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.

There is provided a multi-layered membrane comprising a top layer, a bottom layer, and a spacer layer; wherein said spacer layer is interposed between said top layer and said bottom layer; wherein said top layer, said bottom layer and said spacer layer are each independently composed of one or more selective layers, each selective layer comprising a 2D material; wherein said spacer layer comprises at least one channel for receiving a fluid; wherein said bottom layer comprises a hole with an area in the range of 1 μm.sup.2 to 1 mm.sup.2; and wherein said hole is capable of being in fluid communication with said at least one channels of said spacer layer.

There is also provided a method to synthesize the top layer of a multi-layered membrane as disclosed herein, methods for separating a plurality of ions or molecules in a fluid stream, a device comprising a multi-layered membrane as disclosed herein, and use of the method or the device as disclosed herein in osmotic power generation.

A method for storing solar energy and generating electric power comprising the steps of utilizing a solar powered water treatment device (2) to convert non-potable water (3) into distillate (4) and concentrate (5), storing the distillate and the concentrate in a distillate storage tank (104) and a concentrate storage tank (105) respectively and feeding the distillate from the distillate storage tank and the concentrate from the concentrate storage tank to a salient gradient power device (106) to generate electric power.

An electrochemical system includes a first reservoir comprising a first fluid and a catalyst, wherein the first fluid comprises a reaction mixture that reacts to form first and second products, and a second reservoir comprises a second fluid. A first electrode contacts a redox-active electrolyte material solution and has a reversible redox reaction with the electrolyte material to accept at least one ion. A second electrode contacts a redox-active electrolyte material solution and has a reversible redox reaction with the electrolyte material to drive at least one ion into the second fluid as an electrical potential is supplied. A diluted effluent comprising the second product and the catalyst exits the second reservoir, wherein the second product is removed from the first reservoir via electroosmosis, and optionally concurrently via osmosis, and a product stream comprising the first product exits the first reservoir.

A method and apparatus break down organic materials, typically contaminants, through oxidation. The method for the treatment of a volume of material, provides: a) introducing at least two electrodes into a location, the location containing the volume of material and the volume of material containing one or more species for treatment; b) providing connections between a voltage source and the at least two electrodes; c) applying a voltage of a first polarity to the connections for a first period of time, under the control of a voltage controller; d) applying a voltage of a second, reversed, polarity to the connections for a second period of time, under the control of the voltage controller; e) repeating steps c) and d) a plurality of times; preferably with steps c), d) and e) promoting oxidation of one or more of the one or more species for treatment.

Various aspects of the present disclosure are directed toward apparatus and methods method for filtering water fluid by screening ionic minerals including sodium chloride from the water fluid. In one embodiment, the water fluid is passed into a work zone defined at least in part by oppositely-arranged first and second porous structures, each of which have a plurality of gated channels. The water fluid is processed in the work zone by applying respective electric voltages to electrically bias the first porous structure and the second porous structure. The respective electric voltages deplete sodium chloride ions in the water fluid in the work zone due to ion-flux continuity. In response to processing of the water fluid, ion-filtered water is collected from the work zone.

An electro-kinetic agglomerator for resolving crude oil and water emulsions containing charged particles by the application of a direct current voltage potential. The electro-kinetic agglomerator comprises a shaftless auger with a charged conductive rod positioned in the center of the shaftless auger and a charged porous drum surrounding wherein the electro-kinetic agglomerator has a DC voltage gradient such that the charged particles are attracted to the conductive rod.

An apparatus for the treatment of acid mine drainage and selective recovery of at least one of metals, critical elements, sulphuric acid and water is disclosed. The apparatus includes at least one electrochemical reactor, at least one catholyte reservoir and at least one anolyte reservoir for containing the acid mine drainage and a buffer, respectively. The reservoirs are in fluid communication with the at least one electrochemical reactor. The apparatus also includes at least one sensor for monitoring a pH of a contents of the reactor; and a power source for supplying an electrical current to the at least one electrochemical reactor. The electrical current is supplied until a predetermined pH is reached for the selective recovery of the at least one of metals, critical elements, sulphuric acid and water. A process for the treatment of acid mine drainage is also disclosed.

Disclosed is a sludge three-dimensional electroosmosis drainage reinforcing method based on a novel electric geotextile complex, and belongs to the field of soft soil foundation reinforcement. A novel electric geotextile complex is adopted, and a designed multidirectional three-dimensional continuous electroosmosis drainage method is adopted to perform rapid drainage reinforcement treatment on sludge, wherein the electric geotextile complex is prepared by combining fibers and conductive materials with a flexible drainage plate and has the effects of electric conductive, drainage, corrosion resistance and reinforcement. The proposed drainage method can realize the electroosmotic drainage in vertical and horizontal directions. Through layer by layer electroosmosis from bottom to top, the consolidation drainage effect of sludge in the lower layer can be enhanced by the increasing loading pressure from the upper sludge. After the vertical electroosmosis is completed, the method of exchange electrode is used to conduct horizontal electroosmosis in opposite direction.

The present disclosure discloses a system and a method for solar-driven photothermal seawater desalination and ion electroosmosis power generation. In the system, a first reservoir is provided with a first electrode immersed in seawater; a second reservoir is connected to the first reservoir via a cation selective nanofilm; a third reservoir is provided with a second electrode immersed in seawater, and the third reservoir is connected to the second reservoir via an anion selective nanofilm; and an adjustable sun-visor shields the cation selective nanofilm to form a first preset part of solar illumination and shields the anion selective nanofilm to form a second preset part of the solar illumination. Therefore, the cation selective nanofilm and the anion selective nanofilm are each under an asymmetric illumination to generate a temperature gradient.