# US 10,245,556 B2 · Method and apparatus for effecting high recovery desalination with pressure driven membranes

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- Number: US 10,245,556 B2
- Document ID: US10245556B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/394,519
- Filed: 2013-04-15
- Published: 2015-03-19
- Granted: 2019-04-02
- Earliest claimed: 2012-04-15
- Assignees: Ben-Gurion University of the Negev Research and Development Authority; Mekorot Water Company, Ltd
- Applicants: Ben Gurion University of the Negev Research and Development Authority
- Inventors: Jack Gilron; Dan Peled; Yevgeny Goldkine; Sivan Bleich
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10245556B2

## CPC

- B01D 65/02: Membrane cleaning or sterilisation {; Membrane regeneration}
- B01D 61/12: Controlling or regulating
- B01D 63/00: Apparatus in general for separation processes using semi-permeable membranes
- B01D 65/027: {Cleaning of other parts of the apparatus than the membrane}
- B01D 65/08: Prevention of membrane fouling or of concentration polarisation
- C02F 1/44: by dialysis, osmosis or reverse osmosis {(general membrane separation processes B01D61/00, membrane modules B01D63/00, electrodialysis C02F1/4693, combination of membrane modules and bioreactors C02F3/1268)}
- C02F 1/441: {by reverse osmosis}
- C02F 1/442: {by nanofiltration}
- B01D 2313/48: Mechanisms for switching between regular separation operations and washing
- B01D 2317/027: Christmas tree arrangements
- B01D 2317/04: Elements in parallel
- B01D 2321/40: Automatic control of cleaning processes
- C02F 1/008: {Control or steering systems not provided for elsewhere in subclass C02F}
- C02F 2103/08: Seawater, e.g. for desalination
- C02F 2209/03: Pressure
- C02F 2303/22: Eliminating or preventing deposits, scale removal, scale prevention (C02F1/042, C02F1/4602, C02F5/00 take precedence)
- Y02A 20/131: Reverse-osmosis
- B01D: SEPARATION (separating solids from solids by wet methods B03B, B03D; by pneumatic jigs or tables B03B; by other dry methods B07; magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high-voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges, vortex apparatus B04; presses per se for squeezing-out liquid from liquid-containing material B30B9/02; treatment of water C02F, e.g. softening by ion-exchange C02F1/42; {arrangements of air intake cleaners in gas turbine plants F02C7/05} ; arrangements or mounting of filters in air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation F24F13/28)
- C02F: TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE (separation in general B01D; special arrangements on waterborne vessels of installations for treating water, waste water or sewage, e.g. for producing fresh water, B63J; adding materials to water to prevent corrosion C23F; treating radioactively-contaminated liquids G21F9/04; regeneration of reactants for recirculation into processes, see the relevant places for the processes)
- Y02A: TECHNOLOGIES FOR ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE

## Abstract

A system and method for switching between flows of water solutions passed in groups of blocks of membrane pressure vessels arranged in parallel in a tapered flow system, wherein the system comprises a system inlet feed line, a system outlet flow line, high pressure booster pumps configured to provide a high pressure feed stream to the system; blocks of membrane pressure vessels arrayed in parallel, and a first and second bypass line each parallel to said blocks.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A tapered flow desalination system comprising:
a system inlet feed line coupled to a first high pressure booster pump configured to provide a high pressure feed stream to the system, wherein said first high pressure booster pump comprises an inlet and an outlet;
blocks of membrane pressure vessels arrayed in parallel, wherein the outlet of said first high pressure booster pump is coupled by means of flow lines to said blocks at first opening sides of said blocks;
a second high pressure booster pump, comprising an inlet and an outlet, coupled at said second high pressure booster pump inlet by a first bypass line parallel to said blocks, to said first high pressure booster pump outlet, wherein said second high pressure booster pump outlet and inlet are also coupled by means of flow lines to said blocks at second opening sides of said blocks and wherein said first bypass line is also coupled by means of flow lines to said blocks at said second opening sides of said blocks;
a system outlet flow line coupled to said first opening sides of said blocks by means of flow lines and coupled to said second opening sides of said blocks and to the second high pressure booster pump outlet, wherein said system outlet flow line is coupled to said second opening sides of said blocks and to said second high pressure booster pump outlet by means of a second bypass line;
wherein the first bypass line comprises a valve and wherein the second bypass line comprises a valve;
wherein at least two of the flow lines coupling between said first high pressure booster pump outlet and said first opening sides of said blocks each comprise a valve;
wherein at least two of the flow lines coupling between said second high pressure booster pump outlet and said second opening sides of said blocks each comprise a valve;
wherein at least two of the flow lines coupling between said second opening sides of said blocks and said second high pressure booster pump inlet each comprise a valve;
wherein at least two of the flow lines coupling between said first opening sides of said blocks and said system outlet flow line each comprise a valve; and
wherein said first bypass line is configured to bypass excess flow from said first high pressure booster pump outlet to the second high pressure booster pump inlet without changing said excess flow composition within said first bypass line.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system according to claim 1, wherein said system comprises three blocks, and
wherein the flow lines coupling between said first high pressure booster pump and said first opening sides of said blocks each comprise a valve;
wherein the flow lines coupling between said second high pressure booster pump and said second opening sides of said blocks each comprise a valve;
wherein the flow lines coupling between said second opening sides of said blocks and said first bypass line each comprise a valve; and
wherein the flow lines coupling between said first opening sides of said blocks and said system outlet flow line each comprise a valve.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The system according to claim 1, wherein the system comprises one or more control elements selected from the group consisting of additional valves, check valves and sensors.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The system according to claim 1, wherein each of the blocks of membrane pressure vessels is coupled to a permeate product line.