Abstract:
Method and apparatus for desalinization wherein a heating grid containing a fluid is used to heat the fluid to a vaporized state using energy provided by compound magnifying lens focusing solar energy directly onto the grid wherein the vapor from the grid system is transmitted to a steam turbine wherein electricity is generated to charge a battery while the vapor from the steam turbine is conducted to a condenser wherein the vapor is cooled and fresh water is provided from the condensate. The remaining fluid from the condenser is pumped back into a reservoir for storage while waiting to be conducted into the heating grid. The magnifying lens and grid is rotated for alignment with the sun.

Description:
BACKGROUND OP THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates generally to desalinization and, more particularly, is a method and apparatus for desalinating salt water and generate electricity using solar energy. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Desalinization or related units have been described in the related art, however, none of the related art devices disclose the unique features of the present invention. 
     In U.S. Pat. No. 7,168,252 dated Jan. 30, 2007, Price disclosed a solar heated generator. In U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2010/0275599 dated Nov. 4, 2010, Glynn disclosed a solar desalinization system. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,622,605 dated Apr. 22, 1997, Simpson, et al., disclosed a process for desalinating water by producing power. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,148,300 dated Apr. 10, 1979, Kaufman, Sr., disclosed a solar radiation energy concentrator. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,504,362 dated Mar. 12, 1985, Kruse disclosed a solar desalination system and method. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,965,683 dated Jun. 29, 1976, Dix disclosed a solar electrical generating system. In U.S. Pat. No. 6,062,029 dated May 16, 2000, Doe disclosed an optical solar electric generator. In U.S. Pat. No. 6,301,893 dated Oct. 16, 2001, Luo disclosed a method and apparatus for converting natural heat energy into another form of energy. 
     While these desalinization methods and energy generation methods may be suitable for the purposes for which they were designed, they would not be as suitable for the purposes of the present invention as hereinafter described. 
     SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
     The present invention discloses a desalinization system wherein a heating grid containing a fluid, e.g., salt water, contaminated water or the like, is used to heat the internal fluid to a vaporized state using energy provided by at least one large magnifying lens, expected to be 15 to 20 feet in diameter and which may be a compound magnifying lens, focusing concentrated sunlight energy directly onto the grid wherein the vapor from the grid system is transmitted to a steam turbine wherein electricity is generated to charge a battery, e.g., a 250 volt battery, while the vapor from the steam turbine is conducted to a condenser wherein the vapor is cooled and clean fresh water is provided from the condensate. The remaining fluid, e.g., salt water, from the condenser is pumped back into a reservoir for storage while waiting to be conducted into the steam heating grid made of Pyrex glass or coming ware glass or metal about two inch in diameter and about ¼ inch thick. A source of suitable fluid, e.g., salt water, is provided to the pump for pumping necessary supply fluid into the storage reservoir. The entire generating system is mounted on an effectively sized platform which rotates in a 360 degree path which allows the magnifying lens to constantly receive maximum energy from the sun capable of rotating backwardly 180 degrees as the sun changes angle during the day or as the sun goes down. The rotating platform is driven by a motor which receives energy from the battery. 
     An object of the present invention is to desalinate, e.g., salt water. A further object of the present invention is to provide a fresh supply from a salt water source of water. A further object of the present invention is to utilize solar energy in order to heat the salt water to a vaporized or steam state. A further object of the present invention is to provide a system which rotates so as to always maintain the highest possible efficiency while receiving solar energy from the sun. A further object of the present invention is to provide a means for generating electricity which can be used to charge a battery which can likewise be used to furnish electricity to the pump used in the system and to likewise furnish electricity to a motor which turns the platform upon which the system is mounted can likewise be used to furnish electricity to light and power a house for up to 48 hours. A further object of the present invention is to provide a system which can be relatively easily operated by a user. A further object of the present invention is to provide a system can be relatively inexpensively manufactured. 
     The foregoing and other objects and advantages will appear from the description to follow. In the description reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. These embodiments will be described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. In the accompanying drawings, like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the several views. 
     The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present invention is best defined by the appended claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       In order that the invention may be more fully understood, it will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of portions of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of portions of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS 
     With regard to reference numerals used, the following numbering is used throughout the drawings.
           10  present invention     12  steam grid system     14  first magnifying lens     16  sun     18  second magnifying lens     20  stanchion     22  rotating platform     24  attachment member     26  electrical motor     28  conduit     30  steam turbine     32  generator     34  condenser     36  inlet     38  reservoir     40  freshwater outlet     42  coil     44  outlet     46  pump     48  reservoir     50  battery     52  electrical connection     54  electrical connection     56  grid inlet conduit     58  manifold     60  primary grid conduit     62  secondary grid conduit     64  outlet valve     66  outlet spigot     68  ball     70  upper ball position sensor     72  lower ball position sensor     74  main control switch     76  electrical connections     78  electrical connections     80  electrical connections     82  electrical connections     84  solar rays     86  base     88  outlet end     90  direction arrow     92  fluid surface     94  voltage regulator       

     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The following discussion describes in detail at least one embodiment of the present invention. This discussion should not be construed, however, as limiting the present invention to the particular embodiments described herein since practitioners skilled in the art will recognize numerous other embodiments as well. For a definition of the complete scope of the invention the reader is directed to the appended claims.  FIGS. 1 through 3  illustrate the present invention wherein a method and apparatus for a desalinization system is disclosed. 
