Abstract:
A distillation system and method includes open reservoirs (12,14) and pluralities of hollow fiber membranes (38) and hollow tubes (46) extending through portions of separate open reservoirs. The hollow fiber membranes are configured to allow vapor transmission, and the hollow tubes are configured to substantially prevent vapor transmission but allow transmission of thermal energy. Feed solution is circulated through the open reservoirs. Distillate is separated from the feed solution by the hollow fiber membranes and thermal energy is recouped through the hollow tubes.
Abstract:
A contactor module (12) for separating a distillate from a feed solution includes an outer casing (52) with an interior region (74), a distillate collection chamber (66), and pluralities of hollow fiber membranes (78) and hollow tubes (80) extending through the distillate collection chamber, where the hollow fiber membranes are configured to allow vapor transmission, and the hollow tubes are configured to substantially prevent vapor transmission and further configured to allow transmission of thermal energy.
Abstract:
Ensemble préchargé (100) qui comporte une douille de palier stationnaire (14) dotée d'un espace annulaire (18), un arbre (12) ayant un premier coefficient d'expansion thermique, ledit arbre étant monté de manière à effectuer un mouvement de rotation dans l'espace annulaire de la douille de palier stationnaire, un premier manchon (102) qui se trouve en contact avec le premier arbre sur une première partie (106) d'une surface externe (104) de l'arbre, ledit premier manchon ayant un deuxième coefficient d'expansion thermique, et un second manchon (108) ayant un troisième coefficient d'expansion thermique, une surface externe (22) faisant face à l'espace annulaire de la douille de palier stationnaire et un espace annulaire, une première section axiale (114) de l'espace annulaire du second manchon contenant une seconde partie (112) de la surface extérieure de l'arbre adjacente à la première partie et une seconde section axiale (116) de l'espace annulaire du second manchon se trouvant en contact avec une surface externe (118) du premier manchon.
Abstract:
A membrane distillation system includes a distillation vessel (16), an array of hollow fiber membranes (34) pervious to distillate vapor but impervious to feed solution and an array of hollow tubes (32) impervious to distillate vapor and feed solution but which allow thermal energy transmission. The system further includes a pump, a heat exchanger for heating the feed solution before it enters the hollow fiber membranes, and an outlet (27) for removing distillate from the distillation vessel. A method for removing distillate from a feed solution includes delivering the feed solution through hollow tubes spanning a distillation vessel, heating the feed solution, delivering the feed solution through hollow fiber membranes spanning the distillation vessel to create a vapor pressure differential between the hollow fiber membranes and a distillation volume within the distillation vessel, and removing distillate from the distillation vessel.
Abstract:
A membrane module comprising an outer casing (46) having an interior region (64), a seal (50) disposed within the outer case, thereby dividing the interior region into a first chamber (68) and a second chamber (70), and a plurality of hollow fiber membranes (56) extending through the first chamber and the second chamber, where at least a portion of the plurality of hollow fiber membranes have first segments located within the first chamber and second segments located within the second chamber, the first segments being configured to allow vapor transmission therethrough, and the second segments being configured to substantially prevent vapor transmission therethrough, and further configured to allow transmission of thermal energy therethrough.
Abstract:
A membrane distillation system comprises a membrane module (12) comprising an outer casing having an interior region, a plurality of hollow fiber membranes extending through at least a portion of the interior region, and having exterior surfaces and inner hollow regions, where the inner hollow regions are configured to provide flow paths for a distillate fluid. The system further comprises a feed loop (14) including an opening extending through the outer casing for providing a feed solution to the interior region adjacent the exterior surfaces of the plurality of hollow fiber membranes, where the feed solution provided to the opening has an elevated temperature that is greater than an atmospheric-pressure boiling temperature of the feed solution, and an elevated pressure at which an effective boiling temperature of the feed solution is greater than the elevated temperature.
Abstract:
A treatment system (10) includes a feed source (12), a first treatment unit (16) for separating a feed into a first product and a concentrated feed containing less than about 7% total dissolved solids, and a membrane distillation unit (18) for separating the concentrated feed into a second product and a superconcentrated feed containing at least about 14% total dissolved solids. The membrane distillation unit includes hollow fiber membranes (44) having inner bores for receiving the concentrated feed and membrane walls for allowing vapor transmission of distillate. A method includes delivering feed to a first treatment unit where it is separated into first product and concentrated feed streams; delivering the concentrated feed to internal bores of hollow fiber membranes where it is separated into second product and superconcentrated feed streams as vapor passes across the hollow fiber membranes; delivering the superconcentrated feed to a liquid removal unit; and collecting the first and second product streams.
Abstract:
A distillation system and method includes open reservoirs (12,14) and pluralities of hollow fiber membranes (38) and hollow tubes (46) extending through portions of separate open reservoirs. The hollow fiber membranes are configured to allow vapor transmission, and the hollow tubes are configured to substantially prevent vapor transmission but allow transmission of thermal energy. Feed solution is circulated through the open reservoirs. Distillate is separated from the feed solution by the hollow fiber membranes and thermal energy is recouped through the hollow tubes.
Abstract:
A preloaded assembly (100) in accordance with the invention includes a stationary bushing (14) having an annulus (18); a shaft (12) having a first thermal coefficient of expansion with the shaft being mounted for rotation in the annulus of the stationary bushing; a first sleeve (102) which contacts the first shaft along a first portion (106) of an outside surface (104) of the shaft with the first sleeve having a second thermal coefficient of expansion; and a second sleeve (108) having a third thermal coefficient of expansion, an outer surface (22) facing the annulus of the stationary bushing and an annulus with a first axial section (114) of the annulus of the second sleeve containing a second portion (112) of the outside surface of the shaft adjacent the first portion and a second axial section (116) of the annulus of the second sleeve contacting an outside surface (118) of the first sleeve.
Abstract:
An optical system for a multidetector array spectrophotometer includes multiple light sources (10,12) for emitting light of selected wavelength ranges and means for selectively transmitting the selected wavelength ranges of light to respective slits (40,42) of a multi-slit spectrograph for multiple wavelength range detection. The spectrograph has two or more slits (40,42) which direct the selected wavelength ranges of the light spectra to fall upon a dispersive and focusing system which collects light from each slit, disperses the light by wavelength and refocuses the light at the positions of a single set of detectors (46).