Abstract:
The heat exchangerless membrane system optimizes heat transfer between a set of two immiscible fluids such that the second of the two immiscible fluids having an additive, notably an additive that makes the second fluid corrosive, is infrequently in contact any heat exchangers that would make the heat exchanger subject to corrosion. This membrane system is capable of separating the two immiscible fluids downstream of the heat transfer process, such that heat transfer can repeat the cycle again in an energy efficient manner.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention generally relates to heat transfer between two fluids such that a first fluid is immiscible with a second fluid that contains adverse fluid additives (either naturally occurring or specifically added, which are undesirable such as salts or other impurities) that are corrosive or long-term incompatible with heat exchanger materials as known in the art. The range of applications include desalination, absorption chiller, liquid desiccant dehumidification, chemical concentration (i.e., making a strong-solution from an otherwise weak/dilute solution), dehydration, and power generation. The utilization of brackish, seawater, or otherwise salty water is typical in such applications that require heat transfer (i.e., addition or removal of thermal energy) typically done through heat exchangers. The long-term exposure of heat exchangers to such additives, which are typically made of metals to enhance heat transfer, require either more expensive metals (e.g., titanium, stainless steel, etc.) or selection of materials with a significantly inferior thermal conductivity in order to reduce susceptibility to corrosion. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention addresses heat transfer predominantly for the purpose of vaporizing a constituent of a working fluid. Historically, heat transfer is done through heat exchangers comprised of substrate materials to resist corrosion, scaling, or fouling due to the working fluid by “adverse additives” within the working fluid such as salts, acids, or bases. This traditional method utilizes traditional heat exchangers to promote such heat transfer. In the past, the utilization of an immiscible fluid void of adverse additives plus the working fluid was not taken into consideration for heat transfer as a method of eliminating (or reducing) the exposure of a heat exchanger to the additives in which long-term performance would be severely challenged. 
     One such prior art is US 2011/0056655, being a dual-fluid heat exchanger, with the purpose of removing heat from a surface that contacts only a first fluid. The first and second fluids are immiscible, but are utilized solely for the purpose of increasing effective heat capacity and efficiency. 
     Another prior art is U.S. Pat. No. 4,512,332, being a solar pond where two immiscible fluids are used such that the objective is for the lower density fluid to contain the higher density fluid and ultimately to increase the overall solar conversion efficiency. The two fluids are selected with system design to minimize the interaction of the two fluids within the active area of heat transfer. 
     Yet another prior art is U.S. Pat. No. 4,063,419 that is another solar pond configuration. The use of a film or membrane is solely for the purpose of inhibiting one of the immiscible fluids from evaporation within the solar pond. The separation of the two immiscible fluids requires the use of a settler. A more fundamental difference is that evaporation of one of the fluids, by flash drum evaporation, takes place after the two immiscible fluids are phase separated. 
     Another prior art is U.S. Pat. No. 4,370,860, being a device to use brine for generating power. An immiscible fluid is vaporized through the brine (i.e., a corrosive fluid), and separation takes place by evaporation and “lifting”. The operating fluid, which is the vaporized fluid, has a latent heat flux much larger than the latent heat flux of the working fluid. 
     Another prior art, U.S. Pat. No. 6,119,458, is another heat exchanger method that utilizes two immiscible fluids to enhance heat transfer, but dependent on a free floating media bed to achieve “intimate” mixing. &#39;458 is void of any surfactants by design as it requires separation of the two immiscible fluids subsequent to the heat transfer within the active area. &#39;458 does not speak to any subsequent method of separating the two immiscible fluids, thus is further absent of any hydrophobic, super-hydrophobic, and/or superomniphobic membranes. Reference to prior art addresses the requirement of demisting equipment as a method of reducing fluid carryover when a first immiscible fluid vaporizes and thus separates from a second fluid. The two fluids are specifically selected to have differing densities for relative motion to each other. 
     Another prior art is U.S. Pat. No. 4,167,099, being another countercurrent heat exchange system. This use of two immiscible fluids has one fluid vaporize and thus separate from the other fluid all within a settler where the hot fluid rises. In this instance, the two fluids are intimately mixed and passed into a settler wherein the brine settles to the bottom of the settler and the hot working fluid rises to the top. 
     In none of the prior art methods is there any mention of specific heat capacity—relative ratios between the two fluids such that a first immiscible fluid has a temperature greater than a second immiscible fluid. The heat transfer between the two fluids with their corresponding specific heat capacity is such that the second immiscible fluid vaporizes as a result of heat transfer between the two fluids. 
     In none of the prior art methods is there any mention of heat of salt dissolution. Most salt solutions, notably seawater, have an endothermic heat of dissolution. The ability to recover thermal energy sufficient to provide the heat of salt dissolution requires thermal recovery from the vapor-side of the membrane to a non-phase change fluid and preferably into a second fluid such that reasonably close matching thermal flows are required between the two immiscible fluids. 