     Turning to  FIG. 1 , therein is shown the present invention  10  having a solar heated steam grid or boiler system  12  which would contain a fluid, such as salt water or the like, which is receiving concentrated solar energy in the form of solar rays  84  from a first magnifying lens  14  which is receiving energy from the sun  16 . The solar heated steam grid  12  may comprise Pyrex glass, corning ware glass or metal tubes about two inches in diameter and about ¼ inch thick walls. Also shown is a second magnifying lens  18  (forming a compound lens using convex lens) in series with the first magnifying lens  14 , which concentrate the solar rays and make the rays hotter and more powerful, and which also be used to capture solar energy from the sun  16  for transmission to the first magnifying lens  14  and then onto the steam grid  12  for increasing the solar energy transfer from the sun to steam grid  12 . Each magnifying lens  14 ,  18  is supported on a stanchion  20  having a base  86  which is shown mounted onto a rotating platform  22  wherein the platform has an attachment member  24  for connection to an electrical motor  26  which turns the platform on which the entire present invention  10  is disposed so as to maintain the first and second magnifying lens  14 ,  18  substantially perpendicular to the sun  16  so that they receive maximum available solar energy from the sun. Platform  22  is capable of 0 to 360 degree rotation to be user selected by the operator depending on the angle of sun  16  relative to the present invention  10 . Fluid is supplied to grid system  12  by supply pump  46  which receives fluid from fluid reservoir  48  which serves as the main supply of fluid for the present invention  10 . Direction arrows  90  indicate in the standard manner the direction of fluid flow through the system of the present invention  10 . Reservoir  48  could be an open or closed reservoir and it could be fed or supplied from a conventional water supply including a free standing body of water such as a lake, ocean or the like in which case accommodations would have to be provided to connect the water supply to the rotating elements of the present invention  10 . The outlet end  88  of the steam grid  12  is shown elevated and connects through conduit  28  to a steam turbine  30  so that steam or vapor can be transmitted to the turbine. It can be seen that multiple conduits  28 , i.e., the conduit is generally designated at  28 , interconnect all of the inlets and outlets of the unit processes of the present invention  10  as would be done in the standard manner by one skilled in the art. A generator  32  is shown attached to steam turbine  30  and is driven by the turbine for generating electricity. The outlet of steam turbine  30  passes through conduit  28  to the condenser shown generally at  34 . While a reflux type condenser  34  is illustrated, many types of conventional condensers could be used as would be done in the standard by one skilled in the art. Operation of condenser  34  will not be described in detail as it is well known in the art of condensers. The condenser  34  comprises an inlet conduit  36 , a storage or condensate reservoir  38  for storing desalinated fluid, a freshwater or desalinated fluid outlet  40  for removing desalinated fluid from the system, along with a plurality of circular coils  42  and an outlet conduit  44  for conveying any remaining steam/vapor through conduit  28  to reservoir  48  which serves as a main supply reservoir and then to pump  46  which pumps make-up or raw water or fluid to conduit  28  as previously disclosed. Also shown is a storage battery  50 , e.g., a 250 volt battery, with voltage regulator  94 , which battery has a conventional input electrical connection  52  which receives supply electrical energy from generator  32 ; likewise, battery  50  supplies electrical energy to pump  46  and motor  26  using conventional electrical connections  54 . 
     Turning to  FIG. 2 , therein is shown a portion of the present invention  10  having a solar heated steam grid system  12  which would contain a fluid, such as salt water or the like, which is receiving concentrated solar energy from the sun as previously disclosed. Fluid is supplied to grid system  12  by supply pump  46  which receives fluid from fluid reservoir  48  which serves as the main supply of fluid for the present invention  10 . The outlet end of the steam grid  12  is shown-elevated and connects through a conduit to a steam turbine  30  so that steam or vapor can be transmitted to the turbine. A generator  32  is shown attached to steam turbine  30  and is driven by the turbine for generating electricity. The outlet of steam turbine  30  passes through conduit  28  to the condenser shown generally at  34 . The condenser  34  comprises an inlet conduit  36 , a storage or condensate reservoir  38  for storing desalinated fluid, a freshwater or desalinated fluid outlet  40  for removing desalinated fluid from the system, along with a plurality of circular coils  42  and an outlet conduit for conveying any remaining steam/vapor through conduit  28  back to reservoir  48  which serves as a main supply reservoir and then to pump  46  which pumps make-up or raw water or fluid to conduit  28  as previously disclosed. Also shown is a storage battery  50  which has a conventional input electrical connection  52  which receives supply electrical energy from generator  32 ; likewise, battery  50  supplies electrical energy to pump  46  using conventional electrical connections  54 . Voltage regulator  94  is also shown. The steam grid  12  has a main inlet conduit  56  extending from pump  46  and reservoir  48  which delivers fluid into a distribution manifold  58  which fluid is then distributed into a plurality of primary grid units  60  and a plurality of secondary crossing members  62  which grid units together form a grid with multiple conduits so as to efficiently capture the solar energy received from the sun. Each of the primary main grid units  60  has an outlet control  64  on its lower end which is expected to be an outlet valve which likewise has an outlet spigot  66  wherein highly concentrated salt waste can periodically be removed from the grid system  12 . The solar heated steam grid  12  may comprise Pyrex glass, corning ware glass or metal tubes  60 ,  62  about two inches in diameter and about ¼ inch thick walls. Direction arrows  90  indicate in the standard manner the direction of fluid flow through the system of the present invention  10 . 
