Multi-Stage Bubble-Column Vapor Mixture Condensation

Abstract

A multi-stage bubble-column vapor mixture condenser includes at least a first stage and a second stage. Each stage includes a condenser chamber including a carrier-gas inlet and a carrier-gas outlet and contains a condensing bath. Carrier gas bubbles from the carrier-gas inlet up through the condensing bath, overcoming a hydrostatic head of the condensing bath, to a volume of carrier gas above the condensing bath. The carrier-gas outlet is positioned with an opening for carrier-gas extraction, and the first-stage carrier-gas outlet is in fluid communication with the second-stage carrier-gas inlet to facilitate flow of the carrier gas through the condensing bath in the first-stage condenser chamber, into the volume of carrier gas above the first-stage condensing bath, and then through the condensing bath in the second-stage condenser chamber. The first-stage condenser chamber further includes an intermediate-exchange inlet positioned and configured to inject additional carrier gas into the first-stage condenser.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A multi-stage bubble-column vapor mixture condenser, comprising:
 at least a first stage and a second stage, wherein each stage includes:
 a condenser chamber including a carrier-gas inlet and a carrier-gas outlet; 
 a condensing bath in the condenser chamber, wherein the carrier-gas inlet is positioned and configured to bubble carrier gas from the carrier-gas inlet up through the condensing bath, overcoming a hydrostatic head of the condensing bath; and 
 a volume of carrier gas above the condensing bath in the condenser chamber, wherein the carrier-gas outlet is positioned with an opening for carrier-gas extraction from the volume of carrier gas above the condensing bath, wherein the first-stage carrier-gas outlet is in fluid communication with the carrier-gas inlet of the second stage to facilitate flow of the carrier gas through the condensing bath in the condenser chamber of the first stage, into the volume of carrier gas above the first-stage condensing bath, and then through the condensing bath in the condenser chamber of the second stage, and 
   wherein the first-stage condenser chamber further includes an intermediate-exchange inlet distinct from the carrier-gas inlet and the carrier-gas outlet, and wherein the intermediate-exchange inlet is positioned and configured to inject additional carrier gas into the volume of carrier gas in the first-stage condenser chamber.   
     
     
         2 . The multi-stage bubble-column vapor mixture condenser of  claim 1 , wherein the carrier gas includes a vaporizable component in vapor phase, and wherein the condensing baths include the vaporizable component in liquid phase in the condenser chambers of the first and second stages. 
     
     
         3 . The multi-stage bubble-column vapor mixture condenser of  claim 2 , wherein the carrier gas in the second stage has a concentration of the vaporizable component that is lower than a concentration of the vaporizable component in the carrier gas in the first stage. 
     
     
         4 . The multi-stage bubble-column vapor mixture condenser of  claim 2 , wherein the vaporizable component is water. 
     
     
         5 . The multi-stage bubble-column vapor mixture condenser of  claim 1 , wherein the condensing bath in the first stage is at least 5° C. warmer than the condensing bath in the second stage. 
     
     
         6 . The multi-stage bubble-column vapor mixture condenser of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a third stage including:
 a condenser chamber including a carrier-gas inlet and a carrier-gas outlet; 
 a condensing bath in the condenser chamber, wherein the carrier-gas inlet is positioned and configured to bubble carrier gas from the carrier-gas inlet up through the condensing bath, overcoming a hydrostatic head of the condensing bath; and 
 a volume of carrier gas above the condensing bath in the condenser chamber, wherein the carrier-gas outlet is positioned with an opening for carrier-gas extraction from the volume of carrier gas above the condensing bath, wherein the second-stage carrier-gas outlet is in fluid communication with the carrier-gas inlet of the third stage to facilitate flow of the carrier gas through the condensing bath in the condenser chamber of the second stage, into the volume of carrier gas above the second-stage condensing bath, and then through the condensing bath in the condenser chamber of the third stage, and 
   wherein the second-stage condenser chamber further includes an intermediate-exchange inlet distinct from the carrier-gas inlet and the carrier-gas outlet, and wherein the intermediate-exchange inlet is positioned and configured to inject additional carrier gas into the volume of carrier gas in the second-stage condenser chamber.   
     
     
         7 . The multi-stage bubble-column vapor mixture condenser of  claim 1 , wherein the condensing bath in each chamber has a height-to-diameter aspect ratio less than 0.5. 
     
     
         8 . The multi-stage bubble-column vapor mixture condenser of  claim 1 , wherein the carrier-gas inlet of each stage comprises a bubble generator configured to generate bubbles of the carrier gas in each of the condensing baths. 
     
     
         9 . The multi-stage bubble-column vapor mixture condenser of  claim 1 , wherein each of the carrier-gas inlet and the carrier-gas outlet of each stage is an upstream or downstream side of a sieve plate or a sparger. 
     
     
         10 . A humidification-dehumidification system, comprising:
 the multi-stage bubble-column vapor mixture condenser of  claim 1 ;   a humidifier including a humidifier chamber including an intermediate-exchange outlet; and   an intermediate-exchange conduit in fluid communication with the intermediate-exchange outlet of the humidifier chamber and with the intermediate-exchange inlet of the condenser chamber and configured to inject carrier gas from the intermediate-exchange outlet of the humidifier chamber into the intermediate-exchange inlet of the first stage of the condenser chamber.