DESALINATION METHODS AND SYSTEMS THAT INCLUDE CARBONATE COMPOUND PRECIPITATION

• US 20090001020A1
• Filed: 06/27/2008
• Published: 01/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Arelac, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Calera Corporation
• Inventors: Farsad, Kasra, Fernandez, Miguel, Constantz, Brent R.
• Granted Patent: US 7,744,761 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 210/652
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2311/04 Specific process operations in the feed stream; Feed pretreatment
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2311/06 Specific process operations in the permeate stream
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2311/103 Heating
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2311/26 Further operations combined with membrane separation processes
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 61/025 Reverse osmosis; Hyperfiltration
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/04 by distillation or evaporation
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/441 by reverse osmosis
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/5236 using inorganic agents
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/66 by neutralisation; pH adjustment for degassing C02F1/20; using ion-exchange C02F1/42; for flocculation or precipitation of suspended impurities C02F1/52; for removing dissolved compounds C02F1/58
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2103/08 Seawater, e.g. for desalination
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 20/124 Water desalination
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 20/131 Reverse-osmosis
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 10/33 using wind energy
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 10/37 using solar energy

Abstract

Desalination methods that include carbonate compound precipitation are provided. In certain embodiments, feed water is subjected to carbonate compound precipitation conditions prior to desalination. In certain embodiments, desalination waste brine is subjected to carbonate compound precipitation conditions. In yet other embodiments, both feed water and waste brine are subjected to carbonate compound precipitation conditions. Aspects of embodiments of the invention include carbone dioxide sequestration. Embodiments of the invention further employ a precipitate product of the carbonate compound precipitation conditions as a building material, e.g., a cement. Also provided are systems configured for use in methods of the invention.

Claims

1. A method of desalinating water, said method comprising:

providing feed water; and

subjecting said feed water to a desalination process to produce a desalinated product water and a waste brine;

wherein said method further comprises employing a carbonate compound precipitation process at least once during said method.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said desalination process is a distillation protocol.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said desalination process is a membrane protocol.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein said carbonate compound precipitation process comprises contacting a water with CO₂.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein said carbonate compound precipitation process is performed on said feed water prior to subjecting said feed water to said desalination process.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein said carbonate compound precipitation process is performed on said waste brine to produce treated waste brine.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein said carbonate compound precipitation conditions also precipitate boron containing compounds.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein said feed water is sea water.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein said feed water is brackish water.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein said feed water is a brine.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein said carbonate compound precipitation process employs a transition metal catalyst.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein said method further comprises employing a carbonate compound precipitate of said carbonate compound precipitation process as a building material.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein said desalinating comprises reverse osmosis.

15. The method according to claim 12, wherein said carbonate compound precipitation conditions comprise contacting said saltwater feed water with CO₂.

16. The method according to claim 12, wherein said carbonate compound precipitation conditions also precipitate boron containing compounds.

17. The method according to claim 12, wherein said salt water feed water is sea water.

18. The method according to claim 12, wherein said salt water feed water is brackish water.

19. The method according to claim 12, wherein said salt water feed water is a brine.

20. The method according to claim 12, wherein said method further comprises employing said carbonate compound precipitate as a building material.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein said building material is a concrete.

13. A method of desalinating water, said method comprising:

subjecting a saltwater feed water to carbonate compound precipitation conditions to produce a carbonate compound precipitate and alkali earth metal ion depleted water; and

desalinating said alkali earth metal ion depleted water to produce a product water.

22. A method comprising:

a) desalinating salt water to produce desalinated water and waste brine;

b) subjecting said waste brine to carbonate compound precipitation conditions to produce a carbonate compound precipitated composition and depleted brine; and

c) separating said precipitated composition from said depleted brine.

23. The method according to claim 22, wherein said salt water is sea water.

24. The method according to claim 23, wherein said method further comprises releasing said depleted brine into a sea.

25. The method according to claim 22, wherein said desalinating comprises distillation.

26. The method according to claim 22, wherein said desalinating comprises reverse osmosis.

27. The method according to claim 22, wherein said carbonate compound precipitation conditions comprise contacting said saltwater feed water with CO₂.

28. The method according to claim 22, wherein said method further comprises employing said precipitate as a building material.

29. The method according to claim 28, wherein said building material is a cement.

30. A system for desalinating water, said system comprising:

an input of water to be desalinated;

a desalination station; and

a carbonate compound precipitation reactor.

31. The system according to claim 30, wherein said input is in fluid communication with a source of sea water.

32. The system according to claim 30, wherein said carbonate compound precipitation reactor is positioned such that water from said input passes through said reactor prior to entering said desalination station.

33. The system according to claim 30, wherein said carbonate compound precipitation reactor is positioned such that waste brine produced by said desalination stations passes through said reactor.

34. The system according to claim 30, wherein said desalination station is a distillation desalination station.

35. The system according to claim 30, wherein said desalination station is a reverse osmosis desalination station.

36. The system according to claim 30, wherein said carbonate compound precipitation reactor comprises an input for a CO₂ source.

37. The system according to claim 30, wherein said system further comprises a cement production station that produces cement from precipitate produce by said reactor.