A submersible reverse osmosis desalination apparatus uses low temperature concentrate or brine from the desalination apparatus to provide a high volume cold liquid stream to an Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) heat engine. The OTEC engine also employs a warm liquid stream and uses the cold and warm liquid streams to obtain electrical power from a closed-cycle or open-cycle heat exchange and generator system. Use of the concentrate or brine stream provides a much greater liquid volume and much greater cold thermal energy content than would be obtained by using cold desalinated product water from the desalination apparatus in the OTEC heat engine.

A reverse osmosis system includes a wheel formed of a hollow central hub, radial tubes fluidly connected to the central hub, semi-permeable membranes provided in each radial tube, a permeate outlet tube, and a concentrate outlet tube; a permeate collection tank; a concentrate collection tank; and a drive mechanism. The drive mechanism rotationally drives the wheel while the source liquid is supplied to the central hub of the wheel, the rotation causing the source liquid to enter the radial tubes in radially outward directions and cause pressure increase on the source liquid in the radial tubes. The pressure increase forces the source liquid through the semi-permeable membranes to separate into permeate and concentrate, the permeate being directed to the permeate collection tank through the permeate outlet tube and the concentrate being directed to the concentrate collection tank through the concentrate outlet tube.

Reverse osmosis (1) system having a first membrane unit (2) and at least a second membrane unit (3), the membrane units (2, 3) forming a chain of membrane units, the first membrane unit (2) having a first membrane (4) separating a first feed chamber (5) and a first permeate chamber (6), a first inlet (7) connected to the first feed chamber (5), a first permeate outlet (9) connected to the first permeate chamber (6), and a first concentrate outlet (8) connected to the first feed chamber (5), the second membrane unit (3) having a second membrane (10) separating a second feed chamber (11) and a second permeate chamber (12), a second inlet (13) connected to the second feed chamber (11), a second permeate outlet (15) connected to the second permeate chamber (12), and a second concentrate outlet (14) connected to the second feed chamber (11), wherein the concentrate outlet (8) of a membrane unit (2) in the chain of membrane units is connected to an inlet (13) of a following membrane unit (3) and a concentrate outlet (14) of at least one membrane unit (3) downstream the first membrane unit (2) in the chain of membrane units is connected to a hydraulic motor (18). In such a system the energy consumption should be optimized. To this end the hydraulic motor (18) is operatively connected to a first electric machine (21).

Reverse osmosis (1) system having a first membrane unit (2) and at least a second membrane unit (3), the membrane units (2, 3) forming a chain of membrane units, the first membrane unit (2) having a first membrane (4) separating a first feed chamber (5) and a first permeate chamber (6), a first inlet (7) connected to the first feed chamber (5), a first permeate outlet (9) connected to the first permeate chamber (6), and a first concentrate outlet (8) connected to the first feed chamber (5), the second membrane unit (3) having a second membrane (10) separating a second feed chamber (11) and a second permeate chamber (12), a second inlet (13) connected to the second feed chamber (11), a second permeate outlet (15) connected to the second permeate chamber (12), and a second concentrate outlet (14) connected to the second feed chamber (11), wherein the concentrate outlet (8) of a membrane unit (2) in the chain of membrane units is connected to an inlet (13) of a following membrane unit (3) and a concentrate outlet (14) of at least one membrane unit (3) downstream the first membrane unit (2) in the chain of membrane units is connected to a hydraulic motor (18). In such a system the energy consumption should be optimized. To this end the hydraulic motor (18) is operatively connected to a first electric machine (21).

A submersible water desalination apparatus includes an array of hot-swappable water separation membrane modules arrayed in an approximately polygonal configuration around a product water collection conduit that represents or is proximate to and generally aligned with a central axis of the array; a plurality of hot-swap product water valves connected to the conduit and detachably connected to generally radially-extending product water collection manifolds in fluid communication with a plurality of water separation membrane cartridges within the modules; the modules having in cross-section generally tapered module sides that converge towards the conduit and assist in underwater docking and attachment of a replacement module to a hot-swap product water valve.

A submersible water desalination apparatus includes an array of hot-swappable water separation membrane modules arrayed in an approximately polygonal configuration around a product water collection conduit that represents or is proximate to and generally aligned with a central axis of the array; a plurality of hot-swap product water valves connected to the conduit and detachably connected to generally radially-extending product water collection manifolds in fluid communication with a plurality of water separation membrane cartridges within the modules; the modules having in cross-section generally tapered module sides that converge towards the conduit and assist in underwater docking and attachment of a replacement module to a hot-swap product water valve.

A submersible water desalination apparatus includes a plurality of water separation membrane elements that when supplied with salinated water under pressure at a first depth will produce at least partially desalinated product water and concentrate or brine; a product water collector that receives product water from the membrane elements; and a permeate conduit that transports product water from the collector downwardly to a motorized submersible pump remotely located from the membrane elements and collector at a second depth greater than the first depth. The second depth is sufficiently greater than the first depth so that the height of a standing column of product water in the product water collector and permeate conduit between the membrane elements and the suction side of the pump maintains a net positive suction head that prevents inlet side cavitation during pump startup and operation.

A submersible water desalination apparatus includes a plurality of water separation membrane elements that when supplied with salinated water under pressure at a first depth will produce at least partially desalinated product water and concentrate or brine; a product water collector that receives product water from the membrane elements; and a permeate conduit that transports product water from the collector downwardly to a motorized submersible pump remotely located from the membrane elements and collector at a second depth greater than the first depth. The second depth is sufficiently greater than the first depth so that the height of a standing column of product water in the product water collector and permeate conduit between the membrane elements and the suction side of the pump maintains a net positive suction head that prevents inlet side cavitation during pump startup and operation.

The invention relates to the field of dairy products and particularly concerns a method for the demineralization of whey. The method according to the invention comprises the following steps: obtaining a whey, electrodialysis of the whey at a temperature of 30° C. to 60° C., acidification of the whey to a pH of between 2 and 3.5, pasteurization of the acidified whey, electrodialysis of the pasteurized acidified whey at a temperature of 30° C. to 60° C., and neutralization of the demineralized whey to a pH between 6.7 and 7.2. The method according to the invention makes it possible to achieve the whey demineralization using only the method of electrodialysis while avoiding the problems conventionally encountered with this method, namely a limited demineralization rate, fouling of the membranes, and an insufficient service life.

The invention relates to the field of dairy products and particularly concerns a method for the demineralization of whey. The method according to the invention comprises the following steps: obtaining a whey, electrodialysis of the whey at a temperature of 30° C. to 60° C., acidification of the whey to a pH of between 2 and 3.5, pasteurization of the acidified whey, electrodialysis of the pasteurized acidified whey at a temperature of 30° C. to 60° C., and neutralization of the demineralized whey to a pH between 6.7 and 7.2. The method according to the invention makes it possible to achieve the whey demineralization using only the method of electrodialysis while avoiding the problems conventionally encountered with this method, namely a limited demineralization rate, fouling of the membranes, and an insufficient service life.