Liquid Water Removal Apparatus

Abstract

Liquid water removal apparatus that removes residual liquid water in a fluid conducting system by vaporizing the residual liquid water and drawing the vaporized water from the fluid conducting system. A vacuum pump (a) reduces the atmospheric pressure in the fluid conducting system to vaporize residual liquid water in the fluid conducting system, (b) draws from the fluid conducting system vaporized water, and (c) partially condenses the vaporized water drawn from the fluid conducting system. Vaporized water is conducted from the vacuum pump to a first water vapor condenser where vaporized water is condensed and residual vaporized water is conducted from the first water vapor condenser to a second water vapor condenser where the residual vaporized water received from the first water vapor condenser is condensed.

1 . Liquid water removal apparatus, adapted for connection to a fluid conducting system, said apparatus comprising:
 a vacuum pump:
 (a) for:
 (1) reducing atmospheric pressure in a fluid conducting system to vaporize residual liquid water in the fluid conducting system, 
 (2) drawing into said vacuum pump from the fluid conducting system vaporized water, and 
 (3) partially condensing vaporized water drawn into said vacuum pump from the fluid conducting system, and 
 
 (b) having:
 (1) an inlet through which vaporized water is drawn into said vacuum pump from the fluid conducting system, 
 (2) a sump for collecting liquid water, and 
 (3) an outlet through which liquid water in said sump is withdrawn from said vacuum pump; 
 
   a first water vapor condenser for:
 (a) receiving vaporized water from said vacuum pump, 
 (b) condensing vaporized water received from said vacuum pump, and 
 (c) discharging water condensed by said first water vapor condenser; and 
   a second water vapor condenser for:
 (a) receiving residual water vapor from said first water vapor condenser, 
 (b) condensing residual water vapor received from said first water vapor condenser, and 
 (c) discharging water condensed by said second water vapor condenser. 
   
     
     
         2 . Liquid water removal apparatus according to  claim 1  further including:
 (a) sump liquid water level sensing means for sensing the level of the liquid water in said sump of said vacuum pump; and 
 (b) sump control means, responsive to said sump liquid water level sensing means, for selectively controlling the flow of liquid water from said outlet of said vacuum pump to permit withdrawal of the liquid water in said sump of said vacuum pump. 
 
     
     
         3 . Liquid water removal apparatus according to  claim 1  further including:
 (a) inlet sensing means for sensing the passage of liquid water from the fluid conducting system to said vacuum pump, and 
 (b) inlet control means, responsive to said inlet sensing means, for selectively controlling the flow of liquid water from the fluid conducting system to said inlet of said vacuum pump. 
 
     
     
         4 . Liquid water removal apparatus according to  claim 2  further including:
 (a) inlet sensing means for sensing the passage of liquid water from the fluid conducting system to said vacuum pump, and 
 (b) inlet control means, responsive to said inlet sensing means, for selectively controlling the flow of liquid water from the fluid conducting system to said inlet of said vacuum pump. 
 
     
     
         5 . Liquid water removal apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein:
 (a) said vacuum pump is an oil-sealed vacuum pump, and 
 (b) said first water vapor condenser is a coalescing filter. 
 
     
     
         6 . Liquid water removal apparatus according to  claim 5  further including:
 (a) sump liquid water level sensing means for sensing the level of the liquid water in said sump of said vacuum pump, and 
 (b) sump control means, responsive to said sump liquid water level sensing means, for selectively controlling the flow of liquid water from said outlet of said vacuum pump to permit withdrawal of the liquid water in said sump of said vacuum pump. 
 
     
     
         7 . Liquid water removal apparatus according to  claim 5  further including:
 (a) inlet sensing means for sensing the passage of liquid water from the fluid conducting system to said vacuum pump, and 
 (b) inlet control means, responsive to said inlet sensing means, for selectively controlling the flow of liquid water from the fluid conducting system to said inlet of said vacuum pump. 
 
     
     
         8 . Liquid water removal apparatus according to  claim 6  further including:
 (a) inlet sensing means for sensing the passage of liquid water from the fluid conducting system to said vacuum pump, and 
 (b) inlet control means, responsive to said inlet sensing means, for selectively controlling the flow of liquid water from the fluid conducting system to said inlet of said vacuum pump. 
 
