KR102583238B1 - Water quality improvement facility using evaporation method - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a chamber assembly used in desalination or water purification equipment, comprising: a chamber that creates and maintains an internal space in a vacuum state; and a device for filling the chamber with seawater or sewage and then discharging it by gravity to create the internal space in the vacuum state, wherein at least a portion of the lower portion of the chamber is open, and the chamber is opened through the open lower portion. It is characterized by forming an internal space in a vacuum state sealed by the inflow of seawater or sewage and the upper part of the chamber.

Description

Water quality improvement facility using evaporation method

The present invention relates to a water quality improvement facility using an evaporation method, and more specifically, to a water quality improvement facility that can obtain fresh water or purified water using a chamber assembly in a vacuum state.

Technologies that can obtain water (H ₂ O) that humans can drink include water purification technology and desalination technology. Water purification technology is a technology that obtains purified water by removing harmful substances from river or reservoir water containing inorganic substances, organic substances, bacteria, etc. so that it can be used as drinking water. Desalination technology is a general term for technologies to obtain fresh water by removing salt from seawater or salty water containing salt so that it can be used for drinking or other purposes. It removes not only chlorine (Cl ^- ) and sodium (Na ⁺ ) but also many inorganic salts. It is a technique that does.

Among these, desalination technologies can be classified into evaporation, crystallization, membrane, and solvent extraction methods depending on the presence or absence of phase change and the state of the phase change. Among these, evaporation and membrane methods are currently the most widely used desalination technologies.

Evaporation is the oldest desalination technology, and is a method of obtaining fresh water by evaporating seawater, separating salt and water vapor, and condensing the water vapor. Depending on the shape of the evaporator and the method of using the heat source, evaporation methods include Multi-Effect Distillation (MED), Multiple-Stage Flash Distillation (MSF), and Mechanical Vapor Compression Distillation (MVC). It can be classified as:

The membrane method is the second most widely used desalination technology after the evaporation method, and is a method of separating fresh water from seawater using a separation membrane. Membrane methods can be classified into the Reverse Osmosis method (RO) using the reverse osmosis phenomenon and the Electrodialysis method (ED) using the electrolysis phenomenon.

However, the conventional evaporation method has the problem of having to continuously supply a lot of energy to evaporate seawater into water vapor. In addition, the conventional membrane method has the problem of requiring frequent replacement of a membrane with low durability and requiring sufficient pretreatment of seawater.

The present invention aims to solve the above-described problems and other problems. Another purpose is to provide a water quality improvement facility that can obtain fresh water or purified water at an economical cost using a vacuum chamber assembly.

Another purpose is to provide a water quality improvement facility that can improve the production of fresh water or purified water by installing a condenser and evaporator using the heat pump principle inside the vacuum chamber.

Another purpose is to provide a water quality improvement facility that can increase the temperature of water vapor by mounting a water vapor heater inside the vacuum chamber and increase the temperature difference between the water vapor and the condenser to improve the production of fresh water or purified water.

Another purpose is to provide a water quality improvement facility that can minimize the use of refrigerant by installing a heat pipe between the condenser and seawater or sewage and transferring the heat of condensation of water vapor received from the condenser to seawater or sewage through the heat pipe.

Another purpose is to provide a water quality improvement facility that can improve the production of fresh water or purified water by using unused high or low temperature waste heat.

Another purpose is to provide a deep water intake facility that can easily lift deep water located deep in the sea above the sea surface using a chamber assembly in a vacuum state.

In order to achieve the above or other objects, according to one aspect of the present invention, it includes a chamber that creates and maintains an internal space in a vacuum state, wherein at least a portion of the lower part of the chamber is open, so that water flows in through the open lower part. A chamber assembly is provided, characterized in that it forms an internal space in a vacuum state sealed by seawater or sewage and the upper part of the chamber.

According to another aspect of the present invention, a chamber assembly that induces evaporation of seawater or sewage by maintaining the internal space of the chamber in a vacuum state; A condenser installed inside the chamber to condense water vapor generated inside the chamber into fresh water or purified water; and a water discharge system that discharges fresh water or purified water produced in the condenser to the outside of the chamber.

The effects of the chamber assembly and water quality improvement equipment including the same according to embodiments of the present invention will be described as follows.

According to at least one of the embodiments of the present invention, a chamber having an internal space in a vacuum state is installed above seawater or sewage water to evaporate the seawater or sewage present inside the chamber into water vapor, making it more economical than conventional desalination or water purification facilities. It has the advantage of being able to obtain fresh water or purified water at a cost.

In addition, according to at least one of the embodiments of the present invention, by installing a condenser and an evaporator using the heat pump principle inside the vacuum chamber, the production of fresh water or purified water is improved by promoting the generation and condensation of water vapor present inside the chamber. There is an advantage to being able to do it.

In addition, according to at least one of the embodiments of the present invention, a steam heater is installed to increase the temperature of the water vapor existing inside the chamber to increase the temperature difference between the water vapor and the condenser, thereby promoting condensation in the condenser to produce fresh water or It has the advantage of being able to improve the production of purified water.

In addition, according to at least one of the embodiments of the present invention, by installing a heat pipe connecting the condenser and the seawater or sewage inside the chamber, the amount of refrigerant required to cool the condensation heat of water vapor received in the condenser is significantly reduced. It has the advantage of reducing the amount of energy input into the fresh water or purified water production process.

In addition, according to at least one of the embodiments of the present invention, by flowing a liquid or gaseous refrigerant lower than the temperature of seawater or sewage through the refrigerant inlet pipe of the condenser, water vapor evaporated from the water surface inside the chamber is effectively condensed to produce fresh water. Alternatively, it has the advantage of significantly reducing the energy costs input into the purified water production process.

In addition, according to at least one of the embodiments of the present invention, waste heat generated in workplaces that use large amounts of heat such as power plants, steel mills, and chemical plants is utilized through the heat source inlet pipe of the evaporator or steam heater, or high temperature generated from equipment such as compressors is utilized. By flowing the fluid, water vapor having a higher temperature than seawater or sewage can be effectively generated inside the chamber, thereby significantly reducing the energy cost input into the fresh water or purified water production process.

In addition, according to at least one of the embodiments of the present invention, a deep water salvage pipe connected from the inside of the chamber to the deep sea, and a deep water discharge system that discharges the deep water lifted through the deep water salvage pipe to the outside of the chamber or to the upper structure inside the chamber are used. Therefore, it has the advantage of being able to inexpensively supply low-temperature deep water for temperature management of surface water and deep ocean water used in related industries such as cosmetics or various beverage industries.

However, the effects that can be achieved by the water quality improvement equipment according to the embodiments of the present invention are not limited to those mentioned above, and other effects not mentioned are common knowledge in the technical field to which the present invention belongs from the description below. It will be clearly understandable to those who have.

1 is a diagram schematically showing the configuration of a water quality improvement facility according to an embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 2a is a diagram showing the change in boiling point of water according to the change in ambient pressure;
Figure 2b is a diagram showing changes in the state of water according to changes in ambient temperature and pressure;
3 is a diagram showing one configuration of a chamber assembly according to a first embodiment of the present invention;
4 is a view showing another configuration of a chamber assembly according to a first embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 5 is a view referenced to explain a method of making the chamber assembly into a vacuum state according to the first embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 6 is a diagram showing the configuration of a chamber assembly according to a second embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 7 is a view referenced to explain a method of making a chamber assembly into a vacuum state according to a second embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 8 is a view referenced to explain the configuration of the chamber assembly according to the third embodiment of the present invention and the method of lifting deep water by creating a vacuum inside the chamber assembly;
Figure 9 is a diagram showing the configuration of a chamber assembly according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 10 is a view showing the overall shape of a floating desalination plant according to an embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 11 is a diagram showing the configuration of a freshwater discharge system used in the floating desalination plant of Figure 10;
Figure 12 is a view showing the overall shape of a floating desalination plant according to another embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 13 is a diagram showing the overall shape of a fixed desalination plant according to an embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 14 is a view showing the overall shape of a fixed desalination plant according to another embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 15 is a diagram schematically showing the configuration of a water quality improvement facility according to another embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 16 is a diagram referenced to explain the operating principle of the heat exchange system used in the water quality improvement facility of FIG. 15;
Figure 17 is a diagram showing the overall shape of a seawater desalination facility according to an embodiment of the present invention;
18 is a diagram showing a partial shape of a seawater desalination facility according to another embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 19 is a diagram showing a partial shape of a seawater desalination facility according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Hereinafter, embodiments disclosed in the present specification will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. However, identical or similar components will be assigned the same reference numbers regardless of reference numerals, and duplicate descriptions thereof will be omitted. Hereinafter, in describing the embodiments disclosed in this specification, if it is determined that detailed descriptions of related known technologies may obscure the gist of the embodiments disclosed in this specification, the detailed descriptions will be omitted. The attached drawings are only for easy understanding of the embodiments disclosed in this specification, and the technical idea disclosed in this specification is not limited by the attached drawings, and all changes, equivalents, and changes included in the spirit and technical scope of the present invention are not limited. It should be understood to include water or substitutes. In addition, the size of each component or specific part of the component in the attached drawings may be changed for convenience and clarity of explanation, and therefore does not entirely reflect the actual size.

Hereinafter, in this specification, desalination equipment refers to equipment that converts seawater (or seawater) into fresh water, and water purification equipment refers to equipment that converts sewage (or contaminated water) into purified water. Water quality improvement equipment (or drinking water treatment equipment) is a general term for desalination equipment and water purification equipment, and refers to equipment that converts seawater, salt water, or sewage water into clean water that can be consumed by humans. In various embodiments of the present invention, the description is centered on a method of implementing a desalination facility, but it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that a water purification facility can be implemented using the same method.

The present invention proposes a water quality improvement facility that can obtain fresh water or purified water at an economical cost using a chamber assembly having an internal space in a vacuum state. Additionally, the present invention proposes a water quality improvement facility that can improve the production of fresh water or purified water by installing a condenser and evaporator using the heat pump principle inside a vacuum chamber. In addition, the present invention proposes a water quality improvement facility that can improve the production of fresh water or purified water by mounting a steam heater inside the vacuum chamber to increase the temperature of the steam and increasing the temperature difference between the steam and the condenser. In addition, the present invention proposes a water quality improvement facility that installs a heat pipe between a condenser and seawater or sewage water, and transfers the heat of condensation of water vapor received from the condenser to seawater or sewage water through the heat pipe, thereby minimizing the use of refrigerant. Additionally, the present invention proposes a water quality improvement facility that can improve the production of fresh water or purified water by using unused high or low temperature waste heat. In addition, the present invention proposes a deep water intake facility that can easily lift deep water located deep in the sea above the sea surface using a chamber assembly in a vacuum state.

Hereinafter, various embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

1 is a diagram schematically showing the configuration of a water quality improvement facility according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, a water quality improvement facility 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a chamber assembly 110, a condenser 120, an evaporator 130, and a water discharge system 140. The components shown in FIG. 1 are not essential for implementing a water quality improvement facility, so the water quality improvement facility described herein may have more or fewer components than the components listed above.

The water quality improvement facility 100 is a facility that converts seawater, salt water, or sewage water into clean water that can be consumed by humans, and may include a desalination facility that converts seawater into fresh water and a purification facility that converts sewage water into purified water. The water quality improvement facility 100 may be classified into a floating water quality improvement facility and a fixed water quality improvement facility depending on the installation type of the chamber assembly 110.

The chamber assembly 110 is a structure that floats on seawater or sewage or is fixed on seawater or sewage, and can perform the function of evaporating seawater or sewage into water vapor using a chamber having an internal space in a vacuum state. In order to perform this function, at least a portion of the lower part of the chamber located below the sea level or sewage surface is opened, so that the seawater or sewage flowing in through the open lower part and the internal space sealed by the side of the chamber are in a vacuum state. It may be configured to be formed, and the upper part above the water level inside the chamber may be configured to be sealed from the outside of the chamber. Seawater or sewage present inside the chamber rises to a certain height (for example, about 10 m in the case of 1 atmosphere) from the water surface outside the chamber due to external atmospheric pressure.

In addition, the chamber assembly 110 is a structure installed on land, and includes a pipe assembly that extends from the bottom of the chamber to seawater or sewage spaced a certain distance and is locked, and one end of the pipe assembly is open, and the open The pipe may serve as the open lower portion and be configured to rise to a certain height from the water level at the location where the inlet of the pipe assembly is installed.

Meanwhile, as shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, the boiling point of water gradually decreases as the surrounding pressure decreases. For example, at 0.1 atm, water boils around 50℃, and at 0.01 atm, water boils at around 10℃. In this embodiment, when the chamber is installed, the space above the water surface inside the chamber is in a vacuum state, so the boiling point of water under that condition is lowered to a temperature of about 1°C or lower. Therefore, a natural evaporation phenomenon occurs on the surface of the seawater or sewage present inside the chamber, and depending on the temperature and atmospheric pressure of the seawater or sewage inside the chamber, low pressure occurs in water up to a certain depth from the water surface inside the chamber. Low-temperature boiling occurs. Meanwhile, the evaporation phenomenon that occurs with boiling gradually decreases and reaches the saturation vapor pressure corresponding to the internal temperature of the chamber. When the saturation vapor pressure is reached, natural evaporation from the sea surface or sewage surface inside the chamber stops, but low-temperature/low-pressure boiling continues, and an amount of supersaturated water vapor equal to the amount of water vapor generated by boiling naturally condenses and flows to the water surface inside the chamber. It falls.