     None of the prior art methods have a higher membrane back-pressure above 0.5 atmospheres, where such a greater mass flow would be achieved on the vapor-side (as compared to the much lower density of a partial vacuum) of the membrane, which would require the inclusion of a superhydrophobic membrane. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention preferred embodiment relates to direct heat transfer between two immiscible fluids, such that a second working fluid having adverse additives that tend to corrode, foul, and/or scale substrates/surfaces within heat exchangers achieve their heat transfer solely or predominantly from the first immiscible fluid. 
     Another embodiment of the invention is the separation of the two immiscible fluids from each other through the use of omniphobic or hydrophilic and oleophobic membranes under gravity separation conditions (i.e., minimal pressure differentials across the membrane) following heat transfer into/from the second working fluid. 
     Yet another embodiment of the invention is the displacement/removal of adverse additive that precipitates out of the second working fluid, which is accomplished by the first working fluid (and any subsequent filtration process) to isolate the adverse additives prior to the first working fluid having (or at least minimizing) exposure to a heat exchanger. 
     Another embodiment of the invention is to more closely match, within less than twenty five percent of the first working fluid, specific heat capacity between the first working fluid and the second working fluid in its vapor state, so as to maximize the recovery of thermal energy from the vapor back into pre-heating the first working fluid. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a diagram depicting a heat exchangerless system in a co-current heat transfer configuration with one of the working fluids changing phase to a vapor. 
         FIG. 2  is a diagram depicting a heat exchangerless system in a counter-current heat transfer configuration with one of the working fluids changing phase to a vapor. 
         FIG. 3 a    is a diagram depicting a heat exchangerless system in a counter-current heat transfer configurations (cooling) with neither one of the working fluids changing phase. 
         FIG. 3 b    is a diagram depicting a heat exchangerless system in a counter-current heat transfer configurations (cooling) with neither one of the working fluids changing phase. 
         FIG. 4  is a diagram depicting a heat exchangerless system in a co-current heat transfer configurations (heating) with neither one of the working fluids changing phase. 
         FIG. 5  is a diagram depicting a heat exchangerless system in a counter-current heat transfer configurations (heating) with neither one of the working fluids changing phase. 
         FIG. 6  is a diagram depicting a heat exchangerless system within the absorber section of an absorption/adsorption thermodynamic cycle. 
         FIG. 7  is a diagram depicting a heat exchangerless system within the generator section of an absorption/adsorption thermodynamic cycle. 
         FIG. 8  is a diagram depicting a heat exchangerless system within a desalination application without energy recovery. 
         FIG. 9  is a diagram depicting a heat exchangerless system within a desalination application with energy recovery. 
         FIG. 10  is a diagram depicting a heat exchangerless system with one exemplary configuration of the membranes. 
         FIG. 11  is a diagram depicting a heat exchangerless system with another exemplary configuration of the membranes. 
         FIG. 12  is a diagram depicting a heat exchangerless system for desalination with integral heat pump energy recovery and another exemplary configuration of the membranes. 
         FIG. 13  is a diagram depicting a heat exchangerless system with integral steam recompression and another exemplary configuration of the membranes. 
         FIG. 14  is a diagram depicting a heat exchangerless system for desalination with integral heat pump energy recovery and steam vapor recompression with a second exemplary configuration of the membranes. 
         FIG. 15  is a diagram depicting a heat exchangerless system for desalination with integral absorption/adsorption heat pump and an exemplary configuration of the membranes. 
         FIG. 16  is a diagram depicting a heat exchangerless system for desalination with integral heat pump having both a heating and cooling circuit, and an exemplary configuration of the membranes. 
         FIG. 17  is a diagram depicting porous hydrophilic surface. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The term “heat exchangerless heat transfer,” as used herein, includes any heat transfer configuration such that adding or removing thermal energy takes place first within a first fluid (that can be via a heat exchanger) that is immiscible with a second fluid that has adverse additives, and such that the first fluid transfers thermal energy into/out of the second fluid such that the adverse additives do not come into contact with the heat exchanger utilized for initial heat transfer into/out of the first fluid. 
     The term “traditional heat exchanger” includes heat transferring devices as known in the art, including but not exclusively serpentine coils, microchannel coils, plate and frame, or shell and tube, wherein both fluids come into contact with the heat exchanger material. 
     The term “phase-change,” as used herein, includes any type of transformation from a liquid to a vapor, whether the vapor is saturated (i.e., wet), superheated (i.e., dry), or supercritical (i.e., a gas). 
