Production of potable liquids

• US 7,368,056 B2
• Filed: 01/12/2004
• Issued: 05/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Polymer Technology Group, Inc. (DSM-Firmenich AG)
• Original Assignee: Polymer Technology Group, Inc. (DSM-Firmenich AG)
• Inventors: Coviello, Sallie K., Ward, Robert S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Menon; Krishnan S
• Application Number:
  US10/754,508
• Publication Number:
  US 20040140264A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,576 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 210/500.21
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/441 made of inflatable pockets or chambers filled with fluid, e.g. with hydrogel
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30062 (bio)absorbable, biodegradable, bioerodable, (bio)resorbable, resorptive
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30075 swellable, e.g. when wetted
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/444 for replacing the nucleus pulposus
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2210/0004 bioabsorbable
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2210/0061 swellable
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 27/16 obtained by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 27/18 obtained otherwise than by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 27/50 Materials characterised by their function or physical properties , e.g. injectable or lubricating compositions, shape-memory materials, surface modified materials
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 61/002 Forward osmosis or direct osmosis
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 61/0022 Apparatus therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 69/02 characterised by their properties
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 71/54 Polyureas; Polyurethanes
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 71/80 Block polymers
• 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: C08L 33/26 Homopolymers or copolymers of acrylamide or methacrylamide
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 75/00 Compositions of polyureas or polyurethanes; Compositions of derivatives of such polymers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 20/131 Reverse-osmosis

Abstract

Water-desalination and/or water purification devices. Alternatively, devices that are implantable in animal bodies, possibly configured as self-inflating spinal disc prostheses. The devices include specified types of water-absorbing solute encapsulated by non-porous, water-permeable polymer membranes having specified properties. Also, methods of using the devices in biomedical applications or water treatment.

Claims

1. A device for producing potable liquid, said device comprising a water-absorbing solute encapsulated by a non-porous, water-permeable polymer membrane,

wherein said polymer includes hydrophilic segments or blocks and comprises a member selected from the group consisting of polyurethane elastomers, crosslinked silicone elastomers, thermoplastic silicone-containing copolymers, polyolefin elastomers, styrene-diene copolymers, polyester-polyether copolymers, and polyamide-polyether copolymers,

wherein said polymer membrane has a moisture vapor transmission rate by ASTM Method E96BW greater than 100 g/square meter/day at 1 mil thickness, a dry tensile strength of greater than 500 psi, and a permeability to said solute of less than 10⁻

3 cm²/sec, and

wherein said water-absorbing solute is capable of providing said device with a pressure of approximately 0.1 psi or more for a period of at least 24 hours.

2. The potable-liquid producing device of claim 1, wherein said membrane has low-to-zero permeability to microbes, sodium chloride, and other dissolved or suspended matter found in sea water, brackish water, or fresh water and wherein said solute is a non-toxic solute with nutritional value.

3. The potable-liquid producing device of claim 2, wherein said solute comprises glucose, sucrose, or fructose.

5. A method for desalinating and/or purifying water which comprises immersing the device of claim 1 in a body of water to be desalinated or purified, thereby producing a desalinated or purified potable-liquid.

4. A device for producing potable liquid, said device comprising a water-absorbing solute encapsulated by a non-porous, water-permeable polymer membrane,

wherein said membrane has a thickness of 0.001 to 0.016 inch and said polymer is a block copolymer having a polyurethane and/or polyurea hard segment and a soft segment selected from the group consisting of hydrophilic blocks, polyalkylene oxides, polyalkylene carbonates, poly-siloxanes, and linear or branched hydrocarbons,

wherein said membrane has a moisture vapor transmission rate by ASTM Method E96BW greater than 100 g/square meter/day at 1 mil thickness, a dry tensile strength of greater than 500 psi, and a permeability to said solute of less than 10⁻

3 cm²/sec, and

wherein said solute is capable of providing said device with a pressure of approximately 0.1 psi or more for a period of at least 24 hours.

6. A method for desalinating and/or purifying water which comprises immersing the device of claim 4 in a body of water to be desalinated or purified, thereby producing a desalinated or purified potable-liquid.