DESALINATION DEVICES AND METHODS
First Claim
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1. A desalination process, comprising:
- providing a system for desalination, comprising a reaction chamber having a wall defining an interior of the reaction chamber and an exterior of the reaction chamber;
an anode at least partially contained within an anode compartment of the reaction chamber;
a plurality of anodophilic bacteria disposed in the anode compartment;
a cathode at least partially contained within a cathode compartment of the reaction chamber;
a conductive conduit for electrons in electrical communication with the anode and the cathode;
a saline material compartment disposed between the anode compartment and the cathode compartment;
a first anion selective barrier disposed between the saline material compartment and the anode compartment such that anions moving from the saline material compartment traverse the first anion selective barrier to a compartment adjacent an anion selective barrier and cations are substantially prevented from moving from the saline material compartment to the compartment adjacent an anion selective barrier; and
a first cation selective barrier disposed between the saline material compartment and the cathode compartment to a compartment adjacent a cation selective barrier such that cations moving from the saline material compartment traverse the first cation selective barrier and anions are substantially prevented from moving from the saline material compartment to the compartment adjacent a cation selective barrier;
introducing a material oxidizable by an oxidizing activity of the anodophilic bacteria;
incubating the material oxidizable by the anodophilic bacteria under oxidizing reactions conditions such that electrons are produced and transferred to the anode, generating a potential between the anode and cathode; and
introducing a saline material into the saline material compartment.
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Abstract
Microbial processes and systems are provided according to the present invention for desalination of saline materials, such as aqueous mixtures including dissolved salts. Microbial desalination devices according to embodiments of the present invention create hydrogen gas in a configuration referred to as a microbial electrolysis desalination cell (MEDC), or electricity in a configuration referred to as a microbial fuel desalination cell (MFDC) in addition to desalination of saline materials.
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Citations
28 Claims
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1. A desalination process, comprising:
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providing a system for desalination, comprising a reaction chamber having a wall defining an interior of the reaction chamber and an exterior of the reaction chamber;
an anode at least partially contained within an anode compartment of the reaction chamber;
a plurality of anodophilic bacteria disposed in the anode compartment;
a cathode at least partially contained within a cathode compartment of the reaction chamber;
a conductive conduit for electrons in electrical communication with the anode and the cathode;
a saline material compartment disposed between the anode compartment and the cathode compartment;
a first anion selective barrier disposed between the saline material compartment and the anode compartment such that anions moving from the saline material compartment traverse the first anion selective barrier to a compartment adjacent an anion selective barrier and cations are substantially prevented from moving from the saline material compartment to the compartment adjacent an anion selective barrier; and
a first cation selective barrier disposed between the saline material compartment and the cathode compartment to a compartment adjacent a cation selective barrier such that cations moving from the saline material compartment traverse the first cation selective barrier and anions are substantially prevented from moving from the saline material compartment to the compartment adjacent a cation selective barrier;introducing a material oxidizable by an oxidizing activity of the anodophilic bacteria; incubating the material oxidizable by the anodophilic bacteria under oxidizing reactions conditions such that electrons are produced and transferred to the anode, generating a potential between the anode and cathode; and introducing a saline material into the saline material compartment. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A system for desalination, comprising:
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a reaction compartment having a wall defining an interior of the reaction compartment and an exterior of the reaction compartment; an anode at least partially contained within an anode compartment of the reaction compartment; a plurality of anodophilic bacteria disposed in the anode compartment; a cathode at least partially contained within a cathode compartment of the reaction compartment; a conductive conduit for electrons in electrical communication with the anode and the cathode; a saline material compartment disposed between the anode and the cathode; an anion exchange material disposed between the saline material compartment and the anode such that anions moving from the saline material compartment traverse the anion exchange material; and a cation exchange material disposed between the saline material compartment and the cathode such that cations moving from the saline material compartment traverse the cation exchange material. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A desalination process, comprising:
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generating an electrical potential between an anode and a cathode, wherein at least a portion of the electrical potential is generated by anodophilic bacteria disposed in electrical contact with the anode; and positioning a saline material between the anode and the cathode, the saline material separated from the anode by an anion exchange material and separated from the cathode by a cation exchange material.
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28. A desalination process, comprising:
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providing a system for desalination, comprising a reaction chamber having a wall defining an interior of the reaction chamber and an exterior of the reaction chamber;
an anode at least partially contained within an anode compartment of the reaction chamber;
a plurality of anodophilic bacteria disposed in the anode compartment;
a cathode at least partially contained within a cathode compartment of the reaction chamber;
a conductive conduit for electrons in electrical communication with the anode and the cathode;
a saline material compartment disposed between the anode and the cathode;
a first anion selective barrier disposed between the saline material compartment and the anode such that anions moving from the saline material compartment traverse the first anion selective barrier; and
a first cation selective barrier disposed between the saline material compartment and the cathode such that cations moving from the saline material compartment traverse the first cation selective barrier;introducing a material oxidizable by an oxidizing activity of the anodophilic bacteria; incubating the material oxidizable by the anodophilic bacteria under oxidizing reactions conditions such that electrons are produced and transferred to the anode, generating a potential between the anode and cathode; introducing a saline material into the saline material compartment; activating a power source in electrical communication with the anode and cathode to increase a potential between the anode and the cathode, such that electrons and protons combine to produce hydrogen and/or methane gas; and fueling the power source with the produced hydrogen and/or methane gas.
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Specification