CN116075345A

CN116075345A - System for treating biologically contaminated wastewater and method for purifying wastewater source

Info

Publication number: CN116075345A
Application number: CN202180055197.7A
Authority: CN
Inventors: J·D·赖利
Original assignee: VERNO HOLDINGS LLC
Current assignee: VERNO HOLDINGS LLC
Priority date: 2020-07-07
Filing date: 2021-07-07
Publication date: 2023-05-05
Also published as: IL299727A; EP4164989A4; CN116171265A; AU2021306976A1; WO2022010629A1; CA3185132A1; CL2023000055A1; AU2021305618A1; EP4168145A4; CA3185117A1; WO2022011016A1; KR20230035616A; KR20230035364A; BR112023000285A2; CO2023001095A2; CO2023001096A2; BR112023000318A2; IL299729A; MX2023000400A; EP4164989A1

Abstract

A system and process for purifying a biologically contaminated wastewater fluid from a slaughterhouse or similar facility. The system and process recovers purified water/steam through a purification unit having a plurality of rotating trays and stationary baffles in a process vessel arranged alternately for producing separate purified and contaminant streams. One or more filter/coarse filter units are arranged in parallel before the purification unit and may be used alternately while cleaning the other. The rotating shafts connected to the rotating trays may also be connected to generators to provide power to the circuitry and controller in the system.

Description

System for treating biologically contaminated wastewater and method for purifying wastewater source

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a system for treating waste water from animal slaughterhouses and similar biological treatment facilities. More particularly, the present invention relates to an improved method for purifying such biological wastewater by removing entrained and dissolved solids, evaporating the water, and maximizing the recovery of usable water from the contaminated water through a horizontal water treatment vessel utilizing a series of pumps, filters, and water evaporators.

Background

Purification of the water source may take a variety of forms including filtration, desalination, purification, disinfection, etc. Filtration may remove entrained and/or dissolved solids from the water source. Desalination refers to one of many treatments to remove excess salts, minerals and other natural or non-natural contaminants from water. Decontamination and disinfection are effective methods of eliminating biological and similar contaminants or toxins.

Historically, desalination converts seawater into potable water on board a ship. Modern desalination processes are still used on ships and submarines to ensure a continuous supply of potable water for crew. However, desalination techniques are increasingly used in arid areas where fresh water resources are scarce. In these areas, brine from the ocean is desalinated into fresh water suitable for consumption (i.e., drinking) or irrigation. The high concentration waste in the desalination process is often referred to as brine, salt (NaCl) being a typical major byproduct. Most modern interest in desalination has focused on developing cost-effective processes to provide fresh water to arid areas where fresh water supply is limited.

Large scale purification processes such as desalination are typically costly, often requiring large amounts of energy and expensive infrastructure. For example, the world's largest desalination plants use mainly multi-stage flash evaporation (multi-stage flash distillation), producing 3 billion cubic meters (m) per year ³ ) Is a water source. The largest desalination plants in the united states desalinate 2500 ten thousand gallons (9.5 ten thousand cubic meters) of water per day. About 13000 desalination plants worldwide produce more than 120 million gallons (4500 thousand cubic meters) of water per day. Accordingly, there is a continuing need in the art for improved desalination methods, i.e., reduced cost and increased efficiency of the associated systems。

The purification can be performed by a number of different processes. For example, several desalination processes use simple evaporation-based desalination methods, such as multiple-effect evaporation (multiple-effect evaporation; MED or ME for short), vapor compression evaporation (vapor-compression evaporation; VC), and evaporative condensation (evaporation-condensation). In general, evaporative condensation is a natural desalination process that naturally occurs during hydrologic cycles. In hydrologic cycles, water evaporates into the atmosphere from sources such as lakes, oceans, streams, and the like. The evaporated water then contacts cooler air, forming dew or rain. The resulting water is generally free of impurities. The hydrologic process may be replicated artificially by a series of evaporative condensation processes. In basic operation, brine is heated to evaporate. Salts and other impurities dissolve out of the water and remain in the evaporation stage. The evaporated water is then condensed, collected and stored as fresh water. Evaporative condensing systems have improved greatly over the years, particularly as more efficient technologies emerge, facilitating the process. However, these systems still require a significant energy input to evaporate the water. Another evaporation-based desalination method involves multi-stage flash evaporation, as described above. The multi-stage flash distillation adopts vacuum distillation. Vacuum distillation is a process in which water is boiled under sub-atmospheric conditions by creating a vacuum in an evaporation chamber. Thus, vacuum distillation operates at a much lower temperature than MED or VC, thus requiring less energy to evaporate water to separate contaminants therefrom. This process is particularly desirable in view of the rise in energy costs.

Alternative desalination methods may include membrane-based processes such as Reverse Osmosis (RO), electrodialysis (electrodialisys reversal; EDR), nanofiltration (NF), forward Osmosis (FO), and membrane distillation (membrane distillation; MD). Of these desalination processes, reverse osmosis is the most widely used. Reverse osmosis uses a semipermeable membrane and pressure to separate salts and other impurities from water. Reverse osmosis membranes are considered selective. That is, the membrane is highly permeable to water molecules and highly impermeable to salts and other contaminants dissolved therein. The membrane itself is stored in an expensive and high pressure vessel. The vessel is provided with a membrane to maximize the surface area and the flow rate of brine therethrough. Conventional osmotic desalination systems typically use one of two techniques to create high pressure within the system: (1) a high pressure pump; or (2) a centrifuge. The high pressure pump assists in filtering the brine through the membrane. The pressure in the system varies depending on the pump setting and the osmotic pressure of the brine. The osmotic pressure depends on the temperature of the solution and the concentration of the salt dissolved therein. Alternatively, centrifuges are generally more efficient but more difficult to implement. The centrifuge rotates the solution at high speed to separate materials of different densities in the solution. In combination with the membrane, suspended salts (suspended salt) and other contaminants are subjected to a constant radial acceleration along the length of the membrane. A common problem with reverse osmosis is removal of suspended salts and clogging of the membrane over time.

The operating costs of reverse osmosis water desalination plants are largely dependent on the energy costs required to drive the high pressure pumps or centrifuges. Hydraulic energy recovery systems may be integrated into reverse osmosis systems to combat the ever-increasing energy costs associated with processes that are already energy intensive. This involves recovering part of the input energy. For example, turbines (turbines) are particularly capable of recovering energy in systems requiring high operating pressures and large volumes of brine. The turbine recovers energy during the hydraulic pressure drop. Thus, energy is recovered in the reverse osmosis system based on the pressure differential between the opposite sides of the membrane. The pressure on the brine side is much higher than the pressure on the desalinated water side. The pressure drop produces a considerable amount of hydraulic energy that can be recovered by the turbine. Thus, the energy generated between the high pressure and low pressure portions of the reverse osmosis membrane is utilized rather than being entirely wasted. The recovered energy may be used to drive any system component, including a high pressure pump or centrifuge. The turbine helps to reduce the overall energy expenditure required for desalination.

In general, reverse osmosis systems generally consume less energy than thermal distillation and are therefore more cost-effective. While reverse osmosis works well in brackish aqueous solutions, reverse osmosis can become overloaded and inefficient when used with solutions having higher salt concentrations (e.g., ocean brine). Other less efficient desalination methods may include ion exchange, freezing, geothermal desalination, solar humidification (HDH or MEH), methane hydrate crystallization, high-grade water recycling, or RF induced high temperatures. Regardless of the process, desalination is still energy intensive. Future costs and economic viability continue to depend on both the price of desalination technology and the cost of energy required to operate the system.

In another desalination process, U.S. patent No. 4891140 to Burke, jr discloses a process for separating and removing dissolved minerals and organic matter from water by destructive distillation. In this context, water is heated to steam under controlled pressure. As the water evaporates, the dissolved salt particles and other contaminants fall out of solution. The integrated hydrocyclone centrifuge speeds up the separation process. The heated high pressure cleaning water transfers energy back to the system through heat exchange and hydraulic motors. Thus, the net energy consumption is relatively lower than the above-described process. In fact, net energy consumption is substantially equivalent to pump losses and heat losses in plant operation. A particular advantage of this design is that no replacement of the membrane is required. This process removes chemicals and other substances that would otherwise damage or destroy the membrane-based desalination device.

Another patent to walace (Wallace), U.S. patent No. 4287026, discloses a method and apparatus for removing salts and other minerals in dissolved solid form from salt and other brackish water to produce potable water. The water is forced through several desalting stages at high temperatures and high centrifugal speeds. Preferably, the internal components spin the water at speeds up to mach 2 to effectively separate and suspend the dissolved salts and other dissolved solids from the vaporized water. Suspended salts and other minerals are discharged outwards by centrifugal force, separately from the water vapour. The separated and purified steam (vapor) or steam (foam) is then condensed back into potable water. This system requires significantly less operating energy to purify water efficiently and economically than reverse osmosis and similar filtration systems. One disadvantage of this design is that the rotation axis is built into the vertical chamber. Therefore, the rotation shaft portion is firmly fixed to the base unit (base unit) only by the bearing and the bearing cover. At high rotational speeds (e.g., above mach 1), vibration can cause the bearing shaft and seal to fail. Another disadvantage is that the series of chambers are bolted together in the housing part. The perforated plate is connected to these parts by O-rings. Since the chambers and housing portions are connected by nuts and bolts, the housing and O-ring may wear over time due to salt infiltration. In particular, the assembly of the Wallace design is particularly laborious. Maintenance is also labor intensive because of the significant amount of time required to disassemble each housing portion (including the O-rings, nuts and bolts). Of course, the device must be reassembled after the necessary maintenance has been performed. Each housing part must be carefully put back together to ensure a seal between them. As the equipment ages, the system is also prone to various torque and maintenance problems, such as O-ring leakage. Furthermore, the rotating shaft is connected to the power source through a gear transmission, which helps to solve the above-mentioned reliability problems associated with bearings, shafts and seals. The system does not disclose means for adjusting the speed of the rotating shaft section in accordance with the osmotic pressure of the desalinated brine. Thus, the static operation of the walis desalination machine is not as efficient as other modern desalination devices.