The condenser 120 is disposed inside the chamber and can condense the water vapor generated inside the chamber and convert it into fresh water or purified water. The condenser 120 is a type of heat exchanger and may include heat exchange pipes arranged in a zigzag shape, a heat absorbing plate in contact with the heat exchange pipes, and a water collection pipe disposed at the bottom of the heat absorbing plate. The condenser 120 may pass low-temperature refrigerant through heat exchange pipes arranged in a zigzag shape to condense water vapor existing outside the pipes.

That is, the condenser 120 is a heat exchanger designed to efficiently perform the heat exchange necessary to effectively remove condensation heat discharged in the process of converting water vapor into fresh water or purified water, and is not limited to the form described above.

The evaporator 130 is disposed inside the chamber and can evaporate seawater or sewage flowing in from the bottom or outside of the chamber and convert it into water vapor. The evaporator 130 can evaporate seawater or sewage whose temperature has risen by liquefying water vapor in the condenser 120 by spraying it at a certain altitude. In addition, the evaporator 130 may evaporate seawater or sewage whose temperature has risen while liquefying water vapor in the condenser 120 by flowing it along a plate-shaped or pipe-shaped structure arranged in a predetermined direction.

In one embodiment, the evaporator 130 may include heat exchange pipes arranged in a zigzag shape and a heat sink in contact with the heat exchange pipes.

Meanwhile, in another embodiment, the evaporator 130 includes a water tank installed on the water surface inside the chamber, a pump system that supplies seawater or sewage existing inside or outside the chamber to the water tank, and heat installed inside the water tank. May include exchange pipes. The evaporator 130 uses a pump to pump seawater or wastewater flowing in from the bottom or outside of the chamber into a water tank equipped with a heat exchange pipe through which a high-temperature fluid flows inside, and seawater contained in the water tank through the heat exchange pipe. Alternatively, seawater or sewage water can be evaporated in a way that promotes an increase in the temperature of the sewage water.

The evaporator 130 is effectively designed to expand the surface area to assist in the process of evaporating seawater or sewage existing inside the chamber into water vapor, increase the volume where boiling occurs, or increase the temperature of seawater or sewage inside the chamber. As a device, it is not limited to the form described above.

Since the water quality improvement facility 100 according to the present invention primarily evaporates seawater or sewage using a chamber having an internal space in a vacuum state, the evaporator 130 installed inside the chamber is an essential component of the present invention. No, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that it can be configured to be omitted.

The water discharge system 140 can collect fresh water or purified water produced in the condenser 120 and discharge it to the outside of the chamber. The water discharge system 140 may be referred to as a fresh water discharge system or a purified water discharge system, depending on the type of water discharged from the facility 100.

The water discharge system 140 may include a drain pipe that discharges fresh water or purified water from inside the chamber to the outside of the chamber, and a check valve (or active control valve) that controls the movement of fresh water or purified water in the drain pipe. Depending on the embodiment, the check valve may be omitted.

In addition, the water quality improvement facility 100 may further include a concentrated water discharge system (not shown) disposed in an area adjacent to the evaporator 130 to concentrate and discharge seawater or sewage present inside the chamber. The evaporator 130 and the concentrated water discharge system can be used as a pretreatment process for a zero-wastewater discharge water purification system. Additionally, the evaporator and concentrated water discharge system may be used as a pretreatment process for a useful resource recovery system to detect useful resources contained in seawater or sewage.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing one configuration of a chamber assembly according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 4 is a diagram showing another configuration of the chamber assembly according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to Figures 3 and 4, the chamber assembly 200, 300 according to the first embodiment of the present invention includes chambers 210, 310, and chamber movement to move the chambers 210, 310 in the vertical direction. Devices (220, 320), vacuum ejectors (230, 330) for removing non-condensable gas generated inside the chambers (210, 310), and chamber openings and closing parts (not shown) for opening and closing the upper part of the chambers (210, 310) Poetry) may be included.

The chambers 210 and 310 may have a cylindrical or polyhedral shape with an empty space inside. For small chambers below a certain scale, it is preferable to use a cylindrical chamber, and for large chambers above a certain scale, it is desirable to use a rectangular parallelepiped chamber.

The lower surfaces of the chambers 210 and 310 may be formed to be at least partially open to the outside, and the upper surfaces of the chambers 210 and 310 may be formed to be completely sealed from the outside. Since the lower surface of the chamber is sealed by the water surface in which the chamber is submerged, an airtight state can be maintained without requiring a separate sealing means. The upper surfaces of the chambers 210 and 310 may be flat or curved. For example, as shown in FIG. 3, the upper surface of the chamber 210 may be configured to have a curved shape (or a gradient shape). Meanwhile, as another example, as shown in FIG. 4, the upper surface of the chamber 210 may be configured to have a flat shape.

The chambers 210 and 310 may be formed of a hard material that can resist deformation due to external pressure so as to maintain the internal space in a vacuum state. Additionally, the chambers 210 and 310 may be made of a material that is not easily corroded by seawater, sewage, purified water, or fresh water.

The chambers 210 and 310 may be manufactured based on horizontal and vertical frames to maintain strength. Additionally, the chambers 210 and 310 may have a double-wall structure to minimize the impact of changes in the external environment and prevent the internal vacuum from being destroyed in case of an accident.

The chambers 210 and 310 may be formed to have a height greater than the maximum height (about 10 m) at which seawater or sewage present inside the chamber rises from the water surface outside the chamber due to atmospheric pressure outside the chamber. This is to provide a vacuum space inside the chambers 210 and 310.

Additionally, the chambers 210 and 310 may have a sufficiently long submerged portion below sea level or waste water surface. This is to solve the structural problem of connecting the buoyancy tank and to ensure that seawater or sewage with less floating contamination located a certain distance below the water surface can be naturally supplied into the chamber.

The chamber moving devices 220 and 230 may provide upward and downward (or vertical) force to the chambers 210 and 310 to raise them again after submerging them in seawater or sewage. At this time, the chamber moving device 220, 230 may be configured as a buoyancy device that provides buoyancy when installed on seawater or sewage, and when installed on land, it may be configured as an electric or hydraulic device such as a crane, rope, pulley, rack and pinion, etc. It may be composed of a mechanical device that uses .

A chamber assembly using a buoyancy device (i.e., a buoyancy tank) is preferably used in a large-scale water quality improvement facility installed on sea level or sewage water surface. On the other hand, it is preferable to use a chamber assembly using a mechanical device in a small water quality improvement facility installed on land.

Hereinafter, in this embodiment, the use of a buoyancy tank (or buoyancy structure) to move the chambers 210 and 310 in the vertical direction will be described as an example.

The plurality of buoyancy tanks 220 and 320 may provide buoyancy so that the chambers 210 and 310 float in a direction perpendicular to the water surface. Additionally, the plurality of buoyancy tanks 220 and 320 may support the chambers 210 and 310 to prevent them from tilting sideways. The heavier the weight of the chamber (210, 310), the more buoyancy tanks (220, 320) or larger volume buoyancy tanks (220, 320) are mounted on the chamber (210, 310). It can be.

A plurality of buoyancy tanks 220 and 320 may be mounted in the lower region of the chambers 210 and 310. As shown in the drawing, a plurality of buoyancy tanks 220 and 320 may be arranged to surround lower ends of the chambers 210 and 310. Additionally, the plurality of buoyancy tanks 220 and 320 may be arranged in a shape corresponding to the cross-sectional shape of the chambers 210 and 310. Additionally, the plurality of buoyancy tanks 220 and 320 may be formed to have one or more arrangements.

The plurality of buoyancy tanks 220 and 320 may be connected to the chambers 210 and 310 through a first fastening device (not shown). Each buoyancy tank (220, 320) may be connected to adjacent buoyancy tanks (220, 320) through a second fastening device (not shown). In addition, each buoyancy tank (220, 320) may be equipped with one or more air injection valves (not shown) for injecting compressed air and one or more submersion valves (not shown) for submerging the buoyancy tanks (220, 320). You can. The air injection valve and the submersion valve may be formed integrally through a 3-way or 4-way valve.

Each buoyancy tank 220, 320 may be configured in a spherical, elliptical or polyhedral shape. For example, as shown in FIG. 3, each buoyancy tank 220, 320 may be formed in a spherical shape. Additionally, as shown in FIG. 4, each buoyancy tank 220 and 320 may be formed in an oval shape. In another embodiment, a plurality of buoyancy tanks may be formed integrally to form one buoyancy tank.

The vacuum ejectors 230 and 330 can remove non-condensable gas generated inside the chambers 210 and 310. Here, non-condensable gas refers to a dissolved gas that does not condense, such as oxygen (O ₂ ) and carbon dioxide (CO ₂ ) dissolved in water.

One or more vacuum ejectors (230, 330) may be installed at the top of the chambers (210, 310). For example, as shown in FIG. 3, one vacuum ejector 230 may be installed on the upper surface of the chamber 210. Meanwhile, as another example, as shown in FIG. 4, three vacuum ejectors 330 may be installed on the upper surface of the chamber 310. The capacity and number of vacuum ejectors 230 and 330 used in the chamber assemblies 200 and 300 may be determined depending on the size and shape of the chambers 210 and 310.

The chamber opening/closing unit is installed at the top of the chambers 210 and 310 and can open and close at least a portion of the chambers 210 and 310. The chamber opening/closing unit may be used to change the state inside the chamber. That is, in order to immerse the chambers (210, 310) in the water, the chamber opening and closing part is opened so that the air inside the chamber can be discharged to the outside, and the chambers (210, 310) are raised to create a vacuum inside the chamber. The chamber opening can be closed before raising. The chamber opening and closing part may be made in the form of a hatch or in the form of a valve.

When the chamber opening and closing part is made in the form of a valve, the chamber opening and closing part may be formed integrally with the vacuum ejector (230, 330) or may be formed separately. Hereinafter, this embodiment will be described assuming that the chamber opening and closing part and the vacuum ejector are formed as one body.

When the upper part of the chamber (210, 310) is closed, the chamber opening/closing unit blocks external air from entering the chamber, thereby maintaining the internal space of the chamber (210, 310) in a vacuum state.

These chamber assemblies 200 and 300 can be used in not only desalination plants but also water purification plants. Additionally, the chamber assemblies 200 and 300 may be installed to float or be fixed on seawater or sewage.

Figure 5 is a diagram referenced to explain a method of making the chamber assembly in a vacuum state according to the first embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, installation of the chamber assembly in a vacuum state on the sea will be described as an example.

Referring to Figure 5, the chamber assembly 200 according to the present invention is loaded on a barge and then moved to an installation location on the sea. In the installation device, the valve of the vacuum ejector (i.e., chamber opening/closing unit 230) and the submersion valve of each buoyancy tank 220 are opened, and then the chamber assembly 200 is erected vertically and slowly submerged below sea level. If the vacuum ejector 230 is submerged below the sea level, seawater is pushed into the inner space of the chamber 210 and each buoyancy tank 220, leaving no air at all inside the chamber.

In this state, the valve of the vacuum ejector 230 and the submersion valve of each buoyancy tank 220 are closed, and then compressed air is injected into the plurality of buoyancy tanks 220 through an air control device (not shown) to form the chamber assembly. (200) is slowly raised above sea level.

If the chamber assembly 200 continues to rise above sea level, the seawater present inside the chamber 210 rises to a height h (approximately 10 m at 1 atmosphere) from sea level due to the atmospheric pressure outside the chamber. Once the chamber assembly 200 has risen to the desired altitude, the injection of compressed air through the air conditioning device is stopped. Then, the upper space 240 of seawater existing inside the chamber 210 forms a vacuum state.

Figure 6 is a diagram showing the configuration of a chamber assembly according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 6, the chamber assembly 400 according to the second embodiment of the present invention is a chamber assembly used in a desalination facility, and includes a chamber 410 and a vacuum ejector 420 formed in the chamber 410. , it may include an opening/closing unit 430 for air control, an open/closable seawater injection system 440, and an opening/closing unit 450 for seawater inflow and outflow formed on the lower surface of the chamber 410. Meanwhile, when the chamber assembly 400 is used in a water purification facility, the openable and closed seawater injection system 440 may be referred to as an openable and closed sewage injection system, and the opening and closing unit for seawater inflow and outflow 450 may be referred to as an opening and closing unit for sewage inflow and outflow. It can be.

The chamber 410 may be configured in a cylindrical or polyhedral shape with an empty space inside. The chamber 410 can create fresh water or purified water by making the empty space inside the chamber 410 into a vacuum state, evaporating the seawater or sewage present inside it into water vapor, and condensing the evaporated water vapor.

The upper and/or lower surfaces of the chamber 410 may be formed in a multi-faceted shape (or gradient shape) or a flat shape, but are not necessarily limited thereto.

The chamber 410 may be formed of a hard material that can resist deformation due to external pressure. Additionally, the chamber 410 may be made of a material that does not easily corrode seawater, sewage, purified water, or fresh water.

