Patent Description:
There are several different techniques known to purify unclean water containing different substances in the water, or to desalinate salt water. Depending on the type of contained substance, one or more techniques may be used either alone or in combination. When treating unclean water comprising particles suspended in the water, e.g. in a sewage system, the system may comprise different mechanical filter types, one or more biological processing steps and one or more chemical processing steps.

In a sewage system, contaminants are removed from wastewater and household sewage, both effluents and domestic. It includes physical, chemical, and biological processes to remove physical, chemical and biological contaminants. The main purpose is to produce an environmentally-safe fluid waste stream with more or less clean water that can be discharged in nature, e.g. in a river, see or lake, and a solid waste in the form of sludge that can be disposed of or reused.

The wastewater of the sewage system may be more or less clean. When undesirable chemicals, materials, and biological contaminants have been removed from contaminated water, the water is defined as purified and can be used for a specific purpose, e.g. as drinking water or other purposes, including meeting the requirements of medical, pharmacology, chemical and industrial applications. In general, the methods used to purify water include physical processes such as filtration and sedimentation, biological processes such as slow sand filters or active sludge and chemical processes such as flocculation and chlorination.

One way to purify water is to use membrane distillation. There are several well-known different membrane techniques. In such systems, water vapour is forced through a membrane followed by a subsequent condensation of the vapour. The membrane type used is normally hydrophobic, which only allows water vapour molecules to pass through the membrane but stops fluid water and other types of contaminants to pass through the membrane. After the water vapour has condensed to condensate, the result is that only pure water will be present on the other side of the membrane.

Various membrane distillation techniques require high amounts of energy and have in general low throughput levels (flux, litres of purified water/square meter membrane and hour). Their designs in facilitating the needed heating and cooling arrangements also leads to complexity in applications and to a high number of required components.

<CIT> discloses an apparatus for obtaining pure water from crude water that includes an evaporator arrangement that has a first circuit for circulating crude water, a second circuit for circulating liquid coolant, and membrane elements for separating the circulating crude water from the circulating liquid coolant and for obtaining pure water from the crude water by means of membrane distillation through the medium of the membrane elements. This apparatus increases the energy efficiency, but still has a low output rate of purified water.

Such a membrane distillation system works fine when it comes to purify water. However, known systems have a low throughput, requires high energy consumption and are complicated and relatively large. There is thus a need for an improved water purifier.

An object of the invention is therefore to provide an improved water purifier. A further object of the invention is to provide an improved method for purifying water.

The solution to the problem according to the invention is described in the characterizing part of claim <NUM>. An inventive method for purifying water is described in claim <NUM>. The other claims contain advantageous further developments of the inventive arrangement and method.

In a water purifier for purifying water, comprising a compressor circuit provided with a compressor, a first heat exchanger, a second heat exchanger and an expansion valve arranged between the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger, where the compressor circuit is arranged to heat a first water circuit through the first heat exchanger, the object of the invention is achieved in that the compressor circuit is arranged to condensate water vapour in a second water circuit through the second heat exchanger, that the water purifier further comprises a membrane module having an inlet chamber connected to the first water circuit, a membrane adapted to pass water vapour through the membrane, and an evaporation chamber connected to the second water circuit, where the second water circuit comprises an evacuation pump arranged to create an underpressure in the evaporation chamber located in the second water circuit.

By this first embodiment of the water purifier according to the invention, a water purifier with a reduced complexity, a reduced footprint and a reduced energy consumption is obtained. The water purifier can be used for water containing different solvable substances or for salt water and is mainly intended for water having a low degree of particles and a low concentration of particles. The water purifier is suitable for purifying fresh water and for desalinating salt water. In the water purifier, the heat energy used to heat the water in the first water circuit is recovered from the water vapour in the second water circuit. This increases the efficiency of the water purifier.

In an advantageous development of the inventive water purifier, the water purifier is further provided with an additional sub-cooler that may cool the purified water to a lower temperature, such that no additional water cooler is required in a subsequent process step.

In an advantageous development of the inventive water purifier, the water purifier comprises a plurality of membrane modules arranged side by side. This will increase the water purification capacity of the system and will allow the capacity of the water purifier to be adapted to the requirements. In order to preserve the efficiency of the water purifier, it is important that the water flow through a membrane module is not too low. By using several membrane modules in parallel, one or more membrane modules can be shut off when the needed capacity is lower, keeping the water flow through the remaining membrane module within limits.