Accordingly, there is a need in the art for an improved system that includes sensors for monitoring real-time system information and a controller for regulating the mechanical operation of the system to maximize water purification, such as desalination of water, and minimize energy consumption. Such a system should further include multiple recycles to increase the recovery of potable water from about 80% to about 96% to 99%, should include a polymer-assisted recovery system to extract trace elements of residual compounds, and should consume less energy than other desalination systems known in the art. The present invention fulfills these needs and provides further related advantages.

Disclosure of Invention

The present invention relates to a system for purifying a damaged fluid containing biological waste, such as waste water from an animal slaughterhouse. The purification process removes biological waste and other toxins from wastewater by using physical separation and desalination applied to filtration and evaporation processes of wastewater, including the generation of water vapor and steam.

A system for purifying a wastewater source begins with a wastewater source fluidly connected to an inlet on a flow-through wastewater filtration device that produces a filtered wastewater stream. The filtered wastewater stream is connected to a wastewater inlet on a purifying evaporation unit comprising a generally horizontal elongated vessel having a plurality of alternately spaced rotating trays and stationary baffles disposed vertically along the elongated vessel between a first end of the elongated vessel adjacent the wastewater inlet and a second end of the elongated vessel adjacent the contaminant outlet and the vapor outlet.

The contaminant outlet on the evaporation unit is fluidly connected to a contaminant tank for storage and subsequent processing. A steam outlet on the evaporation unit is fluidly connected to the steam treatment unit. The steam treatment unit may comprise a heat exchanger, condenser, turbine or other similar industrial treatment unit.

In certain embodiments, the system for treating biologically contaminated wastewater of the present invention may include a source of biologically contaminated wastewater fluidly connected to an inlet on the first wastewater filtration apparatus that produces a filtered wastewater stream from an outlet. The outlet on the filter device is fluidly connected to a wastewater inlet on a purification unit having a generally horizontal elongated vessel with a plurality of alternately spaced rotating trays and stationary baffles disposed vertically along the elongated vessel between a first end of the elongated vessel adjacent the wastewater inlet and a second end of the elongated vessel adjacent the contaminant outlet and the vapor outlet. The purification unit has a rotation shaft disposed along the elongated container from a first end to a second end, the rotation shaft passing through each stationary baffle and fixedly attached to each rotating tray. The purification unit separates the filtered wastewater stream into a contaminant stream to the contaminant outlet and a vapor stream to the vapor outlet.

The system further includes a second wastewater filtration device disposed in parallel with the first wastewater filtration device. An inlet on the second wastewater filtration device is fluidly connected to a source of biologically contaminated wastewater and an outlet on the second wastewater filtration device is fluidly connected to a wastewater inlet on the purification unit. The system may further include a switching valve having an inlet side and an outlet side, wherein the inlet side is fluidly connected to the source of biologically contaminated wastewater and the outlet side is fluidly connected to the inlet of the first wastewater filtration apparatus and the inlet of the second wastewater filtration apparatus. The switching valve is configured such that the outlet side selectively alternates the biologically contaminated wastewater stream between the first wastewater filtration apparatus and the second wastewater filtration apparatus.

The outlet of the first and the outlet of the second wastewater filter device are preferably both fluidly connected to a fluid connection pipe comprising a one-way check valve, wherein the outlet of the fluid connection pipe is fluidly connected to a wastewater inlet on the purification unit.

The generator is preferably a rotating shaft operatively connected to the purification unit. The generator is configured to provide power to electronic circuitry and an electronic controller in the system. The electronic circuit may include sensors, thermometers, pressure gauges, vibration sensors, lubrication systems, flow sensors, and computers. The electronic controller may include a pump, a valve, and a motor.

In the purification unit, each of the trays (tray) has a plurality of scoops (spoons), each scoop having an inlet of a first diameter and an outlet of a second smaller diameter, and each of the baffles has a plurality of holes, each hole having an inlet of the first diameter and an outlet of the second smaller diameter. The purification unit further includes an inner sleeve disposed in the elongated vessel downstream of the plurality of trays and the plurality of baffles, the inner sleeve forming an annular channel leading to the first contaminant outlet.

In certain embodiments, a process for purifying a wastewater source includes filtering the wastewater source to produce a filtered wastewater stream. The filtered wastewater stream is directed into a purification unit, wherein the purification unit has a rotational axis extending from a first end of an elongated vessel to a second end thereof, and a plurality of alternately spaced rotating trays and stationary baffles, each rotating tray disposed perpendicular to each stationary baffle between the first end and the second end in the elongated vessel, the rotational axis passing through each stationary baffle and fixedly attached to each rotating tray. The filtered wastewater stream is treated by the purification unit, wherein the filtered wastewater stream is separated into a contaminant stream and a purified vapor stream. The contaminant stream is directed to a contaminant storage vessel for further processing. The flow of purge steam is directed to a steam outlet for further processing. The power may be generated using a generator fixedly connected to a portion of the rotating shaft protruding from the elongated container.

The treatment may further comprise the step of recirculating a portion of the contaminant stream through the purification unit. Preferably, at least 75% of the contaminant stream is recycled through the purification unit.

The step of filtering the wastewater source may include a plurality of screen filter units. In particular, the first screen filter unit and the second screen filter unit may be arranged in parallel. A switching valve may be connected to the inlet on both the first screen filter unit and the second screen filter unit. The outlets on both the first and second screen filter units may be connected to a fluid connection, wherein the fluid connection is connected to the purification unit.

The wastewater source is pumped through one of the switching valve, the first screen filter unit, and the second screen filter unit. The fluid connector preferably includes a one-way check valve that selectively allows a filtered wastewater stream to flow from one of the first or second screen filter units into the purification unit. The switching valve may be selectively arranged to direct the source of wastewater to one of the first or second screen filter units. The treatment further includes the step of cleaning one of the first screen filter device or the second screen filter unit while the switching valve directs the wastewater source to the other of the first screen filter unit or the second screen filter unit.

The plurality of alternately spaced rotating trays and stationary baffles in the purification unit may further comprise a plurality of scoops on each of the rotating trays, each scoop having an inlet of a first diameter and an outlet of a second smaller diameter, and a plurality of holes on each of the stationary baffles, each hole having an inlet of the first diameter and an outlet of the second smaller diameter. Furthermore, an inner sleeve may be provided in the elongate container downstream of the plurality of alternately spaced rotating trays and stationary baffles, the inner sleeve forming an annular channel leading to the contaminant outlet.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following more detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, illustrating by way of example the principles of the invention.

Drawings

The present invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic top view and partial cross-sectional view of a system for purifying water and generating water vapor according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic side view and partial cross-sectional view of the system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 2A is a view similar to FIG. 2, showing an alternative arrangement in which the system 10 is controlled by a direct drive motor directly connected to one end of the shaft;

FIG. 3 is a top view of the water treatment vessel with the upper portion open;

FIG. 4 is an end view of a horizontal water treatment vessel attached to a portable frame in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a top view of a rotating tray with a plurality of scoops;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of a tray and its scoop;

FIG. 7 is a top view of a baffle plate used in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a side view of a tray with a water guide positioned in front of the tray;

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of a baffle showing a tapered bore of the baffle;

FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram illustrating an electric motor coupled to a transmission and then to a shaft of a water treatment vessel in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 11 is a schematic view of the system of the present invention similar to FIG. 1, but showing the combination of the control box and various sensors according to the present invention;

FIG. 12 is a schematic top view of the system of the present invention, including a turbine and a generator;

FIG. 12A is a view similar to FIG. 12, illustrating that the system may be controlled by a direct drive motor directly connected to one end of the shaft;

FIG. 13 is an end view of the water treatment vessel showing its steam outlet;

FIG. 14 is a side schematic view of the system of FIG. 12;

FIG. 15 is a front schematic view and partial cross-sectional view of an alternative embodiment of a system for purifying water and generating water vapor in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 16 is a close-up of the tray and baffles of the system of FIG. 15, represented by circle 16;

FIG. 17 is a lower perspective view of the vessel having an inlet and an outlet depicted in the system of FIG. 15;

FIG. 18 is a cross-sectional view of the container of FIG. 17, taken along line 18-18 of FIG. 17;

FIG. 19 is an illustration of a shaft with a tray and a baffle of the system of FIG. 15;

FIG. 20 is a schematic view of a tray of the system of FIG. 15;

FIG. 21 is a schematic view of a baffle of the system of FIG. 15;

FIG. 22 is a side view of the tray shown in FIG. 20 at line 22-22;

FIG. 23 is an opposite side view of the tray shown in FIG. 20 at line 23-23;

FIG. 24 is a side view of the baffle plate shown in line 24-24 of FIG. 21;

FIG. 25 is a partial cross-sectional view of the shaft, tray and baffle disposed in the container;

FIG. 26 is a cross-sectional view of the tray taken along line 26-26 of FIG. 20;

FIG. 27 is a cross-sectional view of the baffle taken along line 27-27 of FIG. 21;

FIG. 28 is a schematic diagram of a control screen of the system of the present invention;

FIG. 29 is a schematic view of the treatment occurring at various points in the water treatment vessel of the present invention;

FIG. 30 is a schematic view of one embodiment of a shaft with a tray and a baffle of the system of FIG. 15 with an increased diameter and an increased number of scoops and holes on the tray and baffle;

FIG. 31 is a side view taken from the tray of FIG. 30;

FIG. 32 is a side view taken from the baffle of FIG. 30;

FIG. 33 is a schematic view of a system embodiment of the present invention, including a brine capture system and a tank;

FIG. 34 is a schematic view of a brine capture system of the invention;

FIG. 35 is a schematic view of an embodiment of the system of the present invention including a lift condenser with a hydro-generator and a holding tank;

FIG. 35A is a schematic view of the condenser of FIG. 35;

FIG. 36 is a schematic view of a system embodiment of the present invention including a brine recirculation system and a brine drying system;

FIG. 37 is a schematic diagram of a system embodiment of the invention including a control system with a graphical display;

FIG. 38 is a control system schematic of a graphical display with a home screen;

FIG. 39 is a control system schematic of a graphical display with a graphical screen;

FIG. 40 is a control system schematic of a graphical display with a trend screen;

FIG. 41 is a flow chart of the wastewater purification system and process of the present invention;

FIG. 42 is a flow chart of another embodiment of a wastewater purification system and process according to the present invention;

FIG. 43 is a flow chart of a biological wastewater purification system and process according to the present invention;

FIG. 44 is a flow chart of another embodiment of a biological wastewater purification system and process according to the present invention;

FIG. 45 is a flow chart of another alternative embodiment of a biological wastewater purification system and process according to the present invention.