The chamber 410 may be manufactured based on a frame in the horizontal and vertical directions to maintain strength. Additionally, the chamber 410 may have a double-wall structure to minimize the impact of changes in the external environment and prevent the internal vacuum from being destroyed in case of an accident.

The chamber 410 may be formed to have a height greater than the maximum height (about 10 m) at which seawater or sewage present inside rises from the water surface outside the chamber due to atmospheric pressure outside the chamber. This is to provide a vacuum space of sufficient size inside the chamber 410.

The vacuum ejector 420 is installed on the upper surface of the chamber 410 and can remove non-condensable gas generated in the internal space of the chamber 410. Here, non-condensable gas refers to a dissolved gas that does not condense, such as oxygen (O ₂ ) and carbon dioxide (CO ₂ ) dissolved in water.

One or more vacuum ejectors 420 may be installed on the upper part of the chamber 410. The capacity and number of vacuum ejectors 420 installed in the chamber 410 may vary depending on the size and shape of the chamber 410.

The air control opening and closing unit (or first chamber opening and closing unit, 430) is installed on the upper surface of the chamber 410 and can open and close at least a portion of the upper part of the chamber 410. The air control opening/closing unit 430 may be used to make the internal space of the chamber 410 into a vacuum state. That is, when injecting seawater or sewage into the chamber 410, the air control opening 430 is opened to discharge the air present inside the chamber 410 to the outside, and the seawater or sewage is discharged inside the chamber 410. When it is full and all the air is discharged to the outside, the air control opening/closing part 430 can be closed.

One or more air control openings 430 may be installed on the upper part of the chamber 410. The air control opening/closing unit 430 may be formed integrally with the vacuum ejector 420 or may be formed separately.

A seawater injection system (or a second chamber opening/closing unit, 440) that can be opened and closed is installed on the top or side of the chamber 410 and can open and close at least a portion of the chamber 410. The open/closeable seawater injection system 440 can also be used to create a vacuum in the internal space of the chamber 410. That is, the openable seawater injection system 440 is opened to inject seawater or sewage into the chamber 410, and when the injected seawater or sewage fills the chamber 410, the openable seawater injection system 440 is opened. It can be closed. One or more seawater injection systems 440 that can be opened and closed may be installed in the chamber 410.

The opening/closing unit 460 for seawater inflow and outflow is installed on the lower surface of the chamber 410 and can open and close at least a portion of the lower part of the chamber 410. By opening the seawater inflow and outflow opening 460, seawater or sewage present inside the chamber 410 can be discharged to the outside, or seawater or sewage present outside can be introduced into the chamber 410.

One or more openings 450 for inflow and outflow of seawater may be installed in the lower part of the chamber 410. For example, as shown in the drawing, three openings 450 for inflow and outflow of seawater may be installed on the lower surface of the chamber 410. The capacity and number of seawater inflow and outflow openings 450 installed in the chamber 410 may vary depending on the size and shape of the chamber 410.

In this way, at least one of the opening and closing devices 430, 440, and 450 installed in the chamber 410 may be made in the form of a hatch or in the form of a valve. Through the opening and closing operation of the opening and closing devices 430, 440, and 450, the lower surface of the chamber 410 may be formed so that at least a portion is open to the outside, and the upper surface of the chamber 410 may be formed to be completely sealed from the outside. It can be. Even if at least a portion of the lower surface of the chamber 410 is open to the outside, the lower surface of the chamber is submerged in seawater or sewage water and is completely sealed by the sea level or sewage water surface, so that an airtight state can be maintained.

Figure 7 is a diagram referenced to explain a method of making the chamber assembly in a vacuum state according to the second embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the description will be made by providing an example of fixing and installing the chamber assembly in a vacuum state on the sea.

As shown in (a) of FIG. 7, the chamber assembly 400 according to the present invention is loaded on a barge and then moved to an installation location on the sea. At the installation location, a fixing pillar (not shown) can be installed on the seafloor, and the chamber assembly 400 can be fixed using the fixing pillar. At this time, the upper part of the chamber assembly 400 can be fixed to be located above sea level, and the lower part can be positioned below sea level.

With the chamber assembly 400 fixed, the seawater inflow and outflow opening and closing part 450 installed on the lower surface of the chamber 410 is closed, and the air control opening and closing part 430 and the openable seawater injection system 440 installed in the chamber 410 are closed. ) can be opened.

As shown in (b) of FIG. 7, when seawater is injected through the open and openable seawater injection system 440, seawater is gradually filled from the bottom of the chamber 410, and the corresponding internal air becomes air. It is discharged outside through the control opening/closing part 430. When the inside of the chamber 410 is filled with seawater, the seawater injection system 440 and the air control opening 430, which can be opened and closed, are closed.

Thereafter, as shown in (c) of FIG. 7, when the opening/closing portion 450 for seawater inflow and outflow installed at the lower part of the chamber 410 is opened, the seawater present inside the chamber 410 moves downward by gravity. and is discharged to the outside. The seawater present inside the chamber 410 is lowered to a height h (approximately 10 m at 1 atmosphere) from the sea level by the atmospheric pressure outside the chamber. As a result, a vacuum state is created in the upper space of the seawater existing inside the chamber 410.

Figure 8 is a diagram referenced to explain the configuration of the chamber assembly according to the third embodiment of the present invention and the method of lifting deep water by making the chamber assembly into a vacuum state.

Referring to FIG. 8, the chamber assembly 400 according to the third embodiment of the present invention includes a chamber 410, a vacuum ejector 420 formed in the chamber 410, an opening and closing unit 430 for air conditioning, and an opening and closing unit 430. A possible seawater injection system 440, an opening/closing unit 450 for seawater inflow and outflow formed on the lower surface of the chamber 410, a deep water salvage pipe 460 connected from the inside of the chamber to the deep sea, and salvage through the deep water salvage pipe 460. It may include a deep water discharge system 470 for discharging the deep water to the outside of the chamber.

The chamber assembly 400 according to this embodiment, unlike the chamber assembly of FIG. 6, may additionally include a deep water salvage pipe 460 and a deep water discharge system 470. Hereinafter, the deep water salvage pipe 460 and the deep water discharge system 470 added to the chamber assembly of FIG. 6 will be described in detail.

The deep water salvage pipe 460 extends vertically from the inside of the chamber to the deep sea through the seawater inflow and outflow opening 450 installed at the lower part of the chamber 410, and can lift deep water of a certain depth or more from the sea surface. At this time, the diameter of the deep water salvage pipe 460 must be smaller than the diameter of the opening and closing part 450 for seawater inflow and outflow. Additionally, the length of the deep water salvage pipe 460 may be determined depending on the use of the deep water and the conditions of the water area.

Meanwhile, in this embodiment, it is exemplified that the deep water salvage pipe 460 is formed by penetrating the opening and closing part 450 for seawater inflow and outflow, but this is not limited, and the chamber 410 in which the opening and closing part 450 for seawater inflow and outflow is not installed. ) It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that it can be installed through the bottom or side of the.

The upper end of the deep water salvage pipe 460 may be installed to be located higher than the inner water surface of the chamber 410. This is to prevent the deep water existing inside the deep water salvage pipe 460 and the seawater existing inside the chamber from mixing with each other.

The upper end of the deep water salvage pipe 460 may be installed in an empty space inside the chamber and exposed to the internal space in a vacuum state. Accordingly, the deep water salvage pipe 460 can raise deep water located deep in the sea to the vicinity of the water surface inside the chamber due to the pressure difference between the inside of the chamber and the outside of the chamber.

An insulation pipe 465 may be additionally installed on the outside of the deep water salvage pipe 460 from the top to a certain depth to prevent the temperature of the deep water from increasing through heat exchange with surface water. The insulation pipe 465 may be configured by additionally installing a pipe with a larger diameter outside the deep water salvage pipe 460. That is, at least a portion of the deep water salvage pipe 460 may be formed as a double pipe structure for external insulation.

By supplying deep water drawn from the deep water salvage pipe 460 to the space existing between the outer surface of the deep water salvage pipe 460 and the inner surface of the insulating pipe 465, between the seawater inside the chamber and the deep water salvage pipe 460. By preventing direct heat exchange from occurring, an increase in the temperature of the deep water existing inside the deep water salvage pipe 460 can be prevented.

The deep water salvaged from the lower part of the deep water salvage pipe 460 can be used in industries utilizing deep ocean water, and a fish farm using seawater at a temperature several to tens of degrees lower than the temperature of the sea surface by using temperature changes depending on the depth of the water area. It can be used for temperature control or heat exchange in places that require cooling, such as desalination plants.

The deep water discharge system 470 includes a pump 471 for discharging deep water, a deep water inlet pipe 473 connecting between the pump 471 and the deep water salvage pipe 460, the pump 471 and an external device ( (not shown) may be composed of a deep water discharge pipe 475 connecting the The deep water discharge system 470 can lift the deep water existing inside the deep water salvage pipe 460 and discharge it to an external device.

The pump 471 may be installed on the upper surface of the chamber 410, but is not necessarily limited thereto. The deep water inlet pipe 473 may be installed inside the chamber. The deep water discharge pipe 475 may be connected to the input terminal of a heat exchanger, or to a storage tank or transportation pipe, depending on the purpose of the deep water.

The deep water salvage pipe 460 and the deep water discharge system 470 may be made of a material that is not easily corroded by seawater. Additionally, the deep water salvage pipe 460 may be formed of a hard material that can withstand environmental changes in the deep sea.

This chamber assembly 400 can not only convert seawater into fresh water using a chamber in a vacuum state, but also can easily salvage deep water from deep under the sea. Below, a method of lifting deep water by creating a vacuum inside the chamber assembly will be explained.

As shown in (a) of FIG. 8, the chamber assembly 400 according to the present invention is loaded on a barge and then moved to an installation location on the sea. At the installation location, a fixing pillar (not shown) can be installed on the seafloor, and the chamber assembly 400 can be fixed using the fixing pillar.

With the chamber assembly 400 fixed, the seawater inflow and outflow opening and closing part 450 installed on the lower surface of the chamber 410 is closed, and the air control opening and closing part 430 and the openable seawater injection system 440 installed in the chamber 410 are closed. ) can be opened.

As shown in (b) of FIG. 8, when seawater is injected through the open and openable seawater injection system 440, seawater is gradually filled from the bottom of the chamber 410, and the corresponding internal air is air. It is discharged outside through the control opening/closing part 430. When the chamber 410 and the deep water salvage pipe 460 are filled with seawater, the openable seawater injection system 440 and the air control opening 430 are closed.

Thereafter, as shown in (c) of FIG. 8, when the opening/closing portion 450 for seawater inflow and outflow installed at the lower part of the chamber 410 is opened, the seawater present inside the chamber 410 moves downward by gravity. and is discharged to the outside. The seawater present inside the chamber 410 is lowered to a height h (approximately 10 m at 1 atmosphere) from the sea level by the atmospheric pressure outside the chamber. As a result, a vacuum state is created in the upper space of the seawater existing inside the chamber 410.

Meanwhile, the inner water surface of the deep water salvage pipe 460 is almost the same as the water level inside the chamber, but generally, the density of deep sea water near the bottom of the deep water salvage pipe 460 is higher than the density of sea water near the sea level, so near the top of the deep water salvage pipe 460. As the seawater is lifted through the pump, the density of the seawater inside the salvage pipe gradually increases, and the water level inside the deep water salvage pipe becomes lower than the water level inside the chamber.

Figure 9 is a diagram showing the configuration of a chamber assembly according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 9, the chamber assembly 500 according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention includes chambers 510 and 520 using a ship structure, a vacuum ejector 511 installed in the chambers 510 and 520, and It may include an open/close seawater injection system 513, an air control opening/closing unit 515, and a seawater inflow/outflow opening/closing unit 517.

The chambers 510 and 520 may be configured as cargo holds of a ship. The cargo hold may include a process window 510 and a storage window 520 disposed in an area adjacent to the process window 510.

Cargo holds can be built based on horizontal and vertical frames to maintain strength. The cargo hold may be formed to have multiple physical spaces through watertight members such as longitudinal/transverse bulkheads. The upper and/or lower surfaces of the cargo hold may be formed in a multi-faceted shape (or gradient shape) or a flat shape, but are not necessarily limited thereto. The cargo hold can be made of a hard material that can resist deformation due to external pressure. Additionally, the cargo hold may be made of a material that is not easily corroded by seawater or freshwater.

The process window 510 is formed surrounded by a watertight member of a cargo hold, etc., and may have a cylindrical or polyhedral shape with an empty space inside, but is not necessarily limited thereto. The process window 510 can create fresh water by making the empty space inside the process window 510 into a vacuum state, evaporating the seawater present inside it into water vapor, and condensing the evaporated water vapor.

The process window 510 may be formed to have a height greater than the maximum height (about 10 m) at which the seawater present inside rises from the water surface due to atmospheric pressure outside the process window. This is to provide a vacuum space of sufficient size above the water surface inside the process window 510.

The process window 510 can induce evaporation and boiling of seawater at a very low temperature by creating a vacuum inside the empty space. To this end, at least a portion of the lower part of the process window 510 can be opened so that seawater can continuously flow in, and the upper part of the process window 510 can be sealed from the outside to maintain a vacuum state inside. It can be configured to.