     The term “co-current,” used interchangeably with the term “co-flow,” is a process by which two fluids mix or transfer heat while traveling in the same direction within a heat exchanger or mixing tank, as known in the art. The term “tank” is interchangeably used as mixing vessel, mixing system, etc. but in general a vessel (or a system) in which the first fluid mixes with the second fluid for the purpose of heat transfer directly between the first fluid and second fluid (which most often includes additives such as salt, acids/bases, etc. Any actual heat exchanger is capable/operable to transfer thermal energy into or out of the first fluid upstream of a heat exchangerless tank by direct contact of the immiscible fluids (e.g., first fluid and second fluid) 
     The term “counter-current,” used interchangeably with the term “counter-flow,” is a process by which two fluids mix or transfer heat while traveling in the opposite directions within a heat exchanger or mixing tank, as known in the art. 
     The term “superhydrophobic,” as used herein, includes surfaces that display contact angles θ greater than 150°, along with a low contact angle hysteresis (the difference between the advancing and the receding contact angles) for water. Water droplets can easily roll-off from and bounce on such surfaces. Known superhydrophobic surfaces are textured (or rough), as the maximum water contact angle θ measured to date on a smooth surface is believed to be only about 130°. Superhydrophobic surfaces are pervasive in nature with various plant leaves, legs of the water strider, gecko&#39;s feet, troughs on the elytra of desert beetles, and insect wings displaying extreme water-repellency. Some synthetic or artificial engineered superhydrophobic surfaces have also been developed. These superhydrophobic surfaces tend to be quite difficult to reliably create, require complex processing and customized materials, and therefore have been quite expensive. 
     The term “superoleophobic,” as used herein, includes surfaces that repel low surface tension liquids such as different oils. Furthermore, most superoleophobic surfaces are also superhydrophobic, because surfaces that can repel low surface tension liquids (such as oils and alcohols) can much more easily repel water, which possesses a higher surface tension. However, there are a few superoleophobic surfaces that are wetted by polar liquids such as water and alcohols, such as many of the membranes considered here. In view of such counter-intuitive surfaces, surfaces that can display both superhydrophobicity and superoleophobicity are called “omniphobic” surfaces. Similarly, an ability to create surfaces that exhibit other extreme wetting abilities, such as surfaces that are both superhydrophilic (e.g., displaying contact angles θ of less than 5° for water) and superoleophobic or superhydrophobic and superoleophilic (e.g., displaying contact angles θ of less than 5° for oil) would also be highly desirable. There remains a need for improved, streamlined, cost-effective processes for forming surfaces having such extreme wetting abilities that can be used in a vast array of different technological fields and applications. 
     The term “emulsifier,” used interchangeably with the term “surfactant,” is a compound that stabilizes an emulsion of two immiscible fluids, such as oil and water. Other exemplary immiscible fluids include glycerol and water, and ethyleneglycol and water. 
     The term “hydrophilic” describes a molecule or compound that is attracted to, and tends to be dissolved by, water. A hydrophilic surface on the other hand refers to surfaces that display contact angles with water θ&lt;90°. 
     The term “lipophilic” describes the ability of a chemical compound to dissolve in fats, oils, lipids, non-polar solvents, etc. 
     The term “hydrophilic-lipophilic balance,” abbreviated as “HLB,” of a surfactant is a measure of the degree to which it is hydrophilic or lipophilic. Emulsifiers are classified on a HLB scale from 0 to 20. An HLB of zero, which won&#39;t be used, is oil loving (i.e., hydrophobic). Furthermore, it is preferred that an oil in water emulsion is created which, as known in the art, is better suited to an emulsifier with a medium to high HLB (e.g., HLB from 8-12). Emulsifiers with HLB values &lt;10 are lipophilic molecules that are more inclined to solubilize in the oil phase and thus tend to form water-oil emulsions. Emulsifiers with HLB values &gt;10 are hydrophilic emulsifiers; they exhibit a higher water solubility and tend to form oil-water emulsions or are used as solubilizers. 
     The term “adverse fluid additives” or abbreviated as “adverse additives” are either naturally occurring or specifically added impurities that are undesirable such as salts, sulfur, water or other impurities in the bulk fluid. 
     Therefore, in this embodiment, our preferred emulsifier will be more soluble in the water phase and thus is more likely to leave the membrane separator  60  with the fluid  32  (water, second fluid). Replenishing emulsifier, though shown downstream of membrane separator  60  with the fluid  31  (oil, first fluid) can also be with the fluid  32  (water). In any event, addition of the emulsifier is preferred to always be upstream of the process intensification  40  device(s). The first fluid has an evaporation temperature (though rarely ever reached as the evaporation temperature is preferred to be significantly above the evaporation temperature of the second fluid. The evaporation temperature of the second fluid is at least 2 degrees Celsius lower than the first fluid&#39;s evaporation temperature, preferably at least 10 degrees Celsius, and specifically preferred at least 20 degrees Celsius differential in evaporation temperature between the first and second fluids. 