In an advantageous development of the inventive water purifier, the membrane module comprises a plurality of membranes arranged side by side, with common inlet and outlet openings. This will resemble a plate heat exchanger and will increase the water purification capacity of the system. The membranes are arranged side by side, creating adjacent channels for input water and water vapour. The membrane module may be made from a plastic material, where each membrane plate is injection moulded and comprises a distribution pattern. This will increase the water distribution in the water channels.

The inventive method provides a simple, cost-effective and compact water purification method. Further, no additional chemical additives are needed for the purifying process.

The invention will be described in greater detail in the following, with reference to the attached drawings, in which.

The embodiments of the invention with further developments described in the following are to be regarded only as examples and are in no way to limit the scope of the protection provided by the patent claims. The given numbers for e.g. temperatures, pressures and mechanical dimensions are only given as examples and may vary depending on the selected design.

<FIG> shows a view of a water purifier <NUM> according to the invention. The water purifier is adapted to purify water without the need of additional additives or further processes. The water may be e.g. contaminated fresh water or salt water. The water may come from different sources and may include e.g. industrial, agricultural or hospital wastewater, as long as the amount of contained particles are low. The water may be raw water, leachate water from waste disposal sites, wastewater from fish breeding in both fresh water and salt water, or other process water. The water purifier is e.g. well suited to remove solvable substances such as traces of different drugs, radon or cadmium in the wastewater. The water purifier is also suitable to purify tap water that contains e.g. bacteria or other substances that makes the tap water unsuitable to drink. The size and capacity of the water purifier can be adapted to the requirements.

The water purifier <NUM> comprises a compressor circuit <NUM>, a first water circuit <NUM> and a second water circuit <NUM>. The compressor circuit comprises a compressor <NUM>, a first channel in a first heat exchanger <NUM>, an expansion valve <NUM>, and a first channel in a second heat exchanger <NUM> interconnected with conduits and providing a closed refrigerant system. The compressor circuit is filled with a refrigerant that is compressed and decompressed in the compressor circuit. The refrigerant may be e.g. ammonia, carbon dioxide, ethylene, ethane, propylene, propane or a chlorofluorohydrocarbon.

The compressor circuit comprises a compressor <NUM> that compresses the refrigerant to a relatively high temperature, e.g. in the range between <NUM> - <NUM> depending on the compressor and the selected refrigerant. The compressor is in the shown example powered by electricity, but can also be driven by any other rotational force such as a combustion engine. The compressor circuit may also comprise an adiabatic process in which the refrigerant is circulated by a chemical process instead of a compressor. In normal operation, the compressor is air-cooled but is possible to supply the compressor with an additional cooler if required.

The heated and pressurized refrigerant is fed through a first conduit <NUM> to the first heat exchanger <NUM> and enters a first channel of the first heat exchanger through a first inlet <NUM>. The heat exchanger is preferably a plate heat exchanger, but other types are also possible to use. The refrigerant heats the water of a first water circuit <NUM> flowing in a second channel in the first heat exchanger. The refrigerant leaves the first channel of the first heat exchanger through a first outlet <NUM> and enters a second conduit <NUM>, having a slightly lower temperature. The second conduit is connected to an expansion valve <NUM> in which the pressurized refrigerant is decompressed to a lower pressure, which at the same time lowers the temperature of the refrigerant considerably. After the expansion valve, the temperature of the refrigerant may be in the range between <NUM> - <NUM> depending on the selected refrigerant.

The decompressed refrigerant passes through a third conduit <NUM> to a first inlet <NUM> of a first channel of a second heat exchanger <NUM>. In the first channel, the refrigerant will evaporate by the heat from the water vapour in the second channel. At the same time, the water vapour of the second water circuit <NUM> condenses to water in the second channel in the second heat exchanger by the refrigerant in the first channel. The refrigerant leaves the second channel of the second heat exchanger as gas through a first outlet <NUM> and enters a fourth conduit <NUM>. The refrigerant returns through the fourth conduit to the compressor <NUM>, where it is compressed again.

