CA2036979A1 - Solar distiller - Google Patents
Solar distillerInfo
- Publication number
- CA2036979A1 CA2036979A1 CA002036979A CA2036979A CA2036979A1 CA 2036979 A1 CA2036979 A1 CA 2036979A1 CA 002036979 A CA002036979 A CA 002036979A CA 2036979 A CA2036979 A CA 2036979A CA 2036979 A1 CA2036979 A1 CA 2036979A1
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- water
- vessel
- distiller
- solar
- purified
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Abandoned
Links
Classifications
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
- F24S—SOLAR HEAT COLLECTORS; SOLAR HEAT SYSTEMS
- F24S20/00—Solar heat collectors specially adapted for particular uses or environments
- F24S20/20—Solar heat collectors for receiving concentrated solar energy, e.g. receivers for solar power plants
-
- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
- Y02E—REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
- Y02E10/00—Energy generation through renewable energy sources
- Y02E10/40—Solar thermal energy, e.g. solar towers
Abstract
ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
This solar distiller employs a solar collector, preferably a parabolic reflector, and an enclosed distiller vessel having a near-black face to receive concentrated solar rays. The vessel contains a number of vertical pipes connected to an out-flow pipe at their lower ends. A supply of water to be purified is maintained in the vessel at a level below the open upper ends of the vertical pipes. As solar heating of the vessel interior occurs, the water within will begin to boil, evaporate, and form water vapour. The purified water vapour is urged, under the pressure created within the vessel, to enter the vertical pipes where it is forced into the out-flow pipe for subsequent condensation. A secondary heat supply is available from secondary water which is heated during condensation of the purified water.
This solar distiller employs a solar collector, preferably a parabolic reflector, and an enclosed distiller vessel having a near-black face to receive concentrated solar rays. The vessel contains a number of vertical pipes connected to an out-flow pipe at their lower ends. A supply of water to be purified is maintained in the vessel at a level below the open upper ends of the vertical pipes. As solar heating of the vessel interior occurs, the water within will begin to boil, evaporate, and form water vapour. The purified water vapour is urged, under the pressure created within the vessel, to enter the vertical pipes where it is forced into the out-flow pipe for subsequent condensation. A secondary heat supply is available from secondary water which is heated during condensation of the purified water.
Description
This invention is directed to a novel separation distiller using solar energy a~ the heat source.
The invention provides a low-cost and efFic-ient apparatus to remove salt or other undesirable components from raw water.
The invention resides in the separation of pure water vapour, from the raw water source, the water vapour being separated at a relatively high temperature, that is, the boiling point of water at at~ospheric pressure. This provides a secondary benefit, in that the heat of the water vapour generated in the distiller may be used to heat a secondary water supply, or to serve as the heat source for a second evaporator, in order to gain beneficial secondary use of the heated, condensed, distilled water, so as to distil a still further supply of saline or other aqueous solutions. The heat o~ the water vapour could, of course, also be used for any other desired secondary purpose, such as heating a household or industrial water supply or the like. Other uses for the secondary heat produced by the solar distiller according to the invention will be evident to those skilled in the art.
Prior art solar distilling apparatus has consisted of a horizontal dark or black coloured body, containing imPure water to be evaporated. AS the water is heated it evaporates into water vapour which condenses on a cool surface from which the purified water is drawn away. Some prior art devices employ wicks immersed in the water, some do not~ Canadian patent No.
1,197,210 issued November 26, 1985, King, discloses a solar distillation apparatus using plate-like wick devices partially 2 ~
irnmersed in wa-ter, so as t() In~-~rease eVaDoratiOn from the body of water being puriFied. United St,ates patent No. 4,235,679 issued November 25, 1980, Swaidan, discloses a solar still of triangular configuration, t;he bo-ttom of which is sloped in one direction the top of wh ich is sloped -in the op~os-ite direction, with a supply of water flow-inq along -the bo-ttom, whilst being heated, so as -to cause condensa~ion t.o gather on the sloped top, where it flows downwardly into a trough, -For collection. United States patent No. 4,210,4g4 issued July 1, 1980, Rhodes, discloses a desalination system employing a closed tank, with a closed circuit air loop, having a sparger of porous material extending along the tank near the bottom, through which air under pressure is delivered, so as to promote vapour-saturated air being generated from salt water in which the parger is immersed, in order to achieve eventual condensation of relatively pwre water.