     The term “process intensification reactor” is defined as t le miniaturization of chambers in which chemical reactions take place. The utilization of micromixing, particularly with supercritical fluids, achieves high mass transfer and fast reaction times. Supercritical fluids include gases such as carbon dioxide, methane, methanol, ammonia, ethanol, butanol, and hydrogen, The supercritical fluids can be prepared into emulsions, which preferably are nanoemulsions as a means of increasing surface area significantly. Devices include hydrodynamic cavitation devices, rnicrochannei reactors, spinning disk, spinning tube in tube, oscillating flow reactors, and reactive distillation reactors. 
     The term “superomniphobic,” as used herein, refers to super-repellant surfaces that display low contact angle hysteresis promoting easy roll off or bouncing of the contacting liquid droplets (Patent Literature (PL) 1 and 2). To create surfaces exhibiting superomniphobic properties, the surfaces have to display super-repellent features in terms of superhydrophobicity (contact angles &gt;150°, contact angle hysteresis &lt;5° with water) and superoleophobicity (contact angles &gt;150°, contact angle hysteresis &lt;5° with low surface tension, usually γ LV &lt;30 Nm/m 2 , with liquids such as oils and alcohols). Surfaces that exhibit contact angles greater than 150° and low contact angle hysteresis for liquids with high or low surface tension energy are said to display extreme repellency. Such super-repellent surfaces fabricated by means of chemical or physical processes are one of the most sought after materials for various automotive, aviation, materials science, biomedical, electronics, corrosion, petrochemical, and other civilian and military applications. Of late, applications have been extended to self-cleaning, non-fouling, spill-resistant fabrics and protective wears, economic consumption of energy through drag reduction and facile heat treatment, fending volcanic dusts and harsh and chemicals. Superomniphobic surfaces are those that display both superhydrophobicity and superoleophobicity (PL 1, NPL 1). The two most common parameters used to measure the extent of liquid repellency are the contact angle and the contact angle hysteresis, which is the difference between advancing and receding contact angles. A surface is considered super-repellent when it exhibits very high contact angles that are greater than 150° and very low contact angle hysteresis that are usually smaller than 5°. 
     Superomniphobic surfaces display high contact angles that are greater than 150° and a very low contact angle hysteresis that is usually smaller than 5° for virtually all liquids, including low surface tension liquids (PL 1). Surfaces with hierarchical scales of texture (i.e., more than one length scale of texture) display higher contact angles and lower contact angle hysteresis with a contacting liquid by entrapping air at multiple length scales, thereby reducing the solid-liquid contact area. 
     Surfaces that display a contact angle of greater than or equal to about 90°, optionally greater than or equal to about 95°, optionally greater than or equal to about 100°, optionally greater than or equal to about 105°, optionally greater than or equal to about 110°, optionally greater than or equal to about 115°, optionally greater than or equal to about 120°, optionally greater than or equal to 125°, optionally greater than or equal to about 130°, optionally greater than or equal to about 135°, optionally greater than or equal to about 130°, optionally greater than or equal to about 140°, and in certain aspects, optionally greater than or equal to about 145° with water or other polar liquids, and oils are considered to be “hydrophobic” and “oleophobic”, respectively. 
     Practical applications of hydrophobic, oleophobic, superhydrophobic, and superoleophobic surfaces are diverse, and range from stain-free clothing, spill-resistant protective wear, drag reduction, corrosion resistant coating, and chemical repellent characteristics that possess excellent mechanical, chemical and radiation durability (PL 2). These surfaces display high contact angles and low contact angle hysteresis, induced by surface roughness, hierarchical designs, and re-entrant texture of the surface, for almost all liquids, including low surface tension liquids. The basic parameter for wetting of a liquid on a smooth (non-textured) surface is the equilibrium contact angle θ, postulated from the Young&#39;s relation cos θ=γ SV -γ SL /γ LV , wherein γ is the interfacial tension and S, L and V are the solid, liquid and vapor phases, respectively (PL 1, NPL 1). For interaction of a liquid droplet with a textured (including hierarchical designs) substrate, one of two configurations to minimize the droplets overall free energy can be adopted—the Wenzel sate and the Cassie-Baxter state. The Wenzel state is energetically favorable, while the Cassie-Baxter state can only be metastable, for low surface tension liquids. The rational design of superomniphobic surfaces requires making the metastable Cassie-Baxter state as robust as possible. 
