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US 12,472,468 B2Granted
Salinity gradient grade-scale energy storage method and apparatus
AssigneePurdue Research Foundation
InventorsDavid Warsinger, Sandra Cordoba
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of desalinating water, including the steps of when electricity costs between a first predetermined price and a second predetermined price, fill water is pumped into a reverse osmosis desalination unit to yield desalinated permeate and saltwater having a first salinity, when electricity costs less than the first predetermined price, fill water is pumped into a reverse osmosis desalination unit to yield desalinated permeate and saltwater having a second salinity, and when electricity costs greater than the second predetermined price, pure water is flowed into a reverse osmosis unit to yield pressurized saltwater which is run through a turbine to generate electricity. The first salinity is lower than the second salinity.
Claims19
A desalinization system comprising:
- at least one membrane module, wherein each respective membrane module defines a first chamber having a first portion for holding fill water, a second portion for holding desalinated permeate water, and a reverse osmosis membrane positioned therebetween;
- a fill reservoir of water to be desalinated;
- a pump having an inlet connected in fluidic communication with the fill reservoir of water to be desalinated and an outlet connected in fluidic communication with the first portion;
- a first reservoir for containing water of a first salinity level connected in fluidic communication with the inlet of the pump and connected in fluidic communication with the first portion;
- an energy recovery device connected in fluidic communication with the first portion;
- a second reservoir for containing water of a second salinity level connected in fluidic communication with the energy recovery device and connected in fluidic communication with the inlet of the pump;
- and
- a port operationally connected to the second portion;
- wherein the salinity level of the water in the first reservoir is greater than the salinity level of the water in the fill reservoir and less than the salinity level of the water in the second reservoir;
- wherein water is pumped from the fill reservoir into the first portion for reverse osmosis to fill the second portion with permeate and wherein the first portion is emptied into the first reservoir;
- wherein water is pumped from the first reservoir into the first portion for reverse osmosis to fill the second portion with permeate and wherein the first portion is emptied through a turbine into the second reservoir;
- and
- wherein water is pumped from the second reservoir into the first portion and wherein permeate is pumped into the second portion to force water through the energy recovery device into the second reservoir to generate electricity.
10 more elements
A method of desalinating water, comprising:
- a) when electricity costs between a first predetermined price and a second predetermined price, fill water is pumped into a reverse osmosis desalination unit to yield desalinated permeate and saltwater having a first salinity;
- b) when electricity costs less than the first predetermined price, fill water is pumped into a reverse osmosis desalination unit to yield desalinated permeate and saltwater having a second salinity;
- and
- c) when electricity costs greater than the second predetermined price, pure water is flowed into a reverse osmosis desalination unit to yield pressurized saltwater which is run through an energy recovery device to generate electricity;
- wherein the first salinity is lower than the second salinity.
2 more elements
A method of operating a reverse osmosis desalination plant, comprising:
- a) when a first predetermined condition is met, fill water is automatically pumped into at least one reverse osmosis desalination module to yield desalinated permeate and saltwater having a first salinity;
- b) when a second predetermined condition is met, fill water is automatically pumped into the at least one reverse osmosis desalination module to yield desalinated permeate and saltwater having a second salinity;
- and
- c) when a third predetermined condition is met, water having a salinity lower than the salinity of the fill water is automatically flowed into the at least one reverse osmosis desalination module to yield pressurized saltwater which is run through an energy recovery device to generate electricity;
- wherein the first salinity is lower than the second salinity;
- wherein fill water has a salinity lower than the first salinity;
- wherein each respective at least one reverse osmosis desalination module further comprises a vessel having a first volume for receiving the fill water, a second volume for containing water having a salinity lower that that of fill water, and an osmotic membrane operationally connected therebetween;
- wherein the first predetermined condition is selected from the group comprising electricity rates being between a first predetermined value and a second predetermined value higher than the first predetermined value and when energy availability is between a first predetermined level and a second predetermined level;
- wherein the second predetermined condition is selected from the group comprising electricity rates being below the first predetermined value, energy availability being above the second predetermined level, and combinations thereof;
- and
- wherein the third predetermined condition is selected from the group comprising electricity rates being above the second predetermined value, energy availability being below the first predetermined level, and combinations thereof.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.