# US 2023/0056889 A1 · Component Arrangement For Gravitational Water Desalination

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- Number: US 2023/0056889 A1
- Document ID: US20230056889A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 17/363,885
- Filed: 2021-06-30
- Published: 2023-02-23
- Earliest claimed: 2021-06-30
- Inventors: Enock N. Segawa
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20230056889A1

## CPC

- B01D 61/10: Accessories; Auxiliary operations
- B01D 61/025: {Reverse osmosis; Hyperfiltration}
- B01D 61/08: Apparatus therefor
- B01D 61/12: Controlling or regulating
- C02F 1/441: {by reverse osmosis}
- B01D 2313/24: Specific pressurizing or depressurizing means
- B01D 2313/243: Pumps
- C02F 2103/08: Seawater, e.g. for desalination
- C02F 2209/40: Liquid flow rate
- C02F 2301/066: Overpressure, high pressure
- C02F 2307/00: Location of water treatment or water treatment device
- Y02A 20/131: Reverse-osmosis
- 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)
- 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)
- Y02A: TECHNOLOGIES FOR ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE

## Abstract

High energy consumption and the negative impacts of hyper saline brine are the two biggest hurdles to a widespread adoption of seawater desalination. Taking advantage of the principal that fluid pressure increases in direct proportion to depth, this invention reduces energy consumption by relocating the process of reverse osmosis at depths where the weight of the water produces the pressure required to drive the reverse osmosis process thereby eliminating the high costs normally associated with raising intake pressure and by simply varying pumping rates, the brine stream can be pre-diluted to levels slightly above the original thereby reducing environmental impact. The simplicity of the design also reduces the costs of building and installation thereby making it likely that seawater desalination will proliferate around the world.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A component arrangement system comprising:
(a) a vertically oriented bore and of substantial depth
(b) a multiplicity of water pumps in fluid communication with water passages
(c) a means to control the pumping rates of said pumps
(d) at least one of said water passages adapted to evacuate water from a substantially deep point in said bore
(e) at least one salt separation membrane assembly disposed at said depth and in fluid communication with at least one of said fluid passages
whereby the weight of the water serves as the source of the pressure needed to accomplish reverse osmosis.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The arrangement of claim 1 incorporated into an underground chamber large enough to house a desalination plant.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The arrangement of claim 1 wherein said bore is a rigid tube disposed at sea to allow for offshore application.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The arrangement of claim 1 wherein the brine concentration is prediluted by varying the pumping rates of said pumps.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

The arrangement of claim 3 wherein the bottom end of said bore is in fluid communication with seawater.

### Claim 6 (depends on 3)

The arrangement of claim 3 wherein a multiplicity of said tubes is spaced out at sea.