The methods and systems disclosed here relate to treating water. In certain embodiments, a treatment system comprises an electrochemical water treatment device, a recirculating concentrate stream in fluid communication with the electrochemical water treatment device, a flow control device in fluid communication with a first flow path comprising acidic water and configured to be in fluid communication with the recirculating concentrate stream, and a second flow path comprising feed water and configured to be in fluid communication with the recirculating concentrate stream, and a control system in communication with the flow control device. The treatment system may further comprise a recirculating dilution stream in fluid communication with a second inlet and a second outlet of the electrochemical water treatment device.

Provided is a water treatment device configured to perform a deionization treatment for the water to be treated, and the water treatment device includes a pressing member, a treatment container configured to store the water to be treated, a first electrode and a second electrode accommodated in the treatment container, a separator arranged between the first electrode and the second electrode, and a pair of collectors, which are accommodated in the treatment container, and are configured to apply a voltage to the first electrode and the second electrode. The pressing member is configured to press the first electrode and the second electrode in the treatment container.

The present invention relates to a single module, flow-electrode apparatus for continuous water desalination, ion separation and selective ion removal and concentration by capacitive deionization, comprising: a first current collector (1), a first compartment (1′) for a flow electrode, a first ion exchange membrane (AEM, CEM), a first liquid-permeable channel (6a) next to the first ion exchange membrane (AEM, CEM), a second ion exchange membrane (CEM, AEM) with a fixed charge opposite to that of the first ion exchange membrane (AEM, CEM) next to the first liquid-permeable channel (6a), a second liquid-permeable channel (6b) next to the second ion exchange membrane (CEM, AEM), a third ion exchange membrane (AEM, CEM) having the same fixed charge as the first ion exchange membrane (AEM, CEM) next to the second liquid-permeable channel (6b), a second compartment (2′) for a flow electrode, and a second current collector (2), wherein a fluid (4) containing suspended conductive particles or a mixture of conductive and non-conductive particles or particles made of a mixture of conductive and non-conductive materials (5) is provided in the first and second compartments (1′, 2′), acting as the flow electrode, as well as a corresponding method.

A high salinity water purification system and process, including a forward osmosis system and a reverse osmosis or nanofiltration system. A concentrated brine of a zinc or iron complex combined with a salt or acid draws pure water across the FO membrane from the influent water. The diluted brine is pumped through a vessel holding an anionic adsorption media to remove the zinc or iron complex and the resultant brine is passed through the RO or nanofiltration system to obtain purified water and a concentrated brine stream. The adsorption media is regenerated by a rinse cycle using fresh water or water from the RO system, removing the zinc or iron complex adhered to the media. The resultant brine is stored and mixed with the output of the RO system.

The present invention relates to an elongate microreactor (1) for desalinating a saline fluid (2), comprising at least one compartment (C1) for migrating ions, at least one compartment (C2) for separating ions and at least one compartment (C3) for collecting fluid, characterised in that first and second cathode electrodes (11A, 11B) and first and second anode electrodes (12A, 12B) each have a first surface (11F, 11G, 12F, 12G) that is in contact with the air and a second surface (11E, 11H, 12E, 12H) opposite said first surface, respectively, said second surface being in direct contact with a plastic wall (13B, 13C, 13A, 13D) that is in direct contact with the saline fluid.

Plant for desalinating water of a water supply system, which comprises one or more tanks for accumulating water (2) in an immiscible manner, in order to store a softened supply thereof, provided with a first inlet connection (3) and with a first outlet connection (4) respectively connected to a feeding pipe (5) connected to the water supply system (50) and to an extraction pipe (6) for supplying users. The plant (1) also comprises a filtering unit (10) for water softening, for example obtained with a flow-through condenser (10″) or with a reverse osmosis membrane filter (10′), connected in parallel to the tank (2) with second inlet connection (11) and second outlet connection (12) respectively hydraulically connected to the first inlet connection (3) and to the first outlet connection (4) of the tank (2). Circulating means (13) are provided which can be activated to force at least one water flow to be treated to pass through the filtering unit (10), producing a filtered water flow, which is progressively stored in the tank (2) according to a filling direction (VI) thereof. Operatively, the feeding pipe (5) of the water supply system (50) forces, when the user requests water, a water flow intended for use to flow through the tank (2), causing the at least partial evacuation of the filtered water volume that was stored therein in an immiscible manner, in an evacuation direction (V2) opposite the filling direction (VI) with which the filtered water flow had been previously stored in the tank 2.

A dosing pump (19) doses antiscalant into a membrane-based water treatment system (1). The dosing pump (19) includes a displacement body for pumping antiscalant into the membrane-based water treatment system (1) in doses. A motor drives the displacement body. A control module controls the motor. The control module is configured to vary the dosage of antiscalant pumped into the water treatment system (1) based on a temperature corrected system variable (SVTc) being based on a plurality of operating variables of the water treatment system (1).

A greywater recycling system for receiving, storing and recycling household waste influent, comprising: (a) a pre-filtration system comprising an open-ended transversal manifold placed in an elevated position, a series of micron-sized filters for collecting the influent, (b) a reservoir's storage system comprising: (i) a water level sensor for detecting the accumulated influent water level in a predetermined height, (ii) a pump, wherein the pump and the water level sensor are electrically connected together to automatically detect water level and activate or deactivate the pump, (c) the media housing filtration system comprising a series of filtration media for filtering out the effluent odor and contaminants, (d) an ultra-filtration system comprising the sub-micron sized filter, for sanitizing and purifying the outcome effluent, and (e) a check valve for adjusting effluent water pressure and directing the effluent flow direction.

Methods and circuits for a device for interrupting concentration-related polarisation phenomenon and for self-cleaning of electromembrane processes by application of asymmetric inverse-polarity pulses with high intensity and variable frequency are described. The device, a bipolar switch, is based on the use of solid-state electronics to carry out polarity inversion in a range of frequencies, intensities and pulse widths to prevent or reduce formation of precipitates on the surfaces of the membranes. The inversion protocol, with a frequency that varies as a function of the appearance of dirt on the membranes, as measured by the decrease in voltage or electrical resistance of the membrane cell during electromembrane processes, is also provided. This device and configuration provides application of modulated and stable high-intensity pulses using a second power source. Electromembrane processes can be updated by replacing electrodes, suitable for polarity inversion, and adding a second power source and the bipolar switch described.

The United States faces significant environmental burden to treat and transport ˜0.61 billion kg of defective tomatoes (culled tomatoes) every year. The present disclosure provides for the treatment and processing of culled tomatoes in microbial-electrochemical systems, using the microbial fuel cell as a model reactor. The fundamental differences between the long-term oxidative behavior of unprocessed culled tomatoes compared to the three readily soluble substrates (dextrose, acetate, and wastewater) are disclosed. AC electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) analyses indicate the influential impedance contributions of the peel & seed to the cull oxidation. Cyclic voltammetry tests indicate that the indigenous redox-active pigments in the cull influence the faradaic processes involved in the cull oxidation.