# US 10,308,524 B1 · Pressure-reduced saline water treatment system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,308,524 B1 - Document ID: US10308524B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 16/247,825 - Filed: 2019-01-15 - Granted: 2019-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2019-01-15 - Assignees: Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research - Applicants: Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research - Inventors: Mansour Ahmed; Rajesha Kumar; Bhadrachari Garudachari; Yousef Jassim Easa Al-Wazzan; Jibu Pallickel Thomas - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10308524B1 ## CPC - C02F 1/00: Treatment of water, waste water, or sewage (C02F3/00 - C02F9/00 take precedence) - B01D 61/0021: {comprising multiple forward osmosis steps} - B01D 61/58: Multistep processes - C02F 1/441: {by reverse osmosis} - C02F 1/445: {by forward osmosis} - B01D 61/025: {Reverse osmosis; Hyperfiltration} - B01D 2313/365: Electrical sources - B01D 2313/367: Renewable energy sources, e.g. wind or solar sources - B01D 2317/022: Reject series - C02F 2103/08: Seawater, e.g. for desalination - C02F 2201/009: Apparatus with independent power supply, e.g. solar cells, windpower or fuel cells - Y02A 20/131: Reverse-osmosis - Y02A 20/212: Solar-powered wastewater sewage treatment, e.g. spray evaporation - Y02W 10/33: using wind energy - Y02W 10/37: using solar energy - 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) - 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) - Y02A: TECHNOLOGIES FOR ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE - Y02W: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO WASTEWATER TREATMENT OR WASTE MANAGEMENT ## Abstract The pressure-reduced saline water treatment system combines both forward osmosis and reverse osmosis techniques for the desalination of salt water, such as seawater. A feed side of the reverse osmosis desalination unit is in fluid communication with the feed side of the forward osmosis desalination unit, such that seawater drawn through the feed side of the forward osmosis desalination unit is fed into the feed side of the reverse osmosis desalination unit. The reverse osmosis desalination unit outputs product water extracted from the seawater from a permeate side thereof. The feed side of the reverse osmosis desalination unit outputs a reject stream, which is fed to a draw side of the forward osmosis desalination unit, such that the draw side of the forward osmosis desalination unit receives the reject stream and outputs concentrated brine. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A pressure-reduced saline water treatment system, comprising: a forward osmosis desalination unit having a feed side and a draw side; and a reverse osmosis desalination unit having a feed side and a permeate side, wherein the feed side of the reverse osmosis desalination unit is in fluid communication with the feed side of the forward osmosis desalination unit, such that seawater drawn through the feed side of the forward osmosis desalination unit is fed into the feed side of the reverse osmosis desalination unit, wherein the permeate side of the reverse osmosis desalination unit outputs product water extracted from the seawater, and the feed side of the reverse osmosis desalination unit outputs a reject stream, wherein the draw side of the forward osmosis desalination unit is in fluid communication with the feed side of the reverse osmosis desalination unit, such that the draw side of the forward osmosis desalination unit receives the reject stream and outputs concentrated brine, and wherein the reject stream passes through the draw side of the forward osmosis desalination unit at a higher osmotic and hydraulic pressure than an osmotic pressure of the seawater fed through the feed side of the forward osmosis desalination unit. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The pressure-reduced saline water treatment system as recited in claim 1, further comprising a first pump for delivering the seawater to the feed side of the forward osmosis desalination unit. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The pressure-reduced saline water treatment system as recited in claim 2, further comprising a second pump for delivering the seawater from the feed side of the forward osmosis desalination unit to the feed side of the reverse osmosis desalination unit. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The pressure-reduced saline water treatment system as recited in claim 3, further comprising at least one photovoltaic panel in electrical communication with the first and second pumps for providing power thereto. ### Claim 5 A pressure-reduced saline water treatment system, comprising: a first forward osmosis desalination unit having a feed side and a draw side; a second forward osmosis desalination unit having a feed side and a draw side; and a reverse osmosis desalination unit having a feed side and a permeate side, wherein the feed side of the reverse osmosis desalination unit is in fluid communication with the feed side of the second forward osmosis desalination unit, such that seawater drawn through the feed side of the second forward osmosis desalination unit is fed into the feed side of the reverse osmosis desalination unit, wherein the permeate side of the reverse osmosis desalination unit outputs product water extracted from the seawater, and the feed side of the reverse osmosis desalination unit outputs a reject stream, wherein the draw side of the second forward osmosis desalination unit is in fluid communication with the feed side of the reverse osmosis desalination unit, such that the draw side of the second forward osmosis desalination unit receives the reject stream and outputs a concentrated reject stream, wherein the draw side of the first forward osmosis desalination unit is in fluid communication with the draw side of the second forward osmosis desalination unit, such that the draw side