Embodiments of this invention provide an integrated system for processing ore feedstock and RO treatment utilizing the principals of pumped storage hydroelectric technology including the use of an upper reservoir and lower reservoir. The integrated system includes a first subsystem that generates waste associated with processing the ore feedstock. In the integrated system, the waste includes the treatment of contaminated water. The integrated system further includes a second subsystem that treats the contaminated water included in the waste to generate recycled water and transmits the recycled water to the first subsystem. The integrated subsystem may also incorporate solar and/or wind power generation plants as a power source for the integrated system.

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.

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 process for concentrating a maple sap or sweet vegetal water solution is provided. The process comprises collecting the solution in a tank at temperature T1, wherein T1 is between 4? C. and 10? C.; concentrating the solution by means of a reverse osmosis concentrator to produce a high Brix solution of about 15 to about 40 Brix; heating the high Brix solution of about 15 to about 40 Brix to temperature T2, wherein T2 is between 40? C. and 85? C.; and evaporating the high Brix solution by means of a vacuum evaporator at temperature T3 to produce the concentrated product of about 60 to about 70 Brix, wherein T3 is between 55? C. and 80? C. A system for concentrating a maple sap or sweet vegetal water solution is provided, as well as a concentrated product produced by the process of the present invention.

A process for concentrating a maple sap or sweet vegetal water solution is provided. The process comprises collecting the solution in a tank at temperature T1, wherein T1 is between 4? C. and 10? C.; concentrating the solution by means of a reverse osmosis concentrator to produce a high Brix solution of about 15 to about 40 Brix; heating the high Brix solution of about 15 to about 40 Brix to temperature T2, wherein T2 is between 40? C. and 85? C.; and evaporating the high Brix solution by means of a vacuum evaporator at temperature T3 to produce the concentrated product of about 60 to about 70 Brix, wherein T3 is between 55? C. and 80? C. A system for concentrating a maple sap or sweet vegetal water solution is provided, as well as a concentrated product produced by the process of the present invention.

Provided are water treatment systems and methods of treating water that include separating dissolved salts from a feed stream using an organic solvent brine stream. For example, described are water treatment systems comprising: an electrodialysis device comprising an inlet feed stream, an inlet brine stream, an outlet product stream, and an outlet brine stream; and a precipitation tank comprising an inlet stream and an outlet stream, wherein the inlet stream of the precipitation tank comprises the outlet brine stream of the electrodialysis device, and the inlet brine stream of the electrodialysis device comprises the outlet stream of the precipitation tank, and wherein inlet brine stream and outlet brine stream comprises an organic solvent.

A process for concentrating a maple sap or sweet vegetal water solution is provided. The process comprises collecting the solution in a tank at temperature T1, wherein T1 is between 4? C. and 10? C.; concentrating the solution by means of a reverse osmosis concentrator to produce a high Brix solution of about 15 to about 40 Brix; heating the high Brix solution of about 15 to about 40 Brix to temperature T2, wherein T2 is between 40? C. and 85? C.; and evaporating the high Brix solution by means of a vacuum evaporator at temperature T3 to produce the concentrated product of about 60 to about 70 Brix, wherein T3 is between 55? C. and 80? C. A system for concentrating a maple sap or sweet vegetal water solution is provided, as well as a concentrated product produced by the process of the present invention.

A wastewater treatment equipment and a treatment method of a wastewater are provided. The wastewater treatment equipment includes: a microfiltration unit, configured to receive and filter a wastewater to obtain a solution; a membrane salt separation unit, configured to receive the solution and separate monovalent ions and multivalent ions from the solution to obtain a first solution including the monovalent ions and a second solution including the multivalent ions; a first evaporative crystallization unit, configured to crystallize the first solution to form a monovalent salt; and a second evaporative crystallization unit, configured to crystallize the second solution to form a mixed salt; the microfiltration unit is connected to the membrane salt separation unit, and the first evaporative crystallization unit and the second evaporative crystallization unit are both directly connected to the membrane salt separation unit, the wastewater treatment equipment can achieve the standard discharge of wastewater.

A process for preparing metal oxide comprising (i) at least one metal chosen from nickel and cobalt and optionally (ii) at least one metal chosen from manganese, lithium and aluminum. The process comprising: reacting a metal sulfate comprising (i) at least one metal chosen from nickel and cobalt and optionally (ii) at least one metal chosen from manganese, lithium and aluminum with lithium hydroxide and optionally a chelating agent to obtain a solid comprising a metal hydroxide comprising (i) at least one metal chosen from nickel and cobalt and optionally (ii) at least one metal chosen from manganese, lithium and aluminum, and a liquid comprising lithium sulfate, the metal sulfate comprising (i) at least one metal chosen from nickel and cobalt and optionally (ii) at least one metal chosen from manganese, lithium and aluminum; separating the liquid and the solid from one another to obtain the metal hydroxide; submitting the liquid comprising lithium sulfate to an electromembrane process for converting the lithium sulfate into lithium hydroxide; and reusing at least a first portion of said lithium hydroxide obtained by the electromembrane process for reacting with the metal sulfate; reacting at least a second portion of said lithium hydroxide obtained by the electromembrane process with the obtained metal hydroxide to obtain a mixture of metal hydroxides; and roasting said mixture of metal hydroxides to obtain the metal oxide.

A process for purify ing a urea-containing aqueous stream, such as the aqueous stream from the recovery section of a urea plant. comprising a step of removing biuret from the urea-containing stream by reverse osmosis in one or more reverse osmosis stages.