GB2493202A

GB2493202A - Desalination of seawater

Info

Publication number: GB2493202A
Application number: GB1113020.0A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Campbell Mackay Taylor
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2011-07-28
Filing date: 2011-07-28
Publication date: 2013-01-30
Also published as: GB201113020D0

Abstract

A desalination system comprises seawater filled tubes which pass through glycol filled spheres. The curvature of a sun facing side of each sphere focuses solar rays to a focal point F within each sphere. From this focal point the solar rays diverge to a concave mirror MR, placed on the side of the sphere which is away from the sun, which then reflects the solar rays back to the same focal point thus heating the seawater. The concave mirror can be double the focal power of the spheres. The spheres are placed in a sun facing position, i.e. facing south in the northern hemisphere or facing north in the southern hemisphere. Seawater may be pumped upwards through telescopic (TL, Fig. 2) or tapered (TP, Fig. 2) tubes. After leaving a pump (P, Fig. 3), placed at the zenith of the system, the salt water may flow downwards and fill empty spheres which optionally have heated coils and steam valves so that the steam from the salt water passes into a fresh water reservoir, the remaining seawater dropping by gravity to drive water wheels or turbines for the generation of electricity.

Description

DESCRIPTION

This concept describes a method of heating sea water by solar energy and homogeneous optical spheres to produce fresh water by desalination.

Although any means of drawing sea water upwards can be used for Optical Desalination one embodiment of the invention is to draw sea water upwards making use of compression in the ocean depth by using tapered or telescopic tubes to neutralise the down thrust caused by the weight of the layers of sea water above, creating a relative upward thrust, the sea water is then pumped upwards by an electrical or wind powered pump which has an alternative booster electrical supply available when the wind drops below a certain level. An alternative method in tidal areas is to create a tidal reservoir which fills at high tide and retains sea water when the tide drops.

Sucked upwards by tubes the sea water passes through a column of Glycol filled homogeneous convex spheres undergoing solar heating due to optical refraction induced by the curvature of the Sun Facing side of each sphere which converges the heat rays bringing them to a focus at approximately the centre of the sphere, from this focal point the rays diverge to the side of the convex sphere, away from the Sun, where a concave mirror of double focal power is sited; the mirror may be spherical or applied in a series of reflecting concave lenses or a mirrored semi parabola to ensure maximum solar continuity.

After leaving the concave facility the heat rays again converge to a focal point approximating the initial focus creating intense heat.

The homogeneous spheres are so positioned that in the Northern Hemisphere the Sun Facing Convex side faces South with the concave mirror placed on the Northern aspect; in the Southern Hemisphere the Sun Facing Convex side of the sphere faces North with the Concave mirror on the Southern aspect.

The tubes carrying sea water upwards through a column of glycol filled sphere are decentred slightly to allow maximum heating of the glycol; enough room is left within the spheres for expansion of the glycol.

After the tube filled sea water passes upwards through a column of such spheres the intensely heated saline passes through a pump, placed at the zenith point. After leaving the pump the hot saline flows downwards into further series of homogeneous empty spheres, having no glycol, containing optional heated coils to augment the heating effect, these are essential in sun restricted areas or if operation is required during periods of darkness. Steam created by the invention escapes through upper valves forming an upper Fresh Water Reservoir, the remaining hot sea water passing further downwards to drive unique water wheels, turbines or any device to generate electricity, thus reducing demand from local electrical supplies.

As the steam rises from progressively lower motivated spheres by-passes are required to prevent the retained fresh water returning to the post pump spheres. The convex spherical spheres may be made of Red tinted or silicone coated material to further augment heating.

A further advancement of the concept introduces a a rectangular tank with a parabolic, semi parabolic or variable curved convex lens on the sun facing side and a double powered parabolic, semi parabolic or variable curved concave reflector, with matching curvature variations on the opposite side to obtain maximum heat from various phases of the Sun so that the unit reacts to every angle of the sun's rays.