Detailed Description

As shown in the drawings, for purposes of illustration, the present invention relates to a system and method for purifying water and generating water vapor. The method and system of the present invention are particularly useful for desalination of salt water, such as ocean or other brackish water, as well as river water or other liquids/slurries. This preferred treatment will be used for exemplary purposes herein, although those skilled in the art will appreciate that the system and method of the present invention may be used to purify other water sources. The invention can be used for removing dissolved or suspended solids (purification) as well as heavy metals and other contaminants. Furthermore, as will be more fully described herein, the system and method of the present invention may be used in conjunction with relatively clean water to produce steam in the form of steam having sufficient pressure and temperature to pass through a turbine operatively connected to an electrical generator to generate electricity, or other steam heating applications.

In the following description, various embodiments of the present method and system for purifying water and generating water vapor are described. In these embodiments, and with reference to the drawings, the same reference numerals will be used to designate functionally equivalent components.

Referring now to fig. 1 and 2, the system, an evaporative desalination unit, is generally indicated by reference numeral 10, includes a water treatment vessel or chamber 12 defining an interior cavity 14 in which salts and other dissolved solids and contaminants can be removed from the water to produce substantially mineral free potable water. In one embodiment, the treatment vessel 12 receives sewage from the feed tank 16 through an inlet valve 18 via a feed tank pipe 20. In this illustration, the inlet valve 18 enters the container 12 laterally through the sidewall. The inlet valves 18 may be alternately positioned as described below. The water source may be seawater or seawater, other brackish water, or even water contaminated with other contaminants. Furthermore, the present invention contemplates supplying contaminated water directly from a water source, wherein the feed tank 16 need not be used.

Referring now to fig. 3, in one embodiment, the container 12 includes a lower housing 12a and an upper housing 12b such that the lower housing 12a and the upper housing 12b may be opened or removed relative to each other in order to access the contents within the interior cavity 14 of the container 12. The container 12 may also be constructed as a single unit opposite the lower and upper housings. The water treatment vessel 12 includes a plurality of rotating trays 22 spaced apart from one another within the interior cavity 14 and has baffles 24 disposed between each pair of trays 22. As will be explained more fully herein, the rotating tray 22 includes a plurality of scoops 26 formed therethrough, and the baffle 24 generally includes a plate having a plurality of apertures 28 formed therethrough. Each baffle 24 is attached to the container 12 for ease of securement. The barrier 24 may include a lower portion disposed in the lower housing 12a of the container and an upper portion connected to the upper housing 12b of the container 12 and disposed in the lower and

upper housings

12a and 12b of the container 12, and is designed to form a single barrier when the lower and

upper housings

12a and 12b of the container 12 are engaged and closed with each other. Alternatively, each baffle 24 may comprise a single component that is attached to either the lower housing 12a or the upper housing 12b in the previous embodiments, or to either the lower housing 12a or the upper housing 12b at multiple points in a single unit embodiment. In either embodiment, the baffle 24 will remain substantially stationary as water and water vapor pass through the baffle 24.

As shown in fig. 2, 10, 11, and 12, variable frequency drive 30 may regulate the speed at which electric motor 32 drives transmission 34 and corresponding shaft 36. The shaft 36 is rotatably connected to bearings or the like, typically non-friction bearings lubricated with synthetic oil, schmitt couplers (Schmitt coupler), or

ceramic bearings

38 and 40 at generally opposite ends of the container 12. A shaft 36 extends through each tray 22 and each baffle 24 such that only each tray 22 is rotated by the shaft. That is, each tray 22 is coupled to the shaft 36. Bearings or low friction materials, such as Teflon (r) layers or sleeves, are provided between the rotating shaft 36 and the orifice plate baffle 24 to reduce friction therebetween while stabilizing and supporting the rotating shaft 36. Teflon is not preferred because it can abrade and contaminate the fluid.

Alternatively, as shown in fig. 2A and 12A, the system 10 may be controlled by a direct drive motor 32A directly connected to one end of the shaft 36. The direct drive motor 32a allows direct drive using a high speed electric motor or gas turbine. By using a direct drive motor 32a, power and force drops associated with drag inherent in the transmission can be avoided. For example, in a typical gear train, 200HP and 300ft-lb motors may produce 60HP and 90ft-lb rotor parameters after gear transmission. In contrast, direct drive motors need only provide 60HP and 90ft-lb to achieve the same parameters on the rotor, as the gearing in the transmission is eliminated and no deceleration occurs.

Although the system 10 of the present invention having a gear-driven transmission may be a stationary device or a mobile device, such as on a trailer, the elimination of the transmission in a direct drive system facilitates movement of the system 10. Smaller, more compact direct drive systems 10 are easier to install on trailers, which are easier to move and transport from site to site.

As can be seen from the figures, the water treatment vessel 12 is oriented generally horizontally. This is in contrast to the Wallace'026 device, where the water treatment chamber is oriented generally vertically, with the top of the rotating shaft being held by a bearing and bearing cap, which supports the chamber itself. Thus, the rotating shaft portion is firmly fixed only to the base of the device. At high rotational speeds, vibrations within the system can cause failure of bearings, shafts, and seals. Instead, mounting the water treatment vessel 12 horizontally to the frame structure 42 distributes the rotational load along the length of the vessel 12 and reduces vibrations, such as harmonic vibrations, that could otherwise cause excessive bearing, shaft, and seal failure. Furthermore, mounting the container 12 to the frame structure 42 enhances portability of the system 10, as will be more fully described herein. Supporting the very fast rotating shaft 36 by each baffle 24 further stabilizes the shaft and system and reduces vibration and damage caused thereby.

As described above, the shaft 36 and the tray 22 rotate at a very high speed (e.g., mach 2), although slower speeds such as mach 1.7 have proven effective. This moves the water through the scoops 26 of the tray 22, which scoops 26 spin and heat the water, thereby forming water vapor, with contaminants, salts and other dissolved solids being left behind and falling from the water vapor. Most of the feed water evaporates by 1) vacuum distillation and 2) cavitation created when it collides with the first rotating disk 22, centrifugal and axial compression results in temperature and pressure increases, as there is a direct relationship between shaft RPM and temperature/pressure increase or decrease. The water and steam then pass through the holes 28 of the baffle 24 and then pass through the next rotating tray 22 with the scoop 26 for treatment. The configuration of the tray 22 and the baffles 24 is designed to minimize or eliminate drag and friction in the rotation of the shaft 36 by providing sufficient clearance at the perimeter of the tray 22 and through the central opening 59 of the baffles 24. At the same time, leakage around the perimeter of the tray 22 and through the central opening 59 of the baffle 24 will be minimized to improve efficiency.

As water and water vapor pass through each subchamber of container 12, the temperature of the water vapor increases, thereby generating additional water vapor and leaving salts, dissolved solids, and other contaminants in the remaining water. Centrifugal forces acting on the water and contaminants force the water to the walls of the inner chamber 14 and into a set of channels 44 that direct the contaminants and unvaporized water to an outlet 46. The generated water vapor passes through a water vapor outlet 48 formed in the container 12. Thus, the water vapor and the contaminants and the remaining water are separated from each other. It should be noted that the system 10 generates steam (water vapor) rather than steam (steam). The water vapor is generated by a combination of pressure reduction and temperature increase. The system 10 maintains the temperature of the water vapor at or below the temperature of the vapor, thereby avoiding the latent heat of vaporization and the additional energy required to convert liquid water to vapor. Accordingly, the energy required to return the water vapor to liquid water is correspondingly lower.

As described above, the tray 22 is rotated by the shaft 36. As described above, the shaft 36 is supported within the interior of the water treatment vessel 12 by a plurality of bearings. Bearings are typically non-friction bearings lubricated with synthetic oil, steel or ceramic. The desalination systems of the prior art include standard roller bearings that fail at high rotational speeds and temperatures. Thus, desalination systems known in the art have a high failure rate associated with standard roller bearings. In the present invention, the lubricated non-friction, sealed steel ball or

ceramic bearings

38 and 40 are more durable than standard roller bearings and fail less often at high rotational speeds and temperatures. The

bearings

38, 40 may include internal lubrication tubes to allow lubricant to flow therethrough, thereby minimizing wear during operation. The

bearings

38, 40 also include vibration sensors (described below) to monitor and minimize the amount of vibration that occurs during operation. In addition, shaft 36 may be intermittently supported by a low friction material, such as a Teflon sleeve or bearing 50 disposed between baffle 24 and shaft 36. This further ensures an even distribution of weight and force on the shaft 36 and improves the operation and life of the system.

