Production of potable water using chemically forced precipitation
OwnerRobert George Richardsoninventor
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Abstract
The disclosure provides two integrated methods for the production of potable water from seawater or other brackish waters using chemical forced precipitation. The process is closed loop. It recycles process reactants and produces commercially valuable potable water and salts. The technology uses a computer software method of process variable control that maintains the chemical forced precipitation process salt, solvent, and water concentrations as required to optimize water production. The process fortuitously requires less energy than other water production processes and can utilize solar hot water heating or waste heat from other combustion and seawater for heating and cooling energy sources.
Claims6
A method of chemically precipitating salts from an aqueous solution at concentrations within their solubility range using an organic solvent without a forward osmosis membrane, comprising the steps of:
- a) regulating a process water flow to equal a rate of reclaimed water leaving the process;
- b) filtering the process water to remove biological materials;
- c) adjusting the process water pH, as required, to about pH 9;
- d) injecting an organic solvent, that does not form an azeotrope with water, into the process water;
- e) optimizing precipitation of the salts by mixing the process water and the organic solvent with an ultrasonic mixer to form the precipitated salts;
- f) separating the precipitated salts from supernatant liquid using a vibrating separator or centrifuge, and routing organic solvent vapors from a solvent heating device/distillation column to a first condenser, and when liquid organic solvent forms, routing it to a storage container;
- g) using a solvent evaporator to agitate the precipitated salts to aid release of the liquid organic solvent;
- h) routing the organic solvent vapors to the first condenser, and when the vapors becomes liquid, routing it the liquid to a storage container;
- and
- i) routing the precipitated salts either to a mixer to re-introduce the salts into the process water before being discharged back into its source or routing the precipitated salts to a dryer in preparation for resale.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.