The invention relates to a distillation apparatus for producing water for injection, comprising: at least one membrane distillation module (500, 600), the module being configured to be flowed through by a liquid to be concentrated, wherein: the module (500, 600) comprises at least one condensation/evaporation stage (50, 60), the condensation/evaporation stage (50, 60) comprises at least one condensation/evaporation element (101, 102), and the condensation/evaporation element comprises at least one condensation unit (101) and at least one evaporation unit (102), the apparatus further comprising: a heating stage (300) configured to generate steam and to provide the steam to the at least one condensation/evaporation stage (50, 60) of the at least one module, and a droplet elimination device (320) comprising a membrane (321) configured to separate droplets from the steam generated by the heating stage.

The invention relates to a modular flow system having a plurality of frame elements (101, 102) configured to be combined together to form a stack for forming afunctional member such as in particular a membrane distillation stage, a vapor generator, a condenser, a heat exchanger, a filter and/or a pervaporation stage, wherein the frame elements (101, 102) each include: an outer frame (39) and an inner frame (43), the inner frame (43) encasing a central inner region (40) and being surrounded by the outer frame (39), passage openings (13 to 16) and vapor and/or liquid channels (17, 18) arranged between the outer frame (39) and the inner frame (43), wherein at least one of the vapor and/or liquid channels (17, 18) comprises at least one internal strut member (48) extending between the inner frame (43) and the outer frame (39).

A device for exchange of water molecule and temperature between two fluids. The device comprises thin molecular sieve membrane sheets that allow water molecules to permeate through while blocking cross-over of the exchanging fluids. The device provides two sets of flow channels having a hydraulic diameter ranged from 0.5 to 2.0 mm for respective process and sweep fluid flows. The two sets of the channels are separated by a membrane sheet having a thickness less than 200 μm. The thin molecule sieve membrane may be prepared by forming an ultra-thin zeolite membrane layer on a porous metal-based support sheet which provides very high water permeance so that the exchange can be conducted in a compact membrane module at high throughput. The device can be used to remove water from a process stream of higher water content by use of a sweep fluid of lower water content or higher water affinity. For example, the device can be used to condition outdoor fresh air close to the temperature and humidity of indoor air by conducting humidity and heat exchange between the fresh air flow drawn from outdoors and waste air discharged indoors.

An approach for separating a gaseous mixture includes a multi-stage membrane system in which a rubbery membrane is operated at a low temperature. Various streams are cooled and heated in a multi-fluid heat exchanger. In specific configurations, the multi-fluid heat exchanger is cooled by using no fluids other than fluids derived from the permeate and/or residue generated in the first membrane stage.

An apparatus, system, and method to purify produced water from a wellbore using heat energy recovery. The apparatus comprises a wellbore with a wellhead attached to the wellbore; at least one energy recapture device connected to the wellhead of the wellbore with produced water, wherein the at least one energy recapture device captures heat energy of the production fluids including produced water, and at least one distillation device connected to a heat recovery device wherein the at least one distillation device uses at least a portion of the energy from the heat energy recovery device to heat a volume of the produced water in the distillation device to remove contaminants from the produced water to create purified water. The method comprises steps to use the apparatus and the system comprises a control panel that operates at least one energy recapture device.

A conditioning system for a filter module is disclosed. The conditioning system may generally include an inlet, a heat exchanger, a magnetically levitated pump, a channel provided to bypass the heat exchanger, a controller, an outlet, and a base. The system may have components lined with corrosion-resistant materials. A method of conditioning a filter module is also disclosed. The method may generally include measuring TOC in a source of ultrapure water, heating the ultrapure water, rinsing a filter module with the heated water, flushing the filter module with ambient temperature water, and repeating the rinsing with heated water and flushing with ambient temperature water. A method of facilitating conditioning of the filter module is also disclosed. The method may generally include providing a portable filter module conditioning system and providing instructions for installation or use.

The present disclosure to an apparatus for membrane distillation using a solar absorber and a heat pump, in which in the implementation of a membrane distillation process for producing treated water using a temperature difference between raw water and a coolant, raw water is heated using the solar absorber with improved heat collection efficiency, and through this, the treated water production efficiency of the membrane distillation process is improved.

An apparatus for water purification includes a membrane distillation (MD) cell; an air conditioner; a photovoltaic solar collector (PVSC) cell including a transparent photovoltaic cell configured to generate electricity, an absorber plate configured to absorb solar radiation, and a flow tube configured to receive the fluid; a first heat exchanger; a second heat exchanger; and a fluid source storing a fluid configured to circulate through the apparatus, wherein the fluid circulating in the apparatus carries heat generated by a condenser of the air conditioner to the PVSC cell where the fluid interacts with the PVSC cell to increase a temperature of the fluid to become a heated fluid; and the heated fluid circulates to the hot channel where the heated fluid drives the distillation of water in the MD cell.

A thermally reflective membrane apparatus comprises a housing structure, and a thermally reflective membrane contained within the housing structure. The thermally reflective membrane comprises a semipermeable structure, and a porous, thermally reflective structure physically contacting the semipermeable structure. The porous, thermally reflective structure comprises discrete thermally reflective particles, and a binder material coupling the discrete thermally reflective particles to one another and the semipermeable structure. A fluid treatment system and method of treating a fluid are also described.

A method and a 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 and system may include a regeneration process, such as membrane distillation, forward osmosis, electrodialysis, salt evaporation and/or salt decomposition for further energy efficiency and power generation.