The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for electrically conductive membrane separation from a mixture solution via membrane nanofiltration, electro-filtration, or electro-extraction by: generating an electric field at the membrane filter, holding the membrane filter at a constant electric potential, or driving a constant current through the membrane filter; feeding a mixture solution through the membrane nanofiltration system; and separating a component from the mixture solution into a permeate solution.

Electrodialysis cell systems for water deionization is provided. Also provided are methods for using the electrodialysis cell systems. The cells use the forward and reverse reactions of a redox mediator and the combined operations of a deionization cell and an ion-accumulation cell to enable sustainable deionization with a significantly decreased operating voltage, relative to conventional deionization cells. The cells have applications in seawater desalination, water purification, and wastewater treatment.

Disclosed herein is a solar thermal osmosis desalination system comprising a forward osmosis subsystem and a reverse osmosis subsystem where the forward osmosis subsystem is configured to receive solar thermal heat and generate power that can be used to operate the reverse osmosis subsystem.

A system includes an electrochemical regenerator configured to receive a first solution having a first salt concentration and output a second solution having a second salt concentration lower than the first salt concentration and a third solution having a third salt concentration higher than the first salt concentration. The first and second solutions are sent to first and second reservoirs respectively absorb and emit heat in response to a phase change of one of the solutions. The absorption or emission of heat can be used in a heat pump system.

Disclosed are a hybrid system and method of waste heat utilization-based photovoltaic power generation and seawater desalination, wherein a photovoltaic power generation unit includes a linear Fresnel lens, a beam-splitting cooling tube, a solar cell, and a heat collecting tube; a seawater supply unit includes a seawater storage tank and a pre-treatment storage tank; a heat storage and temperature control unit includes a phase-change heat reservoir and heat exchangers; an electrodialysis unit includes poles, an ion-selective membrane, a desalination chamber, a concentration chamber, pole chambers, a concentrated liquid storage tank and a desalinated liquid storage tank; and an electricity storage and control unit includes a battery pack and a circuit controller. Incident sunlight achieves photovoltaic power generation by a light condensation followed by beam splitting mode; nanoparticle doped seawater absorbs long-wavelength light and transmits short-wavelength light.

The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for electrically conductive membrane separation from a mixture solution via membrane nanofiltration, electro-filtration, or electro-extraction by: generating an electric field at the membrane filter, holding the membrane filter at a constant electric potential, or driving a constant current through the membrane filter; feeding a mixture solution through the membrane nanofiltration system; and separating a component from the mixture solution into a permeate solution.

Methods and systems for desalinating feedwater are disclosed. The system includes at least one feedwater source, a reverse osmosis module, an input feedwater stream fed to the reverse osmosis module, and a control module. The feedwater stream comprises water from at least one feedwater source, e.g., from two or more feedwater sources of different salinities. The control module analyzes the level of energy available to the system, and increases the salinity of the input feedwater stream proportional to an increase in available energy. Feedwater stream salinity can be adjusted to reach water demand targets and fully utilize variable power inputs from renewable sources.

A method of operating a membrane is provided. The membrane comprises: a porous layer; a first electrically conductive layer located on a first side of the porous layer; and a second electrically conductive layer located on a second side of the porous layer. When an electric voltage is applied between the first and second electrically conductive layer across the porous layer, the membrane prevents moisture intrusion from a first surface of the membrane towards a second surface of the membrane. The method comprises applying an electric voltage between the first and second electrically conductive layer across the porous layer to prevent moisture intrusion from the first surface of the membrane towards the second surface of the membrane when it is desired to prevent moisture intrusion from the first surface towards the second surface. A membrane system for performing the method is also provided.

An electrochemically reactive membrane filtration system that exhibits antifouling characteristics, high surface reactivity and removal of organic pollutants and microbes in water. Such electrochemically reactive membrane systems can be incorporated as a core part of point-of-use (POU) water treatment and disinfection devices that exhibit performance of water purification at the endpoint of drinking water supply (e.g., tap water or pure water machine) and warrant the drinking water quality.

The invention provides for a portable, self-contained reverse osmosis system of which all necessary components to carry out substrate processing fit within the containment vessel. The invention weighs fewer than 50 pounds, consumes fewer than 250 watts of electricity, and can easily be carried from one location to another. While the invention is capable of processing hundreds of gallons of substrate per day, it can efficiently process as little as one gallon of substrate at a given time.