Integration of membrane distillation (md) and pressure retarded osmosis (pro) to treat produced water

Abstract

A system and method for treating produced water are provided. An exemplary system includes a membrane distillation (MD) apparatus to separate the produced water into a retentate stream and a permeate stream, wherein the retentate stream includes a high total dissolved solids (TDS), and the permeate stream includes a low TDS. A pressure retarded osmosis (PRO) unit fluidically coupled to the retentate stream, including a pressure booster pump feeding the retentate stream to the retentate side of the PRO membrane, a low TDS stream coupled to the permeate side of the PRO, a PRO retentate stream, and a PRO permeate stream. A turbine is fluidically coupled to the PRO retentate stream, wherein the turbine is mechanically coupled to a generator.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.