The water that is to be purified is contained in the first water circuit <NUM>. The first water circuit <NUM> comprises a second channel in the first heat exchanger <NUM>, an inlet chamber <NUM> in the membrane module <NUM>, a reservoir <NUM> holding a supply of water, an inlet valve <NUM> and an inlet pump <NUM> interconnected with conduits. The water enters the second channel in the first heat exchanger <NUM> through a second inlet <NUM> and is heated in the second channel by the refrigerant in the first channel of the first heat exchanger. The heated water exits the second channel through a second outlet <NUM> of the first heat exchanger and continues through a fifth conduit <NUM> to the inlet chamber <NUM> of the membrane module <NUM> through a first inlet <NUM> of the membrane module.

The membrane module <NUM> comprises in one example a rectangular membrane provided with support members. The membrane module may also have other shapes and designs, and may e.g. comprise a circular membrane. It is also possible to place several membranes in a parallel arrangement in the same housing. In the inlet chamber of the membrane module, the water is distributed evenly over the entire membrane surface, e.g. by ridges arranged in the inlet chamber, either on the rear side of the inlet chamber or on the plate holding the membrane <NUM>. This is important in order to preserve the efficiency of the water purifier. In the inlet chamber, part of the water evaporates and passes through the membrane <NUM> to an evaporation chamber <NUM> of the membrane module, and at the same time, the water loses some of its heat. The membrane may be hydrophobic and will only allow water vapour to pass through. After the inlet chamber, the remaining water exits the membrane module through a first outlet <NUM> of the membrane module to a sixth conduit <NUM>. It is possible to provide the first outlet <NUM> with a controllable reduction valve <NUM> in order to control the flow through the inlet chamber, if necessary. The sixth conduit is connected to the reservoir <NUM> via a first inlet <NUM> of the reservoir, through which the water circulates and mixes with the rest of the water.

Since part of the water is transformed to water vapour in the evaporation chamber <NUM>, the water in the reservoir is constantly or batchwise replenished with additional water, e.g. contaminated fresh water or salt water, through a first inlet valve <NUM>, a ninth conduit <NUM> and a second inlet <NUM> of the reservoir in a corresponding amount to what is extracted from the system as purified water In the reservoir, the concentration of solvable substances will rise when the water is purified. This higher concentration causes the solvable substances to form solid salt particles, which sinks to the bottom of the reservoir. The salt particles can be removed from the reservoir, e.g. through a ninth conduit <NUM> arranged at the bottom of the reservoir. The water exits the reservoir through a first outlet <NUM> of the reservoir to a seventh conduit <NUM> that is connected to a second inlet valve <NUM> and an inlet pump <NUM>. The inlet pump creates the pressure and the flow for the water to the second channel of the first heat exchanger and the inlet chamber of the membrane module. The water passes from the inlet pump to the second inlet <NUM> of the first heat exchanger <NUM> through an eight conduit <NUM>.

The pressure in the first water circuit <NUM> created by the inlet pump <NUM> is not very high, and the purpose of the inlet pump is more to create a flow through the first water circuit than to create a high pressure. The pressure may e.g. be around <NUM> bar. The temperature of the water entering the inlet chamber of the membrane module is preferably in the range between <NUM>-<NUM> and the temperature drop in the inlet chamber may be around <NUM>. After the reservoir <NUM>, the water temperature is even lower, and is heated to the required temperature in the second channel in the first heat exchanger <NUM> by the refrigerant. In the membrane module, between <NUM> - <NUM>% of the water is transformed to water vapour that enters the evaporation chamber <NUM> of the membrane module. The capacity of the water purifier is in one example higher than <NUM> litres per square meter and hour.

The water vapour condensates to purified water in the second water circuit <NUM>. The second water circuit <NUM> comprises an evaporation chamber <NUM> in the membrane module <NUM>, a second channel in the second heat exchanger <NUM> and an evacuation pump <NUM> interconnected with conduits. The water vapour enters the evaporation chamber through the membrane <NUM> of the membrane module. The water vapour exits the evaporation chamber through a second outlet <NUM> of the membrane module and a tenth conduit <NUM> to the second channel of the second heat exchanger <NUM> through a second inlet <NUM> of the second heat exchanger <NUM>. The temperature of the water vapour is in one example around <NUM>. In the second channel of the heat exchanger, the water vapour condensates to water and flows out of the second channel through a second outlet <NUM> of the second heat exchanger. In the second channel, the water vapour evaporates the refrigerant of the first channel. At the same time, the water vapour condenses to water in the second channel. From the second outlet <NUM> of the second heat exchanger, the purified water flows through an eleventh conduit <NUM> to the evacuation pump <NUM>, which drains the purified water of the second water circuit <NUM> through a thirteenth conduit <NUM>. The water that is drained by the evacuation pump is now completely purified and further cooled, and can e.g. be used as drinking water or for other purposes.

