Hybridization of Humidification-Dehumidification and Pressure-Retarded Osmosis

摘要

A carrier gas and a combined feed liquid are directed through a humidifier, where water vaporizes from the combined feed liquid into the carrier gas, and through a dehumidifier, where the combined feed liquid cools the carrier gas to condense water from the carrier gas. At least a portion of the concentrated brine stream from the humidifier is directed through a pressure-retarded osmosis unit, while an initial feed solution is directed, in counter-flow, through the osmosis unit. Water from the initial feed solution flows through a membrane in the osmosis chamber into the concentrated brine stream to dilute and increase the volumetric flow rate of the brine stream. The diluted brine stream is extracted from the osmosis chamber and depressurized to produce power, while the concentrated initial feed solution is combined with the depressurized, diluted brine stream to form the combined feed liquid.

主权项

1. A method for hybridized humidification-dehumidification and pressure-retarded osmosis, comprising:
directing a flow of a carrier gas through a humidifier; directing the flow the carrier gas from the humidifier through a dehumidifier; directing a flow of a combined feed liquid through the humidifier, where water vaporizes from the combined feed liquid into the carrier gas; directing the flow of the combined feed liquid from the humidifier through the dehumidifier, wherein the combined feed liquid cools the carrier gas to condense water from the carrier gas; extracting a concentrated brine stream from the humidifier, wherein the concentrated brine stream is a remnant of the combined feed liquid after water is vaporized from the combined feed liquid in the humidifier; directing at least a portion of the concentrated brine stream through an osmosis chamber of a pressure-retarded osmosis unit on a first side of a membrane; directing an initial feed solution through the osmosis chamber on a second side of the membrane in counterflow to the concentrated brine stream, wherein water from the initial feed solution flows through the membrane into the concentrated brine stream to dilute and increase the volumetric flow rate of the brine stream and to concentrate the initial feed solution; extracting the diluted brine stream from the osmosis chamber and depressurizing the diluted brine stream to produce power; and extracting the concentrated initial feed solution from the osmosis chamber and combining the depressurized, diluted brine stream with the concentrated initial feed solution to form the combined feed liquid.