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 puritycompared to a water purity of an aqueous feed streamis produced. In some embodiments, multiple draw streams can be NI 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.

A bioreactor assembly for treating feed water including: i) a pressure vessel comprising an inner peripheral surface defining an inner chamber having a cross-sectional area, and a first and second port adapted to provide fluid access with the inner chamber, ii) a plurality of bioreactors located within the inner chamber, wherein each bioreactor includes an outer periphery and flow channels extending along bio-growth surfaces from an inlet region to an outlet region, and iii) a fluid flow pathway adapted for connection to a source of feed water and extending from the first port of the pressure vessel, along a parallel flow pattern to each bioreactor, into the flow channels of each bioreactor, and out the second port of the pressure vessel.

This forward osmosis membrane has a support membrane, and a separation functional layer on the support membrane. The support membrane has a porous support body. After water has been positioned on the separation functional layer side and a 3.5 mass % sodium chloride aqueous solution has been positioned on the porous support body side, with the forward osmosis membrane interposed therebetween, and a forward osmosis process has been performed with a transmembrane pressure difference P=100 kPa and with the porous support body side being forward, when a forward osmosis process is then performed with a transmembrane pressure difference P=20 kPa and with the porous support body side being forward, the ratio (R.sub.100/F.sub.100) of the permeated water quantity (F.sub.100, unit: kg/(m.sub.2?hr)) and the salt reverse diffusion quantity (R.sub.100, unit: g/(m.sub.2?hr)) satisfies the expression 0 g/kg?R.sub.100/F.sub.100?0.12 g/kg.

Embodiments disclosed herein are directed to methods and systems for treating wastewater via forward osmosis. By way of example, the methods and systems disclosed herein may be used to filter one or more precipitated salts and/or other particles from wastewater generated by power plants such as flue gas wastewater, oil and gas wastewater, and other industrial processes. For example, the methods and systems disclosed herein may be used to filter one or more precipitated salts from a wastewater feed concentrate formed during the forward osmosis process that is recirculated through at least one membrane module to continue the forward osmosis process. Filtering the one or more precipitated salts from the wastewater feed concentrate helps limit clogging of open channel feed spacer(s) of the at least one membrane module.

The present invention relates to a device for producing electrical energy, including two vessels A and B intended for each receiving a concentrated electrolyte solution C.sub.A and C.sub.B in the same solute and each including an electrode arranged so as to come into contact with the electrolyte solution, a membrane separating the two vessels, said membrane including at least one nanochannel arranged to allow the diffusion of the electrolytes from one vessel to the other through said one or more nanochannels, and a device making it possible to supply the electrical energy spontaneously generated by the differential in potential that exists between the two electrodes, characterised in that at least one portion of the inner surface of the one or more nanochannels is essentially made up of at least one titanium oxide. The present invention likewise relates to a method for producing electrical energy using said device.

A forward osmosis apparatus is improved. A forward osmosis apparatus, comprising a diluting means for bringing a feed solution and a draw solution comprising a cation source and an anion source in an ionized state into contact through a semi-permeable membrane and diluting the draw solution with water separated from the feed solution by means of the semi-permeable membrane; a separating means for separating the draw solution that has been diluted by the diluting means into the cation source and anion source and into water; and a dissolving means, returning the cation source and the anion source that have been separated by the separating means to, and dissolving the cation source and anion source in, the draw solution that has been diluted; wherein the molecular weight of the cation source in an uncharged state is 31 or greater and the Henry's law constant of each of the anion source and cation source is 1.0?10.sup.4 (Pa/mol.Math.fraction) or greater in a standard state.

A forward osmosis apparatus is improved. A forward osmosis apparatus, comprising a diluting means for bringing a feed solution and a draw solution comprising a cation source and an anion source in an ionized state into contact through a semi-permeable membrane and diluting the draw solution with water separated from the feed solution by means of the semi-permeable membrane; a separating means for separating the draw solution that has been diluted by the diluting means into the cation source and anion source and into water; and a dissolving means, returning the cation source and the anion source that have been separated by the separating means to, and dissolving the cation source and anion source in, the draw solution that has been diluted; wherein the molecular weight of the cation source in an uncharged state is 31 or greater and the Henry's law constant of each of the anion source and cation source is 1.0?10.sup.4 (Pa/mol.Math.fraction) or greater in a standard state.

A method for preparing a plant derived product or a process intermediate or a process input, the method comprising the steps of providing a plant derived starting material, subjecting the starting material to a forward osmosis step against a draw solution so as to produce a plant material concentrate, and subjecting the draw solution to a water removal step. The water removal step may include further forward osmosis in combination with an evaporator system.

A forward osmosis apparatus is improved. A forward osmosis apparatus, comprising a diluting means for bringing a feed solution and a draw solution comprising a cation source and an anion source in an ionized state into contact through a semi-permeable membrane and diluting the draw solution with water separated from the feed solution by means of the semi-permeable membrane; a separating means for separating the draw solution that has been diluted by the diluting means into the cation source and anion source and into water; and a dissolving means, returning the cation source and the anion source that have been separated by the separating means to, and dissolving the cation source and anion source in, the draw solution that has been diluted; wherein the molecular weight of the cation source in an uncharged state is 31 or greater and the Henry's law constant of each of the anion source and cation source is 1.0?10.sup.4 (Pa/mol.Math.fraction) or greater in a standard state.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, a forward osmosis-type fresh water composite system includes: a fuel cell device that has a cathode electrode in which carbon dioxide supplied from a plant is converted into carbonate ion (CO.sub.3.sup.2?) and an anode electrode that produces electric energy by reacting the carbonate ion (CO.sub.3.sup.2?) with hydrogen and discharges the carbon dioxide; and a carbon dioxide collection unit that reacts the carbon dioxide supplied from the fuel cell device and water supplied from the outside with ammonia separated from a draw solution separation unit so as to produce a high-concentration draw solution and then supplies the high-concentration draw solution to a forward osmosis separation device.