Patent Publication Number: US-2023150837-A1

Title: System and method for increasing evaporation for fluid bodies

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/279,554 titled “System and Method for Increasing Evaporation for Fluid Bodies,” filed on Nov. 15, 2021 and incorporated by reference herein for all purposes. 
    
    
     FIELD 
     The present disclosure generally relates to systems for evaporating liquids, such as liquid waste or contaminated water. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Many industrial processes (e.g., harvesting salt from seawater, desalination plants, separating produced water from mine tailings, oil fracking processes, and other similar processes that produce waste water) generate large volumes of contaminated water that cannot be disposed of by draining it into the local watershed. The large volume of water combined with these contaminants makes it difficult and expensive to transport the waste water to a treatment facility. Removing the water from the contaminants facilitates disposal by reducing the amount of waste to be managed. In other applications, water removal can also be used to attain a desirable good such as sea salt. In these situations, it is important to have an efficient and low cost method of removing the water to minimize production costs. 
     To address these issues, evaporation ponds are commonly used to concentrate materials by removing water. Evaporation ponds or pools are artificial ponds with large surface areas that expose a liquid mixture to air, solar radiation, and ambient temperatures. Exposure to ambient conditions causes the water to evaporate and contaminants or other materials that had been dissolved and/or suspended with the water to be left in the pond. However, evaporation from these ponds is highly dependent on the ambient conditions. To have a sufficiently high evaporation rate, the surface area of the ponds needs to be very large, creating ponds that take up vast amounts of space. The large size of the ponds makes them expensive to construct and places constraints on where they can be built. Additionally, since the evaporation rate is related to the ambient temperature, little to no evaporation may take place in cold conditions. 
     SUMMARY 
     In one embodiment, a system for assisting in evaporation of a fluid body is disclosed. The system may include a pump configured to pressurize air and an agitation assembly fluidly coupled to the pump. The agitation assembly is configured to emit an air stream that impacts a top surface of the fluid body to generate droplets. 
     In one embodiment, a method for evaporating fluid is disclosed. The method includes pressurizing air received from an environment surrounding the fluid, generating an air stream from the pressurized air, and applying the air stream to a top surface of the fluid to agitate the fluid, where the agitation generates a spray of fluid into the air to encourage evaporation of the fluid. 
     In one embodiment, a system for evaporating a wastewater pond is disclosed. The system includes a pump configured to pressurize an agitation fluid and an agitation assembly fluidly coupled to the pump, where the agitation assembly emits a jet of the agitation fluid that impacts a top surface of the wastewater pond to generate droplets. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    illustrates a block diagram of an example of an evaporation system. 
         FIG.  2 A  illustrates a side elevation view of an agitation assembly positioned on a fluid body. 
         FIG.  2 B  illustrates a top plan view of the agitation assembly positioned on the fluid body. 
         FIG.  3    illustrates a cross-section view of the agitation assembly of  FIG.  2 A  taken along line  3 - 3  in  FIG.  2 B . 
         FIG.  4    illustrates a top plan view of a spray pattern arrangement for the system of  FIG.  1   . 
         FIG.  5 A  illustrates a simplified cross-section view of a first example of a nozzle configuration for emitting an air jet at an impact angle. 
         FIG.  5 B  illustrates a simplified cross-section view of a second example of a nozzle configuration for emitting an air jet at an impact angle. 
         FIG.  6 A  illustrates a top plan view of a multiple pipe arrangement for the system of  FIG.  1   . 
         FIG.  6 B  illustrates a side elevation view of a submodule for the system of  FIG.  6 A . 
         FIG.  6 C  illustrates a top plan view of the submodule of  FIG.  6 A . 
         FIG.  6 D  illustrates an enlarged view as shown in  FIG.  6 C . 
         FIG.  7    illustrates a perspective view of a floating embodiment of the system of  FIG.  1   . 