of the first forward osmosis desalination unit receives the concentrated reject stream and outputs concentrated brine, wherein the feed side of the first forward osmosis desalination unit is in fluid communication with the feed side of the second forward osmosis desalination unit, such that the seawater flows through the feed side of the first forward osmosis desalination unit to and through the feed side of the second forward osmosis desalination unit, wherein the reject stream passes through the draw side of the second forward osmosis desalination unit at a higher osmotic and hydraulic pressure than an osmotic pressure of the diluted seawater fed through the feed side of the second forward osmosis desalination unit, and wherein the concentrated reject stream passes through the draw side of the first forward osmosis desalination unit at a higher osmotic and hydraulic pressure than an osmotic pressure of the seawater fed through the feed side of the first forward osmosis desalination unit. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The pressure-reduced saline water treatment system as recited in claim 5, further comprising a first pump for delivering the seawater to the feed side of the first forward osmosis desalination unit. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The pressure-reduced saline water treatment system as recited in claim 6, further comprising a second pump for delivering the seawater from the feed side of the second forward osmosis desalination unit to the feed side of the reverse osmosis desalination unit. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The pressure-reduced saline water treatment system as recited in claim 7, further comprising at least one photovoltaic panel in electrical communication with the first and second pumps for providing power thereto. ### Claim 9 A pressure-reduced saline water treatment system, comprising: a first forward osmosis desalination unit having a feed side and a draw side; a second forward osmosis desalination unit having a feed side and a draw side; a third forward osmosis desalination unit having a feed side and a draw side; and a reverse osmosis desalination unit having a feed side and a permeate side, wherein the feed side of the reverse osmosis desalination unit is in fluid communication with the feed side of the third forward osmosis desalination unit, such that seawater drawn through the feed side of the third forward osmosis desalination unit is fed into the feed side of the reverse osmosis desalination unit, wherein the permeate side of the reverse osmosis desalination unit outputs product water extracted from the seawater, and the feed side of the reverse osmosis desalination unit outputs a reject stream, wherein the draw side of the third forward osmosis desalination unit is in fluid communication with the feed side of the reverse osmosis desalination unit, such that the draw side of the third forward osmosis desalination unit receives the reject stream and outputs a first concentrated reject stream, wherein the draw side of the second forward osmosis desalination unit is in fluid communication with the draw side of the third forward osmosis desalination unit, such that the draw side of the second forward osmosis desalination unit receives the first concentrated reject stream and outputs a second concentrated reject stream, wherein the draw side of the first forward osmosis desalination unit is in fluid communication with the draw side of the second forward desalination unit, such that the draw side of the first forward osmosis desalination unit receives the second concentrated reject stream and outputs concentrated brine, wherein the feed side of the first forward osmosis desalination unit is in fluid communication with the feed side of the second forward osmosis desalination unit, such that the seawater flows through the feed side of the first forward osmosis desalination unit to and through the feed side of the second forward osmosis desalination unit, wherein the feed side of the second forward osmosis desalination unit is in fluid communication with the feed side of the third forward osmosis desalination unit, such that the seawater flows through the feed side of the second forward osmosis desalination unit to and through the feed side of the third forward osmosis desalination unit, wherein the reject stream passes through the draw side of the third forward osmosis desalination unit at a higher osmotic and hydraulic pressure than an osmotic pressure of the diluted seawater fed through the feed side of the third forward osmosis desalination unit, wherein the first concentrated reject stream passes through the draw side of the second forward osmosis desalination unit at a higher osmotic and hydraulic pressure than an osmotic pressure of the diluted seawater fed through the feed side of the second forward osmosis desalination unit, and wherein the second concentrated reject stream passes through the draw side of the first forward osmosis desalination unit at a higher osmotic and hydraulic pressure than an osmotic pressure of the seawater fed through the feed side of the first forward osmosis desalination unit. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The pressure-reduced saline water treatment system as recited in claim 9, further comprising a first pump for delivering the seawater to the feed side of the first forward osmosis desalination unit. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The pressure-reduced saline water treatment system as recited in claim 10, further comprising a second pump for delivering the seawater from the feed side of the third forward osmosis desalination unit to the feed side of the reverse osmosis desalination unit. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The pressure-reduced saline water treatment system as recited in claim 11, further comprising at least one photovoltaic panel in electrical communication with the first and second pumps for providing power thereto.