Water desalination process using ion selective membranes
First Claim
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1. A desalination process to produce potable water which comprises:
- (a) passing a first stream of water containing a high concentration of hardness ions through an ion selective membrane to form a softened water having a reduced content of hardness ions;
(b) blending the softened water with a second stream of untreated water containing a higher concentration of hardness ions than the softened water to form a feed to a non-thermal desalination system; and
(c) introducing the feed to the desalination system to form a water product of potable quality, wherein the proportions of the softened water and second stream of water forming the feed to the desalination system are varied to increase the top operating temperature of the system and increase recovery of potable water.
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Abstract
The invention is directed to an improved desalination process to produce potable water. The process represents an improvement of hybrid of membrane and desalination technologies. The improvement of the invention comprises the operation of an ion selective membrane at a variable pressure as a function of the cost of electricity to form a softened salt water that is blended in variable proportions, to increase the top operating temperature of the desalination system and increase recovery of potable water, with untreated salt water.
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Citations
31 Claims
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1. A desalination process to produce potable water which comprises:
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(a) passing a first stream of water containing a high concentration of hardness ions through an ion selective membrane to form a softened water having a reduced content of hardness ions;
(b) blending the softened water with a second stream of untreated water containing a higher concentration of hardness ions than the softened water to form a feed to a non-thermal desalination system; and
(c) introducing the feed to the desalination system to form a water product of potable quality, wherein the proportions of the softened water and second stream of water forming the feed to the desalination system are varied to increase the top operating temperature of the system and increase recovery of potable water. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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4-7. -7. (Canceled)
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19-26. -26. (Canceled)
Specification