The seawater present inside the process window 510 rises to a certain height from sea level due to atmospheric pressure outside the process window. In addition, evaporation occurs on the surface of the seawater present inside the process window 510, and continuous evaporation occurs up to a certain depth below the surface of the seawater inside the process window due to the air pressure of the space above the surface of the seawater inside the process window and the temperature of the seawater inside the process window. A low-temperature/low-pressure boiling phenomenon occurs, causing water vapor to be supplied at a high speed to the space above the seawater surface inside the vacuum process window.

In this process window 510, one or more vacuum ejectors 511, one or more seawater injection systems 513 that can be opened and closed, and one or more openings and closing units for air conditioning 515 may be installed.

The vacuum ejector 511 is installed on the upper surface of the process window 510 and can remove non-condensable gas generated in the space above the inner seawater surface of the process window 510. Here, non-condensable gas refers to a dissolved gas that does not condense, such as oxygen (O ₂ ) and carbon dioxide (CO ₂ ) dissolved in water.

The openable seawater injection system 513 is installed on the upper surface of the process window 510 and can open and close at least a portion of the process window 510. The openable seawater injection system 513 can be used to create a vacuum in the space above the inner seawater surface of the process window 510. That is, the openable seawater injection system 513 is opened to inject seawater into the process window 510, and when the injected seawater fills the process window 510, the openable seawater injection system 513 is closed. You can.

The air control opening/closing unit 515 is installed on the upper surface of the process window 510 and can open and close at least a portion of the process window 510. The air control opening/closing unit 515 may also be used to create a vacuum in the space above the inner seawater surface of the process window 510. That is, when injecting seawater into the process window 510, the air control opening 515 is opened to discharge the air present inside the process window 510 to the outside, and the inside of the process window 510 is filled with seawater. When all the air is discharged to the outside, the air control opening/closing part 515 can be closed.

The opening/closing unit 517 for seawater inflow and outflow is installed on the lower surface of the process window 510 and can open and close at least a portion of the process window 510. By opening the seawater inflow and outflow opening 517, seawater existing inside the process window 510 can be discharged to the outside or seawater existing outside can be introduced into the process window 510.

The storage window 520 is formed surrounded by a watertight member of a cargo hold, etc., and may have a cylindrical or polyhedral shape with an empty space inside, but is not necessarily limited thereto.

The storage window 520 may be disposed in an area adjacent to the process window 510 to store fresh water generated in the process window 510 . Additionally, the storage window 520 may provide a certain amount of buoyancy to allow the chamber assembly 500 to float on seawater.

Figure 10 is a diagram showing the overall shape of a floating desalination facility according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to Figure 10, the floating desalination facility 600 according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a chamber assembly 610, a fresh water condenser 620, a sea water evaporator 630, and a fresh water discharge system 640. there is. In addition, the floating desalination facility 600 includes a plate facility (or deck, 650), a freshwater supply pump 660, a seawater supply pump 670, an air conditioning device (not shown), a power supply device (not shown), It may additionally include a power supply device (not shown), an anchor connection device (not shown), a control device (not shown), and a living and maneuvering space (not shown).

The chamber assembly 610 includes a chamber 611 having an internal space in a vacuum state, a plurality of buoyancy tanks 612 mounted on the outer side of the chamber 611, and a chamber 611 installed on the upper part of the chamber 611. It may include one or more vacuum ejectors (613). The vacuum internal space may be formed by submerging the chamber assembly 610 below sea level and then raising it above sea level, as shown in FIG. 5 .

The chamber 611 maintains the space above the inner seawater surface in a vacuum state and can induce evaporation of seawater at a very low temperature. For this purpose, at least a portion of the lower surface of the chamber 611 can be opened so that seawater can continuously flow in, and the upper surface of the chamber 611 is sealed from the outside so that the space above the inner seawater surface of the chamber is in a vacuum state. It can be configured to maintain . In addition, since the lower surface of the chamber 611 is sealed by the water surface in which the chamber 611 is submerged, an airtight state can be maintained without requiring a separate sealing means.

The seawater present inside the chamber 611 rises to a certain height from sea level due to the atmospheric pressure outside the chamber. Additionally, continuous evaporation occurs on the surface of the seawater present inside the chamber 611.

One or more vacuum ejectors 613 may be installed on the upper surface of the chamber 611. The vacuum ejector 613 can remove non-condensable gas generated in the space above the inner seawater surface of the chamber 611. Additionally, the vacuum ejector 613 may open and close at least a portion of the chamber 611 so that air or seawater is injected into the chamber 611 when installing or maintaining the chamber assembly 610.

The plurality of buoyancy tanks 612 may provide buoyancy so that the chamber 611 floats in a direction perpendicular to the sea surface. An opening may be formed at the bottom of each buoyancy tank 612, and an air injection valve (not shown) and a submersion valve (not shown) may be installed at the top. The submersion valve opens the valve when submerging the chamber assembly 610 to allow the air inside to escape, and after the chamber assembly 610 is submerged to a desired depth, the valve can be closed to maintain a constant depth in the water. there is. When compressed air is injected through the air injection valve, the seawater present inside the buoyancy tanks 612 flows out through the opening at the bottom, and compressed air takes its place, thereby providing buoyancy. The chamber assembly 610 can be raised to a desired depth through the buoyancy of the buoyancy tanks 612.

A plate facility 650 may be installed on top of the plurality of buoyancy tanks 612. On the plate equipment 650 are various installations or equipment such as fresh water supply pump 660, sea water supply pump 670, air conditioning equipment, power supply, power supply, anchor connection, control equipment, living and maneuvering space, etc. can be placed.

The plate facility 650 may be configured to be fixed to the top of the buoyancy tanks 612 through a separate fastening device (not shown). Meanwhile, in another embodiment, the plate facility 650 may be equipped with its own buoyancy device and may be configured to always float on the sea level above the buoyancy tanks 612 centered on the chamber assembly 610.

The air conditioning device may inject compressed air into the buoyancy tank 612 or discharge the compressed air present inside the buoyancy tank 612 to the outside. The power supply device may supply power to components of the floating desalination plant 600. The power supply device may supply power to the components of the floating desalination plant 600.

The anchor connection device can be fixed to the initial installation location by fastening the plate facility 650 and the anchor device (not shown) to prevent the floating desalination facility 600 from being pushed away by seawater or sea winds. The anchor connection device may be configured to perform the function of a magnetic positioning device used on special vessels such as FPSO (Floating, Production, Storage and Offloading) when necessary. Here, the magnetic position maintaining device consists of a mooring system that fixes the ship at four points at sea and a pivoting thrust generator to maintain a constant position.

The control device can control the overall operation of the floating desalination plant 600. The living and operating space is a space for living and working of personnel who will be in charge of operating the floating desalination facility (600).

The fresh water supply pump 660 can supply fresh water collected from the fresh water discharge system 640 to a place where fresh water is needed through a drain pipe 665 connected to a place where fresh water is needed. The seawater supply pump 670 can take in seawater existing inside or outside the chamber and supply it to the freshwater condenser 620.

A water intake pipe 680 may be installed between the seawater supply pump 670 and the seawater inside or outside the chamber, and a cold water supply pipe 685 may be installed between the seawater supply pump 670 and the freshwater condenser 620. , a hot water supply pipe 690 may be installed between the freshwater condenser 620 and the seawater evaporator 630. Accordingly, the seawater obtained through the water intake pipe 680 flows to the hot water supply pipe 690 through the cold water supply pipe 685 and the heat exchange pipe of the fresh water condenser 620.

The freshwater condenser 620 is disposed at the upper part of the inner space of the chamber 611, and can condense water vapor generated in the space above the seawater surface inside the chamber 611 and convert it into fresh water. In one embodiment, the fresh water condenser 620 includes a heat exchange pipe (not shown) arranged in a zigzag shape, a heat absorbing plate (not shown) in contact with the heat exchange pipe, and a fresh water collector disposed at the bottom of the heat absorbing plate. It may be composed of a water pipe 625. The heat absorbing plate of the freshwater condenser 620 is cooled in the process of passing low-temperature seawater inside the heat exchange pipe and can condense the water vapor existing on the outside of the pipe, and in this process, water vapor in gaseous state is converted to liquid state. The liquefaction heat generated in the process of being converted to fresh water is transferred to the sea water flowing inside the heat exchange pipe to increase the temperature of the sea water passing through the heat exchange pipe of the fresh water condenser 620.

The fresh water condenser 620 is a heat exchanger designed to efficiently perform heat exchange necessary to effectively remove condensation heat discharged in the process of converting water vapor into fresh water, and is not limited to the above-described form.

The seawater evaporator 630 is disposed below the freshwater condenser 620 and sprays seawater (i.e., seawater whose temperature has risen while liquefying water vapor in the freshwater condenser) coming from the seawater supply pipe 690, or has a plate shape arranged in a vertical direction. Alternatively, seawater can be evaporated by flowing it along a pipe-like structure.

When high-temperature seawater is sprayed, the total sum of the surface areas of each water droplet until it falls on the sea surface inside the chamber acts as an additional evaporation area, which becomes the total evaporation area contributing to the evaporation of seawater along with the sea surface area inside the chamber. On the other hand, when high-temperature seawater flows along a plate-shaped or pipe-shaped structure, the surface area of the plate-shaped or pipe-shaped structure acts as an additional evaporation area, which becomes the total evaporation area contributing to the evaporation of seawater along with the sea surface area inside the chamber. .

Meanwhile, in another embodiment, the seawater evaporator 630 includes a water tank installed on the water surface inside the chamber, a pump system that supplies seawater existing inside or outside the chamber to the water tank, and a heat exchanger installed inside the water tank. May contain pipes. The seawater evaporator 630 uses a pump to draw seawater flowing in from the bottom or outside of the chamber into a water tank equipped with a heat exchange pipe through which a high-temperature fluid flows, and raises the temperature of the seawater contained in the water tank through the heat exchange pipe. Seawater can be evaporated in a way that promotes .

The seawater evaporator 630 is a device effectively designed to expand the surface area, increase the volume where boiling occurs, or increase the temperature of seawater inside the chamber to assist in the process of evaporating seawater existing inside the chamber into water vapor, as described above. It is not limited to one form.

The freshwater condenser 620 and the seawater evaporator 630 may be installed to be spaced apart from the seawater present inside the chamber. The seawater evaporator 630 may be arranged to be spaced apart from the freshwater condenser 620 by a certain distance.

The fresh water discharge system 640 is disposed between the fresh water supply pump 660 and the fresh water collection pipe 625, and can discharge fresh water collected in the fresh water collection pipe 625 out of the chamber 611. The fresh water discharge system 640 may be configured by applying an S trap structure.

For example, as shown in FIG. 11, the fresh water discharge system 640 includes an S-shaped drain pipe 641 that discharges fresh water from inside the chamber to the outside of the chamber, and is installed at the lower end of the S-shaped drain pipe 641 to move fresh water. It may include a controlling check valve (or active control valve, 642). The S-shaped drain pipe 641 may be formed as a two U trap structure.

One end of the S-shaped drain pipe 641 may be installed inside the chamber 611 and connected to the fresh water collection pipe 625. At this time, one end of the S-shaped drain pipe 641 may be formed to be open toward the top.

The S-shaped drain pipe 641 includes a first pipe extending vertically for a first distance (L ₁ ) in the downward direction from the fresh water collection pipe 625, and a U-shaped bent at the lower end of the first pipe. A first U trap portion formed, a second pipe extending vertically for a second distance (L ₂ ) toward the top of the first U trap portion, and a U-shaped bend at an upper portion of the second pipe. It may include a second U trap portion formed by forming a second U trap portion, and a third pipe extending vertically for a third distance L ₃ in a downward direction of the second U trap portion.

The other end of the S-shaped drain pipe 641 may be installed outside the chamber 611 and connected to the fresh water supply pump 660. At this time, the other end of the S-shaped drain pipe 641 may be formed to be open toward the bottom.

In another embodiment, without the need to install the fresh water supply pump 160 on the plate facility 150, the other end of the S-shaped drain pipe 641 is placed high, and the height of the other end is used to install a water catchment area where fresh water is needed. Fresh water can also be supplied through an inclined drain to the device.

The check valve 642 may be installed at the lower end of the second pipe or the lower end of the first U trap part of the S-shaped drain pipe 641. At this time, the check valve 642 may be configured to withstand a preset pressure. If there is no fresh water inside the first pipe and the first U trap part of the S-shaped drain pipe 641, or there is fresh water only up to a level corresponding to a pressure lower than the preset pressure (i.e., check valve operating pressure), the check valve ( 642) is kept closed by atmospheric pressure on the other side of the check valve.

The check valve 642 allows the height (or altitude, H ₁ ) of the fresh water surface collected through the first pipe connected to the fresh water collection pipe 625 to operate at a pressure greater than the opening pressure (i.e., check valve operating pressure) set in the check valve. When it gets high enough, the valve automatically opens to allow fresh water to drain past the check valve. At this time, water fills the second pipe of the S-shaped drain pipe 641 from bottom to top and serves to prevent air from entering the chamber.

The length (L ₁ ) of the first pipe connected to the fresh water collection pipe 625 is preset to prevent destruction of the vacuum state due to the pressure difference between the inside of the chamber and the outside of the chamber when the check valve 642 is opened, and the second It is desirable that it is more than the length of the pipe (L ₂ =H ₂ ) plus the check valve operating height (approximately 10 m).

