A system for separating a soluble solution includes a first freezer configured to receive a liquid feed stream and a refrigerant stream, and discharge a concentrated solution stream, wherein the first freezer is configured to exchange heat between the liquid feed stream and the refrigerant stream through direct contact within the first freezer and freeze a portion of the liquid feed stream, a first separator external to the first freezer and configured to separate ice particles from the concentrated solution stream and recirculate the concentrated solution stream to the first freezer, and a first ice washer coupled to the first separator and configured to receive the ice particles separated from the concentrated solution stream by the first separator and wash the separated ice particles to free the ice particles from contaminants.

Apparatus and methods are disclosed for separating salts, minerals, organic matter and other impurities from seawater, brackish water, wastewater or other water resources by freezing contained water in a downward vertical direction. Generally, feed water is pumped into a tank and a refrigerant contacts the upper surface of the feed water to form a layer of ice. During this process, salt and other impurities are rejected from the ice layer into the feed water below. By continuing this process, the feed water will freeze in a downward direction as the ice layer thickens. Salt and other impurities will continue to be rejected into the feed water and may be drained from the tank through a drain pipe after a block of ice is formed. Additional feed water may then be pumped into the tank to raise the block of ice for removal or ejection from the tank. The block of ice may then be melted to provide product water. Multiple tanks may be arranged in multiple levels using shared pipes and conveyor platforms to increase efficiency, scale and production.

Apparatus and methods are disclosed for separating salts, minerals, organic matter and other impurities from seawater, brackish water, wastewater or other water resources by freezing contained water in a downward vertical direction. Generally, feed water is pumped into a tank and a refrigerant contacts the upper surface of the feed water to form a layer of ice. During this process, salt and other impurities are rejected from the ice layer into the feed water below. By continuing this process, the feed water will freeze in a downward direction as the ice layer thickens. Salt and other impurities will continue to be rejected into the feed water and may be drained from the tank through a drain pipe after a block of ice is formed. Additional feed water may then be pumped into the tank to raise the block of ice for removal or ejection from the tank. The block of ice may then be melted to provide product water. Multiple tanks may be arranged in multiple levels using shared pipes and conveyor platforms to increase efficiency, scale and production.

The present invention is a process, a method, and system for recovery and concentration of dissolved ammonium bicarbonate from a wastewater containing ammonia (NH3) using gas separation, condensation, and crystallization, each at controlled operating temperatures. The present invention includes 1) removal of ammonia from waste (sludges, semi-solids, and solids and liquids) without the use of chemicals at a temperature of at least 80 degrees Celsius, 2) condensing the gaseous containing ammonia, carbon dioxide and water vapor to remove water vapor concentrating the amount of gaseous ammonia and carbon dioxide, 3) concentrating the ammonia and carbon dioxide in the water by established means, such as concentrating the gas using partial condensation followed by passing the concentrated gas through an absorption column at a temperature of between about 20 and 50 degrees Celsius to form dissolved ammonium carbonate and ammonium bicarbonate, or total condensation followed by dewatering using reverse osmosis, and 4) crystallizing concentrated dissolved ammonium carbonate and ammonium bicarbonate at a temperature of less than about 35 degrees Celsius to form solid ammonium bicarbonate and ammonium carbonate.

The present disclosure relates to a system and method for treating wastewater, the method comprising the steps of: providing a vessel for receiving wastewater and a gas, wherein the gas comprises one or more constituent gas components; directing the wastewater and a first gas component of the gas to the vessel; reducing the temperature of the contents of the vessel from a first temperature to a second temperature to facilitate the formation of clathrate hydrates comprising the wastewater and the first gas component; increasing the temperature of the contents of the vessel with respect to the second temperature to facilitate melting of the clathrate hydrates; and removing clean water and/or the first gas component from the vessel.

The present disclosure relates to a system and method for treating wastewater, the method comprising the steps of: providing a vessel for receiving wastewater and a gas, wherein the gas comprises one or more constituent gas components; directing the wastewater and a first gas component of the gas to the vessel; reducing the temperature of the contents of the vessel from a first temperature to a second temperature to facilitate the formation of clathrate hydrates comprising the wastewater and the first gas component; increasing the temperature of the contents of the vessel with respect to the second temperature to facilitate melting of the clathrate hydrates; and removing clean water and/or the first gas component from the vessel.

A novel method for freeze-related separations, involving the combination of water with a selected concentration of biogenic ice nucleation proteins, freezing the combination, and separating the ice, potentially via centrifugation or sublimation. In some instances, the freezing conditions and the concentration of the at least one biogenic ice nucleation protein are selected such that the aqueous solution, upon freezing, forms a lamellar ice crystal structure having at least one property selected from the group consisting of a solute inclusion volume at least 30% smaller than in the first material alone, a hydraulic diameter at least 30% larger than in the first material alone, an inclusion width that is less than 10% of a crystal dimension, a hydraulic diameter that is less more than 1.5 times that of an inclusion width, a deviation of crystal orientation angle in the transverse direction of less than 45 degrees, an ice crystal length in the transverse direction that is at least 10% larger than in the first material alone, and a length of the ice crystal structure in the longitudinal direction that is at least 10% larger than in the first material alone. The use of these structures result in a significant efficiency improvement and energy savings.

A novel method for freeze-related separations, involving the combination of water with a selected concentration of biogenic ice nucleation proteins, freezing the combination, and separating the ice, potentially via centrifugation or sublimation. In some instances, the freezing conditions and the concentration of the at least one biogenic ice nucleation protein are selected such that the aqueous solution, upon freezing, forms a lamellar ice crystal structure having at least one property selected from the group consisting of a solute inclusion volume at least 30% smaller than in the first material alone, a hydraulic diameter at least 30% larger than in the first material alone, an inclusion width that is less than 10% of a crystal dimension, a hydraulic diameter that is less more than 1.5 times that of an inclusion width, a deviation of crystal orientation angle in the transverse direction of less than 45 degrees, an ice crystal length in the transverse direction that is at least 10% larger than in the first material alone, and a length of the ice crystal structure in the longitudinal direction that is at least 10% larger than in the first material alone. The use of these structures result in a significant efficiency improvement and energy savings.

A method of purifying brackish water includes mixing brackish water with a nucleating agent, forming nucleated liquid water and distributing droplets of the nucleated liquid water inside a vacuum chamber, vacuum freezing the droplets of the nucleated liquid water in the vacuum chamber. The method further includes the droplets forming pure water vapor, nucleated ice, and remaining brackish water, mixing and liquifying the pure water vapor and the nucleated ice, forming a mixture of purified liquid water and the nucleating agent. The method further includes separating the mixture of purified liquid water and the nucleating agent, forming purified liquid water and the nucleating agent.

A method of purifying brackish water includes mixing brackish water with a nucleating agent, forming nucleated liquid water and distributing droplets of the nucleated liquid water inside a vacuum chamber, vacuum freezing the droplets of the nucleated liquid water in the vacuum chamber. The method further includes the droplets forming pure water vapor, nucleated ice, and remaining brackish water, mixing and liquifying the pure water vapor and the nucleated ice, forming a mixture of purified liquid water and the nucleating agent. The method further includes separating the mixture of purified liquid water and the nucleating agent, forming purified liquid water and the nucleating agent.