Referring now to fig. 5 and 6, an exemplary tray 22 is shown having a plurality of scoops 26 formed therein. Although fourteen scoops 26 are shown in fig. 5, it should be understood that the number may vary and may be tens of in a single tray 22, so the dashed lines represent various numbers of multiple scoops.

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the tray 22 and scoop 26 formed therein. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the scoop 26 is tapered such that its inlet 52 has a diameter that is greater than the diameter of its outlet 54. The tapered scoop 26 is essentially a Venturi tube having a vertical opening or inlet 52 that is substantially perpendicular to the horizontal surface of the rotating tray base 22. The liquid and vapor are accelerated through the conical scoop 26 because the conical scoop has a larger volume at its inlet 52 and a smaller volume at its outlet (exit) or outlet (outlet) 54. The change in volume from the inlet to the outlet of the tapered scoop 26 results in an increase in velocity due to the venturi effect. Thus, the liquid water and water vapor are further accelerated and stirred, resulting in an increase in temperature and pressure. This further enables separation of contaminants from the water vapour. The tapered scoop 26 may be attached to the rotating tray 22 by any means known in the art.

Again, it will be appreciated that more or less conical scoops 26 will be distributed throughout the area of the rotating tray 22, and that the particular number and size of scoops 26 will vary depending on the operating conditions of the system 10 of the present invention. Furthermore, the angle of the scoop 26 (shown as about 45 degrees in fig. 6) may vary from tray to tray 22. That is, by increasing the angle of the rotating scoop, e.g., 25 degrees to 31 degrees to 36 degrees on a subsequent tray, 40 degrees, 45 degrees, etc., on a next tray, the increase in the angle of the scoop 26 of the rotating tray 22 accommodates the increase in pressure of the water vapor as it passes through the container 12. The increase in angle may also be used to further agitate and generate water vapor and increase the pressure of the water vapor, which may be used in a steam turbine, as will be more fully described herein.

Referring now to fig. 7 and 9, a baffle 24 in the form of a perforated plate is shown in fig. 7. In this case, the baffle 24 is formed as a first plate member 56 and a second plate member 58, which are connected to the inner wall of the container 12 by a connector 60. The connector 60 may comprise a bolt, pin, rod, or any other suitable connection means. Alternatively, as described above, the baffle 24 may be formed as a single unit connected to the upper case 12b or the lower case 12 a. When formed as

dual panel members

56 and 58, the

panel members

56 and 58 preferably interengage with one another when the container 12 is closed, effectively forming a single flap 24.

As described above, a plurality of apertures 28 are formed through the baffle plate 24. Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view of one such aperture 28. Similar to the trays described above, the holes preferably include an inlet 62 having a diameter greater than an outlet 64 thereof, such that the holes 28 are tapered, which will increase the pressure and velocity of water and water vapor passing therethrough, thereby further increasing the temperature and generating additional vapor from the water. Similar to the tray 22 described above, the apertures 28 may be formed throughout the baffle, as shown by a series of dashed lines. The particular number and size of apertures 28 may vary depending on the operating conditions of system 10.

Referring now to fig. 8, the shaft 36 is shown extending through the rotating tray 22. In one embodiment, a conical water guide 66 is located at the front of the tray 22. For example, the deflector 66 may have a 45 degree angle to deflect the remaining water and steam passing through the central opening 59 of the baffle 24 from the axis 36 and toward the outer periphery or outer edge of the tray 22 to improve evaporation and increase recovery of potable water.

Referring again to fig. 3 and 4, as described above, in one particularly preferred embodiment, the container 12 may be formed as two shells or

sections

12a and 12b. This allows for quick inspection and replacement of the container assembly as needed. Preferably, the walls of the interior cavity 14 and any other components, such as the tray 22, baffles 24, shafts 36, etc., are treated with meldonite (Melonite) or other antifriction and corrosion-resistant material. Of course, these components may be constructed of materials that are corrosion resistant and have a low coefficient of friction, such as polished stainless steel or the like. The lower and

upper portions

12a, 12b of the container 12 are preferably interconnected such that when closed they are substantially airtight and watertight. In addition, the closed vessel 12 needs to be able to withstand the high temperatures and pressures generated by the vaporization of water therein during operation of the system 10.

Referring now to fig. 1, 2 and 10, a transmission 34 typically interconnects the electric motor 32 and a drive shaft 36. The motor 32 may be an internal combustion engine (gasoline, diesel, natural gas, etc.), an electric motor, a gas turbine, or other known means for providing drive. The speed of the transmission 34 is set by the variable frequency drive 30. The illustrations in fig. 1, 2 and 10 are merely schematic and do not represent the relative dimensions of variable frequency drive 30, motor 32 and transmission 34. Variable frequency drive 30 is regulated primarily by computerized controller 68, as will be more fully described herein. The shaft 36 may be belt or gear driven. The motor 32 may also be directly connected to the shaft 36, as described below. Referring specifically to fig. 10, the motor shaft 70 is connected to the intermediate shaft 72 by a belt 74. The intermediate shaft 72 is connected to the shaft by another belt 76. The high speed industrial pulley system shown in fig. 10 drives a shaft 36 inside the water treatment vessel 12. As shown, a plurality of

belts

74 and 76 and a set of intermediate shafts 72 increase the rotational output speed at shaft 36 by a multiple of the rotational input speed applied by electric motor 32 to electric motor drive shaft 70. Of course, the ratio of rotational input speed to rotational output speed may be varied by varying the relative rotational speeds of

belts

74 and 76 and the corresponding intermediate shaft 72. By coupling the electric motor drive shaft 70 to the shaft 36 via the

belts

74 and 76 and the intermediate shaft 72, and adding a schmitt coupler to the shaft 36 between the transmission 34 and the chamber 12, the present invention can avoid vibration and reliability problems that plague other prior art desalination systems.

Referring again to fig. 1, as described above, water vapor is directed through the water vapor outlet 48 of the container 12. The water vapor passes through a recovery tube 78 to a vapor recovery vessel or tank 80. The water vapor then condenses and condenses into liquid water within vapor recovery tank 80. To facilitate this, in one embodiment, a plurality of spaced-apart members 82 (e.g., in the form of louvers) are positioned in the flow path of the water vapor so that the water vapor can coalesce and condense on the louvers and become liquid water. The liquid water is then moved to a potable water tank 84 or pasteurization and holding tank 86. If the water and water vapor in the container 12 are heated to the temperature required for pasteurization to kill harmful microorganisms, zebra mussel larvae (zebra mussel larvae), and other harmful organisms, the liquid water may be held in the holding tank 86.

Referring now to fig. 15-27, another preferred embodiment of the system 10 and water treatment vessel 12 is shown. Fig. 15 shows the entire system 10 including an alternative one-piece construction of the container 12. In this embodiment, the container 12 has a similar structure to the previous embodiments, including elements such as the interior chamber 14, the inlet valve 18, the tray 22 with the scoop 26, the baffle 24 with the aperture 28, the brine outlet 46, and the steam outlet 48. The inlet valve 18 includes a plurality of inlets, preferably at least two, to the container 12. These inlets 18 are disposed on the end of the vessel about the shaft 36 to more evenly distribute the fluid throughout the interior cavity 14. The inlet 18 preferably enters the container 12 in line with the axis 36 to avoid abrupt (especially right angle) entry into the interior cavity 14 relative to the direction of motion through the container 12. The contaminant outlet 46 is preferably oversized so as not to restrict the flow of concentrated fluid out of the system 10. The recirculation feature described below may address any excess liquid level allowed to leave the system 10 through the oversized contaminant outlet 46. A shaft 36 supported by

ceramic bearings

38, 40 passes through the center of the tray 22 and the baffles 24.

The tray 22 is secured to the shaft 36 and extends outwardly toward the wall of the interior cavity 14, as described above. The baffle 24 preferably comprises a single component extending from the wall of the inner cavity 14 toward the shaft 36, wherein the central opening 59 forms a gap between the baffle 24 and the shaft 36, as described above. The baffle 24 is also preferably secured to the wall of the interior chamber by screws or pins 60 as described above. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the container 12 includes six trays 22 and five baffles 24, which are alternately dispersed in the interior cavity 14.

In this alternative embodiment, the inner lumen 14 includes an inner sleeve 45 disposed proximate the brine outlet 46. The inner sleeve 45 has an annular shape with a diameter slightly smaller than the diameter of the inner cavity 14. The inner sleeve 45 extends from a point downstream of the last tray 22 to another point immediately downstream of the brine outlet 46. An annular channel 47 is formed between the inner sleeve 45 and the outer wall of the inner cavity 14. In a typical configuration, the inner sleeve 45 is about 6 inches long and the annular passage 47 is about 1-11/2 inches wide. The annular channel or passage 47 captures brine or contaminants that are spun out of the rotating tray 22 to the outer wall of the chamber 14 as described above. The annular passage 47 assists in the movement of brine or contaminants to the outlet 46 to minimize the chance of vapor discharge contamination or material accumulation within the chamber 14.