In all of the above patents solar energy is used as a heat source.
The apparatus of the present invention results in much more efficient purification of raw water, using solar heat, in combination with an enclosed vessel containing a supply of water to be purified, and having a plurality of vertical pipes within -the container, extending above the upper surface of the water to be purified, in order to receive purified water vapors evaporated From the body of water being purified, and tG effectivelY
accelerate the evaporation and collection process.
A principal object of the invention is to provide a solar distiller comprising in combination: a solar collector; an enclosed distiller vessel having a near-black face; a plurality of vertical pipes wi-thin said vessel, open at their upper ends and connec~ed to an out-flow pipe at their lower ends; a source of wat~r to be purified connected to saici vessel; and condensation means associa~ed with said out--flow pipe.
The foregoing ob~jec-ts of -the invention will become evident w-i-th reference to the accompanying description.
Reference will be made -to the attached drawings in wh-ich:
Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the solar separator distiller according to the invention; and Figure 2 is a -Front elevation of the apparatus of Figure 1, also partly in section.
Reference will now be made to the drawings in detail, ~herein like reference numerals will identify like parts.
The embodiment of Figures 1 and 2 is preferred, but it will be evident to those skilled in the art that variations may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention disclosed. As seen in Figure 1, sun rays are collected and focused by a parabolic solar collector 10. The use of parabola 10, shaped from reflective metal, or any other suitable material, minimizes focusing of the apparatus, and permits long, unattended use of the solar evaporator. The concave interior of parabola 10 may be lined with reflective Mylar (trade mark), or other suitable reflsctive materials. Sun's rays reflected from parabola 10 are concentrated on the face 12 of solar distiller 14.
As will be evident to those familiar with parabolic reflectors, while each location on the surface of the earth is ~3~ 9 continually changing i~ositioo relative ~o that of the sunl when the sun's rays ar-e reflected -Fr-om a s-tationery reflector, th0 angle of reflection is continually undergoin~ change. When the angle of the sun's raYs change, so does the focal location of those rays reflected -from a paraholic re-flector, and -the focal location, or near-focal location of the concentrated sun's rays will move up or down the vertical surface of distiller 14.
Face 12 of distiller vessel 14 is Formed of any suitable material and has a near-black exterior surface. Thus, when the position oF the sun is lower to the horizon of the earth, the focal location of the sun's rays rrom parabolic reflector 10 will be nearer to the top of surface 12, and as the position of the sun relative to that of the earth's surface becomes higher, it causes the focal location of the reflected sun's rays to move lower on face 12 of distiller 14. Thus, the disadvantage of many concentrating solar energy devices, that require constant re-focusing, is eliminated.
A supply of raw water to be purified is piped through intake pipe 18 into container 20, the level of water in container 20 being controlled by a float valve 22. ~ater to be purified then flows from container 20 through pipe 24 into distiller 14.
Distiller 14 is constructed as a water-tight envelope, and is positioned so that its face 12 has maximum exposure to the concentrated raYs of the sun received from reflector 10, The wall of distiller vessel 14, with the exception of face 12, is provided with thermal insulating material, so as to minimize heat loss.
Contained within distiller 14 is a plurality of 7 ~
ver-tical pipes 26. Pipes 26 ,lr-e open at their upper ends and are connected at their lower ends to a unitary horizontal pipe 28.
Distiller 14 is partly Filled w-ith raw water 30, to a level controlled by float valve 227 so that the level of water 30 is below the top oF pipes 26, and -the top sur-face of dis-tiller 14.
As concentrated rays of the sun are absorbed by the near-black face 12 of distiller 14, the sun's rays are converted to heat. This heat energy is transferred to -the water in distiller 14, to the boiling point at atmospheric pressure.
As the water boils i~ is evaporated and changed to water vapour in the space above the water surface. Water vapour is forced to enter the tops of interior pipes 26, as a result of the pressure created in the upper portion of vaporizer 14. As the water vapour is forced into pipes 26, it is further urged into out-flow pipe 28. Pipe 28 extends generally horizontally through a cooling chamber 32, where condensation of the water vapour into purified water occurs. Pipe 28 will preferably slope slightly downwardly to facilitate gravity water flow. Chamber 32 is a prior art water distiller or is a heat exchanger and contains a supply of water at a temperature below the boiling point of water at atmospheric pressure. A supply of cooling water flows through pipe 34, and cooling chamber 32, where it becomes heated, then flows out pipe 34a, where -it may be used as a supply of heat for any other desired purpose. The water vapour flowing through pipe 28 in cooling chamber 32 is condensed into distilled water, which is collected, by any suitable means.
