Direct-contact steam-to-water condenser

Abstract

Apparatus that uses a supply of superheated steam to heat a supply of white water and optionally one or more supplies of clean water by means of heat exchangers. The heat exchanger used to heat the white water uses baffle trays to accommodate the contaminants in the white water.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An apparatus for heating a whitewater supply, said apparatus comprising: 
 a superheated steam inlet receiving steam from a superheated steam source; and    a whitewater heat exchanger receiving a flow of superheated steam from said superheated steam inlet, said whitewater heat exchanger also receiving a flow of whitewater; wherein said supply of whitewater receives heat directly from said superheated steam within said whitewater heat exchanger.    
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said whitewater heat exchanger includes: 
 a heat exchanger body having a longitudinal axis;  
 a plurality of baffle plates, each of said plurality being substantially perpendicular to said longitudinal axis;  
 a superheated steam inlet on said heat exchanger body;  
 a superheated steam outlet on said heat exchanger body;  
 a whitewater inlet on said heat exchanger body; and  
 a whitewater outlet on said heat exchanger body;  
 wherein said flow of superheated steam enters said whitewater heat exchanger through said superheated steam inlet and exits through said superheated steam outlet, wherein said whitewater flow enters said whitewater inlet and exits through said whitewater outlet, and wherein said whitewater flow mixes directly with said superheated steam flow and is thereby heated.  
 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2  wherein each of said plurality of baffle plates is rotated about said longitudinal axis with respect to each adjacent baffle plate of said plurality of baffle plates.  
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3  wherein said heat exchanger body is cylindrical.  
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4  wherein each one of said plurality of baffle plates is semi-circular with a body-spanning straight-edge.  
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 3  wherein each one of said plurality of baffle plates has a lip along said body-spanning straight-edge.  
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6  wherein said lip is substantially parallel to said longitudinal axis.  
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7  wherein each one of said plurality of baffle plates further comprises a first plurality apertures disposed therethrough.  
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8  wherein said first plurality of apertures is arranged in a first row along said lip.  
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9  wherein each of said first plurality of apertures is spaced an identical distance from an adjacent aperture of said first plurality of apertures.  
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 8  further comprising a second plurality of apertures disposed therethrough.  
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11  wherein said second plurality of apertures is arranged in a second row parallel to said first row.  
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 2  further comprising a freshwater heat exchanger.  
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13  wherein said freshwater heat exchanger comprises: 
 a freshwater heat exchanger body having a freshwater inlet disposed therethrough;  
 a freshwater outlet disposed through said freshwater heat exchanger body;  
 a superheated steam inlet disposed through said freshwater heat exchanger body; and  
 a superheated steam outlet disposed through said freshwater heat exchanger body,  
 wherein said supply of freshwater receives heat directly from said superheated steam within said freshwater heat exchanger.  
 
     
     
         15 . A steam condenser comprising: 
 a superheated steam inlet receiving steam from a superheated steam source;    a superheated steam plenum attached to said superheated steam inlet:    a whitewater heat exchanger receiving connected to said superheated steam plenum    and receiving a first flow of superheated steam from said superheated steam plenum, said whitewater heat exchanger also receiving a flow of whitewater; wherein said supply of whitewater receives heat directly from said superheated steam within said whitewater heat exchanger; and    a freshwater heat exchanger connected to said superheated steam plenum and receiving a second flow of superheated steam from said superheated steam plenum, said freshwater heat exchanger also receiving a flow of freshwater; wherein said supply of freshwater receives heat directly from said superheated steam within said freshwater heat exchanger.    
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15  wherein said whitewater heat exchanger includes: 
 a whitewater heat exchanger body having a longitudinal axis;  
 a plurality of baffle plates, each of said plurality being substantially perpendicular to said longitudinal axis;  
 a superheated steam inlet on said heat exchanger body;  
 a superheated steam outlet on said heat exchanger body;  
 a whitewater inlet on said heat exchanger body; and  
 a whitewater outlet on said heat exchanger body;  
 wherein said flow of superheated steam enters said whitewater heat exchanger through said superheated steam inlet and exits through said superheated steam outlet, wherein said whitewater flow enters said whitewater inlet and exits through said whitewater outlet, and wherein said whitewater flow mixes directly with said superheated steam flow and is thereby heated.