Methods, systems, and apparatuses for recovering water from an aqueous stream containing a solute are disclosed herein. In accordance with an aspect, provided is method comprising receiving an inlet brine stream comprising water and a solute; producing a concentrated brine stream by contacting the inlet brine stream with an ion exchange resin configured to extract water from the inlet brine stream, the ion exchange resin comprising a plurality of pores adapted to receive water molecules; ceasing the contact of the ion exchange resin with the inlet brine stream and the concentrated brine stream; and evaporating at least a portion of the water contained in the ion exchange resin aided by unsaturated air with less than 100% relative humidity using an evaporation unit.

A membrane for water collection may include a sheet having a top surface and a bottom surface, and a plurality of conical structures disposed on the top surface of the sheet, the conical structures comprising a hydrogel material. Each conical structure of the plurality of conical structures may have a height of 1 mm to 50 mm, wherein height is measured from the top surface of the sheet to an apex of a conical structure. Each conical structure of the plurality of conical structures may have an apex angle of 10 to 60 degrees.

Embodiments of the hybrid thermal-chromatograph systems described herein solve the co-product generation problem associated with seawater desalination, and result in significant reduction in the selling price of fresh water generated through the process, while also solving problems associated with traditional lithium mining practices.

Divalent ions are extracted from solids by leaching to form a divalent ion-containing solution. The divalent ion-containing solution is subjected to concentration to form a concentrated divalent ion-containing solution. Precipitation of a divalent ion hydroxide salt is induced from the concentrated divalent ion-containing solution. In other cases, the concentrated divalent ion-containing solution is exposed to carbon dioxide to induce precipitation of a divalent ion carbonate salt.

A process of treating nano-filtration membrane retentate comprises introducing seawater comprising a sulfate ion concentration of greater than or equal to 3000 mg/l to the NF membrane to produce a retentate stream and a permeate stream, wherein the retentate stream has a sulfate ion concentration greater than or equal to 10,000 mg/l, and mixing barium additives comprising barium chloride dehydrate (BaCl.sub.2.2H.sub.2O), barium chloride (BaCl.sub.2), or both with the retentate stream to precipitate sulfate from the retentate stream to form barite (BaSO.sub.4) and reduce the sulfate ion concentration, wherein the barium additives are added into the retentate stream at a barium ion concentration of greater than 10,000 mg/l.

Electrodeionization and electrodialysis systems which eliminate or substantially prevent the feed water from entering the concentrating compartments, for improving the recovery of product water as well as improving the current efficiency. Electro-osmotically generated flows of water entering from the diluting compartments of the stack constitutes the majority of concentrate feed, leading to the production of high purity, desalinated waters in the diluting compartments and highly concentrate solutions in the concentrate compartments.

A device (10) for trapping and killing marine organisms (14) such as animal plankton, salmon lice and other parasites, comprises a body (12; 12′) configured for submersion in water (15). The body (12; 12′) comprises at least one light source (16) configured and controlled for attracting said marine organisms, and an internal cavity (20) having an opening (20′) for fluid communication with at least a portion of the water. The light sources (16) are arranged inside the cavity (20) and arranged and controlled to emit light waves through said opening and into at least a portion of the water. At least one positive electrode (24; 24′; 24″; 32) is arranged in the cavity and electrically connected to a low-voltage power source (26; 27; 30), and at least one negative electrode (15a) is arranged in the water and electrically connected to said power source (26; 27; 30). The invented device generates, by means of electrolysis with the water (15), chlorine gas (21) at or in a region near the at least one positive electrode, and the chlorine gas (21) reacts with water inside the cavity to form hypochloric acid and hydrochloric acid (31).

A method and apparatus are disclosed for carbon dioxide removal and sequestration from ambient air or point source emissions by integration of four self-sufficient systems including a PEO renewable energy generation system, a desalination system, a pH-swing hydration or a direct hydration system, and a bicarbonate fixed, and alkalinity enhanced dense brine sequestration system, in which, the synergy between the PEO energy generation system and other three systems including provision of all needed renewable energy for operation of other three systems, the synergy between the desalination and other systems including provision of freshwater needed for the PEO energy generation system and the pH-swing system, as well as provision of a dense brine fluid from the desalination system to the pH-swing or the direct hydration system, and in the case of available freshwater supply where the desalination system can be avoided.

An ion removal device based on electrochemical and photoelectrochemical methods, and the application of energy conversion and storage are provided. In the ion removal process based on the electrochemical and photoelectrochemical fluidization battery device, the positive active material in the flow battery is the positive pole of device, the negative active material in the fluid battery is the negative pole of the device, and the salt solution is the electrolyte in the middle stream. The positive and negative active materials include organic materials such as 4-hydroxy-piperidinol oxide, riboflavin sodium phosphate or methyl viologen, which have the advantages of low raw material cost, environmental friendliness, high sustainability, excellent electrochemical performance, high specific capacity and good cycle stability etc. The electrolyte can be separated from the positive and negative active liquid flow materials according to the fixed sequence of self-assembly of fluid battery mold.

A plasma generator includes a cathode, an anode, and a stabilizing electrode. The stabilizing electrode stabilises a region of plasma within a fluid. Methods of plasma generation and uses thereof are also provided.