Desalination using positively buoyant or negatively buoyant/assisted buoyancy hydrate

• US 6,733,667 B2
• Filed: 10/08/2002
• Issued: 05/11/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Marine Desalination Systems LLC
• Original Assignee: Marine Desalination Systems LLC
• Inventors: Max, Michael David
• Primary Examiner(s): Hruskoci, Peter A.
• Application Number:
  US10/266,258
• Publication Number:
  US 20030024803A1
• Time in Patent Office: 581 Days
• Field of Search: 622/39, 622/40, 622/385, 625/32, 625/83, 202/83, 202/121, 203/10, 203/100, 210/170, 210/177, 210/181, 210/182, 210/195.1, 210/202, 210/205, 210/241, 210/258, 585/15
• US Class Current: 210/177
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2257/504 Carbon dioxide
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/62 Carbon oxides
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/20 by degassing, i.e. liberation of dissolved gases degasification of liquids in general B01D19/00; arrangement of degassing apparatus in boiler feed supply F22D
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/22 by freezing
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/26 by extraction
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/265 Desalination
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/5236 using inorganic agents
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2103/08 Seawater, e.g. for desalination
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2103/18 from the purification of gaseous effluents
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 20/124 Water desalination
• CPC Class Codes: Y02C 20/40 of CO2
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 203/11 Batch distillation

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.

Claims

1. An apparatus for desalinating or purifying saline or polluted input water, respectively, using positively buoyant hydrate to do so, said apparatus comprising:

a mechanically pressurized hydrate formation vessel including a pressurization system by means of which said hydrate formation vessel is pressurized;

a mechanically pressurized hydrate dissociation vessel;

including a pressurization system by means of which said hydrate dissociation vessel is pressurized; and

a valve system operatively disposed between said hydrate formation vessel and said hydrate dissociation vessel, which valve system is operable to keep said hydrate formation vessel and said hydrate dissociation vessel in barometric and hydraulic isolation with respect to each other when closed and which valve system is operable to control communication of fluid from said hydrate formation vessel into said hydrate dissociation vessel;

wherein the mutual arrangement of said hydrate formation vessel, said valve system, and said hydrate dissociation vessel being is such that positively buoyant hydrate formed in said hydrate formation vessel moves automatically from said hydrate formation vessel toward said hydrate dissociation vessel as a result of or due to a net pressure difference between said hydrate formation vessel and said hydrate dissociation vessel when said valve system operates to permit movement of said positively buoyant hydrate;

said apparatus further comprising 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 positively-buoyant-hydrate-forming substance to said hydrate formation vessel;

a fresh water output conduit configured and disposed for removal from said hydrate dissociation 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.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said apparatus is a constituent component of a ship and wherein said input water supply conduit includes a water intake port that is formed along a lower portion of said ship'"'"'s hull and that is located below the waterline of said ship.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said saline water output conduit includes a water outlet that is formed in said ship'"'"'s hull.

4. An apparatus for desalinating or purifying saline or polluted input water, respectively, using positively buoyant to do so, said apparatus comprising:

a mechanically pressurized hydrate formation vessel including a pressurization system by means of which said hydrate formation vessel is pressurized;

a mechanically pressurized hydrate dissociation vessel, including a pressurization system by means of which said hydrate dissociation vessel is pressurized; and

a valve system operatively disposed between said hydrate formation vessel and said hydrate dissociation vessel, which valve system is operable to keep said hydrate formation vessel and said hydrate dissociation vessel in barometric and hydraulic isolation with respect to each other when closed and which valve system is operable to control communication of fluid from said hydrate formation vessel into said hydrate dissociation vessel;

wherein the mutual arrangement of said hydrate formation vessel, said valve system, and said hydrate dissociation vessel being is such that negatively buoyant hydrate formed in said hydrate formation vessel moves automatically from said hydrate formation vessel toward said hydrate dissociation vessel as a result of or due to a net pressure difference between said hydrate formation vessel and said hydrate dissociation vessel when said valve system operates to permit movement of said positively buoyant hydrate;

said apparatus further comprising 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 negatively-buoyant-hydrate-forming substance to said hydrate formation vessel;

a fresh water output conduit configured and disposed for removal from said hydrate dissociation 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.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said apparatus is a constituent component of a ship and wherein said input water supply conduit includes a water intake port that is formed along a lower portion of said ship'"'"'s hull and that is located below the waterline of said ship.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said saline water output conduit includes a water outlet that is formed in said ship'"'"'s hull.

7. An apparatus for desalinating or purifying saline or polluted input water, respectively, using positively buoyant to do so, said apparatus comprising:

a mechanically pressurized hydrate formation vessel including a pressurization system by means of which said hydrate formation vessel is pressurized;

a mechanically pressurized hydrate dissociation vessel including a pressurization system by means of which said hydrate dissociation vessel is pressurized;

a multiple-valve system operatively disposed between said hydrate formation vessel and said hydrate dissociation vessel, which multiple-valve system is operable to keep said hydrate formation vessel and said hydrate dissociation vessel in barometric and hydraulic isolation with respect to each other when closed and which multiple-valve system is operable to control communication of fluid from said hydrate formation vessel into said hydrate dissociation vessel; and

a pump

wherein the mutual arrangement of said hydrate formation vessel, said hydrate dissociation vessel, said multiple-valve valve system, and said pump is such that

     1) positively buoyant hydrate formed in said hydrate formation vessel moves automatically from said hydrate formation vessel toward and into said hydrate formation vessel and said hydrate dissociation vessel when said multiple-valve valve system operates to permit movement of said positively buoyant hydrate; and

     2) negatively buoyant hydrate formed in and settled in said hydrate formation vessel is pumped by said pump toward said hydrate dissociation vessel;

said apparatus further comprising 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 negatively-buoyant-hydrate-forming substance to said hydrate formation vessel;

a fresh water output conduit configured and disposed for removal from said hydrate dissociation 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.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said apparatus is a constituent component of a ship and wherein said input water supply conduit includes a water intake port that is formed along a lower portion of said ship'"'"'s hull and that is located below the waterline.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said saline water output conduit includes a water outlet that is formed in said ship'"'"'s hull.