         FIG.  8    illustrates a perspective view of a supported embodiment of the system of  FIG.  1   . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The present disclosure includes a system and method for increasing the evaporation rate for a body of fluid, such as an evaporation pond or pool. The system includes a pump or blower that provides fluid (e.g., air, gases, and/or a mixture thereof) to an agitation assembly. The agitation assembly includes one or more nozzles or other outlets configured to generate a stream or jet that interacts with a portion of the fluid, e.g., a top or upper surface, to agitate the fluid body. For example, the nozzles may direct the jet at the fluid (e.g., wastewater) to cause the fluid to splash and generate droplets, increasing the surface area of the fluid particles exposed to the ambient environment. The increased surface area and smaller volume of the fluid increase the evaporation rate for the fluid. The system may include multiple nozzles arranged to have staggered spray volumes, helping to maximize the area of the fluid impacted and agitated by the agitation assembly. It should be noted that although the term “air” is used herein, in many implementations, the generated streams or jets may be other types of fluids, including, but not limited to, gases (e.g., CO 2 ), and/or mixtures or combinations of the same. Further, in some embodiments, the air received into the system may be ambient air, but in other embodiments, the air or fluid may be received from other locations or elements within the system, e.g., exhaust from a turbine or the like. In short, various elements may be used as the agitation element within the system, and the examples, discussed below are meant as illustrative only. 
     In some embodiments, the system may include a heater, such as a solar collector, fuel burner, or waste heat recovery system, that increases the temperature of the air used to generate the air jets. In these embodiments, the temperature of the air jets may further act to assist in heating the fluid and assisting in causing a state change for the fluid (e.g., to turn to gas and evaporate). In instances where the air is heated, the heating process may act to lower the relative humidity of the air (e.g., reduce the vapor pressure) allowing the air to absorb more water or fluid when provided to the body of fluid via the agitation assembly. In other embodiments, the air may be treated to remove humidity without requiring a separate heating operation. 
     In some embodiments, the agitation assembly may include one or more pipes or tubes that define an air distribution network. The pipes may be configured to be positioned on or float on the fluid. In other examples, the pipes may be raised above the surface of the fluid, e.g. supported by one or more supports or pillars. In these configurations, the pipes can be configured to orient the nozzles relative to the fluid surface to maximize agitation and generate desired spray patterns. The pipes may be configured to increase the temperature of the fluid as well, e.g., may include coatings or properties that help to retain heat based on solar energy and may then distribute the energy to the fluid. Additionally or alternatively, the pipes may be coated or configured to assist in evaporation, such as including a hydrophilic coating, so as to assist in, distributing fluid splashes that land on the pipes to be evenly distributed and increase evaporation. In other words, the coating may help increase the surface area of any fluid droplets landing on the pipes. 
     As compared to conventional evaporation systems, the current system may have an increased evaporation rate and use less power. For example, in some systems that may release air bubbles into the fluid, such as under the top surface of the water, the pump for the air may have to overcome the fluid pressure of the fluid covering the outlets, requiring an increased pressure and thus energy for the system. Additionally, in such submerged systems, the outlets are positioned within the fluid and become subject to debris and scaling, e.g., debris within the fluid can block the outlets over time and/or contaminants within the fluid may form or become deposited on the system, clogging or occluding the outlets. 
       FIG.  1    illustrates a block diagram of a system for increasing evaporation rates. The system  100  may include a heater  102 , a pump  104 , and an agitation assembly  106  where air  108  or another agitation fluid is received as an input to the system  100  and expelled via the agitation assembly  106  into a body of fluid, e.g., wastewater). The system  100  may be positioned to be in fluid communication with a fluid body to be evaporated, such as an evaporation pond, waste pool, or the like. 
     The heater  102 , which in some instances may be omitted from the system  100 , heats the air  108  received with the system  100 . For example, the air  108  or agitation fluid may be received from the surrounding environment and so may be at ambient temperature and pressure. The heater  102  increases the temperature of the air from the ambient temperature. The heater  102  may take many forms, such as, but not limited to, a solar heater or collector that transfers radiation energy to the air, a fuel burner that burns or otherwise utilizes a fuel or electricity to transfer energy to the air, geothermal heater, and/or a waste heat system that transfers heat generated from an industrial system to the air. It should be noted that in  FIG.  1   , the heater  102  is shown as being positioned upstream of the pump  104 , in other embodiments, the heater  102  may be positioned downstream (e.g., receive pressurized fluid from the pump  104  and heat the pressurized fluid). 
