SBIR PHASE I: Utilization of Deep Ocean Water for Water Desalination: The Hurricane Tower

95-61408 Garshnek这个小型企业创新研究第一阶段项目将开发一种简单、便携和高效的海水淡化设备，该设备充分利用丰富的深海冷水资源、太阳能，以及利用产生的次生涡旋的独特方面，这种涡流是在搅拌一杯茶时或在更大规模的飓风中经常遇到的。在自然界中，飓风实际上是一个“太阳蒸馏器”，它的效率被二次涡旋大大提高，这些二次涡流将潮湿的空气迅速输送到较凉爽的高层大气中，在那里它以降雨的形式沉淀。建议的装置是受控飓风的较小版本，其效率通过旋翼产生的涡流而提高。第一阶段的研究将集中于建造半尺度飓风塔式海水淡化厂试点系统，在封闭系统中产生二次涡流，以及利用深海水(4-6摄氏度)作为冷却剂冷凝快速上升的水蒸气和太阳能加热的海洋咸水(用于海水淡化)的系统蒸馏效率的工程/可行性测试。第二阶段将开发一个可运营的全规模示范装置，可能导致商业开发一个低成本、低能源、能够在浮动驳船上、在固定地点或移动平台上运行的海水淡化厂，为需要海水淡化和可获得深海水的地理区域提供服务。飓风塔设备的商业应用包括军事应用的海水淡化厂、石油钻井平台、沿海地区以及岛屿和岛间供水；灾害、水污染或干旱期间的紧急供水；以及环礁、岛屿国家和第三世界国家的可靠供水。飓风塔式海水淡化系统还可以取代目前使用的陈旧而昂贵的固定式海水淡化厂，为日常使用或紧急情况提供经济的淡水供应来源。

95-61408 Garshnek This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project will develop a simple, portable and efficient water desalination device that takes full advantage of abundant natural resources of cold deep ocean water, solar energy, and the unique aspect of utilizing the dynamics of generated secondary vortices of the type commonly encountered when stirring a cup of tea or, on a larger scale, within a hurricane. In nature, a hurricane is actually a "solar still" whose efficiency is greatly enhanced by secondary vortices which rapidly transport moisture-laden air to the cooler upper atmosphere where it precipitates as rain. The proposed device is a smaller version of a contained hurricane whose efficiency is increased by rotor-generated vortices. Phase I research will focus on the fabrication of a half-scale Hurricane Tower desalination plant pilot system, generation of a secondary vortex in a closed system, and engineering/feasibility tests of the system distillation efficiency utilizing deep ocean water (4-6 C) as the coolant to condense rapidly rising vapor and solar-heated ocean salt water (for desalination). Phase II will develop an operational full-scale demonstration unit that could lead to the commercial development of a low-cost, low energy, desalination plant capable of operating on floating barges, in fixed locations, or mobile platforms to service geographic areas where water desalination is needed and where deep ocean water is available. Commercial applications of the Hurricane Tower device include desalination plants for military applications, oil rigs, coastal regions, and island and inter-island water supply; emergency water supply during disasters, water contamination, or drought; and reliable water supply for atolls, island states, and Third World nations. Hurricane Tower water desalination systems could also replace aged and expensive fixed water desalination plants in use today_providing an economical source of fresh water supply for everyday use or emergen cies situations.