The fresh water produced in the fresh water condenser 620 flows into the first pipe through the fresh water collection pipe 625, and the fresh water that begins to rise from the bottom of the first U trap portion touches the valve surface on the first U trap portion side of the check valve, When the fresh water level (H ₁ ) inside the first pipe connected to the fresh water collection pipe 625 exceeds the preset check valve operating height, the check valve is automatically opened and the water level inside the second pipe is raised. When the fresh water continues to collect and exceeds the second U trap part, it is discharged to the outside through the third pipe. When the height (H ₁ ) of fresh water present in the first pipe becomes less than the check valve operating height, the valve is automatically closed to prevent the vacuum state inside the chamber from being destroyed.

A valve for draining can be installed at the bottom of the first U trap part so that when seawater is drained, the seawater inside the first pipe can also be discharged. Additionally, if necessary, an air vent can be installed at the top of the second U trap section to ensure smooth drainage from the third pipe.

On the other hand, the freshwater discharge system may consist of an asymmetric U-shaped drain pipe with a single lower U trap.

The asymmetric U-shaped drain pipe includes a first pipe that extends vertically for a first distance (L ₁ ) in the downward direction from the freshwater collection pipe 635, and a lower portion of the first pipe that is bent into a U shape. It may include a U trap part, a second pipe extending vertically for a second distance (L ₂ ) in the upper direction of the U trap part, and a check valve installed after the first U trap part. The second pipe may be omitted depending on the designer's intention. Since the asymmetric U-shaped drain pipe excludes the check valve of the S-shaped drain pipe, a separate drawing should not be added.

The operating principle of the asymmetric U-shaped drain pipe is the same as that of the S-shaped drain pipe.

The fresh water produced in the fresh water condenser 630 flows into the first pipe through the fresh water collection pipe 635, and the fresh water starting to rise from the bottom of the U trap section touches the valve surface on the U trap side of the check valve, and the fresh water collection pipe ( When the fresh water level (H ₁ ) inside the first pipe connected to 635) exceeds the preset check valve operating altitude, the check valve is automatically opened and the water level inside the second pipe is raised. When the fresh water continues to collect and exceeds the end of the second pipe, it flows out of the pipe and enters the fresh water supply pump 660. When the height (H ₁ ) of fresh water present in the first pipe becomes less than the check valve operating height, the valve is automatically closed to prevent the vacuum state inside the chamber 611 from being destroyed.

As described above, the floating desalination facility 600 according to an embodiment of the present invention installs a chamber with an internal space in a vacuum state on the sea, so that the seawater present inside the chamber is evaporated much faster than a typical evaporation method. By evaporating water vapor at a low temperature, fresh water can be obtained at an economical cost compared to conventional desalination facilities.

On the other hand, the floating desalination facility according to the present invention can secure a vacuum state at a low cost, so there is no need to provide separate heat energy to raise the temperature of the seawater itself, but since evaporation occurs at a low temperature, the In order to condense water vapor, a lower temperature condenser must be provided, and in order to increase the production of fresh water, it is necessary to build a very low temperature condenser.

Figure 12 is a diagram showing the overall shape of a floating desalination facility according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 12, a floating desalination facility 700 according to another embodiment of the present invention is a floating desalination facility based on a ship structure, and includes chamber assemblies 710 and 720, a heat exchange system 730, and a fresh water discharge system. It may include (740). In addition, the floating desalination facility 700 includes a seawater supply pump 750, a freshwater unloading pump 760, a power supply device (not shown), a power supply device (not shown), a power conversion device (not shown), and a control unit. Additional devices (not shown) may be included.

The chamber assembly includes chambers (710, 720) using a ship structure, a vacuum ejector (711) installed in the chambers (710, 720), an open/closeable seawater injection system (713), an air control opening (715), and a seawater inflow and outflow. It may include an opening/closing unit 717 for use. The chambers 710 and 720 are cargo holds of a ship and may include one or more process windows 710 and one or more storage windows 720 disposed in adjacent areas of the process windows 710.

The process window 710 is formed surrounded by a watertight member of a cargo hold, etc., and may have a cylindrical or polyhedral shape with an empty space in a vacuum state inside, but is not necessarily limited thereto. The process window 710 can create a vacuum in the space above the surface of the internal seawater, evaporate the seawater present inside the process window into water vapor, and condense the evaporated water vapor to generate fresh water.

The process window 710 may be configured to have a wide cross-sectional area at the top and a narrow cross-sectional area at the bottom. That is, the process window 710 is connected to the lower opening through a seawater inflow and outflow pipe that penetrates the storage window 720 created through vertical and horizontal bulkheads. At this time, it is desirable that the cross-sectional area of the seawater inflow and outflow pipe is sufficiently wide to ensure smooth supply of seawater required for freshwater production while preventing the inflow speed of seawater from becoming too fast. In addition, the height of the horizontal partition of the storage window 720 is within the range that the process window 710 can include the space from the water surface inside the process window to the depth of water where low temperature/low pressure boiling occurs, depending on the operating conditions inside the process window 710. It is desirable to install it as high as possible within the system. This is to fill the inside of the process window with seawater to create a vacuum inside the process window. This is to minimize the consumption of equipment and energy required to form a vacuum by reducing the amount of seawater needed to fill the inside of the process window.

One or more vacuum ejectors 711, an open/closeable seawater injection system 713, and an air control opening/closing unit 715 may be installed in this process window 710. One or more openings 717 for seawater inflow and outflow may be installed in the lower part of the process window 710. The vacuum ejector 711, the openable seawater injection system 713, the air control opening 715, and the seawater inflow and outflow opening 713 are the vacuum ejector 511 shown in FIG. 8, the openable seawater injection system ( 513), the air control opening and closing unit 515, and the seawater inflow and outflow opening and closing unit 513, so detailed description thereof will be omitted.

The storage window 720 is formed surrounded by a watertight member of a cargo hold, etc., and may have a cylindrical or polyhedral shape with an empty space inside, but is not necessarily limited thereto. The lower part of the process window 710 corresponding to the seawater inflow and outflow pipe for supplying seawater is disposed in the central part of the storage window 720.

The storage window 720 is arranged to surround the lower part of the process window 710 and can store fresh water generated in the process window 710. Additionally, the storage window 720 may provide a certain amount of buoyancy so that the floating desalination plant 700 can float on seawater.

The heat exchange system 730 may include a heat pump evaporator (or fresh water condenser, 731), a compressor 732, a heat pump condenser (sea water evaporator, 733), and an expansion valve 734. The heat exchange system 730 has a structure in which refrigerant circulates through a heat pump evaporator 731, a compressor 732, a heat pump condenser 733, and an expansion valve 734.

The heat pump evaporator 731 is disposed above the inner space of the process window 710 and can condense the water vapor generated in the space above the seawater surface inside the process window 710 and convert it into fresh water. The heat pump evaporator 731 includes a heat exchange pipe (not shown) arranged in a zigzag shape, a heat absorbing plate (not shown) in contact with the heat exchange pipe, and a fresh water collection pipe (731a) disposed at the bottom of the heat absorbing plate. ) can be composed of. The heat pump evaporator 731 can pass low-temperature refrigerant inside the heat exchange pipe and condense water vapor existing outside the pipe and the heat absorber.

The compressor 732 is installed outside the cargo holds 710 and 720 to compress the refrigerant coming out of the heat pump evaporator 731 and provide it to the heat pump condenser 733. The expansion valve 734 is installed outside the cargo holds 710 and 720 to expand the refrigerant coming out of the heat pump condenser 733 and provide it to the heat pump evaporator 731. Meanwhile, in this embodiment, the compressor 732 and the expansion valve 734 are installed outside the cargo holds 710 and 720, but this is not limited, and are installed inside the cargo holds 710 and 720 or at other appropriate locations. It can be configured as much as possible.

The heat pump condenser 733 is disposed in the inner space of the process window 710 and can evaporate seawater coming from the seawater supply pipe 753 and convert it into water vapor. The heat pump condenser 733 may be composed of heat exchange pipes (not shown) arranged in a zigzag shape and a heat sink (not shown) in contact with the heat exchange pipes. The heat pump condenser 733 transfers the heat generated in the process of passing the high-temperature/high-pressure gaseous refrigerant through a heat exchange pipe and converting it into a low-temperature liquid to the heat sink, thereby dissipating the seawater existing outside the pipe and heat sink. It can evaporate.

The heat pump condenser 733 may be installed spaced apart from the sea level inside the process window 710, and may be installed submerged inside the sea level depending on the designer's intention. Additionally, the heat pump condenser 733 may be placed below the heat pump evaporator 731 to be spaced apart by a certain distance.

Meanwhile, in this embodiment, it is illustrated that one heat exchange system 730 is installed in the process window 710, but this is not limited, and it is obvious to those skilled in the art that multiple heat exchange systems can be installed in the process window. something to do.

The fresh water discharge system 740 may be formed by penetrating a watertight partition wall 770 crossing between the process window 710 and the storage tank 720. One end of the fresh water discharge system 740 may be connected to the fresh water collection pipe 731a inside the process window 710, and the other end may be formed to extend vertically toward the bottom of the storage window 720. It can be.

The fresh water discharge system 740 may move fresh water generated in the process window 710 to the storage window 720. The fresh water discharge system 740 may be configured by applying an S trap structure. Since the fresh water discharge system 740 is the same or similar to the fresh water discharge system 640 shown in FIG. 10, detailed description thereof will be omitted.

When the heat pump condenser 733 is used as a seawater evaporator, the seawater supply pump 750 is installed on the upper part of the cargo holds 710 and 720, and takes in seawater existing around the floating desalination facility to use the heat pump condenser 733. ) can be supplied to the surface. For this purpose, a water intake pipe 751 may be installed between the seawater supply pump 750 and the seawater around the floating desalination facility, and a seawater supply pipe 753 may be installed between the seawater supply pump 750 and the heat pump condenser 733. This can be installed.

The fresh water unloading pump 760 is installed at the upper part of the cargo hold 710 and 720, and uses the first and second drain pipes 761 and 763 to pump fresh water stored in the storage hold 720 toward the place where fresh water is needed. can be supplied. At this time, the first drain pipe 761 may be connected between the fresh water unloading pump 760 and the storage window 720, and the second drain pipe 763 may be connected between the fresh water unloading pump 760 and a place where fresh water is needed. . Meanwhile, the fresh water unloading pump may, if necessary, be installed near the end of a water pipe connected to a place where fresh water is needed, rather than installed in a floating desalination facility. This can be decided at the discretion of the project designer and is not a problem in the context of this patent.

The power supply device may provide the power necessary to drive the floating desalination plant 700. The power supply device may provide the power necessary to drive the floating desalination plant 700. The control device can control the overall seawater desalination process of the floating desalination plant 700.

The power conversion device can convert renewable energy into power energy required to drive the floating desalination plant 700. The power conversion device is a device that uses rotational power, that is, a compressor (732), a seawater supply pump (750), a freshwater unloading pump (760), a vacuum ejector (711), an open/closeable seawater injection system (713), and an air control opening (715). ) and the opening/closing unit 717 for seawater inflow and outflow can be driven. Additionally, the power conversion device may drive a generator with excess power to supply power necessary for operation of the floating desalination plant 700 and may supply additional power to the power grid.

As described above, the floating desalination facility according to another embodiment of the present invention installs a condenser, compressor, expansion valve, and evaporator using the heat pump principle in the process window and the adjacent area, thereby watering the internal seawater of the process window. Freshwater production can be improved by promoting the generation and condensation of water vapor in the space above the surface.

Figure 13 is a diagram showing the overall shape of a fixed desalination plant according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to Figure 13, the fixed desalination facility 800 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a chamber assembly 810, a freshwater condenser 820, a seawater evaporator 830, a freshwater discharge system 840, and a freshwater storage device ( 850). In addition, the fixed desalination facility 800 includes a plate facility 860, a fresh water supply pump 870, a seawater supply pump 880, a plurality of fixing members 890, a power supply device (not shown), and a power supply device ( (not shown), control devices (not shown), living and control spaces (not shown), etc. may be additionally included.

The chamber assembly 810 includes a chamber 811 having an internal space in a vacuum state, a vacuum ejector 813 installed in the chamber 811, an open and close seawater injection system (not shown), and an opening and closing unit for air control (not shown). It may include an opening/closing unit 815 for seawater inflow and outflow installed at the lower part of the chamber 811. As shown in FIG. 7, the vacuum internal space may be formed by filling the chamber with seawater and then draining the seawater through the lower part of the chamber.

The chamber 811 can maintain the internal space in a vacuum state and induce evaporation of seawater at a very low temperature. To this end, at least a portion of the lower surface of the chamber 811 can be open so that seawater can continuously flow in, and the upper surface of the chamber 811 can be configured to be sealed from the outside to maintain a vacuum inside the chamber. can do. Additionally, since the lower surface of the chamber 811 is sealed by the water surface in which the chamber is submerged, an airtight state can be maintained without requiring a separate sealing means.

The seawater present inside the chamber 811 rises to a certain height from sea level due to atmospheric pressure outside the chamber. Additionally, continuous evaporation occurs on the surface of the seawater present inside the chamber 811.

