U.S. patent application number 13/409782 was filed with the patent office on 2012-09-06 for system and method for producing and/or desalinating water using absorption refrigeration.
This patent application is currently assigned to PET PROJECTS, INC.. Invention is credited to THOMAS D. MERRITT.
Application Number | 20120222437 13/409782 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 46752431 |
Filed Date | 2012-09-06 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120222437 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
MERRITT; THOMAS D. |
September 6, 2012 |
SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING AND/OR DESALINATING WATER USING
ABSORPTION REFRIGERATION
Abstract
A system and method for producing water from ambient moisture
using an absorption chiller is provided. A portion of the chilled
water coil is exposed to the air and the system is configured to
collect and/or store for later use, water formed from atmospheric
moisture condensing on this portion of the chilled water coil.
Inventors: |
MERRITT; THOMAS D.;
(HOLLYWOOD, FL) |
Assignee: |
PET PROJECTS, INC.
MIAMI
FL
|
Family ID: |
46752431 |
Appl. No.: |
13/409782 |
Filed: |
March 1, 2012 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
61447929 |
Mar 1, 2011 |
|
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Current U.S.
Class: |
62/101 ;
62/476 |
Current CPC
Class: |
Y02A 20/124 20180101;
B01D 5/0006 20130101; E03B 3/28 20130101; Y02A 20/128 20180101;
Y02A 20/00 20180101; Y02A 20/109 20180101 |
Class at
Publication: |
62/101 ;
62/476 |
International
Class: |
F25B 15/00 20060101
F25B015/00 |
Claims
1. A system for cooling water, comprising: an absorption chiller
including a condenser section and an evaporator section; a chilled
water coil including a first section of chilled water coil within
said evaporator section and a second section of chilled water coil,
in fluid communication with said first section, located outside of
said absorption chiller; a first section of cooling water coil
passing through at least said condenser section to remove latent
heat from said condenser section; a second section of cooling water
coil, in fluid communication with said first section of cooling
water coil, said second section of cooling water coil being
disposed adjacent to said second section of said chilled water coil
so as to be cooled by said second section of said chilled water
coil, such that water exiting said second section of cooling water
coil is provided to said first section of cooling water coil at a
temperature below ambient air temperature.
2. The system of claim 1, additionally comprising a further section
of cooling water coil in fluid communication with said first
section of cooling water coil, said further section of cooling
water coil being exposed to ambient temperature air, to cool the
water in further section to ambient air temperature.
3. The system of claim 1, further including an auxiliary cooler, a
portion of said auxiliary cooler being located in said condenser
section.
4. The system of claim 1, further including an auxiliary cooler, a
portion of said auxiliary cooler being placed in thermal
communication with refrigerant that is about to enter said
evaporator section.
5. A method of producing water, comprising the steps of: providing
the system according to claim 1; collecting water produced by
moisture condensing on said chilled water coil.
6. A system for producing water, comprising: an absorption chiller
including a condenser section and an evaporator section; a chilled
water coil including a first section of chilled water coil within
said evaporator section and a second section of chilled water coil,
in fluid communication with said first section, located outside of
said absorption chiller; said second section of chilled water coil
being exposed to atmospheric moisture to produce condensation in
the form of water, said second section of chilled water coil being
configured to permit said water to form and accumulate on said
second section of chilled water coil; a first section of cooling
water coil passing through at least said condenser section to
remove latent heat from said condenser section; and a second
section of cooling water coil, in fluid communication with said
first section of cooling water coil, said second section of cooling
water coil being disposed adjacent to said second section of said
chilled water coil so as to be cooled by said second section of
said chilled water coil, such that water exiting said second
section of cooling water coil is provided to said first section of
cooling water coil at a temperature below ambient air
temperature.
7. The system of claim 6, further including a collector for
collecting and storing the water formed on said second section of
chilled water coil.
8. The system of claim 6, further including an auxiliary cooler, a
portion of said auxiliary cooler being located in said condenser
section.
9. The system of claim 6, further including an auxiliary cooler, a
portion of said auxiliary cooler being placed in thermal
communication with refrigerant that is about to enter said
evaporator section.
