A large scale water desalination process for producing at least 100,000 m.sup.3/day of product water. Feed water is passed through a high pressure pump driven by at least one steam turbine capable of producing at least 1 MW of energy, the pressurized feed water passing through at least one reverse osmosis membrane to provide a residual brine stream and a product water. A start-up step slowly increases pressure in the membrane at a maximum rate of 12 psi (8.3 Newtons/cm.sup.2; 0.08 MPa) per second by rotation of the turbine driven high pressure pump at a maximum rate of 30 RPM to slowly increase pressure on the membrane to a predetermined operational pressure and controlling the operational pressure following the start-up step by rotation of the high pressure pump between 500 RPM and 5000 RPM dependent on the pressure applied by the steam turbine.

An apparatus for producing ultrapure water: first ultrafiltration membrane that is connected to point of use and that supplies ultrapure water to point of use; first concentrated water return line that returns concentrated water of first ultrafiltration membrane to an upstream side of first ultrafiltration membrane; pressure gauge that measures pressure at an outlet of first ultrafiltration membrane; and means for adjusting flow rate of the concentrated water (first valve). Means for adjusting the flow rate of the concentrated water can be operated such that when the flow rate of the concentrated water is changed, a change in the pressure at the outlet of first ultrafiltration membrane that is measured by pressure gauge is kept within a predetermined range.

The present invention relates to separation methods and systems for converting high concentrations of animal wastes into useful products, wherein the separation of the desired useful products is conducted with a cross-flow filtration system having the ability to the separate desired useful energy and/or products from both viscous and non-viscous medium.

A method may include: introducing a fluid comprising a first immiscible phase and a second immiscible phase into a contacting vessel comprising multiple contact stages: flowing the fluid through a first fiber bundle disposed in the contacting vessel; separating at least a portion of the first immiscible phase from the second immiscible phase; and flowing the separated portion of the first immiscible phase through a second fiber bundle disposed in the contacting vessel.

Combustion systems are provided that can include a combustion assembly operatively engaged with an air intake, wherein the air intake performs air enrichment.

Methods for enriching air to a combustion assembly are also provided. The methods can include: forming an N.sub.2-rich stream and an O.sub.2-rich stream from a first air stream; supplementing a second air stream with the O.sub.2-rich stream to enrich the second air stream with O.sub.2; and combusting the enriched air stream.

Systems for separating CO.sub.2 from flue gas are also provided. The systems can include a vortex tube assembly operably coupled to a component of the system that provides pressurized N.sub.2.

Methods for heating or cooling components of a system for separating CO.sub.2 from flue gas are also provided. The methods can include: providing compressed nitrogen from one or more components of the system to a vortex tube to form a heated nitrogen stream and cooled nitrogen stream; providing the heated nitrogen stream to components benefiting from a heat source; and providing the cooled nitrogen stream to components benefiting from a cooling source.

Systems for separating CO.sub.2 from flue gas can also include a separation assembly that includes a membrane assembly configured to separate CO.sub.2 from N.sub.2.

Methods for separating CO.sub.2 from flue gas can also include providing a flue gas stream comprising CO.sub.2 and N.sub.2 to a first membrane separation system to form a CO.sub.2-rich stream and an N.sub.2-rich stream.

A device for enabling controlled movement of ions between a first ion-containing fluid and second ion-containing fluid comprises at least one cationic exchange membrane positioned between the first and second ion-containing fluids, and at least one anionic exchange membrane in parallel with the at least one cationic exchange membrane positioned between the first and second ion-containing fluids. The one or more of the at least one cationic exchange membrane and the at least one anionic exchange membrane is a membrane electrode assembly comprising an ion exchange membrane, and one or more permeable electrodes embedded within the ionic exchange membrane. The number of cationic exchange membranes and the number of anionic exchange membranes is the same, and the ions move through the membrane electrode assembly in response to a variable capacitive charge.

An approach for separating a gaseous mixture includes a multi-stage membrane system in which a rubbery membrane is operated at a low temperature. Various streams are cooled and heated in a multi-fluid heat exchanger. In specific configurations, the multi-fluid heat exchanger is cooled by using no fluids other than fluids derived from the permeate and/or residue generated in the first membrane stage.

The present teaching relates to method, system, medium, and implementations for storage management. A hash table is constructed, having an index file having one or more slots, each of which includes one or more buckets. Each bucket stores one or more types of records, including a direct record, an indirect record, and a forwarding record. A direct record stores data directly in a bucket of a slot of the index file. When a storage request is received related to some relevant data, the request is handled based on the constructed hash table.

Power generated by a wind turbine is applied to drive reverse osmosis (RO) desalination. Rather than discharging the brine back into the ocean, it is concentrated and modified through industrial-scale processes to produce sodium hydroxide (NaOH). Direct air capture of CO.sub.2 occurs when liquid NaOH, created from the RO desalination brine, is conveyed to the rotor hub and emitted from the wind turbine blades to react with CO.sub.2 in the atmosphere. The power of an offshore wind turbine is used for the onboard production of fresh water to supply shoreside water needs, or water may be electrolyzed to produce hydrogen while adding the vital process of CO.sub.2 sequestration to the ocean.

A desalination system includes a desalination platform, a first skid disposed on a first deck of the desalination platform, the first skid including at least one of a first filtration unit configured to produce a first filtrate stream, and a first permeate unit configured to produce a first permeate stream, a first interconnecting pipework coupled to the first skid, and a first pipework support disposed on the first deck, wherein the first interconnecting pipework is disposed on the first pipework support.