Methods and systems are described that produce an ultra-high gravity alcoholic beverage from a high gravity alcoholic beverage stream using an efficient, low waste, combination reverse osmosis and forward osmosis system. Utilizing a reverse osmosis system prior to using a forward osmosis system in removing water content from a high gravity alcoholic beverage stream significantly reduces a draw solution load when compared to a process that utilizes a forward osmosis system alone or prior to using any other dewatering system.

An integrated electrodialysis/forward osmosis process and system.

The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for preparing dialyzate, wherein the apparatus has a first part and a second part that is configured as a circuit; wherein the first part comprises a water connection or a water container as well as the primary side of a filter; wherein the filter is configured to prepare purified water from the water through forward osmosis; and wherein the second part comprises the secondary side of the filter, a reservoir, a filtrate line that leads from the secondary side of the filter to the reservoir, and a line leading from the reservoir to the secondary side of the filter, with the reservoir being a container having means for connecting the container to a dialysis machine.

A method and system of generating electrical power or hydrogen from thermal energy is disclosed. The method includes separating, by a selectively permeable membrane, a first saline solution from a second saline solution, receiving, by the first saline solution and/or the second saline solution, thermal energy from a heat source, and mixing the first saline solution and the second saline solution in a controlled manner, capturing at least some salinity-gradient energy as electrical power as the salinity difference between the first saline solution and the second saline solution decreases. The method further includes transferring, by a heat pump, thermal energy from the first saline solution to the second saline solution, causing the salinity difference between the first saline solution and the second saline solution to increase. The method may include a process of membrane distillation, forward osmosis, evaporation, electrodialysis, and/or salt decomposition for further energy efficiency and power generation.

A method of processing brine comprising lithium. The method may include providing a feed brine and a draw brine to a first forward osmosis (FO) module, the feed brine and/or the draw brine comprising lithium, and forming a feed brine concentrate and a dilute draw brine; and providing the dilute draw brine to a first nanofiltration (NF) module, and forming a first NF retentate, at least a portion of which is optionally recycled to the FO module, and forming a first NF permeate comprising at least a portion of the lithium. The method may additionally include providing a first brine to an initial NF module that is upstream of the first FO module, and forming the feed brine that is provided to the FO module, and forming an initial NF retentate, at least a portion of which is optionally recycled to the first FO module and/or the first NF module.

One aspect of the invention relates to a forward osmosis (FO) membrane including a selectively permeable active layer formed of a graphene-based material with tunable interlayer spacing; and a support membrane providing mechanical stability. The FO membrane enhances water flux while minimizing reverse solute flux.

A system and a method for removing gas field chemicals from a feed stream are provided. An exemplary method includes performing a forward osmosis on a feed stream including gas field chemicals to form a concentrated feed stream, and treating the concentrated feed stream in an electrochemical process to form treated water.

The application pertains to processes for producing components such as an alkali hydroxide and a carboxylic acid. The processes generally comprise reacting a component comprising calcium carbonate, or calcium sulfide, or calcium hydroxide, or calcium oxide, or calcium weak acid, or any combination thereof with a component comprising a carboxylic acid to form a component comprising a calcium carboxylate and a component comprising carbon dioxide, or hydrogen sulfide, or water, or any combination thereof. At least a portion of the formed calcium carboxylate is reacted with a component comprising an alkali sulfate to form a component comprising an alkali carboxylate and a component comprising calcium sulfate. At least a portion of the formed alkali carboxylate is electrochemically reacted to form a component comprising an alkali hydroxide and a component comprising a carboxylic acid.

A draw solute for the forward osmosis membrane process comprises a random copolymer obtainable by random addition of a monomer containing ethylene oxide and butylene oxide to a compound having one or more hydroxyl groups.

Provided are metal oxide ceramic materials and intermediate materials thereof (e.g., nanozirconia gels, nanozirconia green bodies, pre-sintered ceramic bodies, zirconia dental ceramic materials, and dental articles). The nanozirconia gels are formable gels. Also provided are methods of making and using the metal oxide materials and intermediate materials. The nanozirconia gels can be made using, for example, osmotic processing. The nanozirconia gels can be used to make nanozirconia green bodies, pre-sintered ceramic bodies, zirconia dental ceramic materials, and dental article. The nanozirconia green bodies, pre-sintered ceramic bodies, zirconia dental ceramic materials, and dental articles have desirable properties (e.g., optical properties and mechanical properties).