     Turning to  FIG. 17 ,  FIG. 17  depicts the preferred membrane which is a porous membrane having a porous substrate that has a surface coating making it both superhydrophilic, having a first apparent advancing dynamic contact angle of less than or equal to about 5° for second fluid and oleophobic having a second apparent advancing dynamic contact angle of greater than or equal to about 90° for a preselected first fluid. The porous membrane separates the first fluid from the second fluid downstream of the heat exchangerless tank. The first fluid is at least partially immiscible with the second fluid. The addition of an emulsifier creates an emulsion of first fluid and second fluid (thus eliminating the utilization of a media bed, which is known in the art to increase surface area of each fluid with relationship to each other) to increase the heat transfer rate by a minimum of 10%, preferably above 20%, and specifically preferred greater than 30% beyond the heat transfer rate without the surface area increase attainable by the emulsifier. The membrane must avoid fouling by the first fluid by less than 5%, preferably less than 50%, and specifically preferred less than 90%. Eliminating a mixer-settler system downstream of the heat exchangerless tank enables faster throughput time while still separating the first fluid from the second fluid (which are immiscible with each other). 
     Here, as well as elsewhere in the specification and claims, individual numerical values and/or individual range limits can be combined to form non-disclosed ranges. 
     Exemplary embodiments of the present invention will now be discussed with reference to the attached Figures. Such embodiments are merely exemplary in nature. With regard to  FIGS. 1 through 16 , like reference numerals refer to like parts. 
     Turning to  FIG. 1 ,  FIG. 1  is a diagram depicting a heat exchangerless system in a co-current heat transfer configuration with one of the working fluids changing phase to a vapor. Fluid  32  is the second fluid that contains adverse additives, such as brackish or salty water, as described in previous sections. Fluid  31  is the first fluid which is non-corrosive and is immiscible with fluid  32 , such as oil as described in previous sections. Following the hydrophilic and oleophobic membrane separator  60  (which is shown in detail in  FIG. 11  and using technology described above), fluid  31  is mixed with an emulsifier  35  to become fluid  31 . 2 , then preheated by heat source  20  in heat exchanger  70 . 1 . The purpose of the heat exchanger is to transfer thermal energy into or out of the first fluid  31  upstream of a heat exchangerless tank, the heat exchangerless tank is operable for heat transfer by direct contact of the first fluid  31  and the second fluid  32 ; whereby the porous membrane is operable to separate the first fluid from the second fluid downstream of the heat exchangerless tank; and wherein the first fluid is at least partially immiscible with the second fluid. Because of the properties of the emulsifier  35  as previously described, fluid  31 . 2  and  32  can now mix together as fluid  36 . 1  in a process intensification  40  (as known in the art to increase heat transfer between the immiscible fluids), which completely mixes the fluids as described previously. The heat from preheated fluid  31 . 2  vaporizes fluid  32  into vapor  33  in the form of pure steam. The tank with integral membrane vapor separator  60 , shown in detail in  FIG. 10 , separates the incoming mixture  36 . 1  into vapor  33  and fluid  36 . 2 , which is fluid  31 . 2  plus any additional non-vaporized fluid  32 . Vapor  33  can be used in any applicable process A 33 . Fluid  36 . 2  returns to the membrane separator  60  to separate any fluid  31  and remaining fluid  32 . 
     Turning to  FIG. 2 ,  FIG. 2  is identical to  FIG. 1  except fluid  32  mixes completely with preheated fluid  31 . 2  in the tank  60  in a counter-flow manner before vaporizing into vapor  33 . 
     Turning to  FIG. 3 a   ,  FIG. 3 a    is identical to  FIG. 2 , except neither fluid experiences a phase change, thus eliminating the need for a tank with vapor separator. In addition, fluid  31 . 2  is precooled in heat exchanger  70 . 2  by heat sink  10 , which then removes heat from fluid  32  within the membrane separator  60 . Fluid  32 . 2  (i.e., precooled fluid  32 ) can then be used in any applicable process A 2 . 
     Turning to  FIG. 3 b   ,  FIG. 3 b    is identical to  FIG. 1 , except neither fluid experiences a phase change, thus eliminating the need for a tank with vapor separator. Similar to  FIG. 3 a   , fluid  31 . 2  is precooled in heat exchanger  70 . 2  by heat sink  10  prior to process intensification  40 . The membrane separator  60  separates fluid  32 . 2 , which is fluid  32  that has now been cooled by mixing with fluid  31 . 2 , and fluid  31 , which has absorbed the heat from fluid  32 . The precooled fluid  32 . 2  can then be used in any applicable process A 2 . 
     Turning to  FIG. 4 ,  FIG. 4  is identical to  FIG. 3 b    except that fluid  31 . 2  is preheated in heat exchanger  70 . 2  by heat source  20 , thus heating fluid  32  into fluid  32 . 1  (no phase change) after mixing in process intensification  40 , which can then be used in any applicable process A 1 . 
     Turning to  FIG. 5 ,  FIG. 5  is identical to  FIG. 3 a   , except that fluid  31 . 2  is preheated in heat exchanger  70 . 2  by heat source  20 , thus heating fluid  32  into fluid  32 . 1  in process intensification  40 , which can then be used in any applicable process A 1 . 