The water vapour created in the membrane module <NUM> is created by the heat difference between the inlet chamber <NUM> and the evaporation chamber <NUM>. The higher temperature in the inlet chamber is created by the heated water in the first water circuit <NUM>. The lower temperature in the evaporation chamber is created by the evacuation pump <NUM>, which lowers the pressure by creating an underpressure in the second water circuit <NUM> and thus in the evaporation chamber <NUM>. The underpressure in the second water circuit <NUM> is preferably in the range between <NUM>,<NUM> - <NUM>,<NUM> bar.

The pressure in the evaporation chamber <NUM> is lowered by the evacuation pump <NUM> from the normal atmospheric pressure to an underpressure, e.g. from slightly under <NUM> bar down to <NUM>,<NUM> bar. This causes the water vapour in the evaporation chamber <NUM> to be transported from the membrane surface in the evaporation chamber <NUM> to the second heat exchanger, acting as a separate evaporator, where the water vapour will evaporate the refrigerant in the first channel. The water vapour will at the same time condensate to condensed water. The second heat exchanger acts in the shown example as a separate evaporator and is a plate heat exchanger, but other heat exchangers are of course also possible. The temperature gradient between the two sides of the membrane <NUM> may be around <NUM> or more. Due to the lower pressure, the water vapour does not condensate in the evaporation chamber even if the temperature in the evaporation chamber may be between e.g. <NUM> - <NUM>. The water vapour condensates in the second channel in the second heat exchanger <NUM>, and is at the same time cooled down further, e.g. to a temperature of between e.g. <NUM> - <NUM>.

The second water circuit <NUM> may also comprise an additional cooler function in the form of a third heat exchanger <NUM>, which can be used to lower the temperature of the purified water to an even lower temperature, e.g. to a temperature between e.g. <NUM> - <NUM> such that it can be used directly as household water. In this example, the third heat exchanger <NUM> is connected to the eleventh conduit <NUM> by a first inlet <NUM> of the third heat exchanger. The purified water passes a first channel in the third heat exchanger and exits through a first outlet <NUM> of the third heat exchanger and a twelfth conduit <NUM> to the evacuation pump <NUM>. External cooling water flows through a fourteenth conduit <NUM> to a second inlet of the third heat exchanger, though a second channel of the third heat exchanger and exits through a second outlet <NUM> of the third heat exchanger to a fifteenth conduit <NUM>.

The inventive water purifier can be made relatively compact and with relatively fewer components when compared to existing membrane distillation systems. Since the water purifier only contains one compressor circuit for both heating and cooling instead of a separate heating circuit and a separate cooling circuit, the amount of required components is reduced significantly. This allows for a compact water purifier. Further, the heat produced by the compressor to heat the water in the first water circuit is recovered in the second heat exchanger by the evaporation of the refrigerant. In this way, the water purifier is very energy efficient.

Claim 1:
Water purifier (<NUM>) for purifying water, comprising a compressor circuit (<NUM>) provided with a compressor (<NUM>), a first heat exchanger (<NUM>), a second heat exchanger (<NUM>) where the compressor circuit (<NUM>) is arranged to heat a first water circuit (<NUM>) through the first heat exchanger (<NUM>), wherein the compressor circuit (<NUM>) is arranged to condensate water vapour in a second water circuit (<NUM>) through the second heat exchanger (<NUM>), that the water purifier (<NUM>) further comprises a membrane module (<NUM>) having an inlet chamber (<NUM>) connected to the first water circuit (<NUM>), a membrane (<NUM>) adapted to pass water vapour through the membrane (<NUM>), and an evaporation chamber (<NUM>) connected to the second water circuit (<NUM>), where the second water circuit (<NUM>) comprises an evacuation pump (<NUM>) arranged to create an underpressure in the evaporation chamber (<NUM>) located in the second water circuit (<NUM>), said water purifier being characterized in that it further comprises an expansion valve (<NUM>) arranged between the first heat exchanger (<NUM>) and the second heat exchanger (<NUM>).