Water removal system including an absorption chiller system and a heat pump system

A method of removing water from a fluid, the method comprising:

• flowing water acting as a first refrigerant under a vacuum pressure through a first flow path of a transport membrane heat exchanger of an evaporator section of an absorption chiller system;
• vaporizing the water acting as the first refrigerant within the first flow path;
• flowing a fluid containing water through a second flow path of the transport membrane heat exchanger;
• transferring heat and water from the fluid in the second flow path to the water acting as a first refrigerant in the first flow path through a membrane-based material of the transport membrane heat exchanger, wherein the water from the fluid mixes with the water acting as a first refrigerant to provide a first flow of steam and wherein the fluid passing through the second flow path has at least a portion of its water removed and is cooled;
• transferring the first flow of steam into an absorber section of the absorption chiller system, the absorber section in heat exchange communication with a heat pump evaporator of a heat pump system;
• condensing the first flow of steam into a first refrigerant solution of water and salt by transferring heat from the first flow of steam to a second refrigerant vaporized in the heat pump evaporator;
• pumping the first refrigerant solution into a second refrigerant solution of water and salt in a generator section of the absorption chiller system, the generator section in heat exchange communication with a heat pump condenser of the heat pump system;
• and
• evaporating the water acting as a first refrigerant and the water from the fluid out of the second refrigerant solution to provide a second flow of steam by transferring heat from the second refrigerant condensed in the heat pump condenser to the second refrigerant solution.