Patent ID: 7811420
Filing Date: 2010-10-12
Classification: C02F,Y02A,Y10S

Abstract:
1. A method of water degassing and desalination comprising the steps of: providing at least two degassing chambers each having a valved vent and a valved inlet, further providing a valved pipe circuit connecting said chambers to an incoming salt water supply, to a degassed salt water supply reservoir and to each other; said valved pipe circuit further having a pump, said pump and valved pipe circuit being arranged for transferring salt water from either of said chambers to the other and allowing degassed salt water to be transferred out of said circuit to said degassed salt water supply reservoir, introducing salt water into each of said chambers with a volume of gas above the water; isolating one of said chambers from the atmosphere; transferring water from said one chamber to the other so as to reduce the pressure in said one chamber while inducing the release of dissolved gas therefrom and expelling gas above the water in said other chamber out of said other chamber; isolating said other chamber from the atmosphere; reversing the direction of water transfer so as to induce the release of dissolved gas from the water in said other chamber and expelling gas above the water in said one chamber; and transferring substantially degassed salt water to said reservoir; and thereafter desalinating the degassed salt water by transferring water vapor in a vaporization zone, via a water vapor transfer zone, to a condensation zone, and condensing said water vapor into fresh water in said condensation zone; and maintaining said water vapor transfer zone substantially free of any gas other than water vapor, while supplying heat to said vaporization zone and extracting heat from said condensation zone, at relative rates such that there is a net transfer of water from said vaporization zone to said condensation zone wherein the saltwater inflow provided to the vaporization zone, after water vapor transfer has started, is sufficiently degassed so as to maintain the partial pressure of gasses in the water vapor transfer zone at no more than 20% of the water vapor pressure at the operating temperature of the system.