Multi-phase selective mass transfer through a membrane
AssigneeDais Analytic Corporation
InventorsScott G. Ehrenberg, Brian Johnson, Liwei Cao, Hung Huynh, Timothy Tangredi
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Abstract
Disclosed herein are embodiments relating to particular systems comprising a selective transfer membrane that can be utilized in material separation. In certain embodiments, the membrane assembly comprises part of a desalination, distillation, liquid purification, and/or heating and cooling system. Other particular embodiments allow for a high rate of thermal capture by way of the system utilizing a selective transfer membrane. Certain preferred embodiments include a selective transfer membrane comprising an ionomeric polymer that is permeable to high dipole materials.
Claims22
A desalinization system comprising a membrane assembly disposed between a flow of a first material having a first temperature and comprising a high-dipole moment liquid and a plurality of dissolved ions and a flow of a second material having a second temperature, the second temperature being lower than the first temperature, the membrane assembly comprising a membrane coupled to a support, the membrane being in contact with the flow of the first material and the support being in contact with the flow of the second material, the membrane assembly being configured to allow at least a portion of the high-dipole moment first material to pass through the membrane assembly into the second material, wherein the membrane assembly comprises a non-porous selective transfer membrane comprising ionomeric polymer domains, the membrane permeable to high dipole materials while precluding passage of dissolved ions through the membrane assembly, wherein when the high-dipole moment liquid joins with the second material, the high-dipole moment liquid transfers thermal energy to the second material increasing the second temperature, the system further comprising:
- a heat exchanger configured to transfer at least a portion of the thermal energy transferred to the second material to a portion of the flow of the first material before the portion of the flow of the first material contacts the membrane.
A desalinization system comprising a membrane assembly disposed between a flow of a first material having a first temperature and comprising a high-dipole moment liquid and a plurality of dissolved ions and a flow of a second material having a second temperature, the second temperature being lower than the first temperature, the membrane assembly comprising a membrane coupled to a support, the membrane being in contact with the flow of the first material and the support being in contact with the flow of the second material, the membrane assembly being configured to allow at least a portion of the high-dipole moment first material to pass through the membrane assembly into the second material, wherein the membrane assembly comprises a non-porous selective transfer membrane comprising ionomeric polymer domains, the membrane permeable to high dipole materials while precluding passage of dissolved ions through the membrane assembly, wherein when the high-dipole moment liquid joins with the second material, the high-dipole moment liquid transfers thermal energy to the second material increasing the second temperature to a third temperature, the system further comprising:
- a heat exchanger configured to lower the third temperature of the second material to the second temperature.
A desalinization system comprising a membrane assembly disposed between a flow of a first material having a first temperature and comprising a high-dipole moment liquid and a plurality of dissolved ions and a flow of a second material having a second temperature, the second temperature being lower than the first temperature, the membrane assembly comprising a membrane coupled to a support, the membrane being in contact with the flow of the first material and the support being in contact with the flow of the second material, the membrane assembly being configured to allow at least a portion of the high-dipole moment first material to pass through the membrane assembly into the second material, wherein the membrane assembly comprises a non-porous selective transfer membrane comprising ionomeric polymer domains, the membrane permeable to high dipole materials while precluding passage of dissolved ions through the membrane assembly, wherein when the high-dipole moment liquid joins with the second material, the high-dipole moment liquid transfers thermal energy to the second material increasing the second temperature to a third temperature, the system further comprising:
- a reservoir containing the second material at a fourth temperature, the third temperature being greater than the fourth temperature;
- and
- a heat exchanger configured to transfer at least a portion of the thermal energy transferred to the second material by the high-dipole moment liquid to a portion of the second material in the reservoir thereby lowering the third temperature of the second material to the second temperature.
A desalinization system comprising a membrane assembly disposed between a flow of a first material having a first temperature and comprising a high-dipole moment liquid and a plurality of dissolved ions and a flow of a second material having a second temperature, the second temperature being lower than the first temperature, the membrane assembly comprising a membrane coupled to a support, the membrane being in contact with the flow of the first material and the support being in contact with the flow of the second material, the membrane assembly being configured to allow at least a portion of the high-dipole moment first material to pass through the membrane assembly into the second material, wherein the membrane assembly comprises a non-porous selective transfer membrane comprising ionomeric polymer domains, the membrane permeable to high dipole materials while precluding passage of dissolved ions through the membrane assembly, wherein a first portion of the flow of the first material that contacted the membrane and comprises the plurality of dissolved ions prohibited from passing through the membrane assembly also comprises thermal energy, the system further comprising a heat exchanger configured to transfer at least a portion of the thermal energy of the first portion of the flow of the first material to a second portion of the flow of the first material before the second portion of the flow of the first material contacts the membrane.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.