System and method for multi-level vacuum generation and storage

Abstract

A system and method for vacuum generation is disclosed. A saturated steam of higher than ambient pressure is inserted into a condensation cylinder with two chambers, separated by a movable piston, and wall-imbedded heat exchangers. The steam moves the piston to fill one chamber while expel gaseous content and condensate out of the other chamber. The steam is then condensed to a rough vacuum state by cooling. By repeated operations of inserting and condensing steam in each chamber alternatively, a sustained vacuum generation is achieved. A system and method for constructing a multi-level vacuum storage is also disclosed, with a high vacuum chamber placed inside a rough vacuum chamber to reduce the leakage as well as mechanical stresses. Furthermore the vacuum generation system and method is extended for creating a prime mover or actuator to drive vacuum pumps, maximizing the thermal energy usage for increased vacuuming capacity.

The invention claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for reducing pressure to a vacuum state in an enclosed volume or an open flow system, comprising:
 inserting a first quantity of steam into a first chamber of a cylinder;   condensing the first quantity of steam in the first chamber;   inserting a second quantity of steam into a second chamber of the cylinder, the first and second chambers separated by a first movable piston and a heat exchanger;   condensing the second quantity of steam in the second chamber; and   moving the first piston with the first and the second quantities of steam to fill the first and the second chambers while expelling gaseous content and condensate out of the first and the second chambers, respectively, to achieve a vacuum generation.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further includes extracting a first quantity of gas from an enclosed volume or an open flow system into the first chamber, and wherein the heat exchanger is a wall-imbedded heat exchanger disposed within the cylinder. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further includes extracting a second quantity of gas from the enclosed volume or the open flow system into the second chamber, and repeating a dual action cycle by the inserting and the condensing of the first and the second quantities of steam in the first and the second chambers to achieve a sustained vacuum generation. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a reduction of pressure is generated with the first and the second chambers that create a combination of a condensation cylinder and a vacuum compression cylinder. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the condensing of the first and the second quantity of steam is through the heat exchanger in the first and the second chamber of the condensation cylinder, respectively. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , further includes moving the first piston and a first rod in the cylinder by a combination of a rough vacuum in the first chamber of the cylinder and steam in the second chamber of the cylinder. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further includes moving a second piston in the cylinder by a second rod coupled to the first rod of the cylinder. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , further includes inserting a first quantity of gas from a vacuum chamber into the first chamber of the cylinder. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further includes inserting a third quantity of steam into the first chamber of the cylinder. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further includes moving the first piston and the first rod in the cylinder by a combination of a rough vacuum in the second chamber of the cylinder and the steam in the first chamber of the cylinder. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further includes moving the second piston in the cylinder by the second rod coupled to the first rod of the cylinder. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further includes compressing the first quantity of gas in the first chamber of a vacuum compression cylinder into a rough vacuum chamber. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further includes inserting a second quantity of gas from a high vacuum chamber into the second chamber of the vacuum compression cylinder. 
     
     
         14 . A vacuum generation system comprising:
 a cylinder including two chambers and a cylinder wall, the cylinder operable to receive alternatively a first quantity and a second quantity of steam into the two chambers;   a plurality of channels in the cylinder wall operable to allow flows of hot and cold water through the channels to perform heat exchange with content inside the cylinder;   a steam and hot water generator to heat the cylinder wall and to provide the first and the second quantities of steam; and   a heat exchanger for the first and second quantities of steam to condense for a vapor-to-liquid phase change that reduces a pressure in the two chambers and provides a reduced pressure.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , further including a water chiller in communication with the heat exchanger to condense the first and second quantities of steam. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 14 , further including a multi-level vacuum storage system. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the multi-level vacuum storage system further includes,
 a rough vacuum chamber for rough vacuum storage evacuated by a condensation based vacuum generator or a pump; and   a high vacuum chamber disposed inside the rough vacuum chamber for high vacuum storage evacuated by the condensation based vacuum generator or the pump.   
     
     
         18 . A multi-level vacuum generation system comprising:
 a condensation cylinder operable to receive alternatively a first quantity and a second quantity of steam into at least two chambers;   a plurality of channels in the condensation cylinder wall for flow of cold water therethrough to perform heat exchange with a content inside the condensation cylinder;   a plurality of atomizing spray nozzles for cooling the content inside the condensation cylinder; and   a steam generator providing the first and the second quantities of steam and a third quantity of steam,   a water chiller to condense the first and the second quantities of steam for a vapor-to-liquid phase change that reduces a pressure in the two chambers alternatively to provide a rough vacuum;   a compression cylinder for receiving alternatively a first quantity and a second quantity of gas from a vacuum chamber into at least two chambers of the compression cylinder;   a first rod of the compression cylinder coupled to a second rod of the condensation cylinder; and   a first piston in the compression cylinder for compressing the first and the second quantities of gas into a rough vacuum chamber for high vacuum generation or into ambient or a recycling facility for rough vacuum generation.   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , further including a multi-level vacuum storage system wherein the rough vacuum chamber for rough vacuum storage is evacuated by a condensation based vacuum generator or a pump. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , further including a high vacuum chamber disposed inside the rough vacuum chamber for high vacuum storage that is evacuated by the condensation based vacuum generator or the pump.