Patent · US Active

Method for desalinating saltwater using concentration gradient energy

US9162906B2 · kind B2 · utility

1Cited by
1References
23Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJul 19, 2012
Grant dateOct 20, 2015
Priority date
Expiry dateNov 12, 2032

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY02W10/37
  • WIPO fieldChemical engineering
  • WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

Described herein are a method and system for desalinating saltwater using concentration difference energy. A “five stream” dialytic stack is described that can be used to desalinate saltwater at a relatively high recovery ratio. The dialytic stack may include, for example, one or more drive cells having a paired concentrate and a diluent-c chamber in ionic communication with a product chamber that is adjacent to an anion and a cation discharge chamber each filled with diluent-p. The drive cell applies a drive voltage across the product chamber, and when the drive voltage exceeds a desalination voltage of the product chamber, the saltwater in the product chamber is desalinated. The dialytic stack may accept brine discharged from a first desalination plant as saltwater to be desalinated. Processing the brine in the dialytic stack may decrease its volume, decreasing costs associated with treating or otherwise disposing of the brine.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.