Fig. 16 shows a close-up of tray 22 and baffle 24. It can be clearly seen how the baffle 24 extends from the wall of the container 12 through the chamber 14 and terminates adjacent the shaft 36. It can also be seen how the tray 22 is secured to the shaft 36 and has the scoop 26 disposed therein as described above. A cone 66 is preferably provided on each tray 22 to deflect any fluid flowing along the shaft as described above (fig. 8). Fig. 17 shows an exterior view of the container 12, showing the inlet 18,

outlets

46, 48 and shaft 36. Typically, the ends of the container 12 will be closed and sealed against leakage. For clarity and ease of illustration, it is described herein as disclosed. Figure 18 shows a cross-sectional view of the container 12 shown in figure 17 further illustrating the internal components including the tray 22, the baffles 24, the inner sleeve 45 and the annular channel 47. Fig. 19 shows the shaft 36 with the tray 22 and the baffles 24 separated from the container 12. Fig. 30, 31 and 32 illustrate alternative embodiments of the tray 22 and the baffles 24 along the axis 36. In this alternative embodiment, the diameter of the tray 22 and baffles 24 increases, the number of rows (row) increases (preferably 3 to 4 rows), and the number of scoops and holes therein correspondingly increases. These increases allow for a greater volume of fluid to be processed per unit time. Of course, the diameter of the container 12 will correspondingly increase to accommodate the larger tray 22 and baffles 24. This increased diameter creates a situation where the outermost edge of the rotating tray 22 has a significantly greater rotational speed than the smaller diameter tray 22.

Fig. 20 and 21 show tray 22 and baffle 24, respectively. Fig. 22, 23 and 26 show various views and cross-sectional views of the tray 22 of fig. 20. Fig. 24 and 27 similarly illustrate various views and cross-sectional views of the baffle 24 of fig. 21. As discussed, the tray 22 includes a scoop 26 that passes through the body of the tray 22. The scoop 26 includes a scoop inlet 52 and a scoop outlet 54 constructed as described above. The scoop inlet 52 is preferably oriented such that the opening faces in the direction of rotation about the shaft. This maximizes the amount of fluid entering scoop inlet 52 and passing through the plurality of scoops. The angle of the scoops 26 on the successive trays 22 can be adjusted as described above. The baffle 24 also includes a plurality of apertures 28, the apertures 28 being configured and shaped as described above (fig. 9). Fig. 25 shows the pairing of the shaft 36 and tray 22 with the baffle 24. In this particular figure, the arrows indicate the direction of rotation of the shaft and the corresponding tray 22. In the upper half of the figure, the scoop 26 with scoop inlet 52 is shown facing in the direction of rotation, i.e. out of the page (page). In the lower half of the figure, the scoop 26 with scoop inlet 52 is also shown oriented in the direction of rotation, i.e., into the page, as the tray 22 rotates with the shaft 36. The direction of rotation may be clockwise or counterclockwise. The direction of rotation may be changed without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. As in the previous embodiment, scoop inlet 52 has a larger diameter than scoop outlet 54 to increase the flow rate and decrease the fluid pressure.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, when the primary goal of the system 10 is to remove contaminants from contaminated water (e.g., brine) to obtain potable water, the temperature of the water vapor is heated to between 100 degrees Fahrenheit and less than 212 degrees Fahrenheit. Even more preferably, the steam is heated to between 140 degrees Fahrenheit and 170 degrees Fahrenheit for pasteurization. However, the water vapor temperature is kept at a minimum temperature and almost always below 212 degrees Fahrenheit so that the water does not boil and become steam, which is more difficult to condense and condense from water vapor to liquid water. An increase in RPM will result in an increase in temperature and pressure. The RPM may be adjusted to achieve a desired temperature.

The water is boiled and the water vapor temperature preferably reaches above 212 degrees Fahrenheit only if steam generation is required for heating, power generation, and other purposes as will be more fully described herein. This allows the present invention to both pasteurize water vapor and condense water vapor into liquid water without the need for complex refrigeration or condensation systems, which typically require additional power and energy.

In one embodiment, contaminated water, referred to as brine during desalination, is collected at outlet 46 and moved to brine treatment tank 88. As shown in fig. 1, a polymer or other chemical 90 may be added to the brine to recover trace elements and the like. In addition, salt from brine may be processed and used for a variety of purposes, including the production of common salt, agricultural brine and/or fertilizer.

In one embodiment of the invention, the treated contaminated water is reprocessed by recirculating the contaminants and the remaining water through the system again. This can be done several times, increasing the amount of potable water extracted from the contaminated water up to 99%. This may be accomplished by directing contaminants and wastewater from the outlet 46 to a first brine or contaminant reprocessing tank 92. The remaining wastewater in the form of brine or other contaminants is then reintroduced through inlet 18 of vessel 12 and reprocessed and recycled through vessel 12 as described above. Additional potable water will be extracted in the form of water vapor for condensation and collection in vapor recovery tank 80. The remaining contaminants and wastewater are then directed to a second brine or contaminant reprocessing tank 94. The concentration of contaminants or brine will be much higher in the reprocessing tank 92. Once a sufficient level of wastewater or brine has accumulated in the reprocessing tank 92, the contaminated water is circulated and treated through the inlet 18 and through the system 10 as described above. The extracted potable water vapor is removed at outlet 48 and becomes liquid water in vapor recovery tank 80, as described above. The resulting contaminants and wastewater may then be placed into another reprocessing or brine processing tank 88. It is expected that the first pass of seawater will produce, for example, 80% to 90% potable water. The first further treatment will produce an additional amount of drinking water such that the total amount of extracted drinking water is between 90% and 95%. Brine and the remaining water are passed through the system again, with up to 99% recovery of potable water being obtained by recovering the brine with little increase in unit cost. Furthermore, this reduces the volume of brine or contaminants, which may facilitate trace element recovery and/or reduce disposal costs thereof.

Referring now to FIG. 11, in one particularly preferred embodiment, a computer system is integrated into the system 10 of the present invention that adjusts the variable frequency drive 30 based on measurements taken from a plurality of sensors that continuously read the temperature, pressure, flow rate, rotational speed of components, and residual capacity of the various tanks connected to the water treatment vessel 12. Typically, these readings are taken in real time.

For example, temperature and/or pressure sensor 96 may be used to measure the temperature of water or water vapor within container 12 or exiting container 12, as well as the pressure thereof, as desired. In response to these sensor readings, the control box 68 will cause the variable frequency drive 30 to maintain the rotational speed of the shaft 36, decrease the rotational speed of the shaft 36, or increase the rotational speed of the shaft 36 to maintain, decrease, or increase the temperature and pressure of the water and water vapor, respectively. This may be done, for example, to ensure that the water vapor temperature is at the necessary pasteurization temperature to kill all harmful microorganisms and other organisms therein. Alternatively or in addition, sensors may be used to detect the rotational speed (RPMS) of the shaft 36 and/or the tray 22 to ensure that the system is functioning properly and that the system is generating the necessary water vapor at the desired temperature and/or pressure. The computerized controller may also adjust the amount of water (GPMS) input through inlet 18 to input the appropriate amount of water related to the amount of water vapor and wastewater removed to allow system 10 to operate efficiently. The control box 68 may regulate the flow rate of water into the container 12, or even regulate the input of water.

Fig. 28 schematically illustrates a computer display 112 or similar configuration. The computer display schematically shows a container 12 having various inlets and

outlets

18, 46, 48, as well as a shaft 36 and a plurality of trays 22. The shaft 36 has a plurality of vibration and temperature sensors 114 disposed along its length. The

bearings

38, 40 also include vibration and temperature sensors 114. Vibration and temperature sensor 114 is configured to detect horizontal and vertical vibrations at each point, as well as the temperature of shaft 36 resulting from rotational friction. The

bearings

38, 40 include an oil supply line 116a and a return line 116b to provide lubrication thereof. The inlet 18 and brine outlet 46 include flow meters 118 to detect the respective flow rates. Temperature and pressure sensors 96 are disposed throughout the container 12. Temperature and pressure sensors 96 are also provided throughout the container 12 to make measurements at various predetermined points.

As described above, the contaminated water may come from the feed tank 16, or from any other number of tanks, including the

reprocessing tanks

92 and 94. It is also contemplated that a tank for collecting water may be fluidly connected to inlet 18 to ensure that the water is purified to a level or for other purposes, such as when steam is generated that requires water of a higher purity than that provided by the contaminated water. In this way, one or more sensors 98 may track data within the tank to determine water or wastewater/brine levels, concentrations, or flow rates into or out of the tank. The controller 68 may be used to switch inputs and outputs of the tanks, such as when brine is reprocessed from the first brine reprocessing tank 92 to the second brine reprocessing tank 94 and ultimately to the brine processing tank 88, as described above. Thus, when the first brine reprocessing tank reaches a predetermined level, fluid flow from the feed tank 16 is shut off and instead fluid is provided from the first brine reprocessing tank 92 into the vessel 12. The treated contaminants and remaining wastewater are then introduced into a second brine reprocessing tank 94 until they reach a predetermined level. The water is then directed from the second brine reprocessing tank 94 through the system and water treatment vessel 12 to, for example, the brine treatment tank 88. The brine in the first reprocessed 92 may be about 20% of the contaminated water, including a majority of dissolved solids. The residual brine ultimately directed to brine treatment tank 88 may contain only one percent of the contaminated water initially introduced into purification system 10 through feed tank 16. Thus, temperature and pressure sensors, RPM and flow meters may be used to control the desired water output, including water vapor temperature control to produce pasteurized water.

The controller 68 may be used to direct the variable frequency drive 30 to power the motor 32 such that the shaft 36 rotates at a sufficiently high speed such that rotation of the tray boils the incoming water and produces steam at the desired temperature and pressure, as shown in fig. 12. FIG. 12 illustrates a steam turbine 100 integrated into the system 10. The steam turbine 100 may also be used with the vessels shown in fig. 15-27. Water vapor in the form of steam may be generated in the water treatment vessel 12 to drive a high pressure low temperature steam turbine by feeding the steam outlet 48 into an inlet on the turbine 100. The turbine 100 is in turn coupled to a generator 102 for cost effective and economical power generation. As shown in fig. 12A, the steam turbine 100 may be eliminated with the shaft 36 of the vessel 12 extending to directly or indirectly rotate the generator 102. In this case, the latter stages of trays and baffles inside the vessel 12 act as steam turbines due to the presence of water vapor that helps the shaft to rotate.

