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 system and method for purifying water provides a feed solution water stream having a first osmotic pressure and a temperature T.sub.1 on a feed side of a semipermeable membrane. A draw solute stream has a temperature T.sub.2 and a second osmotic pressure higher than the first osmotic pressure. Water is mixed with the draw solution stream to produce a diluted draw solution stream having a temperature T.sub.3. Temperature T.sub.2 is higher than T.sub.1, and T.sub.3 is lower than T.sub.2. A solar panel has a heat exchanger in communication with the draw side and the solar panel has a temperature T.sub.4 higher than the temperature T.sub.3. The diluted draw solution stream passes into the heat exchanger to cool the solar panel. The diluted draw solution stream is heated and separated into purified water and recovered draw solution. The recovered draw solution passes to the membrane draw side for recycling.

The present invention is a concentration method for concentrating, before performing analysis using an analysis device, an analysis solution that includes an analysis solute and an analysis solvent. The concentration method is based on forward osmosis in which, using a concentration device, the analysis solution and the induction solution are brought into mutual contact via a forward osmosis membrane so that the analysis solvent within the analysis solution is removed by being allowed to pass through the forward osmosis membrane and be transferred into the induction solvent. The concentration device includes: a forward osmosis membrane module including the forward osmosis membrane; an analysis solution tank; analysis solution feed piping: an induction solution tank; and induction solution feed piping. The total of the capacity of an analysis solution fluid flow section of the forward osmosis membrane module and the capacity of the analysis solution feed piping is 500 mL or less. The concentration of the analysis solute in the analysis solution is 0.01 ppm or less, and the concentration of the analysis solute in the analysis solution after concentration is 0.02 ppm or greater.

Disclosed herein is a solar thermal osmosis desalination system comprising a forward osmosis subsystem and a reverse osmosis subsystem where the forward osmosis subsystem is configured to receive solar thermal heat and generate power that can be used to operate the reverse osmosis subsystem.

The present invention discloses a method and an apparatus for desalination of high-salt and high-concentration organic wastewater by coupling three membrane separation technologies. Wastewater is subjected to diffusion desalination to obtain diffusion desalination wastewater and diffusion desalination circulating water; the diffusion desalination circulating water is subjected to reverse osmosis to obtain pure water and high-concentration salt water; and the diffusion desalination wastewater is subjected to forward osmosis to obtain forward osmosis wastewater and forward osmosis circulating water, where the forward osmosis wastewater is desalted and concentrated wastewater.

The present disclosure relates to a method for manufacturing a covalently functionalized coated magnetic nanoparticle and to said particles and uses thereof. The preparation method includes forming a shell of a hydrophilic polymer coating layer on top of a magnetic metal core coated with a carbon coating. In the method a particle comprising a magnetic metal core coated with a carbon coating is provided. The surface of the particle is subjected to covalent functionalization by generating amino reactive groups via diazonium chemistry and subsequently an irreversible attachment of an atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) initiator is carried out on said surface. A hydrophilic polymer layer is formed) by a surface initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (SI-ATRP) reaction with a monomer comprising N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM).

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, a water treatment system includes a first chamber which accommodates water to be treated, a second chamber which accommodates a working medium which induces an osmotic pressure and an osmosis membrane which separates the first chamber and the second chamber from each other. The working medium is an aqueous solution which contains an acid having a hydroxy group in a side chain, or a metal salt thereof.

Forward osmosis methods and apparatus using a supported osmotic agent to establish or enhance an osmotic forward bias are disclosed. A supported osmotic agent may be assisted by osmotic agents not attached to a support and/or a pressure differential between an influent and effluent chamber and/or a temperature gradient and/or other means to increase the osmotic pressure in an effluent chamber.