Modular system for separating water from aqueous solutions

A brine concentration system comprising:

• a brine heater configured to receive brine and heat the brine;
• a flash tank configured to receive the heated brine through a pressure control device, to evaporate a first portion of the heated brine into steam, and to collect a second portion of the heated brine;
• a steam condenser configured to receive the steam from the flash tank and condense the steam to recover distilled water;
• a water-to-water heat pump in heat exchange with the brine heater via a circulating warm-water loop and in heat exchange with the steam condenser via a circulating cold-water loop;
• an electric vacuum pump in connection with the flash tank and the steam condenser, the electric vacuum pump configured to reduce a pressure at the steam condenser and the flash tank to reduce a boiling point of the brine;
• and
• a controller in communication with the water-to-water heat pump and/or the electric vacuum pump to dynamically adjust operations of the water-to-water heat pump and/or the electric vacuum pump.

A method for operating a brine concentration system, the method comprising:

• receiving, at a brine heater, brine;
• heating the brine;
• receiving, at a flash tank, the heated brine through a pressure control device;
• evaporating a first portion of the heated brine into steam;
• collecting a second portion of the heated brine;
• receiving, at a steam condenser, the steam from the flash tank and condensing the steam to recover distilled water, wherein the steam condenser and the brine heater are in heat exchange with a closed-cycle heat pump, the closed-cycle heat pump comprising:
• a hot zone operating at a first temperature range, the hot zone in heat exchange with the brine heater to heat the brine, and
• a cold zone operating at a second temperature range lower than the first temperature range, the cold zone in heat exchange with the steam condenser that receives the steam to condense the steam to the distilled water;
• a refrigerant compressor configured to compress a refrigerant to raise the temperature of the hot zone to the first temperature range;
• reducing, by an electric vacuum pump in connection with the flash tank and the steam condenser, a pressure at the steam condenser and the flash tank to reduce a boiling point of the brine;
• and
• dynamically adjusting, by a controller in communication with the closed-cycle heat pump and/or the electric vacuum pump, operations of the closed-cycle heat pump and/or the electric vacuum pump.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium configured to store code comprising instructions, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause one or more processors to:

• cause a refrigerant compressor in a closed-cycle heat pump to compress a refrigerant, the closed-cycle heat pump comprising a hot zone operating at a first temperature range and a cold zone operating at a second temperature range lower than the first temperature range, the refrigerant compressor causing the closed-cycle heat pump to raise the temperature of the hot zone to the first temperature range;
• cause an electric vacuum pump to reduce a pressure at a flash tank to reduce a boiling point of brine, the electric vacuum pump in connection with the flash tank, the flash tank in connection with a brine heater and a steam condenser, wherein the brine heater is configured to receive the brine and evaporate the brine to steam and the steam condenser is configured to receive the steam from the brine heater and condense the steam to recover distilled water;
• and
• dynamically adjust operations of the refrigerant compressor and/or the electric vacuum pump.