     Turning to  FIG. 6 ,  FIG. 6  is prior art depicting a traditional absorption refrigeration cycle. This process could also apply to a similarly constructed adsorption cycle as well, as known in the art. The refrigerant, fluid  39  (in this embodiment, ammonia is the preferred refrigerant), rejects heat to the heat sink  10  in heat exchanger  70 . 2 -A, is throttled in the expansion valve  160 -B and absorbs heat from heat source  20  in heat exchanger  70 . 1 -A before going into the absorber  100 . The fluid  39  is absorbed by the absorbent  120  (i.e., the weak solution, in this embodiment a salt solution as known in the art such as LiBr) and is combined to form the strong solution  125 , which is pumped by pump  130  and preheated in the internal heat exchanger  70 . The absorber  100  is concurrently cooled by the heat sink  10  in the heat exchanger  70 . 2 -B. The strong solution  125  is heated from the heat exchanger  70 . 1 -B by heat source  20  in the generator  140 , which boils out fluid  39 . The remaining weak solution  120  preheats the incoming strong solution  125  in the heat exchanger  70  before being throttled by the expansion valve  160 -A and returning to the absorber  100 . 
     Turning to  FIG. 7 ,  FIG. 7  depicts an absorption cycle utilizing the hydrophilic and oleophobic membrane separators  60  and heat exchangerless systems  110 . This process could also apply to a similarly constructed adsorption cycle as well, as known in the art. In the schematic, the heat exchangerless systems  110 -A and B are delineated by the dotted squares encompassing the membrane separator  60  and either the absorber  100  or generator  140 . The weak solution  120 , which, in this embodiment is comprised of a salt mixed with an amount of ammonia or other refrigerant as known in the art, is mixed with liquid  143 , which would be any applicable refrigerant (in this embodiment ammonia is preferred) and mixed with precooled fluid  31 -A in a process intensification  40  for intimate mixing and heat transfer within the fluids. The three fluids, combined into fluid  36 . 5 , enter the absorber  100  and into the membrane separator  60 -A, where fluid  31 -A is removed from the fluid mixture. Within the process intensification  40  and absorber  100 , the heat from the mixture of liquid  143  and weak solution  120  is removed by fluid  31 -A, which is then re-cooled by heat sink  10  in heat exchanger  70 . 2 -A. The heat exchanger  70 . 2 -A and heat sink  10  could be part of the cooling cycle in a vapor compression heat pump as known in the art. The strong solution  125 , made of a mixture of the weak solution  120  and liquid  143 , is pumped via pump  130  from the membrane separator  60 -A to the generator  140 , where it intimately mixes with preheated fluid  31 -B. The heat from fluid  31 -B vaporizes some of the strong solution into vapor  142  (i.e., high pressure high temperature ammonia). The mixture is separated in the membrane separator  60 -B into vapor  142 , fluid  31 -B, and the remaining weak solution  120 . Fluid  31 -B is reheated in heat exchanger  70 . 1 -A by heat source  20  before returning to the generator  140 . Vapor  142  goes through a partial modified refrigeration cycle and rejects heat to heat sink  10  in heat exchanger  70 . 2 -B, is throttled through expansion valve  160 , and then absorbs heat from heat source  20  in heat exchanger  70 . 1 -B before returning to the process intensification  40 . After the membrane separator  60 -B, the weak solution  120  returns directly to the process intensification  40 . There is optional heat recovery (not shown) between the weak solution  120  exiting the membrane separator  60 -B and the strong solution  125  exiting membrane separator  60 -A to increase the overall system efficiency. 
     The vapor compression heat pump (refrigerant) or a second fluid vapor recompression provide for heat of compression (or otherwise known as temperature lift). The preferred configuration is where the refrigerant vapor compression heat pump transfers thermal energy into the first fluid void of any phase change. A primary objective of the inventive heat exchangerless membrane system is such that the second fluid, which has at least one additive that makes the second fluid corrosive or acidic/alkaline that would be adverse on a physical heat exchanger. Therefore the inventive system has direct heat transfer into the second fluid preferably only from the first fluid. It is particularly desirable, when the additive is a salt, such that the evaporation of the second fluid takes place by the heat transfer of first fluid. It is optional to have a heat exchanger upstream of this process to preheat the second fluid just lower than the second fluid&#39;s evaporation temperature. The preheat point is preferred at least 2 degrees Celsius lower than the first fluid&#39;s evaporation temperature and at least 2 degrees Celsius lower than the second fluid&#39;s evaporation temperature. Particularly preferred is that the preheat temperature is at least 1 degrees Celsius lower than the second fluid&#39;s evaporation temperature and specifically preferred at least 0.1 degrees lower than the second fluid&#39;s evaporation temperature. It is known in the art that the evaporation temperature is a function of the corresponding evaporation pressure. Lowering the evaporation temperature is done by lowering the corresponding evaporation pressure including a pressure below  1  atmosphere (i.e., partial vacuum) to lower evaporation temperature to below the “normal” boiling point of the fluid. Regardless of the evaporation pressure, the first fluid is heated by at least 1 degree Celsius above the second fluid&#39;s evaporation temperature by any external method as known in the art (e.g., heat of compression of vapor compression heat pump refrigerant, or waste heat recovery from power generation or industrial process) is transferred to the first fluid by a heat exchanger (i.e., void of contact with the at least one additive within the second fluid). 
