Reverse electrodialysis systems comprising wafer and applications thereof
AssigneeBoard of Trustees of the University of Arkansas
InventorsJamie Hestekin, Hailey Dunsworth, Alexander Lopez
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Abstract
In one aspect, reverse electrodialysis systems are described herein having constructions operable to reduce membrane stack resistance, thereby requiring significantly less membrane surface area for meaningful electrical power generation. A reverse electrodialysis system described herein comprises an anode and cathode adjacent to a membrane stack, the membrane stack comprising alternating anion and cation exchange membranes defining diluate and concentrate ionic solution compartments, wherein an ion exchange medium is positioned in a diluate compartment.
Claims20
A reverse electrodialysis system comprising:
- an anode electrode and a cathode electrode adjacent to a membrane stack, the membrane stack comprising alternating anion and cation exchange membranes defining a diluate compartment and a concentrate ionic solution compartment;
- an ion exchange medium positioned in the diluate compartment, the ion exchange medium comprising a binding agent and a cation exchange resin, anion exchange resin, or a combination of both resins;
- and
- an external applied voltage across the membrane stack;
- wherein the diluate compartment comprising the ion exchange medium has an electrical resistance of 0.1-5 kΩ at 0.0001-1% salinity.
A method of generating electrical current comprising:
- providing a reverse electrodialysis system comprising an anode and cathode adjacent to a membrane stack, the membrane stack comprising alternating anion and cation exchange membranes defining a diluate compartment and a concentrate ionic solution compartment, wherein an ion exchange medium is positioned in the diluate compartment and comprises a cation exchange resin, anion exchange resin, or a combination of both resins;
- flowing dilute ionic solution into the diluate compartment and concentrated ionic solution into the concentrate compartment;
- applying an external voltage across the membrane stack;
- passing anions from the concentrated ionic solution through the anion exchange membrane in a direction towards the anode and passing cations from the concentrated ionic solution through the cation exchange membrane in a direction toward the cathode;
- and
- connecting an external electrical circuit to the anode and cathode to extract electrical current from the reverse electrodialysis system.
A reverse electrodialysis system comprising:
- an anode and cathode adjacent to a membrane stack, the membrane stack comprising alternating anion and cation exchange membranes defining diluate and concentrate ionic solution compartments, wherein an ion exchange medium is positioned in the diluate compartment;
- and
- an external applied voltage across the membrane stack.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.