Intake for water desalination systems, and methods of use

• US 7,455,778 B2
• Filed: 09/14/2006
• Issued: 11/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Water Standard Company LLC
• Original Assignee: Water Standard Company LLC
• Inventors: Gordon, Andrew W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Drodge; Joseph W
• Application Number:
  US11/521,020
• Publication Number:
  US 20070056907A1
• Time in Patent Office: 803 Days
• Field of Search: 210/85, 210/86, 210/96.1, 210/170.05, 210/170.11, 210/258, 210/259, 210/321.6, 210/411, 210/416.1, 210/652, 210/739, 210/744, 210/747, 210/791, 210/242.1, 210/359, 210/459, 210/460, 210/499, 203/10, 290/54
• US Class Current: 210/652
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 61/025 Reverse osmosis; Hyperfiltration
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 61/04 Feed pretreatment
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 61/10 Accessories; Auxiliary operations
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 61/12 Controlling or regulating
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 25/421 by moving the components in a convoluted or labyrinthine path B01F25/433 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 25/4231 using baffles
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 25/45 Mixers in which the materials to be mixed are pressed together through orifices or interstitial spaces, e.g. between beads B01F25/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 25/4521 the components being pressed through orifices in elements, e.g. flat plates or cylinders, which obstruct the whole diameter of the tube
• CPC Class Codes: B63J 1/00 Arrangements of installations for producing fresh water, e.g. by evaporation and condensation of sea water treatment of water in general C02F
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/001 Processes for the treatment of water whereby the filtration technique is of importance C02F1/44 takes precedence; construction of filters in general B01D24/00 - B01D41/00
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/041 by means of vapour compression
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/06 Flash evaporation
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/44 by dialysis, osmosis or reverse osmosis general membrane separation processes B01D61/00, membrane modules B01D63/00, electrodialysis C02F1/4693, combination of membrane modules and bioreactors C02F3/1268
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/441 by reverse osmosis
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/444 by ultrafiltration or microfiltration
• 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 1/68 by addition of specified substances, e.g. trace elements, for ameliorating potable water medicinal water A61K
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2103/08 Seawater, e.g. for desalination
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2201/001 Build in apparatus for autonomous on board water supply and wastewater treatment (e.g. for aircrafts, cruiseships, oil drilling platforms, railway trains, space stations)
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2201/008 Mobile apparatus and plants, e.g. mounted on a vehicle for biological treatment C02F2203/008
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2201/009 : Apparatus with independent power supply, e.g. solar cells, windpower, fuel cells for electrolysis apparatus C02F2201/46165
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/005 : Processes using a programmable logic controller [PLC]
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/006 : comprising a software program or a logic diagram
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/008 : comprising telecommunication features, e.g. modems or antennas
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/02 : Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2303/185 : The treatment agent being halogen or a halogenated compound
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2303/24 : Separation of coarse particles, e.g. by using sieves or screens
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 9/00 : Multistage treatment of water, waste water or sewage
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 20/124 : Water desalination
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 20/131 : Reverse-osmosis
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 20/212 : Solar-powered wastewater sewage treatment, e.g. spray evaporation
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 10/37 : using solar energy

Abstract

Systems, methods, and apparatus for desalinating water are provided. A vessel includes a water intake system, a reverse osmosis system, a concentrate discharge system, a permeate transfer system, a power source, and a control system. The concentrate discharge system includes a plurality of concentrate discharge ports. A water intake system installed on a sea-going vessel positioned on the surface of a body of water includes an apparatus for taking up seawater from the body of seawater. The apparatus includes a water intake member, a water intake positioned on the water intake member, and an impingement, entrainment, and entrapment mitigation device at least partially surrounding the water intake and including a plurality of apertures sized to prevent entry of marine organisms into the water intake. A method of desalinating water on a sea-going vessel positioned on the surface of a body of seawater includes the steps of intaking seawater from the body of seawater into the vessel through a first screen including a plurality of apertures sized to prevent entry of marine organisms into the water intake, and removing salt from the seawater taken into the vessel to yield desalinated water and a concentrate.

Claims

1. A system for desalinating seawater to yield desalinated water and a concentrate, the system comprising:

a first sea-going vessel comprising a hull and being positioned on the surface of a body of seawater;

a water desalination system installed on the first sea-going vessel, the water desalination system capable of removing salt from seawater;

a water intake system installed on the first sea-going vessel and comprising an apparatus for taking up seawater from the body of seawater, the apparatus comprising a water intake member, a water intake positioned on the water intake member, and an impingement, entrainment, and entrapment mitigation device at least partially surrounding the water intake and comprising a plurality of apertures sized to prevent entry of marine organisms into the water intake,

wherein the first sea-going vessel comprises instrumentation and sensors for detecting the presence of and depth of plankton in the body of seawater.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of apertures are sized to prevent entry into the water intake of marine organisms having a size between about 0.5 millimeters to about 1.0 meter.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the plurality of apertures are sized to prevent entry into the water intake of marine organisms having a size between about 1.0 millimeters to about 10 millimeters into the water intake.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the water intake member is extendible from the first sea-going vessel into the body of seawater, and the impingement, entrainment, and entrapment mitigation device is on the distal end of the water intake member.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the water intake member is a flexible hose.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the water intake member is a rigid pipe.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the water intake member is retractable.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the apertures are elongated slots.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the impingement, entrainment, and entrapment mitigation device comprises a screen comprising a plurality of wedge-shaped wires arranged parallel to one another, the plurality of wedge-shaped wires defining the elongated slot apertures.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the space separating the wedge-shaped wires is less than about 0.1 millimeters to about 10.0 millimeters.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the water intake comprises a plurality of openings in the water intake member and the impingement, entrainment, and entrapment mitigation device comprises a screen comprising the plurality of apertures.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the water intake member comprises a pipe having an internal diameter greater than about 1 meter.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the internal diameter is between about 2 meters to about 4 meters.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the water intake is movable among different depths.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the water intake is positioned at a depth above or below a layer of plankton.

16. A method of desalinating seawater on a sea-going vessel positioned on the surface of a body of seawater and comprising instrumentation and sensors for detecting the presence of and depth of plankton in the body of seawater, the method comprising the steps of:

using the instrumentation and sensors for detecting the presence of and depth of plankton in the body of seawater to detect a layer of plankton in the body of seawater;

intaking seawater from the body of seawater from a depth above or below the layer of plankton into the vessel through a first screen comprising a plurality of apertures sized to prevent entry of marine organisms into the water intake; and

removing salt from the seawater taken into the vessel to yield desalinated water and a concentrate.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the seawater flows through the screen at a velocity of less than about 50 cm per second.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the seawater flows through the screen at a velocity of less than between about 15 centimeters to about 20 centimeters per second.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of passing the seawater taken into the first screen through a second screen comprising a plurality of openings differing in size or shape from the plurality of apertures.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of cleaning the first screen.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the step of cleaning the first screen comprises passing air or water through the screen in a direction opposite the seawater intake.