PURIFICATION OF ULTRA-HIGH SALINE AND CONTAMINATED WATER BY MULTI-STAGE ION CONCENTRATION POLARIZATION (ICP) DESALINATION
First Claim
1. A method of purifying and/or concentrating a first water stream containing ionic impurities comprising the steps:
- a. directing the water stream in a channel comprising an inlet and an outlet and defined, at least in part by at least a first ion exchange membrane and at least a second ion exchange membrane, wherein the ion exchange membranes are juxtaposed and characterized by the same charge;
b. applying an electric field across the channel causing formation of an ion depletion zone comprising a purified water stream, formation of an ion enrichment zone comprising a concentrated ion aqueous stream and formation of a neutral concentration zone comprising an intermediate stream;
c. trifurcating the channel in relation to the ion depletion zone, the ion enrichment zone and the neutral concentration zone of step b to cause separation of the purified water stream, the intermediate stream and the concentrated ion aqueous stream;
d. collecting any portion of the purified water stream and/or the intermediate stream and/or the concentrated ion aqueous stream; and
wherein the concentration of ionic impurities in the collected intermediate stream is less than that found in the collected purified water stream and greater than that found in the collected concentrated ion aqueous stream, and the concentration of ionic impurities in the collected intermediate stream is substantially the same as the first water stream.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A water stream is passed between two juxtaposed similar ion exchange membranes (AEMs or CEMs), forming an ion depletion and ion enrichment zones when an electric field is applied. As cations are selectively transferred through the CEMs, for example, anions are relocated in order to achieve electro-neutrality, resulting in the concentration drop (increase) in ion depletion (enrichment) zone. Trifurcation of the output channel allows collection of concentrated, dilute and intermediate streams, with the intermediate stream serving as input to the next stage of a serialized implementation.
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Citations
13 Claims
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1. A method of purifying and/or concentrating a first water stream containing ionic impurities comprising the steps:
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a. directing the water stream in a channel comprising an inlet and an outlet and defined, at least in part by at least a first ion exchange membrane and at least a second ion exchange membrane, wherein the ion exchange membranes are juxtaposed and characterized by the same charge; b. applying an electric field across the channel causing formation of an ion depletion zone comprising a purified water stream, formation of an ion enrichment zone comprising a concentrated ion aqueous stream and formation of a neutral concentration zone comprising an intermediate stream; c. trifurcating the channel in relation to the ion depletion zone, the ion enrichment zone and the neutral concentration zone of step b to cause separation of the purified water stream, the intermediate stream and the concentrated ion aqueous stream; d. collecting any portion of the purified water stream and/or the intermediate stream and/or the concentrated ion aqueous stream; and wherein the concentration of ionic impurities in the collected intermediate stream is less than that found in the collected purified water stream and greater than that found in the collected concentrated ion aqueous stream, and the concentration of ionic impurities in the collected intermediate stream is substantially the same as the first water stream. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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Specification