     Turning to  FIG. 8 ,  FIG. 8  depicts a desalination cycle utilizing the membrane separators  60  and heat exchangerless system  110 . Fluid  31  is preheated in heat exchanger  70 . 1  by heat source  20 . Fluids  31  and  32  mix within the heat exchangerless system  110  in a process seen in previous drawings, in either a co-current or counter-current flow. The preheated fluid  31  vaporizes fluid  32  into vapor  33 . The membrane separator  60  separates fluid  31 , vapor  33 , and the precipitate  105 . The precipitate  105 , which will primarily be salt from fluid  31 , could be used off-site or returned to the original fluid source. The precipitate  105  could also be removed prior to heat exchanger  70 . 1  or after the membrane separator  60  prior to any applicable process G. The precipitates can be separated by methods known in the art including filtration, centrifugation, or ultrasonic separation. 
     Turning to  FIG. 9 ,  FIG. 9  is identical to  FIG. 8 , but with energy recovery to maximize the system efficiency. Vapor  33  is used as the heat source to preheat fluid  31  within heat exchanger  70 . 1 . 
     Turning to  FIG. 10 ,  FIG. 10  depicts a heat exchangerless system with one exemplary configuration of the membranes, as shown in other drawings such as  FIG. 8 , as tank with integral membrane vapor separator  60 . The notations of F and G correspond with appropriate locations within previous drawings, such as  FIG. 8 . A mixture of immiscible fluids, such as fluids  31  and  32  enter the tank at F. The hydrophilic and oleophobic membrane  51  separates out fluid  31  as described in terms above. The superhydrophobic membrane  52  separates out fluid  37  in the form of pure water or fluid  32 , depending on the configuration of the system. Assuming heat transfer from fluid  31 , vapor  33  exits from the membrane  52 . Precipitate  105  or other impurities exit the membrane at G. Previous figures assume that fluid  32  or fluid  37  (depending on configuration) is 100% evaporated into vapor  33 ,  FIG. 10  depicts a scenario assuming fluid  32  or fluid  37  may not be entirely vaporized. 
     Turning to  FIG. 11 ,  FIG. 11  is a diagram depicting a heat exchangerless system with another exemplary configuration of the membranes. The notations of F and G correspond with appropriate locations within previous drawings, such as  FIG. 8 . In this embodiment, the membrane separates fluid  31  from vapor  33 . 
     Turning to  FIG. 12 ,  FIG. 12  is similar to  FIG. 9  and depicts a heat exchangerless system for desalination with integral heat pump energy recovery and another exemplary configuration of the membranes. The notations of F and G correspond with appropriate locations within previous drawings, such as  FIG. 8 . All dotted lines are optional configurations and are not exclude other configurations obvious to those in the art. The membrane separator  60  receives a fluid mixture from F and separates the mixture into fluid  31 , vapor  33 , and any precipitate or other components in G. The vapor  33  rejects heat into heat sink  10  or heat exchanger  70 . 2 -A, whose heat from heat exchanger  70 . 1 -A can feed a preheater  194 , an absorption heat pump  140 , as shown in  FIG. 6 or 7 , or a vapor compression heat pump  190  as known in the art. If pairing with a vapor compression heat pump  190 , the heat gained from heat exchanger  70 . 1 -A could be rejected in condenser  145  and heat exchanger  70 . 2 -B. This heat can be used to preheat fluid  31 , along with heat source  20  in another heat exchanger  70 . 1 -C, which can then be used in any appropriate process E as shown in previous drawings such as  FIG. 8 . 
     Turning to  FIG. 13 ,  FIG. 13  is a diagram depicting a heat exchangerless system with integral steam recompression and another exemplary configuration of the membranes. Fluid  32  is preheated in heat exchanger  70 -B to become fluid  32 . 1 . It then mixes with immiscible fluid mixture  36 . 2 , which is made of a mixture of immiscible fluids  31  and  32 . The steam generator  22 , with optional additional fluid  37 , vaporizes some fluid into vapor  33 , which then goes through steam vapor recompression  30 , which then preheats fluid mixture  36 . 2  in heat exchanger  70 -A and fluid  32  in heat exchanger  70 -B, before being condensed into fluid  37 , which can be used in any applicable process, either co-located or off-site. The fluid that did not vaporize within steam generator  22 , which would include all of fluid  32  and any remaining fluid  31 , is completely separated in membrane separator  60 . 2 , where the separated fluid  37  can be used in applicable off-site or co-located cycle or reused in the steam generator  22 . The remaining fluid from membrane separator  60 . 2  is further separated in membrane separator  60 . 4 , separating out any precipitate  105 . The remaining fluid mixture  36 . 2  is preheated in heat exchanger  70 -A. 
