Patent ID: 8021542
Filing Date: 2011-09-20
Classification: B01D,C02F

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for recovering potable water from engine exhaust of an internal combustion engine comprising: (a) a desiccant gas dryer having a contactor to receive said engine exhaust from said internal combustion engine, wherein said engine exhaust enters said contactor at a gas inlet port thereof and exits said contactor at a gas outlet port thereof; (b) a plurality of spray nozzles aligned with the gas outlet port of said contactor, said plurality of spray nozzles spraying a lithium chloride solution into an interior portion of said contactor, said contactor facilitating a transfer of water vapor from said engine exhaust passing through said contactor to said lithium chloride solution wherein said lithium chloride solution contains lithium chloride and said water vapor transferred from said engine exhaust; (c) a sump aligned with the gas inlet port of said contactor to receive said lithium chloride solution containing said water vapor from said contactor; (d) a conductivity sensor located within said sump, said conductivity sensor measuring a concentration of the lithium chloride within said sump, wherein the concentration of the lithium chloride within said sump measured by said conductivity sensor is normally at a first concentration level of approximately two percent; (e) a first pump having an inlet port connected to said sump and a discharge port; (f) a filter connected to the discharge port of said first pump to receive said lithium chloride solution from said sump when the lithium chloride within said sump is at said first concentration level, said filter removing contaminants from said lithium chloride solution; (g) a reverse osmosis unit connected to said filter to receive said desiccant from said filter and remove said water vapor from said lithium chloride solution, said water vapor exiting said reverse osmosis unit as drinking water; and (h) said reverse osmosis unit being connected to said plurality of nozzles to transfer said lithium chloride solution exiting said reverse osmosis unit to said spray nozzles which then spray the lithium chloride solution into the interior of said contactor, wherein the concentration of the lithium chloride contained within the lithium chloride solution exiting said reverse osmosis unit is normally at a second concentration level of approximately four percent; (i) a normally closed bypass valve having an inlet port connected to the discharge port of said first pump and an outlet port connected to said spray nozzles which opens when a concentration level of the lithium chloride in said sump is above said first concentration level allowing said lithium chloride solution to bypass said reverse osmosis unit and flow directly to said spray nozzles; (j) a second pump having an inlet port connected to said filter and a discharge port connected to a reverse osmosis membrane within said reverse osmosis unit, said second pump being activated when the concentration of the lithium chloride within said sump is measured at said first concentration level, wherein activating said second pump transfers said lithium chloride solution from said sump through said filter to the reverse osmosis membrane within said reverse osmosis unit; (k) a computer for opening said normally closed bypass valve and activating said second pump in response to measurements by said conductivity sensor of the concentration level of said lithium chloride within said sump.