     The pump  104  pulls the air  108  into the fluid system and may be in the form of a blower or compressor that increases the pressure of the air  108 . The pump  104  generates a vacuum force to pull air into a chamber and then compresses the volume, increasing the pressure of the air  108 . The type of pump  104  or compressor used may be varied based on the system  100  requirements and environment. For example, the size and output of the pump  104  may be based on the volume of fluid to be evaporated. In one embodiment, the pump  104  is a centrifugal blower, or air handling unit. In should be noted that the function of the pump  104  may also be replaced by other streams of pressurized fluid and a separate “pump component” may be omitted. For example, the pressurized fluid may be an exhaust from a turbine or other industrial element and may be provided to the system  100  already pressurized. In these cases, the pump  104  may be omitted or may be configured to supplement the pressure of the received agitation fluid. Further, as can be appreciated, some systems, such as very large evaporation ponds, may require multiple pumps  104  in order to generate the desired pressure and air flow. 
     The agitation assembly  106  is configured to apply one or more air jet streams or agitation streams to the fluid body. For example, the agitation assembly  106  may include a plurality of pipes or other flow structures (e.g. tubes) that receive the pressurized and optionally heated air  108  and nozzles or outlets that expel the air  108  across and/or partially into the surface of the fluid body. The agitation assembly  106  may be configured to be positioned on or raised just above the surface of the fluid and have air jets configured to maximize fluid splashes and generate droplets. The agitation assembly  106  may also be configured to increase the temperature of portions of the fluid body, such as by including one or more characteristics that allow or promote heat transfer from the agitation assembly  106  to the fluid body. In one example, the agitation assembly  106  may be coated or include a dark color, such as black, that may absorb solar energy, which may be passed to the fluid body. Similarly, as the air  108  may be heated by the heater  102 , the agitation assembly  106  may help to transfer heat from the air  108  to the fluid body. The agitation assembly  106  may include agitation outlets, such as nozzles, that may be configured to generate a desired stream as the fluid exits the pipes. In some implementations, the nozzles may be angled towards the fluid body to generate a desired angle relative to the surface of the fluid body and/or the pipes may be angled to generate the desired angle. The nozzles or outlets may be formed with the pipes (e.g., via molding) or may be separately coupled to the pipes. 
       FIGS.  2 A and  2 B  illustrate an example of the agitation assembly  106  installed on a fluid body  110 .  FIG.  3    illustrates a cross section of the agitation assembly  106  taken along line  3 - 3  in  FIG.  2 B . With reference to  FIGS.  2 A- 3   , in this example, the fluid body  110  may be an evaporation pond and be bound by one or more containment walls  112 , where the containment walls  112  may be formed within the ground or with earth or may be constructed (e.g., concrete, plastic, or the like). The fluid body  110  may include waste water, salinated water, or other fluid desired to be reduced in volume. The fluid body  110  may be positioned in an outdoor environment or may be housed within an environment, such as an industrial plant or warehouse (e.g., formed as a boiler). 
     In this example, the agitation assembly  106  may include a distribution pipe  114  and a plurality of outlets  116   a,    116   b,    116   c,    116   d,    116   e,    116   f  fluidly coupled thereto to define multiple branches from the main distribution pipe  114 . As shown in  FIGS.  2 B and  3   , the distribution pipe  114  may be formed as an elongated tube and may be substantially hollow to as to define a fluid lumen  118  therethrough. The pipe  114  may be formed of a variety of materials. In one example, the pipe  114  may be formed of high density polyethylene (HDPE) or aluminum composite material (ACP), however, in other embodiments, other types of materials may be used. 
