A reverse osmosis system and method includes a pump pressurizing a feed stream, a first and second membrane array that generates permeate and brine streams. A first energy recovery device uses first energy from the second brine stream to pressurize the first brine stream. A first and second auxiliary and bypass valves are associated with the first and second energy recovery device. A second energy recovery device uses second energy from the second brine stream to increase a second pressure of the feed stream. A first flowmeter generates a first flow signal for the first permeate stream. A second flowmeter generates a second flow signal for of the second permeate stream. A third flowmeter generates a third flow signal for the second brine stream. A motor drives the first energy recovery device. A controller controls the in response to the flow signals.

A water purifying and desalination system includes solar concentrators that receive a sunlight and direct the sunlight toward many locations. Heat collection elements positioned at the of locations absorb and convert a solar radiation into thermal energy. Some of heat collection elements include perforations to facilitate a state change in a heat-transfer fluid having a high salinity. A condenser condenses a portion of the heat-transfer fluid using a portion of the heat-transfer fluid as its coolant.

A desalination and energy storage system comprises at least one water reservoir, at least one negative-ion redox electrode, at least one positive-ion redox electrode, a cation-exchange membrane disposed between the at least one negative-ion redox electrode and the water reservoir, and an anion-exchange membrane disposed between the at least one positive-ion redox electrode and the water reservoir. The at least one water reservoir comprises an input and an output, wherein water in the at least one water reservoir is reduced below a threshold concentration during a desalination operation mode. The at least one negative-ion electrode comprises a first solution and is configured to accept, and have, a reversible redox reaction with at least one negative ion in the water, and the at least one positive-ion electrode comprises a second solution and is configured to accept, and have, a reversible redox reaction with at least one positive ion in the water.

A wastewater treatment system includes a circulating fluidized bed evaporator defining a longitudinal axis vertical with respect to gravity. The evaporator has a wastewater inlet to provide wastewater to the circulating fluidized bed evaporator. A heat inlet is axially below the wastewater inlet to provide heat to the circulating fluidized bed evaporator for evaporating the wastewater. An outlet is axially above the wastewater inlet and the heat inlet.

Embodiments of the present invention are directed to a cryo-thermal desalinator, which addresses thermal desalination inefficiency by introducing intrinsic cooling potentials of strategically-piped liquidized gasses to save fuel and increase potable water output. Liquid natural gas fuel flows through internally routed, uninsulated and dedicated piping to natural gas brine burners located outside and under a vessel. The liquid natural gas fuel contributes to condensation and converts to eventual pre-warmed natural gas at the brine burners. Liquid gas flows through an internally routed, closed-loop piping to continually provide condensation, while a liquid gas compressor of the closed-loop exhausts waste heat to assist brine conversion. Saline water piping inside the vessel implements cooling via an optional alternative cooling heat exchanger, accepting portable liquid nitrogen, liquid CO.sub.2 dry ice, or both. The cryo-thermal desalinator's multi-cooling liquid gas systems accommodate multi-thermal inputs, assisting with unfired production of thermal desalination water vapor in real time.

A renewable energy microgeneration apparatus is disclosed that includes a mixing tank that mixes waste with a liquid, a buffer tank that receives and pre-warms the mixed waste, a pasteurization tank that pasteurizes on the pre-warmed mixed waste, a digestion tank that performs anaerobic digestion on the pasteurized waste, a de-watering device that separates liquid digestate and removes salt from the liquid, sensors that measure salinity and biogas quality, and a controller. The controller causes the transfer of digestate from the digestion tank to the pasteurization tank to the dewatering device, causes the de-watering device to separate the liquid and remove the salt from the liquid, monitors the salinity of the liquid and the quality of biogas using the sensors, and causes the mixing of the liquid with the waste and adjusts the feed rate of the waste to reduce the salinity of the waste and increase methane production.

A method and system for self-contained growth and harvesting of plant and animal foodstuffs and energy generation for terrestrial and non-terrestrial uses. The system can be self-contained and sealed from an ambient atmosphere wherein sufficient oxygen and carbon dioxide levels are maintained (bio-regenerative) to support human life. The system and method may utilize aquaculture and hydroponic plant growth with a digester for converting waste into nutrients. Water may circulate among the digester, aquaculture tanks and hydroponic growth tanks. The method may be scalable to support varying quantities of human life. The system and method may generate energy and consume greater quantities of carbon dioxide than generated. The system may be energy self-sufficient utilizing solar, wind or other energy sources such as generated methane gas.

An object of the present invention is to provide a desalination apparatus in which a high pressure pump can be operated at a high efficient operation point even when temperature, salt concentration or the like of water to be treated vary. The desalination apparatus includes a high pressure pump which is provided in a first flow path and supplies raw water to a first module at high pressure to apply reverse osmotic pressure to a first module and a second module, a third flow path for supplying second concentrated water after separation in the second module to upstream of the high pressure pump in the first flow path, and a fourth flow path for supplying a portion of the first concentrated water after separation in the first module to upstream of the high pressure pump in the first flow path.

Residuals, such as slag particles, from iron- and/or steel-making, and/or water-leached eluates thereof, are added directly to a conventional or multi-staged anaerobic digester or other sewage sludge or biosolid handling process. The slag particles or other residuals sorb, sequester, immobilize, or otherwise promote the removal of phosphorus and/or sulfur from wastewater, sludge, or biosolids being treated, such that the associated aqueous phase concentrations of phosphorus and sulfur are significantly reduced.

An apparatus, system and method to purify water is disclosed. Pumps and energy recovery devices for taking water from an intake, filtering the water to remove solid contaminates before running the filtered water through the reverse osmosis system to the discharge device and purified water lines are described. The system may comprise a control panel that controls the plurality of filters, plurality of reverse osmosis membranes, purified water line and effluent discharge device, to achieve favorable water purification. A method that utilizes the apparatus and/or system is described herein.