In the case of a steam turbine, the water vapor may be heated to over 600 degrees Fahrenheit and pressurized to over 1600 pounds per inch (psi), which is sufficient to drive the steam turbine 100. In addition to the increased speed of the tray, the combination of the tapered nature of the scoop 26 of the tray 22 and the tapered nature of the aperture 28 of the aperture plate baffle 24 also facilitates the generation of water vapor and steam. Increasing the angle of the scoop 26, for example from 25 degrees for the first tray to 45 degrees for the last tray, also increases the generation of water vapor in the form of steam and increases its pressure, thereby enabling the steam turbine 100 to be driven. Fig. 13 and 14 illustrate an embodiment in which the steam outlet 104 is formed at an end of the vessel 12 and the steam turbine 100 is directly connected thereto such that pressurized steam passes through the turbine 100, thereby rotating its blades 106 and shaft 108, thereby generating electricity by a generator connected thereto. The steam outlet 110 delivers steam to the steam recovery vessel 80 and the like. The recovery tank 80 may need to include additional piping, condensers, refrigeration devices, etc. to cool the steam or the high temperature steam to condense it into liquid water.

Of course, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the steam generated by the system 10 may be used for other purposes, such as heating purposes, removal of oil from oil wells and tar and shale pits, and the like.

It will also be appreciated that the present invention, via the sensor and controller 68, can produce lower temperature and/or pressure water vapor for producing potable water, which water vapor is directed through the outlet 48 into the vapor recovery vessel, and the system accelerates to produce water vapor or steam for passing through the steam turbine 100 to generate electricity as desired. For example, during the night when very little electricity is needed, the system 10 may be used to produce potable water. However, during the day, the system 10 may be adjusted to produce steam and electricity.

As described above, many of the components of the present invention, including the variable frequency drive 30, the electric motor 32, the transmission 34, and the water treatment vessel 12, and the components therein, may be attached to the portable frame 42. The entire system 10 of the present invention may be designed to fit in an ISO container 40 feet long. The container may be isolated from refrigeration (HVAC) equipment to control the operating environment and transport and storage. Various storage tanks, including feed tanks, vapor recovery tanks, portable storage tanks, and contaminant/brine reprocessing or treatment tanks, may be mounted in transportable containers or transported separately and connected to inlet and outlet ports (ports) as desired. Thus, the entire system 10 of the present invention can be easily transported in ISO containers or the like by ship, semi-tractor trailer or the like. Thus, the system 10 of the present invention may be brought to a location where handling of natural disasters, military operations, etc. is desired, even at a remote location. This arrangement results in a high level of mobility and rapid deployment and startup of the system 10 of the present invention.

Fig. 29 schematically illustrates the processing that occurs at various points (i.e., subchambers) throughout the container 12. As shown, the interior cavity 14 of the container 12 is effectively divided into a series of subchambers. The vessel 12 contains five subchambers that perform the functions of an axial flow pump, an axial flow compressor, a centrifugal flow compressor, an unlit gas turbine, and/or a hydraulic/hydroturbine. In operation, the system 10 has the ability to evaporate water through a mechanical process, thereby achieving efficient and effective desalination, purification, and evaporation of various damaged fluids. Prior to entering vessel 12, the fluid may undergo a pretreatment step 120, in which the fluid passes through a filter and various other processes to separate contaminants that are more easily removed or that may damage or reduce the integrity of system 10. Upon passing through inlet 18, fluid enters intake chamber 122, and once system 10 reaches its operating speed, intake chamber 122 affects fluid similar to an axial flow pump. An external start-up pump (not shown) may be turned off so that the system 10 draws contaminated water through the inlet, i.e., the intake chamber acts as an axial flow pump without the need to start up continued operation of the pump. A significant decrease in the pressure of the intake chamber can result in vacuum distillation or evaporation at temperatures below 212F. After the intake chamber 122, the fluid encounters the first tray 22 where it enters the first process chamber 124. The first treatment chamber acts as both a centrifugal flow compressor and an axial flow compressor by the combined action of the rotating tray 22 and the adjacent baffles 24. Upon collision with the high speed rotating tray 22 in the first process chamber 124, a high percentage of the incoming water is evaporated through the air pockets. The centrifugal flow compression process occurs in the first process chamber 124 and each subsequent process chamber. The centrifugal flow compression process casts the non-evaporated dissolved solids and at least some liquid water to the outer walls of the process chamber 124. This action separates the dissolved solids and most of the remaining liquid from the vapor. An axial compression process also occurs in the first process chamber 124 and each subsequent chamber. The axial compression process compresses the vapor and liquid, which also increases the pressure and temperature within the process chamber. Both the second process chamber 126 and the third process chamber 128 function similarly by combining the effects of the centrifugal flow compressor and axial flow compressor features of the first process chamber 124.

When the fluid reaches the fourth process chamber 130, it has undergone centrifugal and axial flow compression processes such that the properties of the fluid and its flow through the vessel 12 have changed. In the fourth treatment chamber, by rotating the shaft 36, the fluid behaves as if it were passing through an unlit gas turbine or hydraulic/hydraulic turbine. The fifth process chamber 132 mixes the un-ignited gas turbine or hydraulic/hydroturbine process. The turbine processing of the fourth and

fifth processing chambers

130, 132 provides a measure of the force with which the drive shaft 36 rotates so that power on the motor 32 can be throttled without losing functionality in the system 10. After leaving the fifth treatment chamber 132, the fluid has been highly separated such that almost all contaminants in the form of brine pass through the annular passage 47 to the outlet 46 and the cleaned steam passes through the central portion of the inner chamber 14 to the steam outlet 48. Turbine operation of the fourth and

fifth process chambers

130, 132 allows for continuous operation of the system 10 with reduced energy input (up to 25%) as compared to the start-up phase once equilibrium in operation is reached.

After the fifth process chamber 132, the system includes a drain chamber. The discharge chamber 134, which is larger than any of the preceding processing chambers, contains two

discharge ports

46, 48. The large increase in volume results in a sharp decrease in pressure and physical separation of dissolved solids and remaining water from the steam.

The dimensions of the container 12 are preferably configured such that the combined process chambers 124-132 occupy approximately half of the total length. The discharge chamber 134 occupies about one third of the total length. The remainder of the container length (approximately one sixth of the total length) is occupied by the air intake chamber 122. The process chambers 124-132 are divided into approximately three-fifths of a compressor function and two-fifths of a turbine function. Once the fluid exits the last process chamber 132, the fluid has achieved about 80% evaporation as it enters the discharge chamber 134 and is directed to the

corresponding outlet

46, 48.

Fig. 33 and 34 illustrate one embodiment of the system 10, including a system for capturing water from a body of water 150. In this embodiment, the body of water 150 is preferably a sea or ocean containing salt water, but may be any body of water. The capture system 152 includes a capture receptacle 154 disposed in the body of water 150 such that an open top or open side 156 of the receptacle 154 is at least partially above the mid-water level of the body of water 150. As shown in fig. 33, the system 10 may work with an open top 156 on the vessel 154, but the vessel preferably has an open side 156 facing the sea and land sides of the vessel 154 to harness incoming and refurbished waves/tides. In order for this system to operate, the water level of the body of water 150 must be sufficiently variable to allow a portion of the body of water to enter the open side 156, but not completely submerge the receptacle 154. Ideally, this would occur as the tide rises and falls in the sea or ocean, and as waves may occur in such bodies of water. The distance that the open side 156 of the receptacle 154 extends above the mid-water level depends on the water level variation of the particular body of water 150. The open side 156 is preferably covered by a screen 158 to reduce the ingress of organisms and other large objects in the body of water 150 into the receptacle 154. Open side 156 preferably also includes a pivoting shutter 157 disposed above screen 158 that can be opened or closed to control the amount of water and/or sand entering receptacle 154.

Within the receptacle 154 is a catch funnel 160 or similar structure configured to direct a substantial portion of the water entering the receptacle 154 into a feed tube 162. The catch funnel 160 is preferably located below the mid-water level of the body of water. Although the receptacle 154 and the capturing funnel 160 are shown as being generally square, they may be configured in other forms. It has been found that the square shape, with the corners facing the waves or tides preferably present in the body of water 150, assists in the rise of the waves or tides above the vessel 154, thereby letting water into the open side 156. The receptacle 154 may also be configured such that the open side 156 is angled rather than vertical on the side facing the incident wave or tide to facilitate water ingress from the open side 156. The open side 156 is preferably positioned with a majority of its surface area above the mid-water level so that when a wave or tide reaches the open side 156, sand or other sediment is less likely to be in the higher portion of the wave or tide.

The feed pipe 162 preferably leads to the shore and into the storage vessel 164. The system 10 may include a plurality of storage containers 164 to contain and store a sufficient amount of captured seawater. When the feed pipe 162 reaches shore, the feed pipe may be underground, but it is appreciated that any elevation change in the surface facility requires appropriate piping and pumps. The storage vessel 164 may be located near the body of water 150 or at a distance from the body of water 150, as desired by the user. Once a sufficient amount of water is stored in the reservoir 164, a pump 166 connected to an outlet 168 on the reservoir 164 directs the stored water through an inlet pipe 170 to the inlet 18 on the treatment system 10. The inlet tube 170 preferably includes a filtration system 172 to remove large deposits or particulates that may have passed through the storage vessel 164 and the pump 166. The system 10 may then be used to desalinate water as described elsewhere.