     Additionally, the distribution or delivery pipe  114  may be configured to float on the fluid body  110 , e.g., may have a weight sufficient to be buoyed in the fluid. For example, as shown in  FIG.  3   , a bottom surface of the pipe  114  may be positioned within the fluid and the top surface  124  of the fluid may surround and be adjacent to a lower portion of (e.g., lower 25% of the pipe  114 ) the pipe  114 . In other examples, however, the pipe  114  may be supported within the fluid body, such as via pillars or support structures that are coupled to the bottom surface below the fluid body. In some examples, the delivery pipe  114  may be coupled to the pump  104  and a plurality of other pipes  114  to form a network or distribution system, e.g., such as via a manifold or other distribution structure. However, it should be understood that the arrangement and number of pipes  114  may be varied based on the size and configuration of the fluid body  110 . For example, some fluid bodies  110  may be substantially large that multiple pipes  114  are required to allow efficient evaporation, whereas other bodies may be sufficiently small that one or two pipes  114  may be used. 
     In some embodiments, the pipes  114  may include features to enhance evaporation within the system  100 . For example, the pipes  114  may include a dark color coating or material that absorbs energy, e.g., solar energy, and applies that to the fluid body as the pipes.  114  may be seated on the surface of the fluid body. In these instances, the application of the heat via the pipes  114  to the fluid body  110  may further encourage and enhance the overall evaporation of the fluid. In systems that may be completely submerged, the pipes may not absorb as much energy to assist in the evaporation as compared to the pipes  114  of the system  100 . Alternatively or additionally, the pipes  114  may include a coating, such as a hydrophilic coating, that helps to disperse droplets across a larger surface area of the pipe  114 , allowing the droplets to evaporate more quickly. 
     With continued reference to  FIGS.  2 B and  3   , the outlets  116   a,    116   b,    116   c,    116   d,    116   e,    116   f  may be coupled to the pipe  114 . In one example, the outlets  116   a,    116   b,    116   c,    116   d,    116   e,    116   f  may be formed as apertures within the sidewalls of the pipe  114 . In another example, the outlets  116   a,    116   b,    116   c,    116   d,    116   e,    116   f  may be formed as branches or prongs that extend outwards from the sidewalls of the pipe  114 . In either implementation, however, the outlets  116   a,    116   b,    116   c,    116   d,    116   e,    116   f  are in fluid communication with the fluid lumen  118  of the pipe  114 . The outlets  116   a,    116   b,    116   c,    116   d,    116   e,    116   f  may include an outlet lumen  122  that may define a pathway for the air  108  and is orientated at an angle to the fluid lumen  118  of the pipe  114 . The outlets may be formed on two sides of the pipe, e.g., a first side and a second side, and at different longitudinal locations from one another (e.g., in a staggered implementation). 
     A nozzle  120  may be coupled to or formed on the end of the outlets  116   a,    116   b,    116   c,    116   d,    116   e,    116   f.  The nozzle  120  may be formed integrally with the outlets  116   a,    116   b,    116   c,    116   d,    116   e,    116   f  (such as via molding) or may be separately coupled thereto (e.g., via adhesive, threading, fasteners, or the like). The nozzle  120  may include an outlet aperture that defines a shape of the air jet expelled from the nozzle  120 . The outlet aperture  128  (see  FIG.  5 A ) may be varied in shape depending on the desired air jet characteristics, e.g., duck billed, square, round, etc. The nozzle  120  generally may be configured to increase the velocity of the agitation stream before it exits the pipe  114 , e.g. have a reduced outlet diameter compared to the outlets of the pipe  114 . In one example, the nozzle  120  may have a rounded edge to help prevent ingress of debris (e.g., salt or other materials) from entering into and possibly clogging the nozzle  120 . 
     In some configurations, the nozzle  120  may further include features to generate a moving air jet. For example, the nozzle  120  may include a fluidic oscillator or other internal geometry that generates a moving outlet position of the air stream based on pressure or the like, e.g., the nozzle may be configured to generate a stream that moves as it exits. In other examples the nozzle  120  may have an active element (e.g., servo or motor) that actively moves the position of the nozzle  120  relative to the fluid body  110  to generate a moving (e.g., oscillating) air stream. Similarly, the nozzles  120  may be configured to be readily cleaned or eliminate debris and scaling. For example, the nozzles  120  may be formed or may include a rubber or other flexible material, allowing scaling to be removed by flexing or moving the nozzle  120 . 