One or more vacuum ejectors 813 may be installed on the upper surface of the chamber 811. The vacuum ejector 813 can remove non-condensable gas generated inside the chamber 811. Additionally, the vacuum ejector 813 may open and close at least a portion of the chamber 811 so that air or seawater is injected into the chamber 811 when installing or maintaining the chamber assembly 810.

One or more air control openings and closing units may be installed on the upper surface of the chamber 811. The air control opening and closing unit may open and close at least a portion of the upper part of the chamber 811. The air control opening/closing unit may be used to create a vacuum state in the internal space of the chamber 811.

One or more seawater injection systems that can be opened and closed may be installed on the top or side of the chamber 811. The openable and closed seawater injection system can open and close at least a portion of the chamber 811. The openable and closed seawater injection system can also be used to make the internal space of the chamber 811 into a vacuum state.

The fresh water storage device 850 is disposed adjacent to the chamber 811 and can store fresh water generated in the chamber 811. The fresh water storage device 850 may be configured in a cylindrical or polyhedral shape with an empty space inside.

A plurality of fixing members (or fixing pillars, 890) may be installed by being deeply inserted into the seafloor in a direction perpendicular to the sea surface. A plate facility 860 may be installed on the plurality of fixing members 890. Various facilities or equipment may be disposed on the plate facility 860, such as a fresh water supply pump 870, a sea water supply pump 880, a power supply device, a power supply device, a control device, living and operating space, etc.

The plate facility 860 combined with a plurality of fixing members 890 attaches the chamber assembly 810 and the fresh water storage device 850 to the sea level through a separate support device (not shown) and/or a fastening device (not shown). It can be fixed in a vertical direction.

The control device may control the overall operation of the fixed desalination plant 800. The power supply device may supply power to devices installed in the fixed desalination plant 800. The power supply device may supply power to components of the stationary desalination plant 800. The living and operating space is a space for living and working of personnel who will be in charge of operating the fixed desalination facility (800).

The fresh water supply pump 870 can supply fresh water stored in the fresh water storage device 850 to a place where fresh water is needed through a drain pipe 875 connected to a place where fresh water is needed. The seawater supply pump 880 can take in seawater existing around the chamber 811 and supply it to the freshwater condenser 820.

A water intake pipe 881 may be installed between the seawater supply pump 880 and the seawater around the chamber, and a cold water supply pipe 883 may be installed between the seawater supply pump 880 and the freshwater condenser 820, and the freshwater A hot water supply pipe 885 may be installed between the condenser 820 and the seawater evaporator 830. Accordingly, the seawater obtained through the water intake pipe 881 flows to the hot water supply pipe 885 through the cold water supply pipe 883 and the heat exchange pipe of the fresh water condenser 820.

The fresh water condenser 820 is disposed at the upper part of the inner space of the chamber 811 and can condense the water vapor generated in the space above the seawater surface inside the chamber 811 and convert it into fresh water. The fresh water condenser 820 includes a heat exchange pipe (not shown) arranged in a zigzag shape, a heat absorbing plate (not shown) in contact with the heat exchange pipe, and a fresh water collection pipe 825 disposed at the bottom of the heat absorbing plate. It can be composed of .

The seawater evaporator 830 is disposed below the freshwater condenser 820 and sprays seawater (i.e., seawater whose temperature has risen while liquefying water vapor in the freshwater condenser) coming from the hot water supply pipe 885, or has a plate shape arranged in a vertical direction. Alternatively, seawater can be evaporated by flowing it along a pipe-like structure.

The freshwater condenser 820 and the seawater evaporator 830 may be installed to be spaced apart from the seawater present inside the chamber 811. The seawater evaporator 830 may be arranged to be spaced apart from the freshwater condenser 820 by a certain distance.

The fresh water discharge system 840 is disposed between the fresh water collection pipe 825 and the fresh water storage device 850, and discharges the fresh water collected in the fresh water collection pipe 825 to the fresh water storage device 850 located outside the chamber 811. can do. The fresh water discharge system 840 may be configured by applying an S trap structure.

As described above, the fixed desalination facility 800 according to an embodiment of the present invention fixedly installs a chamber with an internal space in a vacuum state on the sea to evaporate seawater present inside the chamber compared to a typical evaporation method. By evaporating water vapor at very low temperatures, fresh water can be obtained at an economical cost compared to conventional desalination facilities.

Figure 14 is a diagram showing the overall shape of a fixed desalination plant according to another embodiment of the present invention. Unlike the fixed desalination plant 800 of FIG. 13, the fixed desalination plant 900 according to the present invention can be installed on land adjacent to the sea.

Referring to FIG. 14, a fixed desalination facility 900 according to another embodiment of the present invention may include a chamber assembly 910, a fresh water condenser 920, a sea water evaporator 930, and a fresh water discharge system 940. . In addition, the fixed desalination facility 900 includes a plate facility 950, a plurality of fixing members 960, a pipe assembly 970, a fresh water supply pump (not shown), a seawater supply pump (not shown), and a power supply device ( (not shown), a power supply device (not shown), a control device (not shown), etc. may be additionally included. The freshwater condenser 920, seawater evaporator 930, and freshwater discharge system 940 of the fixed desalination facility 900 include the freshwater condenser 820, seawater evaporator 830, and freshwater discharge system 840 shown in FIG. 13. ), etc., so the detailed description thereof will be omitted.

The chamber assembly 910 includes a chamber 911 having an internal space in a vacuum state, a vacuum ejector 913 installed in the chamber 911, an open and close seawater injection system (not shown), and an opening and closing unit for air control (not shown). may include. As shown in FIG. 7, the vacuum internal space can be formed by filling the chamber with seawater and then draining the seawater through the lower part of the chamber.

The seawater present inside the chamber 911 rises to a certain height (about 10 m) from sea level due to the atmospheric pressure outside the chamber. Additionally, continuous evaporation occurs on the surface of the seawater present inside the chamber 911.

The upper part of the chamber 911 may be formed in a flat shape or a curved shape (or a gradient shape). The lower part of the chamber 911 may be formed so that the cross-sectional area becomes gradually narrower as it goes downward. A pipe assembly 970 may be connected to the lower part of the chamber 911.

One end of the pipe assembly 970 is connected to the lower part of the chamber 911, and the other end may extend below sea level adjacent to land. Accordingly, the pipe assembly 970 can supply seawater into the chamber 911 based on the difference between the pressure inside the chamber and the atmospheric pressure outside the chamber, without separate external power.

An opening and closing unit (not shown) for seawater inflow and outflow may be installed at the other end of the pipe assembly 970. The opening/closing unit for seawater inflow and outflow may be used to create a vacuum in the internal space of the chamber 911.

A plurality of fixing members (or fixing pillars, 960) may be installed in a direction perpendicular to the ground surface. A plate facility 950 may be installed on the plurality of fixing members 960. Various facilities or equipment may be placed on the plate facility 950, such as a fresh water supply pump, a sea water supply pump, a power supply device, a power supply device, a control device, a chamber support device, etc.

The chamber support device is installed in a direction perpendicular to the bottom surface of the plate facility 950 and is mounted on both sides of the chamber 911 to firmly support the chamber 911.

As described above, the fixed desalination facility 900 according to another embodiment of the present invention fixedly installs a chamber with an internal space in a vacuum state on land adjacent to the sea, so that the seawater present inside the chamber can be used as normal By evaporating water into water vapor at a very low temperature compared to the evaporation method, fresh water can be obtained at an economical cost compared to conventional desalination facilities.

Figure 15 is a diagram schematically showing the configuration of a water quality improvement facility according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 15, a water quality improvement facility 1000 according to another embodiment of the present invention may include a chamber assembly 1010, a heat exchange system 1020, a water discharge system 1030, and a power conversion device 1040. You can. Since the chamber assembly 1010 and the water discharge system 1030 are the same or similar to the chamber assembly 110 and the water discharge system 140 shown in FIG. 1, detailed description thereof will be omitted. Meanwhile, the components shown in the drawings are not essential for implementing the water quality improvement facility, so the water quality improvement facility described in this specification may have more or fewer components than the components listed above.

The water quality improvement facility 1000 is a facility that converts seawater or sewage water into clean water that can be consumed by humans, and may include a desalination facility that converts seawater into fresh water and a water purification facility that converts sewage water into purified water. The water quality improvement facility 1000 may be classified into a floating water quality improvement facility and a fixed water quality improvement facility depending on the installation type of the chamber assembly 1010.

The chamber assembly 1010 is a structure that floats or is fixed on seawater or sewage, and can perform the function of evaporating seawater or sewage into water vapor using a chamber with an internal space in a vacuum state. In order to perform this function, at least a portion of the lower part of the chamber located below the sea level or sewage surface is open to sea water or sewage water, and is in a vacuum state sealed by the sea water or sewage water flowing in through the open lower part and the side of the chamber. It can be configured to form an internal space, and the upper part of the chamber located above the water can be configured to be completely sealed from the outside.

The heat exchange system 1020 may include a heat pump evaporator 1021, a compressor 1022, a heat pump condenser 1023, and an expansion valve 1024. In this embodiment, the heat exchange system 1020 may be configured by applying the heat pump principle.

The heat pump evaporator 1021 is placed inside the chamber, and is a 'fresh water condenser' that condenses water vapor generated in the space above the surface of seawater inside the chamber and converts it into fresh water, or condenses water vapor generated in the space above the surface of sewage inside the chamber into purified water. It can be used as a ‘purified water condenser’ to convert it. The heat pump evaporator 1021 passes low-temperature liquid refrigerant through the heat exchange pipes arranged in a zigzag shape, receives latent heat from the water vapor existing outside the pipe, vaporizes the refrigerant, and condenses the water vapor into fresh water or purified water. You can do it.

The compressor 1022 may compress the gaseous refrigerant coming from the heat pump evaporator 1021 into a high-temperature/high-pressure gas and provide it to the heat pump condenser 1023. The expansion valve (or expansion valve, 1024) can expand the low-temperature/high-pressure liquid refrigerant coming from the heat pump condenser 1023 and provide it to the heat pump evaporator 1021.

The heat pump condenser 1023 is placed inside the chamber and can be used as a 'seawater evaporator' that evaporates the seawater supplied inside the chamber and converts it into water vapor, or as a 'sewage evaporator' that evaporates the sewage supplied inside the chamber and converts it into water vapor. You can. The heat pump condenser (1023) passes high-temperature refrigerant through the heat exchange pipes arranged in a zigzag shape, evaporates seawater or sewage existing outside the pipe, and loses heat to convert the high-temperature/high-pressure gaseous refrigerant into low-temperature/high-pressure gaseous refrigerant. It can be converted into a high-pressure liquid state.

The refrigerant used in the heat exchange system 1020 may absorb external heat or radiate heat to the outside according to phase changes while circulating through the devices 1021 to 1024. Types of refrigerants that can be used in the heat exchange system 1020 include seawater, water, carbon dioxide, ammonia, freon, and air, but are not necessarily limited thereto.

For example, as shown in FIG. 16, as the refrigerant circulates through the heat exchange system 1020, the refrigerant evaporates while absorbing external heat in the heat pump evaporator 1021, and the refrigerant evaporates in the heat pump condenser 1023. It condenses while dissipating heat to the outside. Accordingly, water vapor passing through the heat pump evaporator 1021 is condensed into fresh water or purified water, and seawater or sewage water passing through the heat pump condenser 1023 is evaporated into water vapor.

The water discharge system 1030 can collect fresh water or purified water produced in the heat pump evaporator 1021 and discharge it to the outside of the chamber. The water discharge system 1030 may be referred to as a fresh water discharge system or a purified water discharge system, depending on the type of water discharged from the facility 1000.

The water discharge system 1030 may include a drain pipe that discharges fresh water or purified water from inside the chamber to the outside of the chamber, and a check valve that controls the movement of fresh water or purified water in the drain pipe.

The power conversion device 1040 is installed at the bottom of the chamber assembly 1010 and can convert renewable energy such as solar power, wind power, wave power, etc. into rotational power energy. The power conversion device 1040 can provide rotational power energy to components of the water quality improvement facility 1010.

Figure 17 is a diagram showing the overall shape of a seawater desalination facility according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to Figure 17, the seawater desalination facility 1100 according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a chamber assembly 1110, a heat exchange system 1120, a fresh water discharge system 1130, and a wave power conversion device 1140. You can. In addition, the seawater desalination facility 1100 includes a plate facility (or deck, 1150), a freshwater supply pump 1160, a seawater supply pump 1170, a salt water recovery pump 1180, an air conditioning device (not shown), and power supply. It may additionally include a device (not shown), an anchor connection device (not shown), a control device (not shown), and a living and maneuvering space (not shown).

The seawater desalination plant 1100 can be classified into a floating desalination plant and a fixed desalination plant, depending on the installation type of the chamber assembly 1110. Hereinafter, in this embodiment, for convenience of explanation, a floating desalination facility will be used as an example.

The chamber assembly 1110 includes a chamber 1111 having an internal space in a vacuum state, a plurality of buoyancy tanks 1112 mounted on the outer side of the chamber 1111, and a chamber 1111 installed on the upper part of the chamber 1111. It may include one or more vacuum ejectors (1113). Since the chamber assembly 1110 is the same or similar to the chamber assembly 610 shown in FIG. 10, detailed description thereof will be omitted.

