DEVICE FOR PRODUCING FRESH WATER FROM AIR Russian patent published in 1999 - IPC

FIELD: hydraulic engineering. SUBSTANCE: device can be used for producing fresh water preferably in sea coastal areas. Device has pipeline 1 lowered into deep layers of water basin or sea with cold water, and vessel 3 communicating with pipeline by means of pump 5. Vessel is located above level of surrounding water on stationary base. Vessel is isolated from air, is filled with running cooling water, and at one side it communicates with pump which is connected with pipeline, and at other side it communicates with outlet pipe 6 having its end located below pump which ensures running of cooling water as through syphon from pump to outlet pipe and into surrounding water basin without consuming any outside energy. Located within vessel is air pipeline. All walls 7 of air pipeline function as heat-conducting partitions made of heat-conducting and water-unwettable material. Passage 8 of air pipeline communicates with surrounding atmospheric air through inlet hole 9 and outlet hole 10. Inlet hole is located above outlet hole. Vessel 3 acts as cooling zone, and passage 8 of air pipeline acts as zone of condensation. Flow of water from deep layers is effected via pipeline as through communicating vessel due to hydrostatic forces from side of surrounding water. Flow of air in air pipeline is effected due to its cooling and increasing density at contact with walls of air pipeline. Condensate of water vapor settling on cold water-unwettable walls of air pipeline is collected in vessel 11 which is intended for fresh water. Aforesaid embodiment of device allows for its location on stationary support above level of surrounding water for example on shore or on floating pontoon. It requires no protection from waves. Aforesaid design allows for manufacture of large-size devices of high productive capacity. Operation of device is simplified. EFFECT: higher efficiency. 8 cl, 1 dwg