10. The system of claim 9, additionally including a further section
of cooling water coil in fluid communication with said first
section of cooling water coil, said further section of cooling
water coil being exposed to ambient temperature air, to cool the
water exiting from said further section to ambient air
temperature.
11. The system of claim 6, further including a desalination system
producing a humid air stream proximal to said chilled water
coil.
12. The system of claim 11, wherein said desalination system
includes an evaporative medium for evaporating salt water
circulated between a source of salt water and the evaporative
medium.
13. The system of claim 12, further including a heating device
disposed between said source of salt water and said evaporative
medium.
14. A method for producing water, comprising the steps of:
providing the system of claim 6; and collecting water condensing on
said second section of chilled water coil in said collector.
15. The method of claim 14, further including the step of:
providing a desalination system to produce a humid air stream
proximal to said chilled water coil.
16. The method of claim 15, wherein said desalination system
includes an evaporative medium, a source of salt water and a pump
for pumping salt water into the evaporative medium, thus producing
the humid air stream.
17. The method of claim 16, further including the step of warming
the salt water before it enters the evaporative medium.
18. A system for producing water, comprising: an absorption chiller
including a generator section, a condenser section, an absorber
section and an evaporator section; a hot water coil passing between
a hot water source and said generator section; a cooling water
coil, at least a first portion of said cooling water coil passing
through said condenser section; a chilled water coil including a
first section of chilled water coil within said evaporator section
and a second section of chilled water coil, in fluid communication
with said first section, located outside of said absorption
chiller; and said second section of chilled water coil being
exposed to atmospheric moisture to produce condensation in the form
of water, said second section of chilled water coil being
configured to permit said water to form and accumulate on said
second section of chilled water coil.
19. The system of claim 18, wherein the hot water source includes
at least one of a solar hot water heater, a gas hot water heater
and an electric hot water heater.
20. The system of claim 18, wherein another portion of said cooling
water coil is provided in contact with, or immersion in, water
produced by said chilled water coil.
21. The system of claim 18, wherein water in another portion of
said cooling water coil is disposed adjacent to said second section
of said chilled water coil so as to be cooled by said second
section of said chilled water coil, such that water exiting said
second section is provided to said first section at a temperature
below ambient air temperature.
22. The system of claim 18, additionally comprising a further
section of cooling water coil in fluid communication with said
first portion of cooling water coil, said further section of
cooling water coil being exposed to ambient temperature air, to
cool the water in said further section to ambient air temperature.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present application claims priority to co-pending
Provisional Patent Application No. 61/447,929, filed on Mar. 1,
2011, entitled SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING WATER USING AN
ABSORPTION CHILLER, that application being incorporated herein, by
reference, in their entirety.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present application relates to the production of potable
water, and more particularly, to a system and method for producing
water drawn from the atmosphere using an absorption chiller.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] Absorption chillers are known. For example, FIG. 1 shows a
prior art absorption chiller 10 of the WFC-S series used for
heating and air conditioning applications and produced by the
YAZAKI CORPORATION of Tokyo, Japan. The YAZAKI CORPORATION
absorption chiller 10 uses water as the refrigerant and lithium
bromide as the absorbant. The cooling cycle of the YAZAKI
CORPORATION device shown in FIG. 1 operates as follows. In the
system of FIG. 1, water is heated to approximately
158.degree.-203.degree. F. by solar thermal energy or another heat
source and the heated water (i.e., "heat medium") enters the system
at point "A". Although not shown, the water recirculation of the
heat medium, the cooling water and the chilled water are controlled
by pumps which are provided as part of the system of FIG. 1. When
the thermal transfer fluid inlet temperature of the generator
section 20 exceeds 154.4.degree. F., a solution pump provides a
weak (i.e., dilute) lithium bromide solution into the generator
section 20. The solution, in the presence of that heat, gives up
the water as water vapor. After separation, the refrigerant water
vapor flows to the condenser section 30, and a strong (i.e.,
concentrated) lithium bromide solution remaining in the generator
section 20 is pumped to the heat exchanger 40, by the solution pump
45, where it is precooled, before flowing to the absorber 80. In
the condenser 30, refrigerant vapor is condensed on the surface of
the cooling coil 32, and latent heat is removed by the cooling
water circulating through the condenser 30. More particularly, the
cooling water absorbs the latent heat in the condenser section 30
and the heated water flows out of the condenser section 30 and into
a cooling tower 60, for cooling, prior to being recirculated.
