Apparatus and method for osmotic membrane distillation
First Claim
1. A method of enhancing the concentration of a first inorganic compound in a first aqueous solution of a first process of a heavy chemical plant, said method comprising (a) feeding said first solution having said first compound at a first concentration and a first water vapor pressure to an osmotic membrane distillation means comprising a hydrophobic, gas and water vapor permeable membrane separating (i) a first chamber for receiving said first solution, from (ii) a second chamber for receiving a receiver feed aqueous solution having a second water vapor pressure lower than said first water vapor pressure;
- (b) feeding said receiver aqueous feed solution to said second chamber as to effect transfer of water vapor through said membrane from said first chamber to said second chamber, and to produce (i) a resultant first solution having a second concentration of said first compound greater than said first concentration and (ii) a diluted receiver feed aqueous solution; and
(c) collecting said resultant first solution.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method of enhancing the concentration of a first inorganic compound in a first aqueous solution of a first process of a heavy chemical plant, the method comprising (a) feeding the first solution having the first compound at a first concentration and a first water vapor pressure to an osmotic membrane distillation means comprising a hydrophobic, gas and water vapor permeable membrane separating (i) a first chamber for receiving the first solution, from (ii) a second chamber for receiving a receiver feed aqueous solution having a second water vapor pressure lower than the first water vapor pressure; (b) feeding the receiver aqueous feed solution to the second chamber as to effect transfer of water vapor through the membrane from the first chamber to the second chamber, and to produce (i) a resultant first solution having a second concentration of the first compound greater than the first concentration and (ii) a diluted receiver feed aqueous solution; and (c) collecting the resultant first solution. The apparatus and method are of particular value in electrolytic haloalkali production plants in offering reduced capital and operating re-concentration and dilution costs.
23 Citations
38 Claims
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1. A method of enhancing the concentration of a first inorganic compound in a first aqueous solution of a first process of a heavy chemical plant, said method comprising
(a) feeding said first solution having said first compound at a first concentration and a first water vapor pressure to an osmotic membrane distillation means comprising a hydrophobic, gas and water vapor permeable membrane separating (i) a first chamber for receiving said first solution, from (ii) a second chamber for receiving a receiver feed aqueous solution having a second water vapor pressure lower than said first water vapor pressure; -
(b) feeding said receiver aqueous feed solution to said second chamber as to effect transfer of water vapor through said membrane from said first chamber to said second chamber, and to produce (i) a resultant first solution having a second concentration of said first compound greater than said first concentration and (ii) a diluted receiver feed aqueous solution; and
(c) collecting said resultant first solution. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. An improved electrolytic process for the production of alkali metal hydroxide and halogen gas from an alkali metal halide solution, said process comprising electrolyzing said aqueous solution of said alkali metal halide in an electrolytic cell to produce said alkali metal hydroxide, gaseous halogen, and spent alkali metal halide solution, the improvement comprising subjecting at least a portion of said spent alkali metal halide solution having a spent water vapor pressure to an osmotic membrane distillation means comprising a hydrophobic, gas and water vapor permeable membrane separating (i) a spent solution chamber for receiving said spent solution from (ii) a receiver chamber for receiving an aqueous receiver feed solution having a receiver solution water vapor pressure lower than said spent water vapor pressure;
- and feeding said at least portion of said spent alkali metal halide solution to said spent solution chamber;
feeding said receiver feed solution to said receiver chamber as to effect transfer of water vapor through said membrane from said spent solution chamber to said receiver chamber, to produce a resultant, more concentrated spent alkali metal halide solution, and a resultant less concentrated receiver feed solution. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
- and feeding said at least portion of said spent alkali metal halide solution to said spent solution chamber;
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25. Apparatus for enhancing the concentration of a first inorganic compound in a first aqueous solution having a first water vapor pressure provided by a first process of a heavy chemical plant by osmotic membrane distillation, said apparatus comprising
osmotic membrane distillation means comprising (i) a hydrophobic, gas and water vapor permeable membrane; -
(ii) a first chamber for receiving said first solution; and
(iii) a second chamber for receiving a receiver feed aqueous solution having a second water vapor pressure lower than said first water vapor pressure and separated from said first chamber by said membrane means;
means for feeding said first solution to said first chamber and means for feeding said receiver feed aqueous solution to said second chamber as to operably effect transfer of water vapor through said membrane from said first chamber to said second chamber, and to produce (i) a resultant first solution having a second concentration of said first compound greater than said first concentration, and (ii) a diluted receiver feed aqueous solution;
means for collecting said resultant first solution; and
means for collecting said diluted receiver feed solution. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. An improved haloalkali production plant comprising
an electrolytic cell for the electrolytic production of alkali metal hydroxide and halogen from an alkali metal halide solution; -
means for feeding feed alkali metal halide solution to said cell;
means for collecting spent alkali metal halide solution having a spent water vapor pressure from said cell;
means for collecting said alkali metal hydroxide from said cell;
the improvement comprising osmotic membrane distillation means comprising (i) a hydrophobic, gas and water vapor permeable membrane;
(ii) a first chamber for receiving said spent alkali metal halide solution and wherein the production of re-concentrated alkali metal halide solution is effected; and
(iii) a second chamber for receiving a receiver feed aqueous solution having a receiver water vapor pressure lower than said spent water vapor pressure, separated from said first chamber by said membrane and wherein the production of a diluted receiver feed aqueous solution is effected;
means for feeding said spent alkali metal halide solution to said first chamber;
means for feeding said receiver feed aqueous solution to said second chamber;
means for recycling said re-concentrated alkali metal halide solution in whole or in part, directly or indirectly from said first chamber to said electrolytic cell; and
means for collecting said diluted receiver feed aqueous solution from said second chamber. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36)
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37. An improved haloalkali electrolytic production process using an electrolytic cell for producing alkali metal hydroxide and halogen from an alkali metal halide solution, said process comprising electrolysing feed alkali metal halide solution in said cell to produce halogen, alkali metal hydroxide, hydrogen and spent alkali halide solution;
- the improvement comprising
(a) feeding in whole or a portion of said spent alkali halide solution having a spent water vapor pressure and a spent alkali halide concentration to an osmotic membrane distillation means comprising a hydrophobic, gas and water vapor permeable membrane separating a first chamber for receiving said spent alkali halide solution from a second chamber for receiving a receiver feed aqueous solution having a receiver water vapor pressure lower than said spent water vapor pressure;
(b) feeding said receiver feed aqueous solution to said second chamber as to effect transfer of water vapor through said membrane from said first chamber to said second chamber, and produce a re-concentrated spent alkali halide solution and a diluted receiver solution; and
(c) recycling said re-concentrated spent alkali halide solution, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, back to said electrolytic cell. - View Dependent Claims (38)
- the improvement comprising
Specification