     
     
         9 . Liquid water removal apparatus according to  claim 1  further including:
 (a) inlet sensing means for sensing the passage of liquid water from the fluid conducting system to said vacuum pump, and 
 (b) vacuum pump speed control means, responsive to said inlet sensing means, for selectively controlling the speed of said vacuum pump in accordance with the flow of the liquid water from the fluid conducting system to said vacuum pump. 
 
     
     
         10 . Liquid water removal apparatus according to  claim 5  further including:
 (a) inlet sensing means for sensing the passage of liquid water from the fluid conducting system to said vacuum pump, and 
 (b) vacuum pump speed control means, responsive to said inlet sensing means, for selectively controlling the speed of said vacuum pump in accordance with the flow of the liquid water from the fluid conducting system to said vacuum pump. 
 
     
     
         11 . Liquid water removal apparatus according to  claim 4  further including heat exchanging means:
 (a) for maintaining the temperature of said second water vapor condenser in a predetermined temperature range, and 
 (b) including:
 (1) a fluid reservoir in thermal contact with said second water vapor condenser and containing a coolant fluid, 
 (2) a coolant fluid pump for drawing the coolant fluid from said fluid reservoir, 
 (3) a radiator to which coolant fluid is conducted from said coolant fluid pump for radiating heat in said coolant fluid to the atmosphere and returning the coolant fluid to said fluid reservoir, and 
 (4) a fan for cooling said radiator. 
 
 
     
     
         12 . Liquid water removal apparatus according to  claim 9  further including heat exchanging means:
 (a) for maintaining the temperature of said second water vapor condenser in a predetermined temperature range, and 
 (b) including:
 (1) a fluid reservoir in thermal contact with said second water vapor condenser and containing a coolant fluid, 
 (2) a coolant fluid pump for drawing the coolant fluid from said fluid reservoir, 
 (3) a radiator to which coolant fluid is conducted from said coolant fluid pump for radiating heat in said coolant fluid to the atmosphere and returning the coolant fluid to said fluid reservoir, and 
 (4) a fan for cooling said radiator. 
 
 
     
     
         13 . Liquid water removal apparatus according to  claim 10  further including heat exchanging means:
 (a) for maintaining the temperature of said second water vapor condenser in a predetermined temperature range and 
 (b) including:
 (1) a fluid reservoir in thermal contact with said second water vapor condenser and containing a coolant fluid, 
 (2) a coolant fluid pump for drawing the coolant fluid from said fluid reservoir, 
 (3) a radiator to which coolant fluid is conducted from said coolant fluid pump for radiating heat in said coolant fluid to the atmosphere and returning the coolant fluid to said fluid reservoir, and 
 (4) a fan for cooling said radiator. 
 
 
     
     
         14 . Liquid water removal apparatus according to  claim 2  further including heat exchanging means:
 (a) for maintaining the temperature of said second water vapor condenser in a predetermined temperature range, and 
 (b) including:
 (1) a fluid reservoir in thermal contact with said second water vapor condenser and containing a coolant fluid, 
 (2) a coolant fluid pump for drawing the coolant fluid from said fluid reservoir, 
 (3) a radiator to which coolant fluid is conducted from said coolant fluid pump for radiating heat in said coolant fluid to the atmosphere and returning the coolant fluid to said fluid reservoir, and 
 (4) a fan for cooling said radiator. 
 
 
     
     
         15 . Liquid water removal apparatus according to  claim 1  further including means for supplying water condensed by said first water vapor condenser to said sump of said vacuum pump. 
     
     
         16 . Liquid water removal apparatus according to  claim 15  further including means for supplying water condensed by said second water vapor condenser to said sump of said vacuum pump. 
     
     
         17 . Liquid water removal apparatus according to  claim 4  further including means for supplying water condensed by said first water vapor condenser to said sump of said vacuum pump. 
     
     
         18 . Liquid water removal apparatus according to  claim 17  further including means for supplying water condensed by said second water vapor condenser to said sump of said vacuum pump. 
     
     
         19 . Liquid water removal apparatus according to  claim 8  further including means for supplying water condensed by said first water vapor condenser to said sump of said vacuum pump. 
     
     
         20 . Liquid water removal apparatus according to  claim 19  further including means for supplying water condensed by said second water vapor condenser to said sump of said vacuum pump. 
     
     
         21 . Liquid water removal apparatus according to  claim 14  further including means for supplying water condensed by said first water vapor condenser to said sump of said vacuum pump. 
     
     
         22 . Liquid water removal apparatus according to  claim 21  further including means for supplying water condensed by said second water vapor condenser to said sump of said vacuum pump.