humid air

• US 6,574,979 B2
• Filed: 03/19/2001
• Issued: 06/10/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fakieh Research & Development Co.
• Original Assignee: Fakieh Research & Development Co.
• Inventors: Faqih, Abdul-Rahman Abdul-Kader M.
• Primary Examiner(s): JIANG, CHEN WEN
• Application Number:
  US09/810,541
• Publication Number:
  US 20020011075A1
• Time in Patent Office: 813 Days
• Field of Search: 622/85, 622/91, 62/6, 62/93, 62/94, 621/21, 621/23, 622/71, 622/72, 624/67
• US Class Current: 62/285
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 5/0006 Coils or serpentines
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 5/0033 Other features
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 5/0087 Recirculating of the cooling medium
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/283 using coal, charred products, or inorganic mixtures containing them
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/42 by ion-exchange ion-exchange in general B01J
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/78 with ozone C02F1/4672 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2103/08 Seawater, e.g. for desalination
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/40 Liquid flow rate
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2303/04 Disinfection
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 9/20 Portable or detachable small-scale multistage treatment devices, e.g. point of use or laboratory water purification systems
• CPC Class Codes: E03B 3/28 from humid air condensing of vapours in general B01D5/00; dehumidification of air for air-conditioning F24F3/14
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 20/124 Water desalination
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 20/152 Water filtration
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 10/33 using wind energy
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 10/37 using solar energy

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed for extracting freshwater from atmospheric humidity in extremely hot and humid climates and supplying freshwater to a small group of people, a building, a farm, or forestation area. The freshwater is treated to provide drinking water by disinfecting to eliminate microorganisms and filtration to remove suspended particulates from air, erosion or corrosion products, and disinfected waste. Compact units provide drinking water for individuals, passengers in cars, vans, trucks, or recreational boats, or crewmembers on a seagoing cargo ship whether from atmospheric humidity or from moisture-laden gases. Furthermore, systems are disclosed for the ample supply of freshwater with minimal treatment for small- to large-sized buildings in a manner that alleviates the heat load on buildings. Collection of freshwater from hot humid ambient air is also provided for other uses, such as irrigation and farm animal drinking. Various methods are used for condensation of water vapor suspended in the air as alternative to conventional refrigeration cycles using CFC refrigerants. Devices are disclosed using naturally occurring brackish cold water, circulation of cooling water cooled by thermoelectric cooling or thermoacoustic refrigeration as well as evaporative cooling and transpiration cooling. Water produced by the systems may flow under gravitational forces entirely or with the assistance of boasting pumps.

Claims

1. A small apparatus for supplying a limited quantity of freshwater and drinking water to meet urgent needs in emergency situations by condensing water vapor entrained in a high humidity, high temperature gas;

said apparatus comprising;

a thermoacoustic refrigeration unit for cooling freshwater;

a freshwater connection pipe for circulating a stream of cold freshwater cooled by said thermoacoustic refrigeration unit through a plurality of cooling coils;

a water pump for driving the flow of water in said freshwater connection pipe and said plurality of cooling coils;

regulator means for regulating the circulation of cold freshwater stream in said freshwater connection pipe and said plurality of cooling coils;

condensation means for condensing water vapor from a high humidity, high temperature gas stream;

collection means for collecting the condensate dripping from said condensation means as condensed freshwater;

filtration means for removing suspended particulates from the condensed freshwater collected by said collection means;

storage means for storing filtered freshwater; and

dispensing means for distributing the filtered freshwater from said storage means.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said high humidity, high temperature gas stream is high humidity, high temperature ambient air.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said high humidity, high temperature gas stream is a mixture of high humidity, high temperature ambient air and high temperature moisture-laden exhaust from an internal combustion engine.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said high humidity, high temperature gas stream is high temperature moisture-laden exhaust of an internal combustion engine.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said condensation means comprises:

a rough condensation surface coated with a coat of material that promotes drop-wise condensation, said rough condensation surface in communication with, and cooled by said plurality of cooling coils;

an air blowing means for blowing said high humidity, high temperature gas stream over said rough condensation surface; and

an air filtering means for removing suspended particulates from high humidity, high temperature gas stream.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said condensation means comprises:

a plurality of cooling fins forming an integral part with said plurality of cooling coils for promoting a heat exchange between said high humidity, high temperature gas and condensate-entrained water vapor;

a duct including an oblique prism section having substantially rectangular-shaped faces and substantially trapezoidal-shaped lateral faces and a substantially rectangular-shaped parallelopiped section, said duct enclosing said plurality of cooling coils and said plurality of cooling fins;

air suction means for admitting said high humidity, high temperature gas stream through an open substantially rectangular-shaped inlet of said duct, said air suction means directing said high humidity, high temperature gas stream over said plurality of coils and said plurality of cooling fins and discharging said high humidity, high temperature gas stream through a narrow substantially rectangular-shaped outlet of said duct;

air filtering means for removing suspended particulates from said high humidity, high temperature gas stream at said open substantially rectangular-shaped inlet of said duct; and

tilted passage means positioned at a bottom surface of said duct for draining condensate dripping from said plurality of cooling fins.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said condensation means comprises:

a substantially conical-shaped duct including a plurality of concentric substantially conical-shaped condensation surfaces, an outer surface of said substantially conical-shaped duct being covered by said plurality of cooling coils;

air suction means for admitting said high humidity, high temperature gas stream through an inlet end of said substantially conical-shaped duct, said air suction means directing said high humidity, high temperature gas stream over said plurality of concentric substantially conical-shaped condensation surfaces and discharging said high humidity, high temperature gas stream upon drying and cooling said high humidity, high temperature gas stream from an outlet end of substantially conical-shaped duct;

air filtering means for removing suspended particulates from said high humidity, high temperature gas stream at said inlet end of said substantially conical-shaped duct; and

a tilted passage means at the bottom of said substantially conical-shaped duct to drain condensate dripping from said plurality of concentric conical condensation surfaces.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said condensation means is a condensating plate.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the surface of said condensating plate is corrugated.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the surface of said condensating plate comprises hair-like fins.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the surface of said condensating plate is covered with one of teflon or silicon.

12. A process for the emergency supply of freshwater through the condensation of water vapor from hot moisture-laden gas, said process comprising the steps of:

cooling a charge of freshwater flowing in a pipe by thermoacoustic refrigeration;

circulating substantially cold freshwater by a water pump through a plurality of cooling coils;

regulating the flow of the substantially cold freshwater through said pipe;

directing high humidity, high temperature gas to said condensation surfaces;

directing said high humidity, high temperature gas over said plurality of said condensation surfaces;

condensing water vapor contained in said high humidity, high temperature gas on said plurality of condensation surfaces;

collecting condensate from said plurality of condensation surfaces as condensed freshwater;

disinfecting the condensed freshwater collected from said plurality of condensation surfaces;

filtering the disinfected freshwater to obtain a supply of potable water;

storing the potable water; and

dispensing the potable water.

13. The process of claim 12 wherein the step of cooling the plurality of condensation surfaces further comprises the steps of providing a metallic plate having a back surface and a front surface having a substantially rough surface coated with a material that promotes drop-wise condensation, and positioning said plurality of cooling coils on said back surface.

14. The process of claim 12, wherein the step of cooling the plurality of condensation surfaces further comprises the steps of:

placing a plurality of fins on a surface of said plurality of cooling coils, said plurality of cooling coils serving to cool the fins; and

providing a duct for enclosing said plurality of cooling coils and said plurality of fins, said duct directing the flow of high humidity, high temperature gas.