     Turning to  FIG. 14 ,  FIG. 14  is similar to  FIG. 13 , except utilizes a heat pump within the heat exchangerless system for desalination with integral energy recovery and steam vapor recompression with a second exemplary configuration of the membranes. Fluid  32  mixes with preheated, immiscible fluid mixture  36 . 2 , which is made of a mixture of immiscible fluids  31  and  32 . The steam generator  22 , with optional additional fluid  37 , vaporizes some fluid into vapor  33 , which then goes through steam vapor recompression  30 , which then preheats fluid mixture  36 . 2  in heat exchanger  70  and fluid  36 . 2  in the heat pump, which could be either vapor compression  190  or absorption  196  type, before being condensed into fluid  37 , which can be used in any applicable process, either co-located or off-site. The fluid that did not vaporize within steam generator  22 , which would include all of fluid  32  and any remaining fluid  31 , is completely separated in membrane separator  60 . 2 , where the separated fluid  37  can be used in applicable off-site or co-located cycle or reused in the steam generator  22 . The remaining fluid from membrane separator  60 . 2  is further separated in membrane separator  60 . 4 , separating out any precipitate  105 . The remaining fluid mixture  36 . 2  is preheated in heat exchanger  70 . 
     Turning to  FIG. 15 ,  FIG. 15  is a diagram depicting a heat exchangerless system for desalination with integral absorption/adsorption heat pump and an exemplary configuration of the membranes. It is similar to  FIG. 13 , but utilizes only an absorption heat pump  196  as its heat recovery cycle. Fluid  32  mixes with preheated, immiscible fluid mixture  36 . 2 , which is made of a mixture of immiscible fluids  31  and  32 . The steam generator  22 , with optional additional fluid  37 , vaporizes some fluid  32  into vapor  33 , which then preheats fluid mixture  36 . 2  in the heat pump, which could be either vapor compression  190  or absorption  196  type, before being condensed into fluid  37 , which can be used in any applicable process, either co-located or off-site. The remaining fluid  36 . 2  from the steam generator  22  is separated in membrane separator  60 . 2 , where fluid  37  can be used in any applicable process, either co-located or off-site. The remaining fluid from membrane separator  60 . 2  continues to membrane separator  60 . 4 , separating out any precipitate  105 . The remaining fluid mixture  36 . 2  is preheated in heat pump  190  or  196 . 
     Turning to  FIG. 16 ,  FIG. 16  is similar to  FIG. 14  and is a diagram depicting a heat exchangerless system for desalination with integral heat pump having both a heating and cooling circuit, and an exemplary configuration of the membranes. Fluid  32  mixes with preheated, immiscible fluid mixture  36 . 2 , which is made of a mixture of immiscible fluids  31  and  32 . The steam generator  22 , with optional additional fluid  37 , vaporizes some fluid into vapor  33 , which preheats fluid mixture  36 . 2  in the heating cycle of the heat pump  190 . 2 , which could be either vapor compression or absorption type, before being condensed into fluid  37 , which can be used in any applicable process, either co-located or off-site. The fluid that did not vaporize within steam generator  22 , which would include all of fluid  32  and any remaining fluid  31 , is completely separated in membrane separator  60 . 2 , where the separated fluid  37  can be used in applicable off-site or co-located cycle or reused in the steam generator  22 . The remaining fluid from membrane separator  60 . 2  is further separated in membrane separator  60 . 4 , separating out any precipitate  105 . The remaining fluid mixture  36 . 2  is preheated in the heating cycle of the heat pump  190 . 2 . 
     Concurrently, fluid  32  is precooled in heat exchanger  70  before being cooled in the heat pump cooling cycle  190 . 1 . As the temperature of fluid  32  decreases and begins to form ice, the solid precipitates out and is removed by the ice and precipitate separator  66  and removed to precipitate  105 , which can be used in any applicable on- or off-site process as known in the art. The resulting fluid  37  out of the separate  66  precools the incoming fluid  32  in heat exchanger  70 , after which it can be used in any applicable on- or off-site process. 
     Although the invention has been described in detail with particular reference to certain embodiments detailed herein, other embodiments can achieve the same results. Variations and modifications of the present invention will be obvious to those skilled in the art and the present invention is intended to cover in the appended claims all such modifications and equivalents.