Method, Apparatus And System For Desalinating Saltwater

摘要

The present disclosure is directed at an apparatus, method and plant for desalinating saltwater and contaminated saltwater. The apparatus includes a stack and a manifolding assembly. The stack includes a product chamber, a first and second concentrate chamber, an anion exchange membrane forming a boundary between the first concentrate chamber and the product chamber and a cation exchange membrane forming a boundary between the second concentrate chamber and the product chamber. The manifolding assembly includes product and concentrate manifolding fluidly coupled to the product and concentrate chambers respectively, to convey a saltwater being desalinated to and away from the product chamber, and a concentrate to and away from the concentrate chambers. The stack may include a diluent chamber and adjacent anion or cation exchange membranes between the product chamber, diluent chamber and concentrate chamber to respectively convey anions or cations across multiple chambers.

主权项

1. A method of desalinating a contaminated saltwater in a stack, the method comprising:
flowing the contaminated saltwater and a saline water in a forward direction through the stack comprising:
flowing the contaminated saltwater from a contaminated saltwater source through a first waste water chamber in the stack, the first waste water chamber having a first anion exchange membrane on one side of and in ionic communication with the first waste water chamber and a first cation exchange membrane on another side of and in ionic communication with the first waste water chamber;flowing the saline water from a saline water source through a first saline water chamber in the stack in ionic communication with the first anion exchange membrane; andflowing the saline water through a second saline water chamber in the stack in ionic communication with the first cation exchange membrane; periodically switching the direction of flow of the contaminated saltwater and the saline water through the stack from the forward flow direction to a reverse flow direction comprising:
flowing the contaminated saltwater through the first and second saline water chambers; andflowing the saline water through the waste water chamber; and directing a saline and contaminated saltwater mixture away from a saline water outlet for a set period of time following switching the direction of flow or until a level of the contaminated saltwater in the saline and contaminated saltwater mixture is at or below a threshold level, wherein anions migrate from the contaminated saltwater through the first anion exchange membrane to the saline water and cations migrate from the contaminated saltwater through the first cation exchange membrane to the saline water, the first anion and cation exchange membranes configured to allow migration of salts and to reduce migration of contaminants, such that the salt concentration in the saline water increases to produce concentrated saline water and the contaminated saltwater is desalinated.