The water vapour which is evaporated from the body of water within condenser 14 will cause the remaining water to ~33$~9 t) become relat:ively concentrated with sal~, or o1her compounds.
The wa-ter- remainil-~q in cor\denser 14- is rernoved through draw-off pipe 36, controlled by control valve 38, and may then be carried away for- disposal.
The sc~lar d-istiller- acc(lrcl-ing -to the invention results -in efficient, low-cost Puri-f-ication oF -impure water. The rate of evaporation and condensa-tior) ac:hieved by -the combination of an enclosed evaporator unit, w-i-th vertical water-vapour-receiving pipes, has proved dramatically more e-f-fic-ient than in prior art water solar energy purifiers-condensers. The evaporator according to the inven-tion is substan-tially maintenance free, and can be operated without supervision -For extended periods of time.
The expedited rate o-F evaporation achieved through the enclosed distiller-condenser tank has proven itselF, during extensive tests with prototypes.
The foregoing description is by way of example only, and the invention should be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.
The invention provides a low-cost and efFic-ient apparatus to remove salt or other undesirable components from raw water.
The invention resides in the separation of pure water vapour, from the raw water source, the water vapour being separated at a relatively high temperature, that is, the boiling point of water at at~ospheric pressure. This provides a secondary benefit, in that the heat of the water vapour generated in the distiller may be used to heat a secondary water supply, or to serve as the heat source for a second evaporator, in order to gain beneficial secondary use of the heated, condensed, distilled water, so as to distil a still further supply of saline or other aqueous solutions. The heat o~ the water vapour could, of course, also be used for any other desired secondary purpose, such as heating a household or industrial water supply or the like. Other uses for the secondary heat produced by the solar distiller according to the invention will be evident to those skilled in the art.
Prior art solar distilling apparatus has consisted of a horizontal dark or black coloured body, containing imPure water to be evaporated. AS the water is heated it evaporates into water vapour which condenses on a cool surface from which the purified water is drawn away. Some prior art devices employ wicks immersed in the water, some do not~ Canadian patent No.
1,197,210 issued November 26, 1985, King, discloses a solar distillation apparatus using plate-like wick devices partially 2 ~
irnmersed in wa-ter, so as t() In~-~rease eVaDoratiOn from the body of water being puriFied. United St,ates patent No. 4,235,679 issued November 25, 1980, Swaidan, discloses a solar still of triangular configuration, t;he bo-ttom of which is sloped in one direction the top of wh ich is sloped -in the op~os-ite direction, with a supply of water flow-inq along -the bo-ttom, whilst being heated, so as -to cause condensa~ion t.o gather on the sloped top, where it flows downwardly into a trough, -For collection. United States patent No. 4,210,4g4 issued July 1, 1980, Rhodes, discloses a desalination system employing a closed tank, with a closed circuit air loop, having a sparger of porous material extending along the tank near the bottom, through which air under pressure is delivered, so as to promote vapour-saturated air being generated from salt water in which the parger is immersed, in order to achieve eventual condensation of relatively pwre water.
In all of the above patents solar energy is used as a heat source.
The apparatus of the present invention results in much more efficient purification of raw water, using solar heat, in combination with an enclosed vessel containing a supply of water to be purified, and having a plurality of vertical pipes within -the container, extending above the upper surface of the water to be purified, in order to receive purified water vapors evaporated From the body of water being purified, and tG effectivelY
accelerate the evaporation and collection process.
A principal object of the invention is to provide a solar distiller comprising in combination: a solar collector; an enclosed distiller vessel having a near-black face; a plurality of vertical pipes wi-thin said vessel, open at their upper ends and connec~ed to an out-flow pipe at their lower ends; a source of wat~r to be purified connected to saici vessel; and condensation means associa~ed with said out--flow pipe.
The foregoing ob~jec-ts of -the invention will become evident w-i-th reference to the accompanying description.
Reference will be made -to the attached drawings in wh-ich:
Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the solar separator distiller according to the invention; and Figure 2 is a -Front elevation of the apparatus of Figure 1, also partly in section.
