The present invention relates to water purification using solar energy. More specifically, systems and methods according to the present invention collect solar energy to heat non-potable water in a super-insulated structure. Compressed heated air is injected to evaporate water vapor out of brackish water, saltwater, or dirty water, thereby creating saturated air. The saturated air is drawn through a cooling tower and distilled water is precipitated. The systems and methods employ heat recovery and recycling processes to maximize energy efficiency.

A method for improved anaerobic digestion is presented. The method includes mixing a volume of waste material with water to form a feedstock mixture. The volume of waste material includes an initial amount of biomass and the feedstock mixture includes methanogenic bacteria either naturally present in the waste material or introduced artificially. The method also includes introducing one or more promoter substances to the feedstock mixture. The one or more promoter substances are capable of modifying the methanogenic bacteria. Modifying includes stimulating novel enzyme production in the methanogenic bacteria.

A water treatment apparatus including a cylindrical body; a centrifuge chamber and a heating chamber, both within the cylindrical body; an externally powered central shaft passing through the cylindrical body, the centrifuge chamber and the heating chamber; a centrifuge within the centrifuge chamber mounted on the central shaft and configured to rotate on the central shaft; at least one rotating disc within the heating chamber, the at least one rotating disc rotatably mounted on the shaft; an inlet operably connectable to a source of water for treatment, the inlet configured to feed water into the centrifuge chamber; a pitot tube in fluid communication with the centrifuge chamber and the heating chamber; and an exit valve in fluid communication with the heating chamber configured so that purified water exits via the exit valve. In some embodiments, each rotating disc is flanked by one or more stationary disc.

The present invention provides a bioelectrochemical system for removing a polyvalent ion present in seawater etc., capable of producing electricity. The bioelectrochemical system according to the present invention comprises: an anode chamber comprising an anode which accommodates an electron produced when treating an organic material in wastewater with a microorganism; a cathode chamber comprising a cathode receiving the electron from the anode, for producing a hydroxide ion by reacting the electron with oxygen and water provided from the outside, and depositing the polyvalent ion inside an electrolyte by using the hydroxide ion; and an anion exchange membrane for blocking the polyvalent ion inside the electrolyte from moving to the anode chamber. Also, the present invention provides the bioelectrochemical system capable of removing the polyvalent ion present in seawater etc., and simultaneously producing hydrogen. The present invention comprises: the anode chamber, provided with the anode to which electrochemically active bacteria are attached, for producing the electron by having organic wastewater, as a substrate, injected thereto; the cathode chamber, provided with the cathode, for removing the polyvalent ion and simultaneously producing a hydrogen gas by having seawater, as an electrolyte, injected thereto; the anion exchange membrane for separating the anode chamber and the cathode chamber and preventing the polyvalent cation in seawater from moving to the anode chamber; and a power source connected between the anode and the cathode.

A system for generating electricity, heat, and desalinated water having a gas turbine system connected to a first electric generator, a waste heat recovery boiler (WHRB) system, a combined heat and power (CHP) generation system connected to a second electric generator, one or more solar powered energy systems, and a desalination system. The desalination system is connected to the CHP generation system and the WHRB system. The gas turbine system generates electricity and heat, the WHRB system is connected to and uses the exhaust of the gas turbine system to provide heat and steam power to the CHP generation system. The CHP generation system produces and provides electricity and heat to the desalination system, which produces product water, and at least one solar powered energy system provides thermal energy to one or more of the gas turbine system, the WHRB system, the CHP generation system, and the desalination system.

A water treatment system is provided, including a raw water tank connected to a water supply, a reverse osmosis unit arranged to produce purified water from water input from the raw water tank via a raw water supply line, at least one water treatment facility alongside the raw water supply line downstream of the raw water tank and upstream of the reverse osmosis unit, and a reuse water feedback line arranged to feed waste water and/or grey water collected from the reverse osmosis unit and/or the at least one water treatment facility back to the raw water tank for reuse. In a water treatment method in such a water treatment system, waste water and/or grey water collected from the reverse osmosis unit and/or the at least one water treatment facility is fed back to the raw water tank for reuse.

A multi-effect membrane distillation system includes first and second membrane distillation effects. Each effect (stage) includes a feed channel, a gap, and a vapor-permeable membrane separating the feed channel from the gap. A liquid feed is fed into the feed channel of the first effect via a feed inlet, and the liquid feed is extracted from the first-stage feed channel via a first feed-transfer conduit that delivers the liquid feed to the second-stage feed channel. The feed is extracted from the second-stage feed channel via a second feed-transfer conduit. At least one permeate-extraction conduit is coupled with the first-stage and second-stage gaps and is configured to extract permeate (e.g., pure water) therefrom.

In one embodiment, a renewable energy generation and storage system and method is provided for storing both electrical and thermal energy that includes a forward osmosis system for drawing water across a membrane such that the water drawn across the membrane is used to dilute an osmotic ionic draw solution and the diluted osmotic ionic draw solution is used to drive a hydro-turbine; an FO-EED separation system for separating the drawn water from the ionic draw solution using renewable electrical energy and an osmotic polymer introduced in the FO-EED system during use, so that the ionic draw solution is re-concentrated by using electrical energy, such that the water from the ionic solution combines with the concentrated osmotic polymer; a coalescer configured to receive compressed CO.sub.2 to separate the water from the polymer by having the polymer absorb the compressed CO.sub.2 during use; and using thermal energy for separating the CO.sub.2 from the polymer, thereby regenerating a concentrated polymer solution.

Disclosed are methods for seawater softening for the desalination plants (thermal and membrane) by using the carbon mineralization (CM) technique. Disclosed are several process flow diagrams in which the carbon mineralization is integrated at the upstream and/or downstream of the thermal and membrane desalination processes. By using these methods, the released CO2 from industrial factories, seawater feed minerals solutes shall be removed to improve the performance of the desalination plants. Most importantly, valuable products such as Ca/Mg carbonates and BaSO4, which are being used in building rocks, concrete, cement, paints, plastic, etc., can be produced.

A method for refilling an aquifer includes establishing an air extraction well into the aquifer. The aquifer includes a water table of groundwater. A vacuum pump is coupled in flow communication to the air extraction well. The vacuum pump is then activated to remove air from the aquifer, thereby reducing a subsurface air pressure and facilitating refilling the aquifer with groundwater.