Patent ID: 6375803
Filing Date: 2002-04-23
Classification: B01D,C02F,Y02A,Y02P,Y10S

Abstract:
A method of removing liquid and solid contaminants from a fluid feed stream containing said contaminants, comprising the steps of:contacting a feed stream containing water with a nonaqueous liquid with a heat capacity and boiling point greater than said water directly in a heated separator; heating said feed stream and said liquid in said heated separator to generate a vapor fraction substantially devoid of contaminants and a concentrate contaminant fraction containing solid nonevaporated contaminants; precipitating said solid nonevaporated contaminants in said nonaqueous liquid prior to contact with a heat exchanger; contacting said vapor fraction with said heat exchanger to form a distillate; compressing said vapor fraction to generate a temperature differential in a reboiler exchanger; passing said vapor fraction into contact with said reboiler exchanger to produce a distillate from said reboiler; circulating at least a portion of said concentrate contaminant fraction through said reboiler exchanger and said heated separator; maintaining a ratio of circulating mass to vapor mass of between 300 and 2 to maintain wetted surfaces or heated surfaces of said heated separator and said reboiler for reducing scale formation and fouling; and collecting said distillate substantially devoid of contaminants.