Reference will now be made to the drawings in detail, ~herein like reference numerals will identify like parts.
The embodiment of Figures 1 and 2 is preferred, but it will be evident to those skilled in the art that variations may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention disclosed. As seen in Figure 1, sun rays are collected and focused by a parabolic solar collector 10. The use of parabola 10, shaped from reflective metal, or any other suitable material, minimizes focusing of the apparatus, and permits long, unattended use of the solar evaporator. The concave interior of parabola 10 may be lined with reflective Mylar (trade mark), or other suitable reflsctive materials. Sun's rays reflected from parabola 10 are concentrated on the face 12 of solar distiller 14.
As will be evident to those familiar with parabolic reflectors, while each location on the surface of the earth is ~3~ 9 continually changing i~ositioo relative ~o that of the sunl when the sun's rays ar-e reflected -Fr-om a s-tationery reflector, th0 angle of reflection is continually undergoin~ change. When the angle of the sun's raYs change, so does the focal location of those rays reflected -from a paraholic re-flector, and -the focal location, or near-focal location of the concentrated sun's rays will move up or down the vertical surface of distiller 14.
Face 12 of distiller vessel 14 is Formed of any suitable material and has a near-black exterior surface. Thus, when the position oF the sun is lower to the horizon of the earth, the focal location of the sun's rays rrom parabolic reflector 10 will be nearer to the top of surface 12, and as the position of the sun relative to that of the earth's surface becomes higher, it causes the focal location of the reflected sun's rays to move lower on face 12 of distiller 14. Thus, the disadvantage of many concentrating solar energy devices, that require constant re-focusing, is eliminated.
A supply of raw water to be purified is piped through intake pipe 18 into container 20, the level of water in container 20 being controlled by a float valve 22. ~ater to be purified then flows from container 20 through pipe 24 into distiller 14.
Distiller 14 is constructed as a water-tight envelope, and is positioned so that its face 12 has maximum exposure to the concentrated raYs of the sun received from reflector 10, The wall of distiller vessel 14, with the exception of face 12, is provided with thermal insulating material, so as to minimize heat loss.
Contained within distiller 14 is a plurality of 7 ~
ver-tical pipes 26. Pipes 26 ,lr-e open at their upper ends and are connected at their lower ends to a unitary horizontal pipe 28.
Distiller 14 is partly Filled w-ith raw water 30, to a level controlled by float valve 227 so that the level of water 30 is below the top oF pipes 26, and -the top sur-face of dis-tiller 14.
As concentrated rays of the sun are absorbed by the near-black face 12 of distiller 14, the sun's rays are converted to heat. This heat energy is transferred to -the water in distiller 14, to the boiling point at atmospheric pressure.
As the water boils i~ is evaporated and changed to water vapour in the space above the water surface. Water vapour is forced to enter the tops of interior pipes 26, as a result of the pressure created in the upper portion of vaporizer 14. As the water vapour is forced into pipes 26, it is further urged into out-flow pipe 28. Pipe 28 extends generally horizontally through a cooling chamber 32, where condensation of the water vapour into purified water occurs. Pipe 28 will preferably slope slightly downwardly to facilitate gravity water flow. Chamber 32 is a prior art water distiller or is a heat exchanger and contains a supply of water at a temperature below the boiling point of water at atmospheric pressure. A supply of cooling water flows through pipe 34, and cooling chamber 32, where it becomes heated, then flows out pipe 34a, where -it may be used as a supply of heat for any other desired purpose. The water vapour flowing through pipe 28 in cooling chamber 32 is condensed into distilled water, which is collected, by any suitable means.
The water vapour which is evaporated from the body of water within condenser 14 will cause the remaining water to ~33$~9 t) become relat:ively concentrated with sal~, or o1her compounds.
The wa-ter- remainil-~q in cor\denser 14- is rernoved through draw-off pipe 36, controlled by control valve 38, and may then be carried away for- disposal.
The sc~lar d-istiller- acc(lrcl-ing -to the invention results -in efficient, low-cost Puri-f-ication oF -impure water. The rate of evaporation and condensa-tior) ac:hieved by -the combination of an enclosed evaporator unit, w-i-th vertical water-vapour-receiving pipes, has proved dramatically more e-f-fic-ient than in prior art water solar energy purifiers-condensers. The evaporator according to the inven-tion is substan-tially maintenance free, and can be operated without supervision -For extended periods of time.
