# US 2021/0276892 A1 · Electrodialysis processes using an organic solvent for separating dissolved species > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2021/0276892 A1 - Document ID: US20210276892A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/189,853 - Filed: 2021-03-02 - Published: 2021-09-09 - Earliest claimed: 2020-03-03 - Assignees: Magna Imperio Systems Corp. - Applicants: Magna Imperio Systems Corp. - Inventors: Brian M. MCDONALD; Ethan L. DEMETER - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210276892A1 ## CPC - C02F 1/4691: {Capacitive deionisation} - C02F 1/4693: {electrodialysis} - B01D 61/423: {comprising multiple electrodialysis steps} - B01D 61/461: {comprising only a single cell, only one anion or cation exchange membrane or one pair of anion and cation membranes} - B01D 61/52: Accessories; Auxiliary operation - B01D 2311/08: Specific process operations in the concentrate stream - B01D 2311/18: pH control - B01D 2311/2642: Aggregation, sedimentation, flocculation, precipitation or coagulation - B01D 2311/2669: Distillation - B01D 2311/2673: Evaporation - C02F 1/66: by neutralisation; pH adjustment (for degassing C02F1/20; using ion-exchange C02F1/42; for flocculation or precipitation of suspended impurities C02F1/52; for removing dissolved compounds C02F1/58) - C02F 2101/101: {Sulfur compounds} - C02F 2101/108: {Boron compounds} - C02F 2101/12: Halogens or halogen-containing compounds - C02F 2103/10: from quarries or from mining activities - 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 water treatment systems and methods of treating water that include separating dissolved salts from a feed stream using an organic solvent brine stream. For example, described are water treatment systems comprising: an electrodialysis device comprising an inlet feed stream, an inlet brine stream, an outlet product stream, and an outlet brine stream; and a precipitation tank comprising an inlet stream and an outlet stream, wherein the inlet stream of the precipitation tank comprises the outlet brine stream of the electrodialysis device, and the inlet brine stream of the electrodialysis device comprises the outlet stream of the precipitation tank, and wherein inlet brine stream and outlet brine stream comprises an organic solvent. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A water treatment system for separating dissolved salts from a feed stream comprising: an electrodialysis unit comprising an inlet feed stream, an inlet brine stream, an outlet product stream, and an outlet brine stream; and a precipitation tank comprising an inlet stream and an outlet supernatant stream, wherein the inlet stream of the precipitation tank comprises the outlet brine stream of the electrodialysis unit, and the inlet brine stream of the electrodialysis device comprises the outlet supernatant stream of the precipitation tank, and wherein the inlet brine stream and the outlet brine stream of the electrodialysis unit comprise an organic solvent. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The water treatment system of claim 1, wherein a salt concentration of the outlet product stream is greater than a salt concentration of the outlet brine stream of the electrodialysis unit. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The water treatment system of claim 1, wherein the inlet brine stream and the outlet brine stream of the electrodialysis unit comprise a water and organic solvent composition. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The water treatment system of claim 1, wherein the water and organic solvent composition of the inlet brine stream comprises 2-20 wt. % water. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The water treatment system of claim 1, wherein the organic solvent comprises at least one of ethanol or isopropanol. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The water treatment system of claim 1, wherein the salt concentration of the outlet product stream is less than that of the inlet feed stream. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The water treatment system of claim 1, wherein the salt concentration of the outlet product stream is 50-80 wt. % that of the inlet feed stream. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The water treatment system of claim 1, wherein the salt concentration of the inlet brine stream is less than that of the outlet brine stream. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The water treatment system of claim 1, wherein the salt concentration of the inlet brine stream is 30-60 wt. % that of the outlet brine stream. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The water treatment system of claim 1, wherein the salt concentration of the outlet brine stream is less than that of the outlet product stream. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The water treatment system of claim 1, wherein the salt concentration of the outlet brine stream is 30-70 wt. % that of the outlet product stream. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The water treatment system of claim 1, wherein the outlet supernatant stream of the precipitation tank comprises a supernatant. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The water treatment system of claim 1, comprising a screw conveyor configured to remove precipitated salts from the precipitation tank. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The water treatment system of claim 1, wherein the precipitation tank comprises a flash valve configured to flash off a fraction of the solution of outlet brine stream as vapor to accelerate salt precipitation. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The water treatment system of claim 1, comprising a solvent recovery step configured to replenish organic solvent in the inlet brine stream. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The water treatment system of claim 1, wherein the inlet feed stream is controlled to a pH of 9 or less. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The water treatment system of claim 1, wherein the inlet feed stream is controlled to a pH of 7 or less. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The water treatment system of claim 1, wherein the dissolved salts comprise one or more of sodium chloride, lithium carbonate, boric acid, sodium sulfate, lithium hydroxide, sodium bicarbonate, or potassium chloride. ### Claim 19 A method of separating dissolved salts from a feed stream comprising: passing water through an electrodialysis unit configured to separate dissolved salts from a feed stream, wherein the electrodialysis unit comprises an inlet feed stream, an inlet brine stream, an outlet product stream, and an outlet brine stream; routing the outlet brine stream of the electrodialysis unit to a precipitation tank to allow the dissolved salts to precipitate from solution, wherein the precipitation tank comprises an inlet stream and an outlet supernatant stream; and routing the outlet supernatant stream from the precipitation tank to the electrodialysis unit, wherein the inlet brine stream of the electrodialysis unit comprises the outlet supernatant stream of the precipitation tank, wherein the inlet brine stream and the outlet brine stream of the electrodialysis unit comprise an organic solvent. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein a salt concentration of the outlet product stream is greater than a salt concentration of the outlet brine stream of the electrodialysis unit. ### Claim 21 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein the inlet brine stream and the outlet brine stream of the electrodialysis unit comprise a water and organic solvent composition. ### Claim 22 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein the water and organic solvent composition of inlet brine stream comprises 2-20 wt. % water. ### Claim 23 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein the organic solvent comprises at least one of ethanol or isopropanol. ### Claim 24 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein the salt concentration of the outlet product stream is less than that of the inlet feed stream. ### Claim 25 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein the salt concentration of the outlet product stream is 50-80 wt. % that of the inlet feed stream. ### Claim 26 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein the salt concentration of inlet brine stream is less than that of outlet brine stream. ### Claim 27 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein the salt concentration of the inlet brine stream is 30-60 wt. % that of the outlet brine stream. ### Claim 28 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein the salt concentration of the outlet brine stream is less than that of the outlet product stream. ### Claim 29 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein the salt concentration of outlet brine stream is 30-70 wt. % that of the outlet product stream. ### Claim 30 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein the outlet supernatant stream of the precipitation tank comprises a supernatant. ### Claim 31 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, comprising removing precipitated salts from the precipitation tank using a screw conveyor. ### Claim 32 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, comprising flashing off a fraction of the solution of the outlet brine stream as vapor to accelerate salt precipitation. ### Claim 33 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, comprising recovering the organic solvent with a solvent recovery step configured to replenish organic solvent in the inlet brine stream. ### Claim 34 (depends on 33) The method of claim 33, wherein the solvent recovery step comprises a distillation column and a condenser. ### Claim 35 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein the inlet feed stream is controlled to a pH of 9 or less. ### Claim 36 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein the inlet feed stream is controlled to a pH of 7 or less. ### Claim 37 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein the dissolved salts comprise one or more of sodium chloride, lithium carbonate, boric acid, sodium sulfate, lithium hydroxide, sodium bicarbonate, or potassium chloride.