Refrigerant water vapor, thus, condenses in the condenser 30 and
liquid refrigerant accumulates and passes through an oriface 34
into the evaporator 50. In the evaporator 50, the refrigerant
liquid is exposed to an area in a vacuum. As water flows over the
surface of the evaporator coil 52, it changes states and removes
heat, equivalent to the latent heat of the refrigerant (in the
present case, water), from the chilled water circuit. The chilled
water, which is cooled to about 45.degree. F., is provided to a fan
unit 70, shown in FIG. 1, for use in air conditioning applications.
The vaporized water is attracted to the absorber section 80, which
is also in the vacuum space. In the absorber 80, a deep vacuum is
maintained by the affinity of the strong solution from the
generator 20 with the refrigerant vapor formed in the evaporator
50. The refrigerant vapor is absorbed by the strong lithium bromide
solution flowing across the surface of the absorber coil 82. The
heat of condensation and dilution are removed by the cooling water
and rejected to the cooling tower 60. The resulting weak solution
is preheated in a heat exchanger 40 before returning to the
generator 20, and the cycle is repeated.
[0006] The use of a cooling tower 60, however, contributes to the
loss of the cooling water, as it evaporates in the cooling tower 60
and is lost to the atmosphere. Additionally, although used for
heating and air conditioning applications, the absorption cooler 10
of FIG. 1 has not been utilized for other purposes. What is needed
is an absorption chiller that does not lose cooling water to the
atmosphere through evaporation from a cooling tower. What is
additionally needed is a system and method for producing water from
moisture in the atmosphere using an absorption chiller and/or in
the production of fresh water from salt water.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] A system and method for producing potable water from ambient
moisture using an absorption chiller is provided.
[0008] In one particular embodiment of the invention, an absorption
chiller is provided wherein the cooling water circulating through
the condenser and absorber is, first, cooled to the ambient outside
temperature. Subsequently, the ambient temperature cooling water is
further cooled by cool air from a chilled water coil to further
reduce the temperature of the cooling water. Further, the chilled
water coil, instead of being exposed to an interior insulated
space, is merely open to the atmosphere, causing moisture from the
atmosphere to condense thereon and produce water.
[0009] Other features which are considered as characteristic for
the invention are set forth in the appended claims.
[0010] Although the invention is illustrated and described herein
as embodied in a system and method for producing and/or
desalinating water using an absorption chiller, it is nevertheless
not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various
modifications and structural changes may be made therein without
departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope and
range of equivalents of the claims.
[0011] The construction of the invention, however, together with
additional objects and advantages thereof will be best understood
from the following description of the specific embodiment when read
in connection with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] For a fuller understanding of the nature of the present
invention, reference should be made to the following detailed
description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in
which:
[0013] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an absorption chiller for
air conditioning applications, as known in the prior art;
[0014] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a system for producing
water from atmospheric moisture using an absorption chiller in
accordance with one particular embodiment of the present
invention;
[0015] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a combination
condenser-subcooling device in accordance with one particular
embodiment of the present invention; and
[0016] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a system for producing
water in accordance with another embodiment of the present
invention.
[0017] Like reference tags and/or numerals refer to like parts
throughout the several views of the drawings.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0018] Referring now to FIG. 2, there is shown a system 100 for
producing water from atmospheric moisture using an absorption
chiller, in accordance with one particular embodiment of the
instant invention. The system 100 includes, at its core, an
absorption chiller similar in many respects to the absorption
chiller of FIG. 1. The refrigerant in the absorption chiller of
system 100 may be water, if desired, as in the absorption chiller
of FIG. 1. Similarly, if desired, the absorber could be selected to
be lithium bromide, as was described in connection with the
absorption chiller of FIG. 1. Additionally, the generator,
condenser, absorber and evaporator of the system 100 operate the
same as described in connection with those same parts of the
absorption chiller of FIG. 1 and, as such, the description of those
parts will not be duplicated here.
