Apparatus and process for desalination combining freeze concentration, centrifugation, and reverse osmosis
First Claim
1. Apparatus comprising means designed for producing potable water from brine by converting brine to ice containing residual brine adhering to the ice and removing the brine from the ice to yield potable water when melted, the means comprising:
- a freeze exchanger in which brine is indirectly cooled by heat exchange with a cooling fluid to produce brine containing ice;
a centrifuge;
conduit means for feeding an ice slurry from the freeze exchanger to the centrifuge to separate ice from the brine;
a heater;
conduit means for feeding the ice from the centrifuge to the heater to melt the ice;
a water treatment apparatus;
conduit means for feeding the water from the heater to the water treatment apparatus to condition the water for contact with a reverse osmosis membrane;
a reverse osmosis apparatus; and
conduit means for feeding the conditioned water from the treatment apparatus to the reverse osmosis apparatus in which the water is purified by reverse osmosis.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus comprising a freeze exchanger in which an aqueous mixture is indirectly cooled by a cooling fluid to produce an aqueous mixture containing ice; a centrifuge; a conduit for feeding an ice slurry from the freeze exchanger to the centrifuge; a heater; a conduit for feeding ice from the centrifuge to the heater to melt the ice; a water treatment apparatus; a conduit for feeding the water from the heater to the water treatment apparatus to condition the water for contact with a reverse osmosis membrane; a reverse osmosis apparatus; and a conduit for feeding the conditioned water to the reverse osmosis apparatus in which the water is purified by reverse osmosis. A method comprising feeding an aqueous mixture into indirect heat exchange with a cooling fluid to produce ice particles in the aqueous mixture and thus to form an ice slurry; centrifuging the ice slurry to separate the ice and form an aqueous effluent; melting the separated ice and treating the resulting water to remove components which damage a reverse osmosis membrane; and subjecting the treated water to reverse osmosis using a reverse osmosis membrane to produce potable water and an impure water stream.
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Citations
8 Claims
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1. Apparatus comprising means designed for producing potable water from brine by converting brine to ice containing residual brine adhering to the ice and removing the brine from the ice to yield potable water when melted, the means comprising:
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a freeze exchanger in which brine is indirectly cooled by heat exchange with a cooling fluid to produce brine containing ice; a centrifuge; conduit means for feeding an ice slurry from the freeze exchanger to the centrifuge to separate ice from the brine; a heater; conduit means for feeding the ice from the centrifuge to the heater to melt the ice; a water treatment apparatus; conduit means for feeding the water from the heater to the water treatment apparatus to condition the water for contact with a reverse osmosis membrane; a reverse osmosis apparatus; and conduit means for feeding the conditioned water from the treatment apparatus to the reverse osmosis apparatus in which the water is purified by reverse osmosis. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A method comprising producing potable water from brine by converting brine to ice containing residual brine adhering to the ice and removing the brine from the ice to yield potable water when melted, including:
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feeding brine into indirect heat exchange with a cooling fluid to produce ice particles in the brine and thus to form an ice slurry; centrifuging the ice slurry to separate the ice and brine; melting the separated ice and treating the resulting water to remove components which damage a reverse osmosis membrane; and subjecting the treated water to reverse osmosis using a reverse osmosis membrane to produce potable water and an impure water stream. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8)
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Specification