Fig. 35 illustrates another embodiment of the system 10 of the present invention wherein the system 10 is used to generate electricity from steam generated at the steam outlet 48, as described elsewhere. In this embodiment, the system 10 also includes a condenser 174 disposed a first distance 176 above the vessel 12. Steam pipe 178 directs water vapor from steam outlet 48 to condenser 174. Since the water vapor is lighter than air and rises under its own power, no mechanical means are required to raise the water vapor through the first distance 176 to the condenser 174. Preferably, the steam tube 178 has a generally vertical portion 178a that extends at least a first distance 176 (if not slightly greater than the first distance 176). The generally horizontal portion 178b of the vapor tube 178 extends from the end of the generally vertical portion 178a to an inlet 180 on the condenser 174. The generally horizontal portion 178b may have a slight drop from the end of the vertical portion 178a to an inlet 180 on the condenser 174. This allows for the possibility of any accidental condensation occurring in the steam pipe 178 down the slope of the generally horizontal portion 178b into the condenser 174. The steam pipe 178 and all parts thereof are preferably insulated to prevent premature heat loss and to minimize condensation during the ascent of the condenser.

Although fig. 35A shows a particular generally diamond-shaped condenser 174, the condenser 174 may be configured to handle steam or other shapes known to those skilled in the steam arts. The purpose of the condenser is to substantially condense the steam produced by the system 10. Preferably, the interior includes sufficient structure to facilitate condensation of the vapor, as known to those skilled in the art. As the vapor condenses, it flows through an outlet 182 on the condenser 174 and into a condensate storage tank 184.

The retention tank 184 is preferably disposed a second distance 186 above the hydro-generator 188. Once a sufficient amount of condensed process fluid is stored in the holding tank 184, the condensed process fluid is released from the outlet 190 on the holding tank 184. The condensed treatment fluid falls under gravity to a hydro-generator 188 over a second distance 186. The hydro-generator 188 converts the kinetic energy of the falling condensed treatment fluid into electrical energy for storage or immediate use. The electrical energy may be stored in a rechargeable chemical battery, capacitor, or similar known electrical storage device 192. The condensed treatment fluid falling into the hydro-generator 188 is released through the generator outlet 189 for subsequent treatment (not shown), typically with such treated water.

Although the first distance 176 and the second distance 186 are depicted in fig. 35 as being significantly "stacked" on top of one another, this is not a requirement of these distances. The only requirement for any of these distances is that the second distance 186 be sufficiently higher than the hydro-generator 188 to allow the kinetic energy of the falling process fluid to be efficiently converted to electrical energy. Preferably, the second distance 186 is at least 10 feet, but may be 20 feet or more, depending on the amount of condensed treatment fluid and the capacity of the hydro-generator. The first distance 176 needs to be a sufficient distance to place the condenser 174 and the holding tank 184 above the second distance 186. It is necessary that the first distance 176 is dependent on the size of the condenser 174, the holding tank 184, and the second distance 186.

Fig. 36 shows another embodiment of the system 10 of the present invention wherein both the brine outlet 46 and the steam outlet 48 are used for further processing. Specifically, brine reprocessing tank 194 receives brine from brine outlet 46 through reprocessing inlet 196. Brine reprocessing tank 194 also includes a reprocessing outlet 198 and a recirculation outlet 200. A first portion of the brine in the brine reprocessing tank 194 is routed to the recirculation outlet 200 where it is directed by the recirculation pipe 202 back to the inlet 18 of the system 10 for reprocessing. In this way, the brine is reprocessed to recover additional water vapor from the process fluid.

A second portion of the brine in the brine reprocessing tank 194 is delivered to a reprocessing outlet 198 for storage in a brine holding tank 204. The reprocessing outlet 198 may include a valve 206 for restricting or completely shutting off the flow of the second portion of the brine to the brine holding tank 204. The brine holding tank 204 is connected to a brine drying system 208 that includes a heat exchanger 210 having a circulating heat pipe 212. The circulating heat pipe 212 passes back and forth as is typical of the heat exchanger 210. As part of the system 10 of the present invention, the heat exchanger 210 receives a heat source from the water vapor from the vapor outlet 48. Specifically, the steam shunt 214 extracts a portion of the water vapor from the steam outlet 48 and communicates with the circulating heat pipe 212 of the heat exchanger 210. The stored brine from brine holding tank 204 passes through heat exchanger 210 and any remaining water is dried from the heat of the water vapor.

The dry brine is then transferred to a dry brine holding tank 216 for subsequent use or disposal. Such dry brine may be used to produce salts or other compounds in brine. In addition, any useful contaminants found in the water treated in the system 10 of the present invention, i.e., metals, elements, or other valuable compounds, may be recovered from the dry brine for resale or other subsequent processing.

As shown in fig. 37 and 38, the system 10 may be controlled by a control system 218 that measures various operating parameters of the system 10. The control system 218 includes a touch screen sensitive graphical display 220. The graphical display 220 may be used to adjust the power, torque, and rotational speed (rpm) of the motor and shaft, as well as the flow rate of fluid into the system 10. The graphical display 220 is similar to the graphical display shown in fig. 28. The graphical display 220 includes a schematic graphical depiction of the system 10 corresponding to its various components. The control system 218 and the graphical display 220 described herein are updated from the version of fig. 28. The graphic display 220 includes indicator lights 238 around its boundaries indicating the power, CPU activity and mode of operation corresponding to the fluid being treated in the system 10, i.e., (1) brackish water, (2) seawater, (3) produced water and (4) pasteurized water.

The updated graphical display provides measurement data captured by a plurality of operational sensors 222 connected to the system 10, as well as an internal clock for measuring the time of operation and determining the rate of any data measured by the operational sensors 222.

Operational sensors 222 include temperature and pressure sensors 224 associated with each of a plurality of processing stages 226 within system 10. The processing stages may include an inlet stage 226a, an outlet stage 226b, and a tray/baffle stage 226c associated with each operating pair of trays 22, with the trays 22 being followed by baffles 24. The operational sensor 222 also includes a rotation sensor 228 associated with the shaft 36 and the

motors

32, 32 a. The rotation sensor 228 is configured to measure revolutions per minute, torque, horsepower, run time, and total revolutions. The operational sensor 222 may also include bearing sensors 230 associated with the

bearings

38, 40 on either end of the shaft 36. The bearing sensor 230 is configured to measure the temperature and flow rate of lubricant through the

bearings

38, 40 and the vibration of the shaft 36. The operational sensor 222 may also include a flow sensor 232 associated with the fluid inlet 18 and the contaminant outlet 46. The flow sensor 232 is configured to measure the open or closed state of the valve on the fluid inlet 18, the flow rates in the fluid inlet 18 and the concentrate outlet 46, and the total fluid flow in the fluid inlet 18 and the concentrate outlet 46.

The graphical display 220 has a plurality of display modes. The home screen is shown in fig. 38 and displays the values measured by the operation sensor 222 in a schematic diagram of the system 10. The graphical screen shown in fig. 39 displays the values measured by the temperature and pressure sensors 224 in a bar graph format 234 configured to represent the orientation of the multiple phases of operation 226. The chart screen also displays the numerical measurements of the rotation sensor 228, the bearing sensor 230, and the flow sensor 232. The trend screen shown in fig. 40 shows a line graph 236 of the values measured by the temperature and pressure sensor 224 versus time. On this line graph, each processing stage 226 associated with one of the temperature and pressure sensors 224 is depicted as a separate line. The line graph may display current operating conditions or may be reviewed to display historical operating temperature and pressure data. The trend screen may also display data measured by other sensors, including at least revolutions per minute of the rotor from the rotation sensor 228. The display 220 also has the function of capturing a graphically displayed image and adjusting whether the data record is open or closed.

Fig. 41 and 42 show schematic flow diagrams of preferred systems and methods for purifying a wastewater source.

The system 250 of the first preferred embodiment shown in fig. 41 begins with a wastewater source 252. The wastewater source 252 may be any contaminated water source that generally requires cleaning or purification, i.e., sewage, domestic wastewater, effluent, run-off, industrial waste, etc. The water stream from the wastewater source 252 is first passed through a strainer (macro filter-filter) 254, which is designed to remove large objects, i.e., rocks, branches, etc., from the water stream. The goal is to remove solid objects that may be too large to pass through the rest of the system 250.

After the strainer 254, the wastewater stream enters a separator tank 265. The separator tank 256 separates the wastewater stream into different zones, namely a bottom heavy fraction zone 256a, a middle fraction zone 256b, and a top light fraction zone 256c, depending on weight or density differences. The heavy fraction is typically a sludge or similar solid or semi-solid contaminant. The light fraction is typically oil or similar lighter contaminants. The wastewater stream exiting middle distillate outlet 258 in middle zone 256b is continued for further processing. Separator tank 256 also includes a heavy fraction outlet 258a and a light fraction outlet 258c, whereby both fractions may be removed if desired. Middle distillate outlet 258 is preferably disposed in middle distillate zone 256b, but near heavy distillate zone 256a to maximize accessibility of the middle distillate.

The wastewater stream from middle distillate outlet 258 enters the evaporative desalination unit 10 constructed as described above and is treated in the same manner as described above. The contaminant outlet stream 46 is directed to a contaminant flow box 260 for storage or subsequent processing. The purified steam outlet stream 48 is directed elsewhere for subsequent treatment where it is condensed for use in clean water systems including, but not limited to, potable or irrigation water. Alternatively, the contaminant outlet stream 46 may be wholly or partially recovered via a recycle line 46a for further purification by the evaporative desalination unit 10. The contaminant outlet stream 46 may be treated by a second evaporative desalination unit 10 in series with the first unit, rather than being recycled.

The use of the evaporative desalination unit 10 may eliminate conventional filtration systems and chemical process treatments in a typical water treatment plant. Such systems and treatments typically involve the operation and maintenance of expensive chemicals and/or reverse osmosis and similar filtration systems. The use of the system 250 of the present invention reduces or eliminates these costs.

