Zero discharge water desalination plant with minerals extraction integrated with natural gas combined cycle power generation

摘要

A desalination and minerals extraction process includes a desalination facility fluidly coupled to a minerals extraction facility. The desalination facility includes a nanofiltration membrane section producing a first tailings stream and a reverse osmosis membrane section producing a second tailings stream and a desalinated water outlet stream from an inlet feed stream. The extraction facility produces at least one mineral compound, an extraction tailings stream, and a second desalinated water outlet stream. At least one of the first tailings stream and the second tailings stream is fed into the extraction facility. In certain exemplary embodiments, a natural gas combined cycle power unit supplies power to at least one of the desalination facility and the extraction facility. In certain exemplary embodiments, the extraction tailings stream is recycled into the desalination facility and there are no extraction tailings streams or desalination tailings streams discharged into the environment.

主权项

1. A desalination and minerals extraction system, comprising:
a desalination facility comprising:
a nanofiltration membrane section producing a first desalination tailings stream; anda reverse osmosis membrane section producing a second desalination tailings stream and a desalination facility desalinated water outlet stream,wherein the first desalination tailings stream, the second desalination tailings stream, and the desalination facility desalinated water outlet stream are formed from an inlet feed stream entering the desalination facility; and a minerals extraction facility configured to produce a plurality of mineral compounds, a minerals extraction facility tailings stream, and a minerals extraction facility desalinated water outlet stream, the minerals extraction facility is fluidly coupled to the desalination facility, wherein the first desalination tailings stream is fed into the minerals extraction facility, and wherein the minerals extraction facility comprises:
a first settler configured to receive the first desalination tailings stream, to mix the first desalination tailings stream with a first lime material, to provide a first output stream comprising a first portion of the plurality of mineral compounds, and to provide a second output stream comprising a magnesium solution, wherein the first portion of the plurality of mineral comprises a high purity gypsum having greater than 95 percent of a sulfate from the first desalination tailings stream; anda second settler configured to receive at least a portion of the second output stream, to mix the portion of the second output stream with a second lime material, and to provide a third output stream comprising a second portion of the plurality of mineral compounds, wherein the second portion of the plurality of mineral compounds comprises high purity magnesium hydroxide.