Systems, methods and apparatuses to concentrate lithium containing solutions using forward osmosis units are provided, which, for example, can include providing at least one forward osmosis unit having at least one lithium containing solution chamber having at least one first inlet and at least one first outlet, at least one brine chamber having at least one second inlet and at least one second outlet, and at least one selectively permeable membrane positioned between the at least one lithium containing solution chamber and the at least one brine chamber, and conveying a lithium containing solution through the at least one lithium containing solution chamber and a concentrated brine solution through the at least one brine chamber, said conveying causing water from the lithium containing solution to be drawn through the at least one selectively permeable membrane and into the concentrated brine solution, such that a concentrated lithium containing solution exits through the first outlet and a less concentrated brine solution exits through the second outlet.

An extracted material for forward osmosis is provided. The extracted material includes a first ionic compound, a second ionic compound and a third ionic compound, which are represented by formula {K[A.sup.+(R.sup.1)(R.sup.2)(R.sup.3)].sub.p}(X.sup.−).sub.c(Y.sup.−).sub.d. X.sup.− is the same as Y.sup.− in the first ionic compound. X.sup.− is the same as Y.sup.− in the second ionic compound. X.sup.− in the first ionic compound is different from X.sup.− in the second ionic compound. X.sup.− differs from Y.sup.− in the third ionic compound. X.sup.− in the third ionic compound is the same as X.sup.− in the first ionic compound or X.sup.− in the second ionic compound. Y.sup.− in the third ionic compound is the same as Y.sup.− in the first ionic compound or Y.sup.− in the second ionic compound. A method for preparing an extracted material and a forward-osmosis water desalination system using the same are also provided.

A working medium includes a first amine compound and a second amine compound. The first amine compound is a heterocyclic tertiary amine compound including a carbon atom, a nitrogen atom and a hydrogen atom, and in which a ratio (C/N ratio) of a carbon atom number to a nitrogen atom number included in one molecule is from 7 to 9. The second amine compound is a heterocyclic tertiary amine compound including a carbon atom, a nitrogen atom and a hydrogen atom. and in which a ratio (C/N ratio) of a carbon atom number to a nitrogen atom number included in one molecule is in a range of 5 or more to less than 7.

The combined acid gas removal and water filtration system (10) removes sour gases, such as hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and carbon dioxide (CO2), from an input gaseous hydrocarbon stream (FG), as well as producing purified water (TW). The acid gas removal system (10) has a contactor (12) for contacting the input gaseous stream (FG) with an absorption liquid solvent (ALS), and a stripper (24) for recycling the absorption liquid solvent (ALS) and removing acidic gases (AG) therefrom. A first heat exchanger (22) heats used absorption liquid solvent (UALS) output from the contactor (12) prior to injection into the stripper (24). A second heat exchanger (26) cools recycled absorption liquid solvent (RALS) using a refrigerant (R) before injection back into the contactor (12). The refrigerant (R) is coupled with an absorber (84), which receives a dilute ethanolic draw solution (DDS) from a forward osmosis filtration system (72), producing purified water (TW).

Systems, methods and apparatuses to concentrate lithium containing solutions using forward osmosis units are provided, which, for example, can include providing at least one forward osmosis unit having at least one lithium containing solution chamber having at least one first inlet and at least one first outlet, at least one brine chamber having at least one second inlet and at least one second outlet, and at least one selectively permeable membrane positioned between the at least one lithium containing solution chamber and the at least one brine chamber, and conveying a lithium containing solution through the at least one lithium containing solution chamber and a concentrated brine solution through the at least one brine chamber, said conveying causing water from the lithium containing solution to be drawn through the at least one selectively permeable membrane and into the concentrated brine solution, such that a concentrated lithium containing solution exits through the first outlet and a less concentrated brine solution exits through the second outlet.

An ionic liquid and a forward osmosis process employing the same are provided. The ionic liquid has a structure represented by Formula (I)
AB.sub.n  Formula (I),
wherein A is ##STR00001##
n is 1 or 2; m is 0, or an integer from 1 to 7; R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are independently methyl or ethyl; k is an integer from 3 to 8; B is ##STR00002##
i is independently 1, 2, or 3; and j is 5, 6, or 7. The forward osmosis process employing the ionic liquid is used to desalinate a brine via a forward osmosis (FO) model.

A forward osmosis system is disclosed which use a polymer switchable between a neutral form and an ionized form. The switchable polymer has a higher osmotic pressure at the ionized form than the neutral form, the ratio between the former and the latter is ≥2. There is also disclosed a method for treating the polymer such that the ratio is improved. Use of polymers for forward osmosis is also disclosed.

A thermo-sensitive draw solute including a polyoxyalkylene adduct represented by a general formula (1): R.sup.1O(AO).sub.nR.sup.2 (1), where R.sup.1 denotes a residue after withdrawal of a hydroxy group from a monovalent alcohol having a carbon number ranging from 6 to 13, R.sup.2 denotes a hydrogen atom or denotes an alkyl group or an alkenyl group having a carbon number ranging from 1 to 13, AO denotes an oxyalkylene group having a carbon number ranging from 2 to 4, n denotes an average added mole number of an alkylene oxide ranging from 1 to 235, and where n is two or more, the two or more AOs may be the same or different from each other.

The invention relates to osmotically driven membrane processes and systems and methods for recovering draw solutes in the osmotically driven membrane processes. Osmotically driven membrane processes involve the extraction of a solvent from a first solution by using a second concentrated solution to draw the solvent from the first solution across a semi-permeable membrane. Draw solute recovery may be carried out by various means to recover and recycle draw solutes contained within a diluted second solution and obtain a product solvent.

A draw solute for forward osmosis membrane process, comprising an addition polymer obtained by addition polymerization of an alkylene oxide having 2 to 10 carbon atoms to an amine compound.