Temperature swing solvent extraction for descaling of feedstreams

A method of performing temperature swing solvent extraction-stepwise release (TSSE-SR) desalination of hypersaline brines, comprising:

• providing a feedstream including a concentration of dissolved salts;
• combining the feedstream with one or more solvents, wherein the one or more solvents has temperature-dependent water solubility;
• bringing the combined feedstream and solvent to a temperature T1;
• extracting water from the feedstream into the solvent to form a water-in-solvent component and a raffinate component at temperature T1, wherein the raffinate component includes an increased concentration of dissolved salts;
• separating the water-in-solvent component from the raffinate component bringing a previous water-in-solvent component produced via a previous separation step to at least one new temperature TN to produce a biphasic mixture of a subsequent water-in-solvent component and a subsequent raffinate component at temperature TN,
• separating the subsequent water-in-solvent component from the subsequent raffinate component;
• bringing a subsequent water-in-solvent component to a temperature TF to produce a biphasic mixture of dewatered solvent and descaled water;
• separating the dewatered solvent and the descaled water, and
• recycling the dewatered solvent to the combined feedstream and solvent,
• wherein the feedstream includes brines, produced waters, or combinations thereof.

A system of performing temperature swing solvent extraction (TSSE) desalination of high-salinity brines, comprising:

• a feedstream in fluid communication with a fluid source, the fluid source including a fluid having a total dissolved solids greater than about 250,000 ppm;
• a solvent source including one or more solvents with temperature-dependent water solubility;
• one or more extractors in fluid communication with the feedstream and the solvent source, the extractor including at least a first outlet and a second outlet;
• a water-in-solvent extract outlet stream in communication with the first outlet;
• a raffinate outlet stream in communication with the second outlet, wherein the raffinate outlet stream includes an aqueous phase, a solid phase, or combinations thereof;
• a separator in fluid communication with the water-in-solvent extract outlet stream, the separator including at least a third outlet and a fourth outlet;
• a descaled water component outlet stream in communication with the third outlet, the descaled water component including less than about 5% weight percent total dissolved solids;
• a dewatered solvent component outlet stream in communication with the fourth outlet;
• a temperature controller in communication with the one or more extractors and the water-in-solvent extract outlet stream;
• and
• a dewatered solvent recycle conduit in fluid communication with the dewatered solvent component outlet stream and the one or more extractors, the dewatered solvent recycle conduit configured to direct the dewatered solvent component outlet stream to the extractor
• wherein the one or more solvents include diisopropylamine (DIPA), N-ethylcyclohexylamine (ECHA), and N,N-dimethyl cyclohexylamine (DMCHA), triethylamine (TEA), N-methylcyclohexylamine (nMCHA), N,N-dimethylisopropylamine (DMIPA), or combinations thereof.