A second embodiment of a water purification system 262 is shown in fig. 42. The separator tank 256 and the desalination unit 10 of the second system 262 are identical to those of the first system 250. In the second system 262, the contaminant outlet stream 46 is directed into a contaminant stream tank 264. The contaminant stream tank 264 includes heat exchanger tubes 266 connected to the vapor outlet stream 48. Heat from the vapor outlet stream 48 dries the contaminant outlet stream 46. The dried contaminant outlet stream 268 is then sent to further processing for contaminant mineral recovery 270. After the heat exchanger tubes 266, the steam outlet stream 48 has been cooled and sent to a purified water recovery tank 272.

It has been found that by initial treatment by the evaporative desalination unit 10 in either

system

250, 262, approximately 75% of the water content of the contaminated water stream can be purified. The second round of treatment by this unit 10 will purge approximately 75% of the remaining contaminated stream. The combined treatment may result in a purified water content of over 90% from the wastewater source.

Fig. 43-45 illustrate embodiments of variants of the purification and/or decontamination systems and methods of the present invention. In particular, fig. 43 generally illustrates a system 280 for purifying a wastewater stream containing biological waste, as may be found in a slaughterhouse or similar enterprise. The system 280 generally includes a wastewater source 282 that feeds into an inlet 284a of a strainer 284. Similar to those described above, the strainer 284 is configured to remove larger contaminant materials that are generally easier to remove. In the case of slaughterhouse wastewater purification, the strainer 284 may remove large pieces of tissue or other biosolids.

The outlet 286 of the strainer 284 leads to the purification unit 10, which is configured as an evaporative desalination unit 10 as described above. The purification unit 10 is designed to evaporate the liquid portion of the wastewater source 282 through a series of alternating rotating trays 22 and stationary baffles 24. The vaporized portion of the wastewater source 282 exits the purification unit 10 through the vapor outlet 48. The non-evaporated portion and the remaining solids portion of the wastewater source 282 exit the purification unit 10 through the contaminant outlet 46 into the contaminant outlet stream 260. The vapor outlet 48 and the contaminant outlet stream 260 may be further processed in any of the ways described above in connection with other embodiments. In another function of this embodiment, the shaft 36 of the purification unit 10 extends from one end of the container 12 to a length sufficient for a functional connection with the generator 288. In this embodiment, the rotation of shaft 36 is converted to electricity by generator 288 and, as shown in FIG. 45, may be used to power electronic circuitry 294 in system 280. Such circuitry 294 may include sensors, thermometers, pressure gauges, vibration sensors, lubrication systems, flow sensors, computers, and the like. Further, the power from the generator 288 may be used to power the electronic controller 296 in the system 280. Such a controller 296 may include a pump, valve, motor, etc.

Generator 288 provides a particular benefit of operating electronic circuit 294 and controller 296 without significant external electrical input. As described above, the purification unit 10 can be started by starting the motor 32 (possibly gasoline or electric) to initially rotate the shaft 36. The starter motor 32 is designed to be used only initially to apply an initial rotation to the shaft 36. When the unit 10 is accelerated to full speed operation, the shaft 36 obtains a measure of spin by the force of the wastewater stream flowing through the unit 10. This rotation of the shaft 36 provides a power source that can be used as described.

Fig. 44 shows another embodiment of the system 280 of fig. 43, particularly incorporating a first strainer 284 and a second strainer 285 mounted in parallel. In this manner, the wastewater source 282 may flow through one of the

strainers

284, 285 while the other is being cleaned, allowing the system 280 to operate almost uninterruptedly. Specifically, the wastewater source 282 is introduced into an inlet 290a of a switching valve 290 having two outlets 290b, 290c, the two outlets 290b, 290c respectively directing the wastewater source 282 from the inlet 290a to one or the other (but not both) of the outlets 290b and 290 c. The outlet 290b is directly connected to the inlet 284a on the first strainer 284. The outlet 290c is directly connected to the inlet 285a on the second strainer 285.

The

outlets

284b, 285b of the

strainers

284, 285 are each fluidly connected to a fluid connection 292 that includes a one-way check valve 292 a. The

outlets

284b, 285b are connected to separate inlets on the check valve 292 a. The check valve 292a allows the

outlet flow

284b, 285b from the

strainers

284, 285 to flow into the fluid connection 292 without back flowing into the

other strainers

284, 285. The outlet 286 of the fluid connector 292 is in effect the outlet 286 of the

strainers

284, 285, which is introduced into the inlet of the purification unit 10.

In this way, the use of two

strainers

284, 285 with a switching valve 290 and a fluid connection 292 allows one of the

strainers

284, 285 to be operated while the other of the

strainers

284, 285 is being cleaned. When the switching valve 290 and the fluid connection 292 are configured as described, the flow of wastewater is prevented from entering the

strainer

284, 285 that is currently being cleaned. This configuration may maximize the operating time of the system 280 while helping to clean the filter elements in the

strainers

284, 285.

Although a few embodiments have been described in detail for the purpose of illustration, various modifications may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not limited except as by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A system for treating biologically contaminated wastewater, comprising:

a source of biologically contaminated wastewater fluidly connected to an inlet on a first wastewater filtration apparatus that produces a filtered wastewater stream from an outlet;

a purification unit comprising a generally horizontal elongate vessel having a plurality of alternately spaced rotating trays and stationary baffles, each rotating tray and each stationary baffle being disposed vertically along the elongate vessel between a first end of the elongate vessel adjacent the wastewater inlet and a second end of the elongate vessel adjacent the contaminant outlet and the vapor outlet;

wherein the purification unit has a rotation shaft disposed along the elongated container from the first end to the second end, the rotation shaft passing through each stationary baffle and fixedly attached to each rotating tray; and

wherein the wastewater inlet on the purification unit is fluidly connected to an outlet on the first wastewater filtration device and the purification unit separates the filtered wastewater stream into a contaminant stream to the contaminant outlet and a vapor stream to the vapor outlet.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a second wastewater filtration device disposed in parallel with the first wastewater filtration device, the second wastewater filtration device having an inlet fluidly connected to the source of biologically contaminated wastewater and an outlet fluidly connected to a wastewater inlet on the purification unit.

3. The system of claim 2, further comprising a switching valve having an inlet side and an outlet side, wherein the inlet side is fluidly connected to the source of biologically contaminated wastewater and the outlet side is fluidly connected to the inlet of the first wastewater filtration apparatus and the inlet of the second wastewater filtration apparatus.

4. A system according to claim 3, wherein the switching valve is configured such that the outlet side selectively alternates the biologically contaminated wastewater stream between the first and second wastewater filtration apparatus.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the outlet of the first wastewater filtration device and the outlet of the second wastewater filtration device are both fluidly connected to a fluid connection tube comprising a one-way check valve, wherein the fluid connection tube is fluidly connected to a wastewater inlet on the purification unit.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising a generator operatively connected to a rotating shaft on the purification unit.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the generator is configured to provide power to electronic circuitry and an electronic controller in the system.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the electronic circuit comprises a sensor, a thermometer, a pressure gauge, a vibration sensor, a lubrication system, a flow sensor, and a computer.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the electronic controller comprises a pump, a valve, and a motor.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of trays in the purification unit has a plurality of scoops, each scoop having an inlet of a first diameter and an outlet of a second smaller diameter, and each of the plurality of baffles in the first purification unit has a plurality of holes, each hole having an inlet of a first diameter and an outlet of a second smaller diameter.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the purification unit further comprises an inner sleeve disposed in the elongated container downstream of the plurality of trays and the plurality of baffles, the inner sleeve forming an annular channel leading to the first contaminant outlet.

12. A method of purifying a wastewater source comprising the steps of:

filtering said wastewater source producing a filtered wastewater stream with a screen;

directing the filtered wastewater stream into a purification unit, wherein the purification unit has a rotational axis extending from a first end of an elongated vessel to a second end of the elongated vessel, and a plurality of alternately spaced rotating trays and stationary baffles, each rotating tray disposed perpendicularly to each stationary baffle between the first end and the second end in the elongated vessel, the rotational axis passing through each stationary baffle and fixedly attached to each rotating tray;

Treating the filtered wastewater stream passing through the purification unit, wherein the purification unit separates the filtered wastewater stream into a contaminant stream and a purified vapor stream;

directing the contaminant stream to a contaminant storage vessel for further processing;

directing the flow of purified steam to a steam outlet for further processing; and

generating electricity using a generator fixedly attached to a portion of the rotating shaft protruding from the elongated container.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of recycling a portion of the contaminant stream passing through the purification unit.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein at least 75% of the contaminant stream is recycled through the purification unit.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of screen filtering the wastewater source comprises the steps of:

providing a first screen filtering unit and a second screen filtering unit which are arranged in parallel;

connecting a switching valve to an inlet on both the first screen filter unit and the second screen filter unit;

connecting outlets on both the first screen filter unit and the second screen filter unit to a fluid connection; and

Connecting the fluid connection to the purification unit; and

the wastewater source is pumped through the switching valve to one of the first screen filter unit and the second screen filter unit.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the fluid connector comprises a one-way check valve that selectively allows the filtered wastewater stream to flow from one of the first or second screen filter units into the purification unit.

17. The method of claim 15, the switching valve being selectively configured to direct the wastewater source to one of the first screen filter unit or the second screen filter unit.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of cleaning one of the first or second screen filter units while the switching valve directs the wastewater source to the other of the first or second screen filter units.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the plurality of alternately spaced rotating trays and stationary baffles further comprises:

a plurality of scoops on each of the plurality of rotating trays, each scoop having an inlet of a first diameter and an outlet of a second smaller diameter; and

A plurality of holes in each of the plurality of fixed baffles, each hole having an inlet of a first diameter and an outlet of a second smaller diameter.

20. The method of claim 12, further comprising an inner sleeve disposed in the elongated container downstream of the plurality of alternately spaced rotating trays and stationary baffles, the inner sleeve forming an annular channel leading to the contaminant outlet.