     The nozzle  120  may be configured to be positioned at an angle relative to the top surface  124  of the fluid body  110 . The angle may be generated based on an angle of a pipe extension defining the outlet, the via coupling of the nozzle  120  to the pipe  114 , and/or a configuration of the pipe  114  (e.g., by rotating the pipe  114  relative to the top surface  124  of the fluid body  110 ). 
     With reference again to  FIG.  2 B , in some embodiments, the nozzles  120  and/or outlets  116   a,    116   b,    116   c,    116   d,    116   e,    116   f  may be arranged so as to be staggered or offset from one another (e.g., at different longitudinal locations). For example, the outlets on adjacent sides of the pipe  114  may be configured to be offset from a horizontal position of outlets on the opposite side of the pipe  114 . The staggered implementation may assist in maximizing the agitation area on the fluid body  110  without substantial overlap between adjacent pipes  114  (reducing interference of generated fluid droplets and agitation). An example of the air spray volume in a staggered implementation is shown in  FIG.  4   , where two pipes  114  are arranged as to be parallel and adjacent to one another. With reference to  FIG.  4   , the air stream volumes  126   a,    126   b,    126   c,    126   d  may be defined as substantially rounded top cones and due to the staggering, the conical volume is maximized so as to only partially overlap, ensuring that the maximum area of the top surface  124  is agitated and with reduced interference from the adjacent nozzles. However, in other embodiments, the outlets  116   a,    116   b,    116   c,    116   d,    116   e,    116   f  may be configured to be aligned with outlets on the opposite side of the pipe  114 . 
       FIG.  5 A  is a simplified cross-section of the agitation assembly  106  similar to  FIG.  3   . With reference to  FIG.  5 A , the nozzles  120  may be orientated relative to the pipe  114  in order to allow the air stream  120  to have a relatively shallow impact angle A 1  relative to the top surface  124  of the fluid body  110 . The impact angle A 1  is selected to maximize the splash pattern and generate a movement of the fluid outwards from the pipe  114 , as well as to generate droplets within the fluid. The impact angle A 1  can be varied based on a position of the outlets  116   a,    116   b,    116   c,    116   d,    116   e,    116   f  on the pipe  114 , by positioning the pipe  114  at different locations relative to the fluid body  110  (e.g., raised above the top surface  124  or partially submerged and/or rotating the pipe  114 ), and/or by changing the nozzle  120  configuration. In one example, the impact angle A 1  may be between 15 to 75 degrees and in one embodiment may be 20 degrees. The impact angle A 1  is selected to prevent the air stream  130  from simply “churning” or generating bubbles within the fluid, but actually generate a fine spray of small droplets and forcing the fluid above the top surface  124  so as to have maximized impact with the ambient environment. As can be appreciated, the angle may be varied based on the type of fluid to be evaporated, the environment, the agitation stream temperature, outlet nozzle shape, and the like. As such, the description of any particular angle is meant as illustrative only. 
       FIG.  5 B  illustrates another example of the agitation assembly  106  where the pipe  114  is supported above the top surface  124  of the fluid body  110 . For example, as shown in  FIG.  5 B , the pipe  114  may be arranged such that a bottom surface of the pipe  114  is raised above the top surface  124  of the water, e.g., the pipe  114  may be coupled to a support  132  that may be coupled to the containment walls  112  or anchored in a bottom surface of the containment. The support  132  may include a seat or top surface that is recessed to receive the pipe  114  and help prevent the pipe  114  from moving off of the support  132 . In other embodiments, the support  132  may be secured to the pipe  114 , e.g., via a fastener or adhesive. 