[0019] However, it can be clearly seen that certain elements of the
system 100 are not present in, nor contemplated by, the absorption
chiller for air conditioning applications described hereinabove in
connection with FIG. 1. For example, as shown more particularly in
FIG. 2, the system 100 includes a heat medium source 110 that
includes multiple hot water sources. In particular, during the day,
hot water can be provided from the hot water heater 110a, which can
be a solar heater. At night, when a solar heater is not useful,
alternate heating sources 110b (such as gas or electric) can be
used. The high temperature coolant of a water-cooled gas generator
can be used, thereby providing electrical power, as well as heat
utilized in the chiller-generator section. Additionally, the heat
sources 110b can also be used during the day, if desired, to
supplement and/or replace the operation of the solar heat source
110a.
[0020] Thus, in the system 100, the heat medium is provided to the
generator section of the absorption chiller 10 from the heat medium
sources 110a and/or 110b.
[0021] The system 100 of the invention has been further modified
such that the cooling tower of FIG. 1 can be eliminated. This
permits the cooling water to be provided in a closed system that
will not lose water to evaporation, as happens in a cooling tower.
More particularly, the system 100 includes an air-cooled water coil
102, which, in one particular embodiment, is placed outside, i.e.,
exposed to the outside ambient air. Water that has absorbed the
latent heat in the condenser section 30 is output from the
condenser section 30 to the air-cooled water coil 102, which
reduces the water temperature to the ambient temperature. For
example, if the ambient temperature to which the air-cooled water
coil is exposed is an ambient outside temperature of 75.degree.,
the cooling water exiting the air-cooled water coil will be
75.degree. or close to 75.degree.. However, if the ambient outside
temperature is warmer than the water leaving the condenser section
30, the portion of the coil 102 exposed to the outside ambient air
can be bypassed using the bypass configuration 103.
[0022] As further shown in FIG. 2, subsequent to exiting the
air-cooled water coil 102 or bypass 103, the cooling water of the
invention is provided to a cooling water coil 120 that has been
placed downstream of (and, most preferably, adjacent to) the air
being forced over the chilled water coil 130 of system 100. As
such, the cooling water coil 120 receives cooled air from the
chilled water coil (which is at about 45.degree. F.) and, thus, the
cooling water is further cooled from the outside ambient
temperature to about 55.degree. F. This use of the cooled air from
the chilled water coil 130 to cool the cooling water coil 120 is
not possible when the absorption chiller 10 is used in an air
conditioning application.
[0023] Additionally, as the chilled water coil 130 of system, 100
is not used in an air conditioning application, but is, instead,
placed in an outdoor environment, atmospheric moisture around the
chilled water coil 130 condenses on the chilled water coil 130 and
is collected as water in a water collection tray 135 located
beneath the chilled water coil 130. If desired, a portion 137 of a
subcooling device can optionally be provided in the water
collection tray 135 to further cool the water within the cooling
water circuit. For example, as shown more particularly in FIG. 2, a
portion 137 of the cooling water line passes through a coil in the
water collection tray before passing into the cooling water coil.
The water from the collection tray 135 can be provided to a water
storage tank or vessel 140 for storage and/or use.
[0024] Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 3, there will be described one
particular embodiment of a subcooling device 150 that can,
optionally, be used in the system 100 of FIG. 2. More particularly,
a subcooling device 150, including an auxiliary refrigeration unit,
can be provided to even further increase the efficiency of the
system 100. Upon startup, proper temperature condensing water is
required. With the absence of a water tower in the embodiment of
FIG. 2, only ambient temperature water is available at startup,
resulting in an absence of chilled water for providing cool air to
the enclosed air cooled, cooling water circuit. Therefore, a
subcooling device 150 is included to provide condensing upon
startup.
