Apparatus system and method to desalinate water

Abstract

An apparatus, system, and method to desalinate water. The apparatus comprises an outer housing with at least one inlet and two outlets, wherein contaminated water flows into the at least one inlet and purified vapor exits from a first outlet and the contaminated water with a portion removed as vapor exits from a second outlet; at least one finned tube heat exchanger inside the outer housing; a heat energy source connected to the finned tube heat exchanger causing a portion of the contaminated water in the finned tube heat exchanger to form the vapor; and an inner tube with a plurality of holes inside the finned tube heat exchanger, wherein the inner tube is connected to the first outlet, and the vapor flows through the inner tube to the first outlet and exits the thermal desalination apparatus.

1 . A thermal desalination apparatus comprising:
 a. an outer housing with at least one inlet and two outlets, wherein contaminated water flows into the at least one inlet and purified vapor exits from a first outlet and the contaminated water with a portion removed as vapor exits from a second outlet;   b. at least one finned tube heat exchanger inside the outer housing;   c. a heat energy source connected to the finned tube heat exchanger causing a portion of the contaminated water in the finned tube heat exchanger to form the vapor; and   d. an inner tube with a plurality of holes inside the finned tube heat exchanger, wherein the inner tube is connected to the first outlet, and the vapor flows through the inner tube to the first outlet and exits the thermal desalination apparatus.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a pre-warmer heat exchanger to use the purified vapor stream to increase the feed temperature of the contaminated water before the contaminated water enters the thermal desalination apparatus. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the thermal desalination apparatus uses an energy source selected from the group consisting of flare gas energy, heated saltwater, solar energy, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a condensing device to condense the vapor into purified water. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 2  further comprising a gas burner inside the thermal desalination apparatus, and the gas burner provides at least a portion of the energy to heat the contaminated water. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the inner tube inside the finned tube heat exchanger comprises at least two different flow paths, a first flow path connecting at least one inlet to the first outlet and a second flow path connecting the inlet to the second outlet, the first flow path and the second flow path flow through at least a portion of the thermal desalination apparatus wherein a difference in density causes the lighter purified vapor to take a different path than the heavier contaminated fluid before the purified vapor exits the first outlet and the contaminated fluid exits the second outlet of the thermal desalination apparatus. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the purified vapor stream is connected to a steam turbine that uses the energy from the vapor. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one reverse osmosis device. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8  further comprising at least one pressure recovery device connected to the at least one reverse osmosis device. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the at least one pressure recovery device captures pressure energy from brine exiting the at least one reverse osmosis device. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , further comprising at least one additional flow path inside the thermal desalination apparatus, wherein the at least one additional flow path is created by the group consisting of conical shaped plating with a plurality of aligned holes, baffles, perforated pipes, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a control panel and at least one flow control sensor to operate the at least one energy recapture device and the at least one thermal distillation device in a coordinated manner. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , further comprising pumps connected to the first and second outlets. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , further comprising a control panel and at least one flow control sensor to operate the at least one energy recapture device and the at least one thermal distillation device in a coordinated manner and the control panel operates the pumps attached to the first and second outlets in a coordinated manner. 
     
     
         15 . A method to desalinate water comprising;
 a. obtaining a thermal desalination apparatus comprising: an outer housing with at least one inlet and two outlets, wherein contaminated water is flowed into the at least one inlet and purified vapor is exits from a first outlet and the contaminated water with a portion removed as vapor exits from a second outlet; at least one finned tube heat exchanger inside the outer housing; a heat energy source connected to the finned tube heat exchanger causing a portion of the contaminated water in the finned tube heat exchanger to form the vapor; and an inner tube with a plurality of holes inside the finned tube heat exchanger, wherein the inner tube is connected to the first outlet, and the vapor flows in the inner tube to the first outlet and exits the thermal desalination apparatus.   b. flowing water through the thermal desalination apparatus;   c. using the finned tube heat exchanger to transfer heat energy to the contaminated water inside the finned tube;   d. exiting the purified vapor from the first outlet; and   e. exiting the contaminated water with a portion removed as vapor from the second outlet;   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  further comprising condensing the vapor exiting thermal desalination apparatus using a condensing device. 
     
     
         17 . A system comprising:
 a. a thermal desalination apparatus comprising an outer housing with at least one inlet and two outlets, wherein contaminated water flows into the at least one inlet and purified vapor exits from a first outlet and the contaminated water with a portion removed as vapor exits from a second outlet; at least one finned tube heat exchanger inside the outer housing; a heat energy source connected to the finned tube heat exchanger causing a portion of the contaminated water in the finned tube heat exchanger to form the vapor; and an inner tube with a plurality of holes inside the finned tube heat exchanger, wherein the inner tube is connected to the first outlet, and the vapor flows through the inner tube to the first outlet and exits the thermal desalination apparatus.   b. at least one sensor inside the thermal desalination apparatus; and   c. at least one control panel that operates the heat energy source and the at least one sensor inside the thermal desalination apparatus in a coordinated manner.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , further comprising a condensing device to condense the vapor into water. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , further comprising a condensing device to condense the vapor into water. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 18 , further comprising pumps attached to the first outlet and the second outlet of the thermal desalination apparatus and at least one flow control sensor for the control panel to operate at least one energy recapture device and the at least one thermal desalination apparatus in a coordinated manner and the control panel operates pumps attached to the first outlet and the second outlet of the thermal distillation device in a coordinated manner.