     In embodiments where the pipe  114  may be raised above the top surface of the fluid body, such as via the support  132 , an air path  134  may be defined beneath the pipe  114  and air, such as wind, can flow beneath the pipe  114 , and contact a larger area of the top surface  124  as compared to embodiments where the pipe  114  is positioned within the fluid, assisting in evaporation. In embodiments where the pipe  114  is arranged above the top surface  124 , the pipe  114  may be less likely to fill or receive fluid therein, i.e., fluid waves cannot readily enter the fluid lumen  118  via the outlets  116   a,    116   b,    116   c,    116   d,    116   e,    116   f . Additionally, the outer surface of the pipe  114  may be less likely to collect debris, scaling, or the like, as the contaminates are deposited after evaporation, reducing cleaning and replacement actions as compared to other implementations. For example, the nozzles  120  and/or outlets  116   a,    116   b,    116   c,    116   d,    116   e,    116   f  may be less likely to clog or crust over as the fluid body  110  becomes more concentrated with containments. 
     Further, by using supports  132 , the distance between the nozzle  120  and the top surface  124  of the fluid may be adjusted by increasing or decreasing the amount of fluid contained in the fluid body  110 . This may allow easier tailoring of the angle for a particular set of environmental conditions (e.g., the type of containments or solids in the fluid, the ambient air temperature, the fluid temperature, agitation stream pressure, etc.), as compared to a floating system where the adjustment may be more difficult or impossible to implement. However, with floating systems, where the pipes  114  are configured to float on the fluid body  110 , the alignment of the pipes  114  does not need to be adjusted. For example, with a supported system, the supports  132  will need to be adjusted based on the topography of the bottom surface of the fluid body  110 , which often is not uniform, meaning that to have a uniform height of the system  100  and pipes  114  across the fluid body, the height of each support  132  used likely will need to be adjusted. 
     In this example, the impact angle A 2  may be similar to the impact angle A 1 , but due to height differential of the pipe  114 , the nozzle  120  may be oriented at a lower and different angle relative to a center axis of the pipe  114 . In other words, because the pipe  114  is higher above the top surface  124  of the fluid body  110 , the nozzle  120  is positioned on a lower region of the pipe  114  and at different angle to maintain a desired impact angle A 2  of the air jet  130 . As can be appreciated, multiple different outlet, nozzle, and pipe configurations and geometries can be used to maintain a desired impact angle A 1 , A 2  and the examples shown here are meant as illustrative only. 
     As mentioned, the agitation assembly  106  may include multiple branches of pipes  114  to ensure coverage across the entire top surface  124  (or substantial portion thereof) of the fluid body  110 .  FIG.  6 A  illustrates an example of a multi pipe  114  arrangement. With reference to  FIG.  6 A , the system  100  may include a plurality of pipes  114  that may be fluidly coupled to a head  134  or plenum distribution pipe, that provides the pressurized air from the pump  104  and/or heater  102  to the pipes  114 , such as via the manifold  206 . As can be appreciated, the pipes  114  may be arranged in parallel or concentric arrangement and the staggering of nozzles  120  may be used to assist in maximizing the covered area of the fluid body  110 . 
     With reference to  FIG.  6 A , in some embodiments, the system  100  may include modules  204   a,    204   b  that may have one more submodules  202   a,    202   b,    202   c,    202   d,    202   e  of pipes  114  fluidly coupled together. In one embodiment, the modules  204   a,    204   b  are fluidly coupled together and receive the agitation fluid (e.g., air) from the same pump  104  or blower. In other embodiments, different modules  204   a,    204  may be fluidly coupled to different pumps  104  and/or heater  106  components. The submodules  202   a,    202   b,    202   c,    202   d,    202   e  may include one or more pipes  114  that extend parallel to one another and may be mechanically coupled together. The number of pipes  114  in a particular submodule may vary based on the size and dimensions of the fluid body  110  and so while four pipe  114  lengths are shown in  FIG.  6 A , other implementations are envisioned. 
       FIGS.  6 B- 6 D  illustrate various views of an example of submodule  202   a  that may be used with the system  100 . With reference to  FIG.  6 B , a pipe  114  portion of the submodule may include the one or more outlets  116   a,    116   n  that may be defined along a length of the pipe  114 . As described with respect to  FIG.  1   , the outlets  116   a,    116   n  may be staggered to be at alternating locations at different sides of the pipe  114  along the length. Additionally, the pipe  114  may include a connection portion  212  that couples to or is formed with a connector  210 . The connector  210  may be configured to connect to a corresponding distribution pipe  208  (see  FIG.  7   ), and so may include threading or another fastener to allow a secured connection. The connection portion  212  may be configured to allow flexing or other movement of the pipe  114  portion relative to the connector  210 , such as to allow some movement without breaking the connection to the distribution pipe  208 . In one example, the connection portion  212  may be formed via a joint or a flexible material that allows deformation or movement without breaking. 