[0025] More particularly, as shown in FIG. 3, an auxiliary
refrigeration or subcooling device 150 is provided to subcool the
refrigerant (i.e., water, in the present embodiment). In the
embodiment of FIG. 3, the subcooling device 150 is a combination
condenser/subcooling device configured in two segments. A first
segment 158 of the device 150 is located within the condenser
section of absorption chiller 10', while a second segment 156 is
placed in contact with the liquid (condensed water) refrigerant
that is ready to enter the evaporator section 50 of the chiller
10'. More particularly, a first portion of the evaporator coil 158
is provided in the condenser section of the chiller 10', while
another portion of the evaporator coil 156 exits the condenser and
encircles the line from the condenser to the evaporator 50, above
the valve 34. The subcooling device 150 is a refrigeration device,
and in addition to the evaporator coil 156, 158, additionally
includes a compressor 152 and a condenser 154 in fluid
communication with the valve 160. Hence, by lowering the
temperature of the liquid refrigerant entering the absorber section
80 of the system 100, the temperature of the liquid, when changing
state within the evaporator, will be lowered proportionally.
[0026] Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 4, there will additionally be
described a system for making water in accordance with another
particular embodiment of the invention, in which potable water is
made from salt or sea water. The performance of the system 100 can
be improved by saturating the air surrounding the air-exposed
chilled water coil 130. In one particular embodiment of the
invention, the air surrounding the chilled water coil 130 is
saturated with water evaporated from salt water. The system thus
acts as a desalinator (converting salt water to potable water).
Referring now to FIG. 4, there is shown a desalination device 200
for use in a system including an absorption chiller, such as the
system 100 of FIG. 2. More particularly, a salt water storage tank
210 receives salt water from a salt water source via the supply
line 215. A level control mechanism 217 controls the supply of salt
water to the tank 210 from the supply line 215. In one particular
embodiment, a float level control is used as the level control 217.
Salt water from the storage tank 210 is circulated through an
evaporative medium 220, using a recirculating pump 230.
[0027] The evaporative medium 220 is located proximal to, and/or,
within the air flow in front of (i.e., upstream of) the chilled
water coil 130 of FIG. 2. If desired, the water being circulated by
the pump 230 is warmed slightly by a heating device before entering
the evaporative medium 220. In one particular embodiment of the
invention, the heating device 240 includes a solar water heating
device or panel disposed inline between the tank 210 and the
evaporative medium 220. The salt water evaporates in the
evaporative medium 220 and the salt is retained in or on the
evaporative medium, while a resultant humid air stream is created.
Water not evaporated on the evaporative medium 220 is returned to
the tank 210 by the return 225. Humidity from the humid air stream
thus produced is condensed on the chilled water coil 130 to produce
potable water. The evaporative medium 220 additionally acts as an
air filter for the air being transported across the chilled water
coil 130. Consequently, the device 200 creates a desalinated humid
air stream that is converted by the chilled water coil 130 of the
system 100 of FIG. 2 into potable water.
[0028] Thus, the system 100 uses absorption chiller principles to
produce water from atmospheric moisture surrounding the chiller.
The absorption chiller 10 operates efficiently by cooling water for
the system without using a conventional water cooling tower. More
particularly, water that has absorbed heat in the evaporator and/or
condenser sections is first brought to ambient temperature in an
air-cooled water coil and, subsequently, brought to a lower cooling
water temperature (75.degree. in the preferred embodiment) by
passage through a cooling water coil placed downstream of the air
blowing over the chilled water coil, thereby, cooling it. The
chilled water coil, while not in use for air conditioning
applications, serves both to cool the cooling water coil to provide
cooled water to the system 100 and to condense atmospheric water
thereon. This condensed atmospheric water can be stored and used to
provide water for drinking and other uses.
[0029] The present disclosure is provided to allow practice of the
invention, after the expiration of any patent granted hereon, by
those skilled in the art without undue experimentation, and
includes the best mode presently contemplated and the presently
preferred embodiment. Nothing in this disclosure is to be taken to
limit the scope of the invention, which is susceptible to numerous
alterations, equivalents and substitutions without departing from
the scope and spirit of the invention.
* * * * *