Examples disclosed herein relate to methods and systems for controllably removing one or more solutes from a solution. Examples disclosed herein relate to methods and systems for removing water from alcoholic beverages.

The present invention relates to a purification/filtration system using reverse electro-osmotic flow through a composite or hybrid membrane element. The invention also relates to a process for purifying an electrolyte solution using such system. The invention further relates to a water purification system, a water desalination system and an implantable artificial kidney, comprising a reverse electro-osmotic filtration system according to the invention.

An electrochemical system has a first reservoir receiving a feed stream. The feed stream includes a solvent and a solute different than the salt. A second reservoir receives a brine stream with a higher salt concentration higher than the feed stream. Electrodes contact a loop of redox- active electrolyte material causing reversible redox reactions. The reactions cause the loop to accept a first ion from the salt in the first reservoir and drive a second ion into the brine stream in the second reservoir. Three ionic exchange membranes of alternating type define the first and second reservoirs. A concentrate stream is output from the first reservoir, the concentrate stream having a second solute concentration greater than the first solute concentration.

The present invention relates to a water extraction system for up-concentration of organic solutes comprising a flow cell comprising a membrane; said membrane comprising an active layer comprising immobilized aquaporin water channels and a support layer, and said membrane having a feed side and a non-feed side; and an aqueous source solution in fluid communication with the feed side of the membrane. The system also includes an aqueous source solution in fluid communication with the feed side of the membrane and an aqueous draw solution in fluid communication with the draw side of the membrane. The aqueous source solution comprises the organic solutes. The membrane module comprises an inlet and an outlet for the aqueous draw solution. The aquaporin vesicles are formed by self-assembly of block copolymers in the presence of an aquaporin protein suspension.

A feedstock solution flow concentration system, which has a first step for counterflowing or parallel flowing a feedstock solution flow a containing a solute and a solvent b, and a draw solution flow d via a forward osmosis membrane o and transferring the solvent b in the feedstock solution flow a to the draw solution flow d to obtain a concentrated feedstock solution flow c, which is the feedstock solution flow which has been concentrated, and a diluted draw solution flow e, which is the draw solution flow which has been diluted.

A process for separating solvent from a feed solution, said process comprising: contacting a feed solution comprising solutes dissolved in a solvent with one side of a nanofiltration membrane, applying hydraulic pressure to the feed solution, such that solvent and some of the dissolved salts from the feed solution flow through the nanofiltration membrane to provide a permeate solution on the permeate-side of the nanofiltration membrane and a concentrated solution on the retentate-side of the nanofiltration membrane; contacting the permeate solution from the nanofiltration membrane with one side of a reverse osmosis membrane and applying hydraulic pressure to the permeate solution, such that solvent from the permeate solution flows through the reverse osmosis membrane to leave a concentrated solution on the retentate-side of the reverse osmosis membrane, using the concentrated solution from the retentate-side of the reverse osmosis membrane as at least part of the feed solution to the nanofiltration membrane; withdrawing at least a portion of the concentrated solution from the retentate-side of the nanofiltration membrane.

An apparatus and method for recovering metal from a solution comprising a metal-selective sorbent disposed in a column. Additional embodiments provide for using a metal-selective membrane configured for selective transport, isolation, retention, and recovery of metal ions and compounds; electrodialysis and forward osmosis apparatuses to recover metal from a solution. A modular system to process a solution at a remote field site is disclosed. The process is a green process and produces limited to no industrial waste.

Forward osmosis membrane vessels, and particularly stackable forward osmosis membrane vessels, are provided as well as systems and methods thereof. The forward osmosis membrane vessel has a body, a strong draw solution chamber, a first and a second semipermeable membrane, and a brine chamber. The first and second semipermeable membranes each are disposed within the cavity of the body. The first and second semipermeable membranes are configured to produce diluted draw solution streams and brine streams. The brine chamber is disposed at least partially between the first semipermeable membrane and the second semipermeable membrane. The forward osmosis membrane vessel may be configured such that in a stacked configuration the brine chamber and the strong draw solution chamber of the forward osmosis membrane vessel aligns with a brine chamber and a strong draw solution chamber of an adjacent second forward osmosis membrane vessel.

Stabilized surfactant-based membranes and methods of manufacture thereof. Membranes comprising a stabilized surfactant mesostructure on a porous support may be used for various separations, including reverse osmosis and forward osmosis. The membranes are stabilized after evaporation of solvents; in some embodiments no removal of the surfactant is required. The surfactant solution may or may not comprise a hydrophilic compound such as an acid or base. The surface of the porous support is preferably modified prior to formation of the stabilized surfactant mesostructure. The membrane is sufficiently stable to be utilized in commercial separations devices such as spiral wound modules. Also a stabilized surfactant mesostructure coating for a porous material and filters made therefrom. The coating can simultaneously improve both the permeability and the filtration characteristics of the porous material.

Provided herein are osmotic desalination methods and associated systems. According to certain embodiments, multiple osmotic membranes may be used to perform a series of osmosis steps, such that an output stream having a relatively high water purity—compared to a water purity of an aqueous feed stream—is produced. In some embodiments, multiple draw streams can be used to produce aqueous product streams having sequentially higher purities of water. Certain embodiments are related to osmotic desalination systems and methods in which forward osmosis is used to produce a first product stream having a relatively high water purity relative to an aqueous feed stream, and reverse osmosis is used to perform a second step (and/or additional steps) on the first product stream. In some embodiments, multiple reverse osmosis steps can be used in series to perform a net desalination process.