Membrane distillation device with bubble column dehumidifier

A desalination device, comprising:

• a membrane distillation module comprising a water feed chamber, a carrier gas chamber, and a hydrophobic microporous membrane configured to separate the water feed chamber and the carrier gas chamber;
• and
• a bubble column dehumidifier comprising a bubble column inlet, a bubble column space defined by walls of the bubble column dehumidifier, a liquid extraction material present in the bubble column space into which carrier gas from the bubble column inlet bubbles, a dehumidifier space above the liquid extraction material, a bubble column gas outlet, and a product outlet,
• wherein the bubble column further comprises a plurality of laterally overlapping plate baffles disposed on the walls of the bubble column dehumidifier and are submerged in the liquid extraction material, wherein the plate baffles are configured to alternately direct the carrier gas through the liquid extraction material in opposite directions laterally at each successive plate baffle,
• wherein the membrane distillation module is configured to pass water vapor from the water feed chamber through the hydrophobic microporous membrane to the carrier gas chamber without passing liquid water from the water feed chamber to the carrier gas chamber,
• wherein the water feed chamber comprises a water feed inlet and a water feed outlet,
• wherein the carrier gas chamber comprises a carrier gas chamber inlet and a carrier gas chamber outlet,
• wherein the carrier gas chamber outlet is upstream of and connected to the bubble column dehumidifier,
• wherein the carrier gas chamber inlet is downstream of and connected to the bubble column dehumidifier so as to cycle the carrier gas through the carrier gas chamber and the bubble column dehumidifier, and
• wherein the membrane distillation module and the bubble column dehumidifier form a closed cycle carrier gas operation system.