Integrated electro-pressure membrane deionization system
First Claim
1. An apparatus for electrodialysis treatment of contaminated feed liquids, comprising:
- a pretreatment filtration unit having at least one filtration membrane through which contaminated feed liquids are directed, said at least one filtration membrane having sufficient pore diameters to deny passage of insoluble particles and to allow passage of filtrate liquids, said pretreatment filtration unit having at least one effluent channel for passage of said filtrate liquids;
a mixing unit in hydraulic connection with said at least one effluent channel of said pretreatment filtration unit, said mixing unit including means for mixing fluids transferred to said mixing unit; and
an electrodialysis unit in hydraulic connection with said mixing unit, said electrodialysis unit including a stacked configuration of a plurality of interdisposed anion cell membranes and cation cell membranes interleaved with a plurality of spacers, said electrodialysis unit providing at least one fluid path therethrough for movement of said filtrate liquids whereby a partially deionized product diluate liquid and concentrated ion fluid are separated from said filtrate liquids by at least one fluid path through said stacked configuration of said electrodialysis unit with said concentrated ion fluid channeled for release from said electrodialysis unit;
a recycle conduit through which partially deionized fluids are transferred to said mixing unit for blending;
a pressure-driven filtration unit including at least one of a nanofiltration or reverse osmosis membrane through which said blended feed liquid is channeled for separation of ionic and nonionic contaminants from said blended feed liquid, at least one of said nanofiltration or reverse osmosis membrane having a plurality of fluid paths through which said blended feed liquid is pressure driven whereby said pressure-driven filtration unit separates said blended feed liquid into a decontaminated product liquid and a concentrated liquid;
an effluent channel for release of said decontaminated product liquid from said pressure-driven filtration unit; and
at least one recycle channel through which said concentrated liquid is transferred to said mixing unit for blending.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An integrated treatment system using electrodialysis and pressure-driven membranes for deionizing and decontaminating liquids to a near-pure quality for use or reuse in industrial or municipal operations. The integrated system includes steps of pre-filtering contaminated feed liquids blending the filtered liquids in preparation for treating the mixed liquids in parallel or sequential treatment steps utilizing nanofiltration or reverse osmosis, proceeded by or followed by an integrated electrodialysis treatment. A control means selectively directs mixed liquids to each of the treatment units for treatment in parallel or in series depending on the conductivity and residual contaminants in the mixed liquids. In comparison with nanofiltration or reverse osmosis only systems, or electrodialysis only systems, the integrated system provides improved efficiencies for treatment, requires less energy to operate, and reduces maintenance and capital costs.
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Citations
10 Claims
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1. An apparatus for electrodialysis treatment of contaminated feed liquids, comprising:
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a pretreatment filtration unit having at least one filtration membrane through which contaminated feed liquids are directed, said at least one filtration membrane having sufficient pore diameters to deny passage of insoluble particles and to allow passage of filtrate liquids, said pretreatment filtration unit having at least one effluent channel for passage of said filtrate liquids; a mixing unit in hydraulic connection with said at least one effluent channel of said pretreatment filtration unit, said mixing unit including means for mixing fluids transferred to said mixing unit; and an electrodialysis unit in hydraulic connection with said mixing unit, said electrodialysis unit including a stacked configuration of a plurality of interdisposed anion cell membranes and cation cell membranes interleaved with a plurality of spacers, said electrodialysis unit providing at least one fluid path therethrough for movement of said filtrate liquids whereby a partially deionized product diluate liquid and concentrated ion fluid are separated from said filtrate liquids by at least one fluid path through said stacked configuration of said electrodialysis unit with said concentrated ion fluid channeled for release from said electrodialysis unit; a recycle conduit through which partially deionized fluids are transferred to said mixing unit for blending; a pressure-driven filtration unit including at least one of a nanofiltration or reverse osmosis membrane through which said blended feed liquid is channeled for separation of ionic and nonionic contaminants from said blended feed liquid, at least one of said nanofiltration or reverse osmosis membrane having a plurality of fluid paths through which said blended feed liquid is pressure driven whereby said pressure-driven filtration unit separates said blended feed liquid into a decontaminated product liquid and a concentrated liquid; an effluent channel for release of said decontaminated product liquid from said pressure-driven filtration unit; and at least one recycle channel through which said concentrated liquid is transferred to said mixing unit for blending. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A method of electrodialysis and pressure driven filtration treatment of contaminated feed liquids comprising the steps of:
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pretreating by filtration of contaminated feed liquids having inorganic contaminants and organic contaminants mixed therein, wherein said pretreating step removes particulates and generates pretreated filtrate liquids; channeling said pretreated filtrate liquids to a mixing unit for blending with additional liquids; directing said mixed pretreated filtrate liquids through a nanofiltration or reverse osmosis membrane unit providing pressure induced liquid transfer across permeable membranes thereby generating a permeate liquid stream and a concentrated reject liquid; deionizing said blended filtrate liquids by pumping through a multiple flow path electrodialysis unit, said step of electrically treating producing a partially deionized diluate liquid portion channeled to a storage unit, and further producing a concentrate liquid portion directed for exiting said electrodialysis unit; channeling said partially deionized diluate liquid portion from the electrodialysis unit for mixing in said mixing unit with said pretreated filtrate liquids; and redirecting said concentrated reject liquid from said nanofiltration or reverse osmosis membrane for mixing in said mixing unit with said partially deionized diluate liquid portion wherein said liquids blended in the mixing unit are the concentrate and deionized diluate. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7)
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8. A membrane-based process for treating contaminated feed liquids, comprising the steps of:
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providing contaminated feed liquids having a plurality of insoluble and soluble contaminants and ionic constituents therein; removing insoluble insoluble contaminants from said contaminated feed liquids in a pretreatment filtration unit for generating a pretreated filtrate liquid; channeling said pretreated filtrate liquid to a mixing unit for blending thereby forming a blended filtrate liquid; substantially simultaneously transferring an independently controlled selected flow of said blended filtrate liquid to an electric-driven membranes unit and an independently controlled selected flow of said blended filtrate liquid to a nanofiltration or reverse osmosis unit, thereby substantially simultaneously separating ionic constituents and producing a diluate in said blended filtrate liquid during passage through said electric-driven membrane unit and forming a separated ionic concentrate during passage of said selected flow through said nanofiltration or reverse osmosis unit; substantially simultaneously continuously redirecting flow of diluate from said electric-driven unit and a selected flow of said concentrate stream from said nanofiltration or reverse osmosis unit to said mixing unit for additionally blending and further treatment within said nanofiltration or reverse osmosis unit and within said electric-driven ionic separation unit; and removing deionized product liquid from sand nanofiltration or reverse osmosis unit for reused. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10)
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Specification