Water treatment methods

Abstract

There is disclosed a desalinization apparatus, and methods related to desalinization. In an embodiment, a desalinization apparatus includes at least one port for receiving airflow therethrough, at least one port for receiving salt water therethrough, at least one output for providing outflow of pure water vapor, and at least one output for proving outflow of a mixture of water, salt and air; and a plurality of chambers for evaporating the salt water into the airflow, at least one of the chambers forming a plurality of ports arranged in a plurality of rows. In an embodiment, a method includes providing airflow to a desalinization apparatus; providing salt water to the desalinization apparatus; forming a vortex in the airflow to evaporate water vapor from the salt water; and providing the water vapor in the airflow to a condenser so as to obtain pure water.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A water treatment apparatus, comprising:
 a housing comprising:
 a first port to receive a flow of air at a pressure higher than ambient atmospheric pressure; 
 a chamber within which the flow of air is present as a vortex; 
 a second port to receive a flow of contaminated water into the vortex to evaporate water vapor from the contaminated water; and 
   a condenser to convert the water vapor into treated water.   
     
     
         2 . The water treatment apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of chambers in series with one another within which a plurality of vortices of air are formed prior to delivering the contaminated water in the vortices. 
     
     
         3 . The water treatment apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a valve to regulate flow of the contaminated water to the vortex. 
     
     
         4 . The water treatment apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the flow of air into the housing has a pressure of about 80 psi. 
     
     
         5 . The water treatment apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the flow of air into the housing has a volume of about 10 to 50 cfm. 
     
     
         6 . The water treatment apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the flow of air into the housing has a temperature of about 100° F. to 150° F. 
     
     
         7 . The water treatment apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the flow of contaminated water into the vortex has a pressure of about 5 to 10 psi greater than the pressure of the flow of air so as to provide a pressure differential to facilitate the contaminated water entering the vortex. 
     
     
         8 . The water treatment apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising the contaminated water supplied to the housing has a pressure higher than ambient atmospheric pressure. 
     
     
         9 . A water treatment apparatus, comprising:
 a chamber;   a first end having a first inlet to receive a flow of air into the chamber in the form of a vortex of air, and a second inlet to receive a flow of contaminated water into the vortex to evaporate water in the vortex to create water vapor from the contaminated water;   a second end having a first outlet to remove the water vapor;   a condenser to convert the water vapor into treated water.   
     
     
         10 . The water treatment apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the second end has a second outlet to remove contaminants from the contaminated water. 
     
     
         11 . The water treatment apparatus of  claim 9 , further comprising a valve to regulate flow of the contaminated water to the second inlet. 
     
     
         12 . The water treatment apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the flow of air is provided at a pressure of about 80 psi, a volume of about 10 cfm to about 50 cfm, and a temperature of about 100° F. to about 150° F. 
     
     
         13 . The water treatment apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the contaminated water is received at the second inlet at a pressure of about 5 psi to about 10 psi greater than a pressure of the flow of air received at the first inlet. 
     
     
         14 . The water treatment apparatus of  claim 9 , further comprising a plurality of processing chamber arranged in series along a length of the apparatus. 
     
     
         15 . The water treatment apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the flow of air and the flow of contaminated water are supplied at a pressure higher than an ambient atmospheric pressure. 
     
     
         16 . The water treatment apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the air flow is directed into the chamber in a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the chamber. 
     
     
         17 . A water treatment apparatus to create water vapor from contaminated water, comprising:
 at least one mixing chamber;   a first inlet to receive a flow of air into the at least one mixing chamber, the flow of air having a pressure higher than an ambient atmospheric pressure, the flow of air present as a vortex in the at least one mixing chamber;   a second inlet to receive a flow of contaminated water into the at least one mixing chamber to mix with the vortex, the flow of contaminated water having a pressure higher than the ambient atmospheric pressure;   wherein water vapor from the flow of contaminated water evaporates into the flow of within the vortex.   
     
     
         18 . The water treatment apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the contaminated water directed to the vortex has a pressure of about 5 psi to about 10 psi greater than the pressure of the flow of air so as to provide a pressure differential. 
     
     
         19 . The water treatment apparatus of  claim 17 , further comprising a condenser configured to convert the water vapor into treated water 
     
     
         20 . The water treatment apparatus of  claim 17 , further comprising a plurality of chambers arranged in series, a vortex flow of air provided in each of the plurality of chambers into which the flow of contaminated water is directed.