A high salinity water purification system and process, including a forward osmosis system and a reverse osmosis or nanofiltration system. A concentrated brine of a zinc or iron complex combined with a salt or acid draws pure water across the FO membrane from the influent water. The diluted brine is pumped through a vessel holding an anionic adsorption media to remove the zinc or iron complex and the resultant brine is passed through the RO or nanofiltration system to obtain purified water and a concentrated brine stream. The adsorption media is regenerated by a rinse cycle using fresh water or water from the RO system, removing the zinc or iron complex adhered to the media. The resultant brine is stored and mixed with the output of the RO system. Charged membrane can be used as a standalone membrane in FO process or in combination with resin or resin embedded membrane.

A method and system for treating and purifying saltwater contaminated by volatile compounds. The saltwater is evaporated resulting in a gas composed of water vapor and gaseous volatile compounds. The gas is condensed into a condensate containing the contaminated volatile compounds which is biologically treated to remove the volatile compounds thereby producing purified water. The latent heat released by condensing is used to evaporate the purified water into the atmosphere in an energy efficient manner.

A water purifying and desalination system includes solar concentrators that receive a sunlight and direct the sunlight toward a collection element. The collection element absorbs and converts a solar radiation into thermal energy. A superheater tube enclosed by the heat collection element controls volume flow that partially fills the superheater tube with processed ocean water, which allows steam to escape into a portion of the superheater tube that generates electricity and additional processed ocean water.

A method includes: (1) using a chelating agent, extracting divalent ions from a brine solution as complexes of the chelating agent and the divalent ions; (2) using a weak acid, regenerating the chelating agent and producing a divalent ion salt solution; and (3) introducing carbon dioxide to the divalent ion salt solution to induce precipitation of the divalent ions as a carbonate salt. Another method includes: (1) combining water with carbon dioxide to produce a carbon dioxide solution; (2) introducing an ion exchanger to the carbon dioxide solution to induce exchange of alkali metal cations included in the ion exchanger with protons included in the carbon dioxide solution and to produce a bicarbonate salt solution of the alkali metal cations; and (3) introducing a brine solution to the bicarbonate salt solution to induce precipitation of divalent ions from the brine solution as a carbonate salt.

The sub-ambient solar desalination system includes a solar pond and a pressure reducing structure. The solar pond is adapted for receiving saltwater and heating the saltwater through direct exposure to solar radiation at atmospheric pressure. The pressure reducing structure is in fluid communication with the solar pond for receiving heated saltwater therefrom. The pressure reducing structure is configured such that pressure of the heated saltwater within a central portion of the pressure reducing structure is at sufficiently reduced sub-ambient pressure to undergo a phase change to produce pure water vapor and a concentrated brine solution. The pressure reducing structure has a vapor outlet for releasing the pure water vapor, which is collected in a fresh water tank and condensed into pure liquid water. The solar pond is in fluid communication with an outlet portion of the pressure reducing structure for recycling the concentrated brine solution back to the solar pond.

Water permeable membranes and methods of preparation are described. The water permeable membrane can comprise a porous support, and a polyamide layer comprising a crosslinked polyamide on a surface of the porous support, wherein the polyamide layer further comprises nanoparticles and a hydrophilic additive, and wherein the hydrophilic additive covalently bonds to the crosslinked polyamide. The crosslinked polyamide can be interfacially polymerized on the porous support. Methods for desalinating water, performing dialysis, or performing pervaporation using the water permeable membranes are disclosed.

The present invention relates to a method for recovering lithium from brine, and provides a method for recovering lithium from brine, the method comprising: (a) an impurity removal step of adding a carbonate supply source to brine including lithium, magnesium and calcium to precipitate and remove magnesium and calcium impurities; (b) a pH adjusting step of adding an acid to the brine from which the impurities have been removed, to adjust the pH of the brine; (c) a lithium-aluminum compound recovery step of adding an aluminum supply source to the pH-adjusted brine to recover a lithium-aluminum compound; (d) a lithium sulfate and aluminum oxide formation step of adding the lithium-aluminum compound to a sulfur supply source and calcining same to form lithium sulfate and aluminum oxide; and (e) a lithium sulfate solution yield step of selectively dissolving lithium sulfate from among the formed lithium sulfate and aluminum oxide to yield a lithium sulfate solution.

A system and process for concentrating a lithium stream is disclosed. The lithium stream is directed to a reverse osmosis unit which produces a concentrate containing lithium compounds. The RO concentrate is directed through two pressure retarded osmosis (PRO) modules connected in series. The two PRO modules further concentrate the RO concentrate and at the same time yield a diluted brine that is effective to drive an energy recovery device. The RO concentrate leaving the PRO modules is directed to an osmotically assisted reverse osmosis (OARO) module which also further concentrates the RO concentrate.

A device for removing ions from a solution. The device includes first and second intercalation hosts, an anion exchange membrane, a first compartment extending between the first intercalation host and the anion exchange membrane, and a second compartment extending between the second intercalation host and the anion exchange membrane. The first and/or second intercalation hosts include a mixture of first and second intercalation materials. The first and/or second intercalation hosts may include layers (e.g., alternating layers) of the first and second intercalation materials. The first and second intercalation materials are different.

Steam generation apparatus and method in which liquid is regulated in thermal catalytic reaction below a specific temperature and accelerated in thermal catalytic reaction above that temperature, including a vaporizer housing, axial ends of the housing being opened, and collars formed at axial ends of a cylindrical part of the housing; upper and lower flanges joined to housing collars; a vaporizer with a spiral channel in between; an exothermic member disposed such that the vaporizer inside is heated to a predetermined temperature; an injection nozzle at a center of the upper flange with an intake for liquid to be treated; a steam socket attached to the lower flange for guiding steam to the spiral channel, the steam socket including an inlet port connected to an inside of the vaporizer, outlet port connected to the spiral channel, and a steam channel connecting the inlet port and the outlet port.