Patent ID: 8647477
Filing Date: 2014-02-11
Classification: B01D,C02F,Y02A,Y02B,Y02W

Abstract:
1. A method for separating water from a liquid composition including water, the method comprising: directing a flow of a carrier gas through at least one evaporator, wherein the evaporator is operated at an evaporator pressure; directly contacting the carrier gas flow with the liquid composition in the evaporator to humidify the carrier gas with water evaporated from the liquid composition, producing a humidified gas flow; compressing the humidified gas flow by injecting a fluid from a source other than the evaporator at an elevated pressure at least five times greater than the evaporator pressure, the fluid comprising a vapor selected from at least one of the group consisting of steam and an organic compound, wherein the fluid is at a temperature at least as high as a saturation temperature of the vapor at the elevated pressure of the fluid; directing the compressed and humidified gas flow through at least one condenser; dehumidifying the compressed humidified gas flow in the condenser to condense water from the compressed humidified gas flow; recirculating the dehumidified gas flow from the condenser back through the evaporator, where the dehumidified gas is reused as the carrier gas; and collecting the water that is condensed in the condenser.