In an example method, first electrical power is generated using one or more solar panels. Saline water is desalinated using a desalination facility powered, at least in part, by the first electrical power. The desalinated water is stored in a reservoir located at a first elevation. A usage of an electrical grid is monitored, and a determination is made that one or more criteria are satisfied at a first time. In response, the desalinated water is directed from the reservoir to a turbine generator located at a second elevation, second electrical power is generated using the turbine generator, the desalinated water is directed from the turbine generator into an aquifer located at a third elevation, and at least a portion of the second electrical power is provided to the electrical grid.

One or more novel processes for producing hydrogen, oxygen, and in some cases, distilled and cleaned water from a contaminated effluent, are disclosed. In one example of utilizing this novel process, the water from contaminated effluent is transferred into a draw solution using an entrochemical system through a vapor-mediated membrane-free forward osmosis process. The process is enabled by the generation of a wet vacuum in one or more entrochemical cells incorporated into the entrochemical system. This process generates a diluted draw solution that can be utilized as an abundant water feedstock in an electrolyzer for electrolysis, which in turn generates hydrogen and oxygen. In some embodiments, an entrochemical distiller may also be utilized to distill a portion of the contaminated effluent for clean water as a result of thermal transfers during the vapor-mediated membrane-free forward osmosis process.

Disclosed are methods of solvent removal in an evacuated, closed system at ambient or low (spontaneously dropped due to evaporation endothermicity) temperature. The methods disclosed are suitable for removing the solvents with a broad range of volatility, having normal (STP) boiling points from 30 up to at least 202° C. (vapor pressures at least of 0.1 to 500 torr; higher boiling point solvents are possible to remove with longer experimental times) and is only limited from a volume standpoint by the size of the apparatus used.

The disclosed embodiments relate to a system that performs low-temperature desalination. During operation, the system feeds cold saline water through a liquid-cooling system in a computer data center, wherein the cold saline water is used as a coolant, thereby causing the cold saline water to become heated saline water. Next, the system feeds the heated saline water into a vacuum evaporator comprising a water column having a headspace, which is under a negative pressure due to gravity pulling on the heated saline water in the water column. This negative pressure facilitates evaporation of the heated saline water to form water vapor. Finally, the system directs the water vapor through a condenser, which condenses the water vapor to produce desalinated water.

A distillation and desalination system can include a refrigeration unit and a vacuum source positioned in the refrigeration unit. The vacuum source can include a first chamber defining a first chamber volume, a second chamber defining a second chamber volume, a flexible diaphragm dividing the first chamber and the second chamber; and a check valve permitting gas transport into and out of the first chamber, the check valve comprising an inlet and an outlet. The system can also include a distillation unit having a distillation chamber, a saline liquid in the distillation chamber, and a headspace above the saline liquid, the headspace comprising a gas. The inlet of the check valve can be fluidically coupled to the headspace of the distillation unit.

A vacuum distillation apparatus for producing treated water from a supply of seed water, the apparatus including: an evaporation chamber for receiving and evaporating the seed water; a heat source for supplying heat to the evaporation chamber; a condensation chamber in fluid communication with the evaporation chamber for receiving and condensing the evaporated seed water; a pressure reducer in communication with the evaporation chamber for promoting evaporation of the seed water; and at least one cooling member disposed within the condensation chamber on which the evaporated seed water can condense, the cooling member being arranged to transfer condensed vapour for collection at a treated water outlet.

The disclosed embodiments relate to a system that performs low-temperature desalination. During operation, the system feeds cold saline water through a liquid-cooling system in a computer data center, wherein the cold saline water is used as a coolant, thereby causing the cold saline water to become heated saline water. Next, the system feeds the heated saline water into a vacuum evaporator comprising a water column having a headspace, which is under a negative pressure due to gravity pulling on the heated saline water in the water column. This negative pressure facilitates evaporation of the heated saline water to form water vapor. Finally, the system directs the water vapor through a condenser, which condenses the water vapor to produce desalinated water.

The disclosed embodiments relate to a system that performs low-temperature desalination. During operation, the system feeds cold saline water through a liquid-cooling system in a computer data center, wherein the cold saline water is used as a coolant, thereby causing the cold saline water to become heated saline water. Next, the system feeds the heated saline water into a vacuum evaporator comprising a water column having a headspace, which is under a negative pressure due to gravity pulling on the heated saline water in the water column. This negative pressure facilitates evaporation of the heated saline water to form water vapor. Finally, the system directs the water vapor through a condenser, which condenses the water vapor to produce desalinated water.

A self-regulating vacuum still (8) has a fluid reservoir (10), a boiler (28), a vapor separator (46), a condenser (33), and a condensate reservoir (58). The boiler (28) receives fluid from the fluid reservoir (10) in liquid form and heats the fluid to generate fluid vapor, preferably using evacuated solar tubes (44). The vapor separator (46) receives the fluid vapor from the boiler (28) and separates entrained moisture. Preferably a packing (50) is provided by structured wire mesh which is disposed in a vapor outlet (49) from the vapor separator (46). The condenser (33) receives the fluid vapor from the vapor separator (46), and cools the fluid vapor to a condensate. The condenser (3) has a collection section (34), a condensate section (35) and an outlet (16) which is proximate to the collection section (34) and the condensate section (35). An airlock (20) is connected to the outlet (16) for venting air and fluid vapor from the condenser (33) when a preselected pressure is exceeded. A condensate reservoir (58) is connected to the condenser (33) for receiving condensate.

Techniques are described herein for using a high-pressure reactor to separate clean water from dirty water without filtration and to extract and concentrate contaminants from dirty water for use as a fuel. In particular, techniques and systems are described for separating water from hydrocarbon contaminates, other BTU-laden compounds, and dissolved minerals, while also boiling water and condensing the resulting steam into distilled water. In addition, system in which the described techniques are performed can be used as a high-pressure pump for moving the separated hydrocarbon contaminates forward into other processes, such as a high-pressure reactor or incinerator.