A method of generating electrical power or hydrogen from thermal energy is disclosed. The method includes separating, by a selectively permeable membrane, a first saline solution from a second saline solution, receiving, by the first saline solution and/or the second saline solution, thermal energy from a heat source, and mixing the first saline solution and the second saline solution in a controlled manner, capturing at least some salinity-gradient energy as electrical power as the salinity difference between the first saline solution and the second saline solution decreases. The method further includes transferring, by a heat pump, thermal energy from the first saline solution to the second saline solution, causing the salinity difference between the first saline solution and the second saline solution to increase.

A valve device 3 includes a housing 2 and a valve body 4. The valve body 4 has a first switching position where a first supply port 31 and a first discharge port 33 communicate via an inner flow path 44 and a second supply port 32 and a second discharge port 34 communicate via an outer flow path 45, a second switching position where the first supply port 31 and the second discharge port 34 communicate via the outer flow path 45 and the second supply port 32 and the first discharge port 33 communicate via the inner flow path 44, a third switching position where the first supply port 31 and the first discharge port 33 communicate via the outer flow path 45 and the second supply port 32 and the second discharge port 34 communicate via the inner flow path 44, and a fourth switching position where the first supply port 31 and the second discharge port 34 communicate via the inner flow path 44 and the second supply port 32 and the first discharge port 33 communicate via the outer flow path 45.

A device for generating hydrogen gas, treated water, and metal-containing nanoparticles. The device includes a vessel containing an electrolyte solution having a preferably iron anode and a preferably copper cathode. A renewable energy source is connected to the anode and the cathode. A valve for disbursing the hydrogen is connected to the hydrogen chamber.

An electrolytic liquid production device includes: an electrolyzer configured to perform electrolytic treatment to a liquid; elastic body configured to press the electrolyzer; and housing having the electrolyzer and elastic body disposed inside housing. Housing has inlet port that the liquid supplied to the electrolyzer flows into, and outlet port that an electrolytic liquid produced in the electrolyzer flows out from. Elastic body includes positioning depressed portion, and housing includes positioning protruding portion. Elastic body is positioned with respect to housing by inserting positioning protruding portion of housing into positioning depressed portion of elastic body. Thus, there is provided an electrolytic liquid production device capable of suppressing bias of elastic body inside housing.

The present invention includes a method including providing an anode and a cathode; providing a desalination device operably coupled to establish an electrical potential between the anode and the cathode when the desalination device is operating; providing water containing dissolved solids; thereby establishing the electrical potential; reducing a salinity of the water by supplying the water to the desalination device; and generating electrical power by reducing the salinity of the water.

An electrolytic liquid generation device includes stacked body in which conductive membrane is stacked and interposed between cathode and anode adjacent to each other, electrolytic part that electrolyzes liquid, and housing in which electrolytic part is disposed and flow path is formed. Electrolytic part includes slot that is open in flow path, and in the slot, a part of interface between conductive membrane and cathode and anode is exposed. Either one of the electrodes of cathode and anode has an outer periphery smaller in width than slot of electrolytic part. This can provide an electrolytic liquid generation device capable of improving the concentration of an electrolytic product dissolved in liquid.

A method for desalination is provided. An electric potential difference is applied across a saline solution, where a salinity of the saline solution is in a range of 2.5 to 7.8 parts per thousand. The saline solution is separated, using electrodialysis, into a concentrated saline solution and a first diluate. The concentrated saline solution is transferred to a reverse osmosis chamber. The concentrated saline solution is pumped through a partially permeable membrane, thereby removing salt ions from the concentrated saline solution, and creating a second diluate and a brine solution. A pressure of the solution is then increased, using a pressure exchanger, by transferring water pressure from the brine solution to the concentrated saline solution. The first diluate and the second diluate are combined, where a first recovery ratio of the first diluate is greater than a second recovery ratio of the second diluate.

A capacitive deionization process is provided. The capacitive deionization process includes a charging step of applying power to a capacitive deionization apparatus in a charging state and supplying charge water containing target dissolved ions to be precipitated to the capacitive deionization apparatus for a predetermined period of time, a discharging step of applying power to the capacitive deionization apparatus in a discharging state and supplying discharge water in which the target dissolved ions are in a saturated state to the capacitive deionization apparatus for a predetermined period of time, and a crystal recovery step of recovering a crystal of the target dissolved ions precipitated in the capacitive deionization apparatus and/or the discharge water.

A system separates and in-situ analyzes a discrete sample of multiphase fluid. The system includes a separation vessel having a first inner chamber for separating a discrete sample of multiphase fluid into liquid phases including an aqueous liquid phase and a nonporous liquid phase, and a built-in water analysis unit. The built-in water analysis unit includes an analytical cell disposed inside the first inner chamber of the separation vessel, the analytical cell having a second inner chamber, and at least one probe having a sensing area disposed in the second inner chamber for in-situ analysis of a sample of the aqueous liquid phase that is separated from the discrete sample of multiphase fluid in the first inner chamber and that is channeled to the second inner chamber from the first inner chamber for the in-situ analysis. The second inner chamber is defined inside the first inner chamber.

A method for operating a wastewater treatment system is disclosed wherein the wastewater treatment system comprises at least one electrochemical cell comprising dimensionally stable electrodes having the same catalyst composition, the electrodes being immersed in wastewater and being connected to a power supply and wherein the voltage at the power supply is monitored and the polarity of the electrochemical cell(s) is reversed when the recorded voltage increases by a predetermined voltage difference. The wastewater treatment system can comprise at least one electrochemical cell which is kept inactive while the active electrochemical cells are operating. The inactive cell(s) can be activated when all the electrodes of the active cells are consumed as indicated by another increase in voltage at the power supply after the polarity of the active cells has been once reversed.