     With reference to  FIGS.  6 C and  6 D , in some examples, an end portion  216  may extend between and fluidly connect the different pipes  114  within the submodule  202   a.  For example, the end portion  216  may be defined as a hollow or partially hollow tube that mechanical couples to the different pipes  114  and allows fluid flow therebetween. The end portion  216  may be connected to the pipes  114  directly via a connector or molding and/or optionally may include a flexible portion, such as elbows  214  or the like that allow movement of the pipes  114  relative to the end portion  216 , without disconnecting or decoupling the pipes  114  from the end portion  216 . The various connections between the different pipes  114  helps to ensure that the airflow in each of the pipes  114  across the system  100  are substantially similar. For example, if a first pipe  114  is closer to the pump  104  or otherwise has airflow that is higher than an adjacent pipe  114 , the end portion  216  that fluidly couples the two pipes  114  together, allows excess airflow from a first pipe to flow into the second pipe, boosting the air pressure and air flow speed into the slower pipe. In general, the system  100  may be configured to have substantially the same airflow for all outlets of the system, including those that are adjacent to or near the head  134  and those that are further away. 
       FIGS.  7  and  8    illustrate views of embodiments of the system  100 . In  FIG.  7   , the pipes  114  are arranged to float on the fluid body  110  and do not require supports within the fluid body to support the pipes  114  in the fluid body  110 . In  FIG.  8   , the pipes  114  are supported via the supports  132  within the fluid body  110 . In both embodiments, the pipes  114  are coupled to manifold  206  via the distribution pipes  208 . The distribution pipes  208  include flexible connections at either or both to the manifold location and at the pipe  114  location. The flexibility allows the pipes  114  to move in the fluid body  110 , such as due to weather, without disconnecting the pipes  114  from the distribution pipes  208  and/or manifold  206 . Additionally, in some embodiments, the pipes  114  may be coupled to adjacent pipes  114  and/or all pipes  114  within the submodule  202   a,  such as via cross links or crossbeams  218 . The crossbeams  218  help to impart rigidity to the pipes  114  and help reduce movement of the pipes  114  relative to the manifold  206  and distribution pipes  208 . For example, often in the operating environment, one side of the pipes  114  may heat up (e.g. due to sun exposure), and the crossbeams  218  to help to reduce flexing or movement due to changes in size or shape such as due to expansion or contraction. 
     It should be noted that in some embodiments, the manifold  206  or duct may be used to distribute to multiple modules  204   a,    240   b.  In instances where a single pump  104  is used, the diameter of the manifold  206  may be reduced as the distance is longer from the outlet of the pump  104 . In other words, the diameter of the manifold  206  may be changed to compensate for changes in air speed to help maintain the velocity of the air or other fluid across the various pipes  114  of the modules  204   a,    204   b.  Alternatively, the diameter may be the same and additional pumps  104  may be used to eliminate large changes in air speed, where the different modules  204   a,    204   b  may have different pumps  104  and may not be fluidly coupled to each other. 
     With reference again to  FIG.  1   , in operation, the ambient air  108  is passed through the heater  102 , such as being pulled in via a vacuum generated by the pump  104 . The air  108  receives the heat energy and raises in temperature and is continued to be pulled through the system  100 . The pump  104  then pressurizes the air, increasing the pressure, and provides the pressurized air to the agitation assembly  106  to be deposited to the fluid body  110 . Specifically, the air  108  is transported through the head  134  and to the manifold  206 , distribution pipes  208 , to the fluid lumen  118  within the one or more pipes  114 . 