A plurality of electrically boosted wind activated pumps carry piped water across country providing windy peaks or hill tops are available, but in the event of windless terrain electrical supply is boosted by waterwheels or turbines, placed in series, on the down side of the pump. Thus the water is pumped upwards then flows downwards generating electricity as it traverses hills and valleys towards its destination. By utilising wind and boosted electrical power water is transported across considerable distances obviating the effects of drought and creating a media for vegetation.

DRAWINGS

FIGURE 1.

This shows the optical effect of incident heat rays (IR) striking the convex curved, solar facing, side of a homogenoUs sphere so that the rays are brought to a focal point at (F) then diverge to a concave mirror (MR) of double the effective power of the sphere reflecting the solar rays (RR) returning them to approximately the same focal point (F) to create intense heat. Where spheres are filled with Glycol the index of refraction of Glycol is included in the calculation.

FIGURE 1A Illustrating a series of small concave lenses mirrored on the reverse side (1 2 3 4) to catch sun rays at every angle.

FIGURE lB This figure shows a semi parabolic concave mirrored surface (SP) to again catch sun rays at every angle.

FIGURE 2 This figure demonstrates that by reducing the top weight of sea water as in B and C the water in a conveyance will rise relatively rendering pumping upwards easier.

A

A parallel tube (PT) has equal diameters throughout its length therefore since the weight of water bearing down within the tube is the same as the oceanic pressure outside there is no up flow.

S

B

Telescopic tubing (TL) has diminishing diameters (D) within the container as the device rises towards the surface; the upper weight of water is reduced resulting in an upward flow of water within the device, creating a head of water above the sea surface.

C

Tapered tubing (TP) also reduces the downward pressure allowing the water, within the tube, to rise, the advantage this device is transition free, so that water within the tube rises above the surface of the water, creating a head of water.

FIGURE 2D Figure 2D illustrates a tidal reservoir with (A) an aperture to admit sea water sited below the high tide mark from which sea water is piped upwards through pipe entry (PE) drawn upwards by bundles of rising pipes (BRP) an inset shows an upper hinged door flap which admits sea water when the tide is rising but closes by internal pressure when the tide is falling.

FIGURE 3 This figure shows one suggested arrangement, above the ocean surface, too induce increasing heat to sea water and illustrates a vertical column of homogeneous bowls, clear, red tinted or silicone coated, each placed successively above the next lower with a convex optical sun facing surface (F) of given power having a concave mirror (lvi) of Double the power of the homogeneous sphere on the opposite side; the sphere is part filled with glycol, allowing for the expansion of the glycol when heated. Tubes (T) dotted as they pass through the side of the spheres increase slightly in rising diameter to allow for expansion.

(P) is a pump, which is either driven electrically or by wind vane with an electrical booster, this draws the sea water to a zenith from whence the tubes pass downwards to a series of bowls each lower than it's predecessor to facilitate the flow from one channel to the next, with various channels where (SW) is the inflowing salt water, (C) the heated coil within the bowl, (F) the front solar facing surface of the homogeneous bowl.

The mirrored surface (M) reflects the heat rays back into the system, (HWC) the hot water channel passing hot water to the next bowl in series, (SV) steam valves and (FWC) Fresh water Channel, (bp) bi-passes flow of fresh water over the incoming steam.

Figure 4 This figure shows a unique form of water wheel with cone shaped drivers (CW) which are placed in vertical columns, to which, after desalinating, the residual sea water is passed downwards then, after activating each water wheel the spent water is collected in a tapered filter (TF) and passed downwards to activate the next lower wheel; a pipe, or tube (P) passes the water downwards to the next water wheel in the series.

In Figure 5 a rectangular tank is shown with a parabolic, semi parabolic or variable curved convex lens on the sun facing side and a double powered parabolic, semi parabolic or variable curved concave reflector, with matching reciprocal curvature variations on the opposite side the passage of rays in various phases of the Sun are shown as 1, 2 and 3; (F) is the approximate focal point to which all incident rays and all reflected rays converge.