The expedited rate o-F evaporation achieved through the enclosed distiller-condenser tank has proven itselF, during extensive tests with prototypes.
The foregoing description is by way of example only, and the invention should be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.
Claims (7)
1. A solar distiller comprising in combination:
a solar collector;
an enclosed distiller vessel having a near-black face;
a plurality of vertical pipes within said vessel, open at their upper ends and connected to an out-flow pipe at their lower ends;
a source of water to be purified connected to said vessel; and condensation means associated with said out-flow pipe.
a solar collector;
an enclosed distiller vessel having a near-black face;
a plurality of vertical pipes within said vessel, open at their upper ends and connected to an out-flow pipe at their lower ends;
a source of water to be purified connected to said vessel; and condensation means associated with said out-flow pipe.
2. A solar distiller according to claim 1, said solar collector being a stationary parabolic reflector.
3. A solar distiller according to claim 1, including means to maintain water to be purified within said distiller vessel at a level below the open tops of said vertical pipes.
4. A solar distiller according to claim 1, said condensation means comprising a flow of secondary water to be heated as it effects condensation of water within said out-flow pipe.
5. A solar distiller comprising:
a parabolic reflector;
an enclosed distiller vessel having a near-black face, upon which said parabolic reflector may be focused;
a source of water to be purified connected to said distiller vessel;
a plurality of vertical pipes within said vessel, and being in communication with an out-flow pipe at their lower ends, and all being open at their upper ends;
means to control the level of water being purified within said vessel below the open upper ends of said vertical pipes;
condensation means associated with said out-flow pipe;
whereby water within said vessel is heated to the boiling point through the heat transfer effected from said parabolic reflector on said near-black face, causing said water to boil and evaporate within said vessel and thence to become water vapour which is forced into said vertical pipes under pressure created within the vessel by the expanded water vapour, and thence to enter said out-flow pipe, where it is condensed into purified water.
a parabolic reflector;
an enclosed distiller vessel having a near-black face, upon which said parabolic reflector may be focused;
a source of water to be purified connected to said distiller vessel;
a plurality of vertical pipes within said vessel, and being in communication with an out-flow pipe at their lower ends, and all being open at their upper ends;
means to control the level of water being purified within said vessel below the open upper ends of said vertical pipes;
condensation means associated with said out-flow pipe;
whereby water within said vessel is heated to the boiling point through the heat transfer effected from said parabolic reflector on said near-black face, causing said water to boil and evaporate within said vessel and thence to become water vapour which is forced into said vertical pipes under pressure created within the vessel by the expanded water vapour, and thence to enter said out-flow pipe, where it is condensed into purified water.
6. A solar distiller according to claim 5, said enclosed distiller vessel having an insulating body.
7. A solar distiller according to claim 5, said condensation means comprising a flow of secondary water to be heated by said purified water vapour as it effects condensation thereof.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002036979A CA2036979A1 (en) | 1991-02-25 | 1991-02-25 | Solar distiller |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002036979A CA2036979A1 (en) | 1991-02-25 | 1991-02-25 | Solar distiller |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2036979A1 true CA2036979A1 (en) | 1992-08-26 |
Family
ID=4147054
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002036979A Abandoned CA2036979A1 (en) | 1991-02-25 | 1991-02-25 | Solar distiller |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA2036979A1 (en) |
Cited By (3)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US7955478B2 (en) | 2007-02-14 | 2011-06-07 | Mcclure Miles | Solar distillation device |
| CN102849813A (en) * | 2012-08-29 | 2013-01-02 | 集美大学 | Solar multi-effect distillation system |
| US8951391B2 (en) | 2007-02-14 | 2015-02-10 | Miles McClure | Solar distillation device |
-
1991
- 1991-02-25 CA CA002036979A patent/CA2036979A1/en not_active Abandoned
Cited By (3)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US7955478B2 (en) | 2007-02-14 | 2011-06-07 | Mcclure Miles | Solar distillation device |
| US8951391B2 (en) | 2007-02-14 | 2015-02-10 | Miles McClure | Solar distillation device |
| CN102849813A (en) * | 2012-08-29 | 2013-01-02 | 集美大学 | Solar multi-effect distillation system |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| FZDE | Dead |