     As the air travels within the fluid lumen  118 , the air (or other agitation fluid) reaches the different outlets  116   a,    116   b,    116   c,    116   d,    116   e,    116   f  and travels through the outlet lumen  122  and into the nozzles  120 . The nozzles  120  then output the air jet  130 , where the spray pattern of the air jet  130  is based on the nozzle  120  configuration and orientation. The air jet  130  impacts the top surface  124  of the fluid body  110  and causes a fluid regime change and generates droplets of the fluid. The droplets are raised above the top surface  124 , allowing the droplets to be more readily evaporated into the environment. It should be noted that although the system  100  may be generally used in outdoor environment, in some embodiments the system  100  may be implemented in controlled environments, such as within an industrial plant. In these instances, the heater  102  may be omitted and/or the ambient air environment may be selected to help maximize or increase evaporation, e.g., the humidity of the ambient air may be controlled and a fan or other element can be configured to generate air movement, assisting with the evaporation. 
     The system  100  may have enhanced energy efficiency as compared to conventional systems as the air jets  130  are above and not within the fluid body  110 . This reduces the pressure required to expel the air jets  130  as the system  100  does not have to overcome a fluid pressure covering the outlets. Further, as mentioned, the arrangement of being over the top surface  124  helps to allow less cleaning of the system  100  and ensure performance as scaling and debris are less likely to collect on the pipe  114  and nozzles  120 , and as cleaning may be needed it is easier to accomplish as the pipes  114  are not fully submerged in the fluid body  110 . 
     Utilizing the system  100  as described herein can enhance evaporation of fluid, including fluids with a substantial number of total dissolved solids and/or total suspended solids. Evaporation ponds utilizing a sprayer, such as a turbo sprayer, require a filter positioned between the sprayer or blower. These filters become clogged quickly due to the high level of dissolved or suspended solids and debris generally within the fluid, and the replacement requires downtime and maintenance efforts to replace. On the contrary, the system  100  may utilizing air (rather than another type of fluid, such as water) a filter does not need to be positioned between the pump  104  and the pipes  114 , as debris and solids in the fluid body  110  is not entering into the system via the air intake or the like. 
     Further, as compared to conventional evaporation ponds, the system  100  has substantially reduced scaling on the outlets  116  and pipes  114  because the outlets  116  are not positioned within or submerged within the fluid body  110 . Further, because most of the evaporation of the fluid is occurring away from the mechanical aspects of the system  100 , i.e., the evaporation is occurring in the air, away from the pipes  114  and outlets  116 , and so scaling will not occur as much on the pipes  114  or outlets themselves as compared to other systems. Due to this, the system  100  can handle higher total dissolved solids (often close to the crystallization level) where such levels are not adequately handled by conventional evaporation solutions. Additionally, the system has a reduce number of moving parts as compared conventional evaporation systems, allowing for reduced cost and increased reliability. 
     By introducing heat into the agitation stream (e.g., air stream), the system  100  can increase evaporation volumes in the summer months as compared to conventional evaporation ponds. Further, unlike conventional evaporation ponds, the system  100  can operate year round, since introducing heat to the agitation stream helps to prevent the formation of ice on the fluid body, such as during the winter. 
     Also, while specific configurations of the outlets and nozzles have been discussed, it should be noted that these are meant as illustrative only. For example, the nozzles may be mounted at different angles relative to the pipe and the pipe can be rotated in position on the fluid body to generate a different angle. Further, the airflow speed and outlet stream shape, as well as height above the top surface of the fluid body may determine a desired angle and configuration for the outlets and nozzle. 
     CONCLUSION 
     The methods and systems are described herein with reference to wastewater evaporation. However, these techniques are equally applicable to other types of systems where evaporation may be desired. Additionally, the discussion of any particular embodiment is meant as illustrative only. Further, features and modules from various embodiments may be substituted freely between other embodiments. 
     It should be noted that any feature, component, or operation described with respect to one embodiment or example may be used with any other embodiment or example. In methodologies directly or indirectly set forth herein, various steps and operations are described in one possible order of operation but those skilled in the art will recognize the steps and operation may be rearranged, replaced or eliminated without necessarily departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. It is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative only and not limiting. Changes in detail or structure may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.