A plate facility 1150 may be installed on top of the buoyancy tanks 1112. On the plate equipment 1150, a wave power conversion device 1140, a fresh water supply pump 1160, a sea water supply pump 1170, a salt water recovery pump 1180, an air conditioning device, a power supply device, an anchor connection device, a control device, Various facilities or equipment, such as living and operating spaces, may be placed.

The air conditioning device may inject compressed air into the buoyancy tank 1112 or discharge the compressed air present in the buoyancy tank 1112 to the outside. The power supply device may supply power to devices installed in the seawater desalination facility 1100. The anchor connection device can be fixed to the initial installation location by fastening the plate facility 1150 and the anchor device (not shown) to prevent the seawater desalination facility 1100 from being pushed away by seawater or sea winds.

The control device can control the overall operation of the seawater desalination facility 1100. The residence and control space is a space for the residence and work of personnel responsible for operating the seawater desalination facility (1100).

The wave power conversion device 1140 is installed at the lower end of the chamber assembly 1110 and can convert wave energy into rotational power energy. The wave power conversion device 1140 includes a buoy that receives the movement of waves using buoyancy, a shaft that converts the power of waves into rotational power, a crank arm or rope, and a pulley for power transmission. , ratchet, fly wheel, etc. Some components of the wave power conversion device 1140 may be installed on the plate facility 1150, and other components may be installed in the sea.

The wave power conversion device 1140 can drive a device that uses rotational power, that is, a compressor 1122, a fresh water supply pump 1160, a sea water supply pump 1170, a salt water recovery pump 1180, a vacuum ejector 1113, etc. there is. Additionally, the wave power conversion device 1140 may drive a generator with excess power to supply power necessary for operating the seawater desalination facility 1100.

The fresh water supply pump 1160 can supply fresh water collected from the fresh water discharge system 1130 to a place where fresh water is needed through a drain pipe 1165 connected to a place where fresh water is needed. The seawater supply pump 1170 can take in seawater existing inside the chamber or at a deeper depth and supply it to the seawater evaporator (or heat pump condenser, 1123). For this purpose, a water intake pipe 1171 may be installed between the seawater supply pump 1170 and the seawater inside the chamber or seawater at a deeper depth, and a seawater supply pipe may be installed between the seawater supply pump 1170 and the seawater evaporator 1123. (1175) can be installed.

The brine recovery pump 1180 can recover brine with a very high concentration collected in the brine collection pipe 1123a through the brine discharge system 1185. The salt water discharge system 1185 is disposed between the salt water recovery pump 1180 and the salt water collection pipe 1123a, and can discharge the salt water collected in the salt water collection pipe 1123a out of the chamber 1111. The salt water discharge system 1185 may be configured by applying the S trap structure used in the fresh water discharge system 1130. The salt water discharge system 1185 may include an S-shaped drain pipe that discharges salt water from inside the chamber to the outside of the chamber, and a check valve that controls the movement of salt water in the S-shaped drain pipe. Depending on the embodiment, the check valve may be omitted.

The heat exchange system 1120 may include a freshwater condenser (or heat pump evaporator, 1121), a compressor 1122, a seawater evaporator (or heat pump condenser, 1123), and an expansion valve 1124. The heat exchange system 1120 has a structure in which refrigerant circulates through a freshwater condenser 1121, a compressor 1122, a seawater evaporator 1123, and an expansion valve 1124.

The fresh water condenser 1121 is disposed at the upper part of the internal space of the chamber 1111 and can condense the water vapor generated inside the chamber 1111 and convert it into fresh water. The fresh water condenser 1121 includes a heat exchange pipe (not shown) arranged in a zigzag shape, a heat absorbing plate (not shown) in contact with the heat exchange pipe, and a fresh water collection pipe (1121a) disposed at the bottom of the heat absorbing plate. It can be composed of: The fresh water condenser 1121 can pass low-temperature refrigerant inside the heat exchange pipe and condense the water vapor existing outside the pipe and the heat absorbing plate.

The compressor 1122 is installed outside the chamber 1111 to compress the refrigerant coming out of the fresh water condenser 1121 and provide it to the sea water evaporator 1123. The expansion valve 1124 is installed outside the chamber 1111 to expand the refrigerant coming out of the seawater evaporator 1123 and provide it to the freshwater condenser 1121. Meanwhile, in this embodiment, the compressor 1122 and the expansion valve 1124 are installed outside the chamber 1111, but this is not limited, and may be configured to be installed inside the chamber 1111.

The seawater evaporator 1123 is disposed below the freshwater condenser 1121 and can evaporate the seawater coming out of the seawater supply pipe 1175 and convert it into water vapor. The seawater evaporator 1123 consists of a heat exchange pipe (not shown) arranged in a zigzag shape, a heat sink (not shown) in contact with the heat exchange pipe, and a salt water collection pipe (1123a) disposed at the bottom of the heat sink. It can be. The seawater evaporator 1123 passes the high-temperature, high-pressure gaseous refrigerant inside the heat exchange pipe and transfers the heat generated in the process of turning it into a low-temperature liquid to the heat sink to evaporate the seawater existing outside the pipe and heat sink. You can do it.

Meanwhile, instead of supplying high-temperature refrigerant to the seawater evaporator 1123, a separate heat source may be supplied. For example, the seawater evaporator 1123 can use waste heat from a nearby boiler or engine. In addition, waste heat near ambient temperature that can no longer be recycled can be used even where most of the heat energy has been recovered through waste heat recovery devices at large industrial sites. Additionally, the seawater evaporator 1123 can use heat collected from the solar collector. Additionally, each of the heat sources described above can be used in combination.

The freshwater condenser 1121 and the seawater evaporator 1123 may be installed to be spaced apart from the seawater present inside the chamber. The seawater evaporator 1123 may be arranged to be spaced apart from the freshwater condenser 1121 by a certain distance.

The fresh water discharge system 1130 is disposed between the fresh water supply pump 1160 and the fresh water collection pipe 1121a, and can discharge fresh water collected in the fresh water collection pipe 1121a to the outside of the chamber 1111. Since the fresh water discharge system 1130 is the same or similar to the fresh water discharge system 640 shown in FIG. 10, detailed description thereof will be omitted.

As described above, the seawater desalination facility according to another embodiment of the present invention promotes the generation and condensation of water vapor present inside the chamber by installing a freshwater condenser and a seawater evaporator using the heat pump principle inside the vacuum chamber. This can improve freshwater production.

Figure 18 is a diagram showing a partial shape of a seawater desalination facility according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 18, a seawater desalination facility 1400 according to another embodiment of the present invention includes a chamber assembly 1410, a heat exchange system 1420, a fresh water discharge system 1430, and a plurality of heat pipes (heat pipes, 1440). ) may include. In addition, the seawater desalination facility 1400 includes a plate facility (not shown), a fresh water supply pump (not shown), a power supply device (not shown), a power supply device (not shown), a heat source supply device (not shown), and a control unit. It may additionally include devices (not shown), living and control spaces (not shown), etc.

The chamber assembly 1410 may include a chamber 1411 having an internal space in a vacuum state, and a vacuum ejector 1413 installed on top of the chamber 1411. The vacuum interior space can be formed by submerging the chamber assembly below sea level and then raising it above sea level, as shown in FIG. 5. Additionally, the vacuum internal space may be formed by filling the chamber with seawater and then draining the seawater through the lower part of the chamber, as shown in FIG. 7 .

The chamber 1411 can maintain the internal space in a vacuum state and induce evaporation of seawater at a very low temperature. To this end, at least a portion of the lower surface of the chamber 1411 can be open so that seawater can continuously flow in, and the upper surface of the chamber 1411 can be configured to be sealed from the outside to maintain a vacuum inside the chamber. can do. Additionally, since the lower surface of the chamber 1411 is sealed by the water surface in which the chamber is submerged, an airtight state can be maintained without requiring a separate sealing means.

One or more vacuum ejectors 1413 may be installed on the upper surface of the chamber 1411. The vacuum ejector 1413 can remove non-condensable gas generated inside the chamber 1411.

A vacuum pump is connected to the top of the vacuum ejector 1413, so that a vacuum level of 1 kPa or less can be maintained. At the bottom of the vacuum ejector 1413, a refrigerant having a sufficiently low temperature, more preferably a temperature below zero, is circulated to condense the water vapor located below the vacuum ejector 1413 (i.e., at the top of the chamber). A heat exchanger may be installed. This is to condense the water vapor located at the bottom of the vacuum ejector and discharge only the non-condensed gas to the outside.

The heat exchange system 1420 may include a fresh water condenser (or heat pump evaporator 1421), a compressor 1422, a water vapor heater (or heat pump condenser 1423), and an expansion valve 1424. The heat exchange system 1420 has a structure in which refrigerant circulates through a fresh water condenser 1421, a compressor 1422, a steam heater 1423, and an expansion valve 1424.

The freshwater condenser 1421 and the steam heater 1423 may be installed to be spaced apart from the seawater present inside the chamber. The steam heater 1423 may be arranged to be spaced apart from the fresh water condenser 1421 by a certain distance.

The fresh water condenser 1421 is disposed at the upper part of the internal space of the chamber 1411 and can condense the water vapor generated inside the chamber 1411 and convert it into fresh water. The fresh water condenser 1421 may be composed of an upper fresh water condenser 1421a, a lower fresh water condenser 1421b, and a fresh water collection pipe 1421c. The upper fresh water condenser 1421a and lower fresh water condenser 1421b may be configured as separate heat exchangers.

As an example, the upper fresh water condenser 1421a may be composed of heat exchange pipes arranged in a zigzag shape. The upper fresh water condenser 1421a can pass low-temperature refrigerant inside the heat exchange pipe and condense water vapor existing outside the pipe. The lower fresh water condenser 1421b may be composed of a heat absorbing plate in contact with the upper fresh water condenser 1421a. The lower fresh water condenser 1421b can condense water vapor existing outside the heat absorbing plate through the temperature transmitted from the upper fresh water condenser 1421a.

A plurality of heat pipes 1440 may be installed in the lower fresh water condenser 1421b in a vertical direction. One end of each heat pipe 1440 may be configured to be connected to the lower fresh water condenser 1421b, and the other end may be configured to be submerged below the sea level inside the chamber. The heat pipe 1440 may perform the function of transferring condensation heat of water vapor delivered to the freshwater condenser 1421 to seawater.

The top of the freshwater condenser 1421 having this configuration can be maintained at a low temperature close to 0 degrees by a refrigerant having a sufficiently low temperature, more preferably a sub-zero temperature, and the bottom is a plurality of heat pipes 1440. is installed so that the temperature can be maintained lower than the temperature of the surrounding water vapor and higher than the temperature of the seawater below.

The compressor 1422 is installed outside the chamber 1411 and can compress the refrigerant coming from the fresh water condenser 1421 and the vacuum ejector 1413 and provide it to the water vapor evaporator 1423.

The expansion valve 1424 is installed outside the chamber 1411 to expand the refrigerant coming out of the water vapor evaporator 1423 and provide it to the fresh water condenser 1421 and the vacuum ejector 1423.

Meanwhile, in this embodiment, the refrigerant is branched from the expansion valve 1424 and the compressor 1422, but this is not limited. The refrigerant from the expansion valve 1424 is input to the vacuum ejector 1413, and the The refrigerant from the vacuum ejector 1413 is input to the fresh water condenser 1421, and the refrigerant from the fresh water condenser 1421 may be input to the compressor 1422.

Additionally, in this embodiment, the compressor 1422 and the expansion valve 1424 are installed outside the chamber 1411, but this is not limited and may be installed inside the chamber 1411.

Meanwhile, in this embodiment, supplying the refrigerant used in the freshwater condenser using a heat pump is exemplified, but this is not limited. Therefore, instead of supplying the refrigerant that has passed through the heat pump to the freshwater condenser, a separate cooling source may be supplied. For example, a freshwater condenser can use liquefied gas as a refrigerant to operate as a regasification vaporizer required for a nearby liquefied gas regasification facility. In this case, the chamber assembly may be installed in the cargo hold or superstructure of a floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU).

A freshwater condenser can vaporize liquid gas as it flows through a heat exchange pipe, condensing the surrounding water vapor. In addition, the fresh water condenser can vaporize liquefied gas in an external liquefied gas vaporizer and condense surrounding water vapor while the cooled working fluid flows inside the heat exchange pipe.

In particular, in the case of FSRU, for which demand is increasing recently, in order to regasify liquefied natural gas, nearby seawater is pumped in, supplying the heat of vaporization of liquefied natural gas, and then exporting it back to the sea, which not only consumes its own energy but also lowers the seawater temperature in the surrounding sea area. It's causing a dropping problem. By using this wasted cooling energy for condensation of desalination facilities, it can have the advantage of not only saving energy but also minimizing the impact on the environment.

In addition, instead of using ultra-low temperature liquefied gas directly as a refrigerant in the freshwater condenser, existing regasification facilities use lowered temperature seawater or intermediate fluids such as ethylene glycol to vaporize the liquefied gas. It can also be configured by modifying some of the configuration.

In addition, without using a refrigerant in the freshwater condenser, a heat pipe is installed between the condenser and an externally installed pneumatic liquefied gas vaporizer to quickly transfer the condensation heat of the water vapor collected in the condenser to the pneumatic vaporizer, thereby increasing the efficiency of the pneumatic vaporizer. It may be possible.