     Turning to  FIG. 3 , therein is shown the steam grid  12  which has a main inlet conduit  56  from pump  46  and the reservoir which delivers fluid into a distribution manifold  58  which fluid is then distributed into a plurality of primary grid units  60  and a plurality of secondary crossing members  62  as previously disclosed. The solar heated steam grid  12  may comprise Pyrex glass, corning ware glass or metal tubes  60 ,  62  about two inches in diameter and about ¼ inch thick walls. Each of the primary main grid units  60  has an outlet control means  64  on its lower end which is expected to be an outlet valve which likewise has an outlet spigot means  66  wherein highly concentrated salt waste can be periodically removed from the grid system  12 . Also shown is steam turbine  30  and generator  32  connected to the steam grid  12  by conduit  28  and then having the outlet of steam turbine  30  passing into conduit  28 . Also shown is pump  46  receiving an inlet stream from conduit  28  wherein the outlet of pump  46  feeds into steam inlet conduit  56 . It can be seen that primary grid conduit  60  is effectively sized to have a larger diameter than secondary grid conduit  66  so that the primary grid conduit can contain therein a complementarily sized hollow, floating steel ball  68  which will serve as a primary fluid level control means for operation and control of the present invention  10 . Ball  68  floats on the surface of the fluid  92  contained in primary grid conduit  60 . Ball  68  is prevented from entering the cross-connecting secondary grid conduit  66  because the ball has a larger diameter than the secondary grid; therefore, the ball is contained within the primary grid conduit  60 . Hollow ball  68 , which floats, travels up and down one member of the primary grid conduit  60  in order to allow the present invention  10  to operate according to the fluid level contained in primary grid conduit  60 . Also shown is upper ball position sensor  70  and a lower ball position sensor  72  wherein each position sensor  70 ,  72  can sense when the hollow, steel ball  68  is in its vicinity. It is expected that the operation of the upper and lower ball position sensors  70 , 72  may utilize magnetic, electromagnetic, infrared, or density sensing or the like as would be done in the standard manner by one skilled in the art. When the ball  68  is near the upper ball position  70  the main control switch  74  cuts off the water supply into the grid system in order to allow the solar energy from the sun to heat the water in the grid system into a vaporized state and then to transmit that vapor through the steam turbine  30 . Likewise, when the ball  68  drops into the vicinity of the lower ball position sensor  72  the system would open the outlet valve  64  and outlet spigot  66  to allow the grid system to drain so as to remove any left over highly concentrated salt solution for a predetermined period of time and then turn the water supply back on in order to provide additional unheated fluid into the system to refill the grid system  12  and start the heating cycle over again. Note that the upper and lower ball position sensors  70 ,  72  are electrically connected through wiring  76 ,  78 , respectively, to main control switch  74 ; likewise, the main control switch  74  is electrically connected through electrical connections  80  to the pump  46  so that the pump can be controlled by the main control switch. Likewise, the main control switch  74  is electrically connected through wiring  82  to each of the outlet valve  64  so that the outlet valves can be controlled by the main control switch. Direction arrows  90  indicate in the standard manner the direction of fluid flow through the system of the present invention  10 . 
     Continuing with additional explanation of the operation of the present invention  10 , and with reference to  FIGS. 1-3 , the floating, hollow, steel ball  68  floats on the fluid surface  92  and moves up and down the primary grid conduit  60  in order to trigger upper or lower ball position sensors  70 ,  72 . When ball  68  moves up and triggers the upper ball&#39;s position sensor  70 , the fluid flow into the system is cut off by main switch  74  because the grid system is full to prevent overfilling or over-pressurization of grid system  12 . As internal fluid is converted to vapor and the fluid level drops in primary grid conduit  60  due to the vaporization of the fluid, inside the grid system, the ball  68  moves downwardly and eventually triggers the lower ball position sensor  72  to let the highly concentrated salt water waste or residue out of the grid system for a predetermined period of time, for example five seconds, and then main switch  74  closes the outlet valve  64  and then turns on pump  46  to refill the grid system with additional raw supply fluid to be vaporized as the system is recycled.