Condensing Stage
The primary focus of the Thermal Waste Recovery process is to purify water by separating out the solid contaminates
and mineral salts contained in the waste water and brine concentrates.
Since clean water is the primary desired product,
once you have had the opportunity to extract energy in the
steam stage,
the spent steam needs to be condensed into liquid
water.
Standardized Condensing Methods
The operating theory of the
Newcomen atmospheric steam engine/pump takes advantage of an over 1,600 to one volume reduction
of water vapor condensing into liquid water thereby creating a partial
vacuum
which drives a pump.
The condensing process may yield harnessable energy to power a pump, to pump water or
compress air
or may be converted into rotary kinetic motion that may be used to generate electricity.
This phase change energy may be harnessed as a
Standardized
Condensing Method.
Once the steam has been condensed into liquid water it still contains a large amount of energy in the form of heat.
The heat energy may be extracted from the
hot water
through a
heat exchanger
in an Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) or scavenging the
Temperature Gradient
in an thermal energy
harvesting
device.
Any remaining heat above ambient temperature may be dissipated into the incoming waste water feedstock to assist in
the preheating process and add to the overall Recovery 2.0 system efficiency.
Waste Recovery Process
- Brine & Waste Water
Pathway Flow & Options
- Thermal Reduction
- Steam Stage
- Condensing Stage
- Water Phase
- Hydro Energy
- Water Pipeline
Standardized Condensing Method
Single Cylinder Condensers
Multi Cylinder Condensers
Commonly a flow through heat exchange condensing system is used to perform the
phase change of a
working fluid.
While this may be one efficient method to convert a gas into a liquid,
it may miss the opportunity to harness energy from the naturally
induced force.
The development of a standardized method to capture the
energy generated
by the rapid volume reduction and partial vacuum created in the condensing process is possible.
A mechanism to induce a controlled batch condensing function that creates a pulsating cycle
that may be converted into a pumping action.
A standardized Condensing module may be applied for a number of different working fluids
where phase change is applicable.
The beneficial use of the harnessed pumping action may include implementation as a
compressed air
generator, water/hydro pump, a CO2 compression engine and has the potential for electricity generation.
Single Cylinder Condenser
A Single Cylinder
Condenser
may be used to harness the power of the phase change of a gaseous vapor into a liquid.
Our common demonstration example is using the condensing steam into liquid water
as a part of the recovery of clean water from brines and waste water.
The construction of a Cylinder system with control intake valves and exhaust valves are designed
to collect and contain the steam. The cylinder houses a piston which is the heart of the condenser.
When the steam is fully charged into the cylinder the intake valves are closed and the cooling cycle may begin.
The valves trigger the cooling flow within the charged cylinder which invokes a phase change of the steam into liquid water.
The steam to water reaction is in excess of a 1600:1 ratio and this rapid volume reduction cerates a temporary vacuum effect
within the cylinder. This allows the atmospheric pressure above the piston to drive the piston downward.
The piston is attached to balance beam with an offset
counter weight
that lifts the piston back up to the top
of its travel range. So when the piston is driven downward from the vacuum effect the natural counter balance
returns to the top of its stroke.
When the piston reaches the bottom of its stroke, the valves are opened and the water exits via gravity flow.
As the piston returns to the top of its stroke it pulls steam in to refill the Cylinder
and the cycle is ready to start again.
The balance beam, on its counter weight side, is attached to a pumping mechanism and may be used a
to pump water or compress air.
The compressed air may be stored or expanded on demand to meet any cooling needs as an ultra cold heat sink.
Remember that the primary goal of a Condenser Cylinder is to facilitate the conversion of condensable gas vapors back into its
liquid phase.
Multi Cylinder Condenser
A Multi Cylinder Condenser may be used to harness the power of the phase change of a gaseous vapor into a liquid.
The principles of a Multi Cylinder Condenser operates much the same as a
Single stage
system in regards to the
functions within the condensing Cylinder itself.
The main difference is a multi Cylinder system would be linked with a camshaft to enable the return of the piston positions
back to the top of the cycle.
A Multi Cylinder Condenser operates much like the inverse of an internal combustion engine,
fuel is not compressed and combusted to turn the crankshaft, instead the vacuum effect drives the rotational torque and motion.
Remember that the primary goal of a Condenser Cylinder is to facilitate the efficient conversion of
condensable gas vapors into its liquid phase.
Volumetric Expansion Ratio
| Sym | Element Name |
Boiling Point (C°) |
Liquid-to-Gas
Expansion Ratio |
| Ar | Argon | -185.8 | 847 |
| NH3 | Ammonia | -33.34 | 850 |
| CO2 | Carbon Dioxide | -78.46 | 535 |
| He | Helium | -268.9 | 745 |
| H2 | Hydrogen | -252.9 | 848 |
| CH4 | Methane | -161.6 | 650 |
| Ne | Neon | -246.0 | 1445 |
| N2 | Nitrogen | -195.8 | 694 |
| O2 | Oxygen | -183.0 | 862 |
| H2O | Water | 100.0 | 1600 |
