Mobile desalination plants and systems, and methods for producing desalinated water

• US 7,416,666 B2
• Filed: 12/11/2003
• Issued: 08/26/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Water Standard Company LLC
• Original Assignee: Water Standard Company LLC
• Inventors: Gordon, Andrew W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Menon; Krishnan S
• Application Number:
  US10/734,050
• Publication Number:
  US 20040206681A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,720 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 210/257.2
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 61/025 Reverse osmosis; Hyperfiltration
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 61/08 Apparatus therefor
• 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 20/141 : Wind power
• 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.

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 at least one water intake positioned in the body of seawater;

a mixing system for mixing the concentrate with seawater to yield a diluted concentrate, the mixing system being installed on the first sea-going vessel in communication with the water desalination system and comprising a space in which concentrate can be mixed with seawater to form the diluted concentrate, an inlet for introducing concentrate into the space, an inlet for introducing seawater into the space, and an outlet for discharging the diluted concentrate from the space; and

a concentrate discharge system for discharging the diluted concentrate from the first sea-going vessel, the concentrate discharge system being installed on the first sea-going vessel and comprising at least one discharge port,

wherein the mixing system is integrated with the concentrate discharge system, and comprises a concentrate discharge member extending from the hull into the body of seawater, the concentrate discharge member comprising (a) a conduit through which concentrate can flow from the water desalination system to the body of seawater and (b) an aspirator though which seawater from the body of seawater can be drawn into the concentrate discharge member by the Venturi effect to mix with concentrate in the conduit.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first sea-going vessel has a draught to more than 10 meters and the apparatus for taking up seawater from the body of seawater comprises a sea chest formed in the lower portion of the hull of the first sea-going vessel.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the apparatus for taking up seawater from the body of seawater comprises a water intake member extendible from the hull into the body of seawater, wherein the water intake is on the distal end of the water intake member.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the water intake is movable such that the water intake system can intake water from various depths to reduce the intake of plankton.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the first sea-going vessel comprises a sea chest formed in the lower portion of the hull of the first sea-going vessel and a water intake member extendible from the hull into the body of seawater, and the water intake system can utilize either the sea chest or the water intake member to intake seawater.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the first sea-going vessel comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of (i) a means for regulating the salinity level of the concentrate to a level substantially equal to the salinity level of the seawater at the area where the concentrate is discharged and (ii) a means for regulating the temperature of the concentrate substantially equal to the temperature of the seawater at the area where the concentrate is discharged.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the first sea-going vessel comprises both (i) the means for regulating the salinity level of the concentrate to a level substantially equal to the salinity level of the seawater at the area where the concentrate is discharged and (ii) the means for regulating the temperature of the concentrate substantially equal to the temperature of the seawater at the area where the concentrate is discharged.

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

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

a water desalination system installed on the first sea-going vessel and capable of removing salt from seawater to yield desalinated water and concentrate;

a water intake system installed on the first sea-going vessel in fluid communication with the water desalination system and comprising an apparatus for taking up seawater from the body of seawater, the apparatus positioned in the body of seawater at a first depth relative to the surface of the body of seawater; and

a concentrate discharge system for discharging the concentrate from the first sea-going vessel, the concentrate discharge system being installed on the first sea-going vessel in fluid communication with the water desalination system and comprising at least one discharge member positionable in the body of seawater and comprising (a) a conduit through which concentrate can flow from the water desalination system to the body of seawater and (b) an aspirator through which seawater from the body of seawater can be drawn into the discharge member to mix with concentrate in the conduit.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the first sea-going vessel has a draught to more than 10 meters and the apparatus for taking up seawater from the body of seawater comprises a sea chest formed in the lower portion of the hull of the first sea-going vessel.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the apparatus for taking up seawater from the body of seawater comprises a water intake member extendible from the hull into the body of seawater, wherein the water intake is on the distal end of the water intake member.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the water intake is movable such that the water intake system can intake water from various depths to reduce the intake of plankton.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the first sea-going vessel comprises a sea chest formed in the lower portion of the hull of the first sea-going vessel and a water intake member extendible from the hull into the body of seawater, and the water intake system can utilize either the sea chest or the water intake member to intake seawater.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the first sea-going vessel comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of (i) a means for regulating the salinity level of the concentrate to a level substantially equal to the salinity level of the seawater at the area where the concentrate is discharged and (ii) a means for regulating the temperature of the concentrate substantially equal to the temperature of the seawater at the area where the concentrate is discharged.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the first sea-going vessel comprises both (i) the means for regulating the salinity level of the concentrate to a level substantially equal to the salinity level of the seawater at the area where the concentrate is discharged and (ii) the means for regulating the temperature of the concentrate substantially equal to the temperature of the seawater at the area where the concentrate is discharged.

15. A method of mixing seawater with a concentrate produced by a vessel-based desalination system positioned on the surface of a body of seawater, the method comprising the steps of:

introducing the concentrate into a concentrate discharge system installed on a first sea-going vessel and comprising at least one discharge member positionable in the body of seawater and comprising;

(a) a conduit though which concentrate can flow from the water desalination system to the body of seawater and (b) an aspirator though which seawater from the body of seawater can be drawn into the discharge member to mix with concentrate in the conduit; and

introducing into the conduit and mixing therein the concentrate and seawater from the body of seawater.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising a step of diluting the concentrate with seawater on the vessel.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the diluted concentrate has a salinity level substantially equal to the salinity level of the seawater at the area where the concentrate is discharged.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the diluted concentrate has a temperature substantially equal to the temperature of the seawater at the area where the concentrate is discharged.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the diluted concentrate has a salinity level substantially equal to the salinity level of the body of seawater at the area where the concentrate is discharged and the diluted concentrate has a temperature substantially equal to the temperature of the seawater at the area where the concentrate is discharged.