OSMOTICALLY DRIVEN MEMBRANE PROCESSES AND SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR DRAW SOLUTE RECOVERY
First Claim
1. An apparatus for recovering draw solution solutes from a dilute draw solution, the apparatus comprising:
- an osmotically driven membrane system comprising a source of dilute draw solution comprising thermally removable solutes; and
a separation system in fluid communication with the osmotically driven membrane system and comprising at least one membrane contactor having a first side and a second side, wherein the first side is in fluid communication with the source of dilute draw solution.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention relates to osmotically driven membrane processes and systems and methods for recovering draw solutes in the osmotically driven membrane processes. Osmotically driven membrane processes involve the extraction of a solvent from a first solution to concentrate solute by using a second concentrated solution to draw the solvent from the first solution across a semi-permeable membrane. Draw solute recovery may be carried out by various means including with the use of a membrane device. The draw solute recovery may also include the use of multi-stage solute recovery using distillation columns and/or membranes, where the recovery may be assisted by a heat pump.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. An apparatus for recovering draw solution solutes from a dilute draw solution, the apparatus comprising:
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an osmotically driven membrane system comprising a source of dilute draw solution comprising thermally removable solutes; and a separation system in fluid communication with the osmotically driven membrane system and comprising at least one membrane contactor having a first side and a second side, wherein the first side is in fluid communication with the source of dilute draw solution. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. An apparatus for recovering draw solution solutes from an osmotically driven membrane system, the apparatus comprising:
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a membrane module configured for receiving a dilute draw solution from the osmotically driven membrane system, the membrane module comprising at least one membrane system; and a heat pump module in fluid communication with the membrane module for providing a source of thermal energy to the membrane module. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11)
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12. An apparatus for recovering draw solution solutes from an osmotically driven membrane system, the apparatus comprising:
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a first distillation column comprising; a first inlet coupled to a first source of dilute draw solution for introducing a portion of dilute draw solution into a first end of the first distillation column; a first heat transfer means coupled to the first distillation column at a second end, the first heat transfer means having an inlet coupled to a first source of thermal energy and an outlet coupled to the first distillation column for directing thermal energy to the first distillation column to cause the dilute draw solution solutes in the first distillation column to vaporize; a first outlet for removing the vaporized dilute draw solution solutes from the first distillation column; and a second outlet for removing a bottoms product from the first distillation column; a heat pump coupled to the first outlet of the first distillation column; and a second distillation column comprising; a first inlet coupled to a second source of dilute draw solution for introducing a portion of dilute draw solution into a first end of the second distillation column; a second heat transfer means coupled to the second distillation column at a second end, the second heat transfer means having an inlet coupled to the heat pump for receiving the vaporized dilute draw solution solutes for use as a second source of thermal energy, a first outlet coupled to the second distillation column for directing the second source of thermal energy to the second distillation column to cause the dilute draw solution solutes in the second distillation column to vaporize, and a second outlet configured to return the vaporized dilute draw solution solutes from the first distillation column condensed within the second heat transfer means to the osmotically driven membrane system; a first outlet for removing the vaporized dilute draw solution solutes from the second distillation column; and a second outlet for removing a bottoms product from the second distillation column. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15)
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16. An apparatus for recovering draw solutes from an osmotically driven membrane process, the apparatus comprising:
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an osmotically driven membrane system comprising a source of dilute draw solution comprising thermally removable solutes; and a separation module in fluid communication with the osmotically driven membrane system, the separation module comprising; at least one of a membrane device or a distillation apparatus in fluid communication with the source of dilute draw solution; and at least one heat pump coupled to the at least one of a membrane device or a distillation apparatus and configured to provide a source of thermal energy to the at least one of a membrane device and a distillation apparatus to vaporize the thermally removable solutes. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method of recovering draw solutes from an osmotically driven membrane system, the method comprising the steps of:
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providing a source of dilute draw solution from the osmotically driven membrane system, wherein the dilute draw solution comprises thermally removable solutes; introducing at least a portion of the dilute draw solution to a separation system; introducing a source of thermal energy to the separation system; vaporizing the dilute draw solution solutes out of the dilute draw solution; recovering the vaporized dilute draw solution solutes; and recycling the draw solution solutes from the separation system to the osmotically driven membrane system. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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Specification