A hydro-thermal exchange unit (HTEU) for desalinating feed water in accordance with a humidification-dehumidification includes feed water, fresh water and gas conduit circuits for transporting feed water, fresh water, and gas, respectively. The unit also includes an evaporator through which a portion of the feed water conduit and the gas conduit pass. The evaporator causes evaporation of a portion of the feed water to produce vapor that is transported through the gas conduit. The unit also includes a condenser through which a portion of the gas conduit and the fresh water conduit pass. The condenser has input and output ports for coupling the gas and fresh water conduit circuits. The condenser extracts moisture from the vapor transported therethrough by the gas conduit. The extracted moisture is discharged through the fresh water conduit. The unit also includes a heat exchanger through which a portion of the fresh water conduit and the feed water conduit pass to thereby extract residual heat from the fresh water such that the residual heat heats the feed water.

A method for utilizing the hard cracking of cannabinoids includes providing a substantially pure cannabinoid isolate; optionally, adding terpenes or other flavor additives; optionally, physically mixing the combination; heating the isolate or mixture to a hard cracking point of the cannabinoid for a period of time; rapidly cooling to form a crystalline cannabinoid.

A method for utilizing the hard cracking of cannabinoids includes providing a substantially pure cannabinoid isolate; optionally, adding terpenes or other flavor additives; optionally, physically mixing the combination; heating the isolate or mixture to a hard cracking point of the cannabinoid for a period of time; rapidly cooling to form a crystalline cannabinoid.

The present disclosure relates to osmotic power plants and method for their operation. For example, a method for operating an osmotic power plant may include: supplying a starting solution containing a first substance to the thermal separating facility; evaporating the starting solution in an evaporator; discharging the substance out of the evaporator with a gaseous medium flowing through the evaporator; converting the discharged substance to a liquid phase in a condenser and thereby generating the first solution; wherein the substance is more easily converted to a gas phase than the solvent of the starting solution. The first solution has a first concentration the substance dissolved in a solvent. A second solution has a second, lesser concentration of the substance. The first solution is provided by a thermal separating facility.

The present disclosure relates to osmotic power plants and method for their operation. For example, a method for operating an osmotic power plant may include: supplying a starting solution containing a first substance to the thermal separating facility; evaporating the starting solution in an evaporator; discharging the substance out of the evaporator with a gaseous medium flowing through the evaporator; converting the discharged substance to a liquid phase in a condenser and thereby generating the first solution; wherein the substance is more easily converted to a gas phase than the solvent of the starting solution. The first solution has a first concentration the substance dissolved in a solvent. A second solution has a second, lesser concentration of the substance. The first solution is provided by a thermal separating facility.

A process of mass transfer is described which utilises latent heat transfer with little or sensible heat transfer. In a preferred process microbubbles are used under certain conditions of contact with a liquid phase to ensure highly effective mass transfer between a gaseous and liquid phase with significantly less than expected or little or no sensible heat transfer. The present invention in part provides a means by which the known state of a cold liquid of varying depths can be changed using a hot gas injected via a micro bubble inducing internal mixing without allowing the resultant mixture to reach equilibrium thereby ensuring the transfer process becomes continuous. Thus a process is described wherein at least one gaseous phase is contacted with at least one liquid phase such that the heat ratio of the system (AA) is maintained at an a value of greater than 0.5, and the mass transfer is effected by passing a gaseous phase comprising microbubbles through a liquid phase of thickness no more than 10 cm.

A process of mass transfer is described which utilises latent heat transfer with little or sensible heat transfer. In a preferred process microbubbles are used under certain conditions of contact with a liquid phase to ensure highly effective mass transfer between a gaseous and liquid phase with significantly less than expected or little or no sensible heat transfer. The present invention in part provides a means by which the known state of a cold liquid of varying depths can be changed using a hot gas injected via a micro bubble inducing internal mixing without allowing the resultant mixture to reach equilibrium thereby ensuring the transfer process becomes continuous. Thus a process is described wherein at least one gaseous phase is contacted with at least one liquid phase such that the heat ratio of the system (AA) is maintained at an a value of greater than 0.5, and the mass transfer is effected by passing a gaseous phase comprising microbubbles through a liquid phase of thickness no more than 10 cm.

The disclosure relates to systems and methods for improving the manufacturing of silk solutions and powders containing silk fibroin obtained from silkworm cocoons. The solutions and powders can be used to improve the post-harvest preservation of perishables and to improve the performance of packaging, including biodegradable packaging.

Embodiments described generally relate to systems comprising a humidifier (e.g., a bubble column humidifier) and a heating device (e.g. a heat exchanger), and associated methods. In certain embodiments, the heating device heats a first liquid stream comprising a condensable fluid in liquid phase (e.g., water) and a dissolved salt (e.g., NaCl) to a relatively low temperature (e.g., about 90° C. or less) prior to the first liquid stream entering the humidifier through a main humidifier liquid inlet. In some cases, the system comprising the humidifier and the heating device requires only low-grade heat to operate, which may be advantageous due to the low cost and high availability of such heat.

Embodiments described generally relate to systems comprising a humidifier (e.g., a bubble column humidifier) and a heating device (e.g. a heat exchanger), and associated methods. In certain embodiments, the heating device heats a first liquid stream comprising a condensable fluid in liquid phase (e.g., water) and a dissolved salt (e.g., NaCl) to a relatively low temperature (e.g., about 90° C. or less) prior to the first liquid stream entering the humidifier through a main humidifier liquid inlet. In some cases, the system comprising the humidifier and the heating device requires only low-grade heat to operate, which may be advantageous due to the low cost and high availability of such heat.