# US 12,180,097 B2 · Hybrid electrochemical and membrane-based processes for treating water with high silica concentrations > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,180,097 B2 - Document ID: US12180097B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/123,536 - Filed: 2023-03-20 - Published: 2023-09-21 - Granted: 2024-12-31 - Earliest claimed: 2019-09-27 - Assignees: TexOPCO, LLC - Applicants: Texopco LLC - Inventors: Michael James Connor, Jr.; Amanda Yoshino - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12180097B2 ## CPC - C02F 1/4695: {electrodeionisation} - C02F 9/00: Multistage treatment of water, waste water or sewage - B01D 61/04: Feed pretreatment - C02F 1/441: {by reverse osmosis} - C02F 1/4618: {for producing "ionised" acidic or basic water} - C02F 1/463: by electrocoagulation - B01D 2311/2623: Ion-Exchange - C02F 1/42: by ion-exchange (ion-exchange in general B01J) - C02F 1/4693: {electrodialysis} - C02F 5/08: Treatment of water with complexing chemicals or other solubilising agents for softening, scale prevention or scale removal, e.g. adding sequestering agents - C02F 2001/46185: {only anodic or acidic water, e.g. for oxidizing or sterilizing} - C02F 2101/10: Inorganic compounds - C02F 2103/04: for obtaining ultra-pure water - C02F 2103/08: Seawater, e.g. for desalination - C02F 2201/007: Modular design - C02F 2209/06: pH - C02F 2303/22: Eliminating or preventing deposits, scale removal, scale prevention (C02F1/042, C02F1/4602, C02F5/00 take precedence) - 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) ## Abstract Provided are hybrid electrochemical and membrane-based systems for removing silica from water stream to achieve ultra-pure water. The silica concentration of a feed water stream may dictate the most effective and economical variation of disclosed hybrid processes to use. For example, for a feed water stream having a silica concentration of 1-30 ppm, a hybrid system for treating the feed water includes an electrodialysis reversal unit, the electrodialysis reversal unit comprising an inlet stream and a product outlet stream; a reverse osmosis unit, the reverse osmosis unit comprising an inlet stream and a product outlet stream, wherein the inlet stream of the reverse osmosis unit comprises the product outlet stream of the electrodialysis reversal unit; and an electrodeionization unit, the electrodeionization unit comprising an inlet stream and a product outlet stream, wherein the inlet stream of the electrodeionization unit comprises the product outlet stream of the reverse osmosis unit. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of treating feed water having a silica concentration that produces ultra-pure water comprising: passing feed water having a silica concentration of 1 to 30 ppm through an electrodialysis reversal unit comprising an inlet stream and a product outlet stream, wherein the inlet stream comprises the feed water, routing the product outlet stream of the electrodialysis reversal unit to an inlet stream of a reverse osmosis unit, and routing a product outlet stream of the reverse osmosis unit to an electrodeionization unit resulting in the product outlet stream of the electrodeionization unit producing ultra-pure water. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the inlet stream of the electrodialysis reversal unit comprises 1 to 10 ppm antiscalant. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the inlet stream of the reverse osmosis unit is in fluid communication with a concentrate outlet stream of the reverse osmosis unit. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the inlet stream of the electrodialysis reversal unit is in fluid communication with a concentrate outlet stream of the electrodeionization unit. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the outlet stream of the reverse osmosis unit has a silica concentration of less than 1 ppm. ### Claim 6 A method of treating feed water having a silica concentration that produces ultra-pure water comprising: passing feed water having a silica concentration of 31 to 80 ppm through an electrodialysis reversal unit comprising an inlet stream and a product outlet stream, wherein the inlet stream comprises the feed water; routing the product outlet stream of the electrodialysis reversal unit to an ion-exchange unit comprising an inlet stream and a product outlet stream; routing the product outlet stream of the ion-exchange unit to an electroacidification unit comprising a product inlet stream, a product outlet stream, a brine inlet stream, and a brine outlet stream; routing the product outlet stream of the electroacidification unit to a reverse osmosis unit comprising an inlet stream and a product outlet stream; and routing the product outlet stream of the reverse osmosis unit to an electrodeionization unit comprising an inlet stream and a product outlet stream, the product outlet stream of the electrodeionization unit producing ultra-pure water. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein the brine inlet stream of the electroacidification unit is in fluid communication with a concentrate outlet stream of the reverse osmosis unit. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein the inlet stream of the electrodialysis reversal unit is in fluid communication with a concentrate outlet stream of the electrodeionization unit. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein the product outlet stream of the electroacidification unit has a silica concentration of 1-30% less than the silica concentration of the product outlet stream of the ion-exchange unit. ### Claim 10 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein the product outlet stream of the electroacidification unit has a pH of 10-11. ### Claim 11 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein the outlet stream of the reverse osmosis unit has a silica concentration of less than 1 ppm. ### Claim 12 A method of treating feed water having a silica concentration that produces ultra-pure water comprising: passing feed water having a silica concentration of greater than 80 ppm through an electrocoagulation unit comprising an inlet stream and a product outlet stream, wherein the inlet stream comprises the feed water; routing the product outlet stream of the solids removal unit to an electrodialysis reversal unit comprising an inlet stream and a product outlet stream; routing the product outlet stream of the electrodialysis reversal unit to an ion-exchange unit comprising an inlet stream and a product outlet stream; routing the product outlet stream of the ion-exchange unit to an electroacidification unit comprising a product inlet stream, a product outlet stream, a brine inlet stream, and a brine outlet stream; routing the product outlet stream of the electroacidification unit to a reverse osmosis unit comprising an inlet stream and a product outlet stream; and routing the product outlet stream of the reverse osmosis unit to an electrodeionization unit comprising an inlet stream and a product outlet stream, the product outlet stream of the electrodeionization unit producing ultra-pure water. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the brine inlet stream of the electroacidification unit is in fluid communication with a concentrate outlet stream of the reverse osmosis unit. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the inlet stream of the electrocoagulation unit is in fluid communication with a concentrate outlet stream of the electrodeionization unit. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the product outlet stream of the solids removal unit has a silica concentration of 60-98% less than the silica concentration of the inlet stream of the solids removal unit. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the product outlet stream of the electroacidification unit has a silica concentration of 1-30% less than the silica concentration of the product outlet stream of the ion-exchange unit. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the product outlet stream of the electroacidification unit has a pH of 10-11. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the product outlet stream of the reverse osmosis unit has a silica concentration of less than 1 ppm. ### Claim 19 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the inlet stream of electrocoagulation unit is in fluid communication with a concentrate outlet stream of the reverse osmosis unit.