Energy-Efficient Conductive-Gap Membrane Distillation

摘要

Apparatus for energy-efficient conductive-gap membrane distillation includes a feed-liquid source and a distillation module. The distillation module includes a feed-liquid chamber in fluid communication with the feed-liquid source. The feed-liquid chamber includes a selectively porous material that allows a component of the feed liquid to pass through the selectively porous material and exit the feed-liquid chamber in vapor form but not in liquid form. The distillation module also includes a conductive-gap chamber adjacent to the selectively porous material on an opposite side of the selectively porous material from the feed-liquid chamber; a heat-transfer surface maintained at a lower temperature than the feed liquid in the feed-liquid chamber, wherein the heat-transfer surface is in thermal contact with the conductive-gap chamber; and a thermally conductive material extending across the conductive-gap chamber.

主权项

1. An apparatus for energy-efficient conductive-gap distillation comprising:
a feed-liquid source including a feed liquid; a distillation module comprising: a) a feed-liquid chamber containing feed liquid in fluid communication with the feed-liquid source to establish a flow of the feed liquid through the feed-liquid chamber, wherein the feed-liquid chamber includes a selectively porous material that allows a component of the feed liquid to pass through the selectively porous material and exit the feed-liquid chamber in vapor form but not in liquid form; b) a conductive-gap chamber adjacent to the selectively porous material on an opposite side of the selectively porous material from feed-liquid chamber; c) a heat-transfer surface maintained at a lower temperature than the feed liquid in the feed-liquid chamber, wherein the heat-transfer surface is in thermal contact with the conductive-gap chamber; and d) a thermally conductive material extending across the conductive-gap chamber.