The water vapor heater 1423 is disposed below the fresh water condenser 1421 and can heat naturally evaporated water vapor existing in the internal vacuum space of the chamber 1411. The steam heater 1423 may be composed of heat exchange pipes arranged in a zigzag shape and a heat sink in contact with the heat exchange pipes.

The water vapor heater 1423 passes the high-temperature/high-pressure gaseous refrigerant inside the heat exchange pipe and transfers the heat generated in the process of turning it into a low-temperature liquid to the heat sink, thereby adjusting the temperature of the water vapor existing outside the pipe and heat sink. can increase. This is to increase the temperature of the water vapor existing inside the chamber than the temperature of the lower part of the fresh water condenser (1021).

Meanwhile, although not shown in the drawing, the seawater desalination facility 1400 is installed between the inner water surface of the chamber 1411 and the steam heater 1423, and moves steam to the upper part of the chamber 1411 and the steam heater ( It may further include an insulating water vapor transmission layer that blocks radiant heat generated from 1423 and reflects it into the inside of the chamber 1411.

Additionally, in this embodiment, the steam heater is configured as a heat pump condenser using the heat pump principle, but this is not limited. Therefore, instead of supplying refrigerant to the steam heater, a separate heat source may be supplied. For example, a steam heater may use waste heat from a nearby boiler or engine. In addition, waste heat near ambient temperature that can no longer be recycled can be used even where most of the heat energy has been recovered through waste heat recovery devices at large industrial sites. Additionally, steam heaters can use heat collected from solar thermal collectors. Additionally, each of the heat sources described above can be used in combination.

The fresh water discharge system 1430 is disposed between a fresh water supply pump (not shown) and the fresh water collection pipe 1421c, and can discharge fresh water collected in the fresh water collection pipe 1421c to the outside of the chamber 1411.

As described above, the seawater desalination facility according to another embodiment of the present invention installs a freshwater condenser and a water vapor heater using the heat pump principle inside the vacuum chamber, thereby generating and condensing water vapor present inside the chamber. This can improve freshwater production.

Figure 19 is a diagram showing a partial shape of a seawater desalination facility according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 19, a seawater desalination facility 1500 according to another embodiment of the present invention includes a chamber assembly 1510, a heat exchange system 1520, a fresh water discharge system 1530, and a plurality of heat pipes 1540. It can be included. In addition, the seawater desalination facility 1500 includes a plate facility (not shown), a fresh water supply pump (not shown), a power supply device (not shown), a power supply device (not shown), a heat source supply device (not shown), and a control unit. It may additionally include devices (not shown), living and control spaces (not shown), etc. Since the heat exchange system 1520 and the plurality of heat pipes 1540 of the seawater desalination facility 1500 are the same as the heat exchange system 1420 and the plurality of heat pipes 1440 shown in FIG. 18, a detailed description thereof is provided. Please omit it.

The chamber assembly 1510 includes a chamber 1511 having a predetermined shape, a vacuum ejector 1513 installed on the upper part of the chamber 1511, and a fresh water storage device disposed to surround the lower end of the chamber 1511 ( 1515). A vertical partition and a horizontal partition can be installed inside the chamber assembly 1510 to form two separate spaces, that is, the chamber 1511 and the fresh water storage device 151.

The upper chamber is connected to the lower opening through seawater inflow and outflow pipes that penetrate the freshwater storage system created by vertical and horizontal bulkheads. At this time, it is desirable that the cross-sectional area of the seawater inflow and outflow pipe is sufficiently large to ensure smooth supply of seawater necessary for freshwater production while preventing the inflow speed of seawater from becoming too fast. In addition, the height of the horizontal bulkhead is preferably installed as high as possible within the range that can be included in the chamber from the water surface inside the chamber to the depth of water where low-temperature/low-pressure boiling occurs, depending on the operating conditions inside the chamber. This is to fill the chamber with seawater to create a vacuum inside the chamber, and to reduce the amount of seawater needed to fill the chamber.

The chamber 1511 may have an internal space in a vacuum state. The vacuum interior space can be formed by submerging the chamber assembly below sea level and then raising it above sea level, as shown in FIG. 5. Additionally, the vacuum internal space may be formed by filling the chamber with seawater and then draining the seawater through the lower part of the chamber, as shown in FIG. 7 . When creating a vacuum in the manner shown in Figure 5, fresh water storage device 1515 may also act as part of a buoyancy tank.

The chamber 1511 maintains the internal space in a vacuum state and can induce evaporation of seawater at a very low temperature. To this end, at least a portion of the lower surface of the chamber 1511 can be open so that seawater can continuously flow in, and the upper surface of the chamber 1511 can be configured to be sealed from the outside to maintain a vacuum inside the chamber. can do. Additionally, since the lower surface of the chamber 1511 is sealed by the water surface in which the chamber is submerged, an airtight state can be maintained without requiring a separate sealing means.

One or more vacuum ejectors 1513 may be installed on the upper surface of the chamber 1511. The vacuum ejector 1513 can remove non-condensable gas generated inside the chamber 1511.

The fresh water storage device 1515 is disposed adjacent to the chamber 1511 and can store fresh water generated in the chamber 1511. The fresh water storage device 1515 may have a cylindrical or polyhedral shape with an empty space inside, but is not necessarily limited thereto. The lower part of the chamber 1511 for supplying seawater is disposed in the central part of the fresh water storage device 1515.

The fresh water discharge system 1530 is disposed between the fresh water storage device 1515 and the fresh water collection pipe 1521c, and can discharge fresh water collected in the fresh water collection pipe 1521 c to the fresh water storage device 1515. A fresh water supply pump (not shown) can supply fresh water stored in the fresh water storage device 1515 to a place where fresh water is needed through a drain pipe 1550 connected to a place where fresh water is needed.

As described above, the seawater desalination facility according to another embodiment of the present invention installs a chamber with different cross-sectional areas at the top and bottom and a freshwater storage device surrounding the bottom of the chamber, thereby reducing the amount of water vapor present inside the chamber. It can improve freshwater production by promoting generation and condensation.

Meanwhile, in this specification, the implementation of a desalination facility using the chamber assembly according to the present invention is exemplified, but this is not limited, and it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that a water purification facility can be implemented using the chamber assembly.

In addition, although specific embodiments of the present invention have been described in this specification, it goes without saying that various modifications are possible without departing from the scope of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of the present invention is not limited to the described embodiments, and should be determined by the claims and equivalents thereof as well as the claims described later.

Claims (29)

A chamber that creates and maintains a vacuum inside the space; and
In order to create a vacuum in the internal space of the chamber, it includes a device that fills the chamber with seawater or sewage and then discharges the seawater or sewage by gravity,
At least a portion of the lower part of the chamber is open, forming an internal space in a vacuum state sealed by seawater or sewage flowing in through the open lower part and the upper part of the chamber,
The device opens the upper part of the chamber and seals the lower part, injects seawater or sewage into the chamber to fill it, then seals the upper part of the chamber and opens the lower part to remove the water present inside the chamber by gravity. A chamber assembly characterized by discharging seawater or sewage to the outside of the chamber and forming a vacuum on the water surface inside the chamber by atmospheric pressure and gravity. delete According to paragraph 1,
One or more vacuum ejectors installed on the upper part of the chamber to remove non-condensable gas generated in the internal space of the chamber; and
A chamber assembly further comprising a first chamber opening and closing portion installed on an upper portion of the chamber to open and close at least a portion of the upper portion of the chamber. According to paragraph 3,
A chamber assembly further comprising a second chamber opening/closing portion installed at a lower portion of the chamber to open and close at least a portion of the lower portion of the chamber. According to paragraph 3,
A chamber assembly, characterized in that the first chamber opening and closing part is formed integrally with the vacuum ejector. According to paragraph 3,
The vacuum ejector is a chamber assembly characterized in that it includes a heat exchanger that circulates a refrigerant having a low temperature to condense water vapor located at the top of the chamber. According to paragraph 1,
The chamber assembly is characterized in that the upper cross-sectional area of the chamber is formed to be wide and the lower cross-sectional area is formed to be narrow. A chamber that creates and maintains a vacuum inside the space; and
In order to create a vacuum in the internal space of the chamber, it includes a device that fills the chamber with seawater or sewage and then discharges the seawater or sewage by gravity,
At least a portion of the lower part of the chamber is open, forming an internal space in a vacuum state sealed by seawater or sewage flowing in through the open lower part and the upper part of the chamber,
The device sinks the chamber below the sea level or sewage level, fills the inside of the chamber with seawater or sewage water, then seals the upper part of the chamber and raises the chamber above the sea level or sewage level, so that the chamber is moved by atmospheric pressure and gravity. A chamber assembly characterized by forming a vacuum above the internal water surface. According to clause 8,
A chamber assembly, wherein the device includes one or more buoyancy structures that provide buoyancy to the chamber. delete According to paragraph 1,
A chamber assembly, characterized in that the chamber is composed of at least a part of a ship cargo hold. According to clause 11,
The cargo hold includes a process window that maintains the internal space above the water surface in a vacuum state to induce evaporation and boiling of seawater in a low temperature/low pressure state, and a storage space disposed in an area adjacent to the process window to store fresh water generated in the process window. A chamber assembly comprising a window. According to paragraph 1,
A deep water salvage pipe extending through the open lower part of the chamber into the deep sea to salvage deep water of a certain depth or more from the sea surface; and
A chamber assembly further comprising a deep water discharge system for lifting deep water existing inside the deep water salvage pipe to the outside of the chamber or to the upper structure inside the chamber. A chamber assembly that induces evaporation of seawater or sewage water by maintaining the internal space of the chamber in a vacuum state;
A condenser installed inside the chamber to condense water vapor generated inside the chamber into fresh water or purified water; and
It includes a water discharge system that discharges fresh water or purified water produced in the condenser to the outside of the chamber,
The chamber assembly includes a device that fills the chamber with seawater or sewage water and then discharges the seawater or sewage water by gravity to create a vacuum state in the interior space of the chamber,
The device opens the upper part of the chamber and seals the lower part, injects seawater or sewage into the chamber to fill it, then seals the upper part of the chamber and opens the lower part to remove the water present inside the chamber by gravity. A water quality improvement facility characterized by discharging seawater or sewage to the outside of the chamber and forming a vacuum on the water surface inside the chamber by atmospheric pressure and gravity. According to clause 14,
The condenser is a water quality improvement facility comprising heat exchange pipes arranged in a zigzag shape, a heat absorption plate in contact with the heat exchange pipe, and a water collection pipe disposed at a lower end of the heat absorption plate. According to clause 14,
A water quality improvement facility further comprising an evaporator installed inside the chamber to evaporate seawater or sewage supplied from the bottom or outside of the chamber into water vapor. According to clause 16,
Water quality improvement equipment, wherein at least a portion of the condenser is composed of a heat pump evaporator using a heat pump principle, and at least a portion of the evaporator is composed of a heat pump condenser using a heat pump principle. According to clause 16,
The evaporator is a water quality improvement facility comprising heat exchange pipes arranged in a zigzag shape and a heat sink in contact with the heat exchange pipes. According to clause 16,
The evaporator includes a water tank installed on the water surface inside the chamber, a pump system that supplies seawater or sewage existing inside or outside the chamber to the water tank, and a heat exchange pipe installed inside the water tank. Characterized by water quality improvement equipment. According to clause 16,
A water quality improvement facility that uses waste heat from other external facilities as a heat source for the evaporator. According to claim 18 or 19,
A water quality improvement facility further comprising a concentrated water discharge system disposed in an area adjacent to the evaporator and concentrating and discharging the seawater or sewage water. According to clause 14,
A water quality improvement facility further comprising a steam heater installed inside the chamber to heat naturally evaporated water vapor existing in an internal vacuum space of the chamber. According to clause 22,
A water quality improvement facility that uses waste heat from other external facilities as a heat source for the steam heater. According to clause 14,
A water quality improvement facility further comprising a plurality of heat pipes installed between the condenser and the inner water surface of the chamber to transfer condensation heat of water vapor delivered to the condenser to seawater or sewage. According to clause 24,
The condenser is a water quality improvement facility characterized in that it includes a heat exchanger that circulates a refrigerant having a low temperature in the upper part of the heat pipe to condense water vapor located in the upper part of the chamber. According to clause 25,
A water quality improvement facility wherein the upper part of the condenser where the refrigerant circulates and the lower part of the condenser where the heat pipe is connected are separated from each other, resulting in a disconnected temperature difference. According to clause 14,
The water discharge system includes a drain pipe that discharges fresh water or purified water generated in the condenser to the outside of the chamber,
The drain pipe is formed of one or more U trap structures,
The distance from the bottom of the water collection pipe installed at the bottom of the condenser to the bottom of the U trap is at least 10 m or more so that the pressure of fresh water or purified water generated due to the distance can be greater than the difference between the external atmospheric pressure and the air pressure inside the chamber. A water quality improvement facility characterized in that. According to clause 27,
The water discharge system is a water quality improvement facility, characterized in that it further includes a check valve that controls the movement of fresh water in the drain pipe. According to clause 14,
The condenser is a water quality improvement facility characterized in that it uses the cooling heat of the liquefied gas vaporizer as part or all of the cooling source.

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