# US 8,771,510 B2 · Seawater desalination system and energy exchange chamber > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,771,510 B2 - Document ID: US8771510B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/320,351 - Filed: 2010-05-17 - Published: 2012-03-15 - Granted: 2014-07-08 - Earliest claimed: 2009-05-15 - Assignees: Ebara Corporation - Applicants: Tamami Takahashi; Masao Shinoda; Masato Eguchi; Masanori Goto - Inventors: Tamami Takahashi; Masao Shinoda; Masato Eguchi; Masanori Goto - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8771510B2 ## CPC - B01D 61/06: Energy recovery - B01D 61/025: {Reverse osmosis; Hyperfiltration} - B01D 61/08: Apparatus therefor - B01D 61/10: Accessories; Auxiliary operations - C02F 1/441: {by reverse osmosis} - B01D 2313/246: Energy recovery means - C02F 2201/004: Seals, connections - C02F 2303/10: Energy recovery - Y02A 20/131: Reverse-osmosis - Y02W 10/30: Wastewater or sewage treatment systems using renewable energies - 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 - Y02W: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO WASTEWATER TREATMENT OR WASTE MANAGEMENT ## Abstract A seawater desalination system which can solve a problem of wear of a sliding member and can suppress mixing of concentrated seawater and seawater by making an energy exchange chamber no-piston configuration is provided. In a seawater desalination system for producing fresh water from seawater by passing the seawater pressurized by a pump through a reverse-osmosis membrane-separation apparatus (4) to separate the seawater into fresh water and concentrated seawater, an energy exchange chamber (20) for utilizing pressure energy of the concentrated seawater discharged from the reverse-osmosis membrane-separation apparatus (3) as energy for pressurizing part of the seawater is provided. The energy exchange chamber includes a concentrated seawater port (P1) for introducing and discharging the concentrated seawater, a seawater port (P2) for introducing and discharging the seawater, and a plurality of partitioned fluid passages (R) provided in the chamber to allow the concentrated seawater port (P1) and the seawater port (P2) to communicate with each other. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A seawater desalination system for producing fresh water from seawater by passing the seawater pressurized by a pump through a reverse-osmosis membrane-separation apparatus to separate the seawater into fresh water and concentrated seawater, said seawater desalination system comprising: an energy exchange chamber configured to utilize pressure energy of the concentrated seawater discharged from said reverse-osmosis membrane-separation apparatus as energy for pressurizing part of the seawater; said energy exchange chamber comprising: a concentrated seawater port for introducing and discharging the concentrated seawater; a seawater port for introducing and discharging the seawater; and a plurality of partitioned fluid passages provided in the chamber to allow said concentrated seawater port and said seawater port to communicate with each other. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The seawater desalination system according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of partitioned fluid passages comprise a plurality of tubes. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The seawater desalination system according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of partitioned fluid passages are formed by a plurality of partitions. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The seawater desalination system according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of partitioned fluid passages are formed by honeycomb. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The seawater desalination system according to claim 1, further comprising a pipe for supporting said plurality of partitioned fluid passages; wherein said pipe is fitted in said energy exchange chamber. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The seawater desalination system according to claim 5, wherein said pipe is divided into plural pieces in a longitudinal direction of said pipe. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The seawater desalination system according to claim 5, wherein said pipe is extended to a space in said energy exchange chamber in which said plurality of partitioned fluid passages are not provided. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The seawater desalination system according to claim 5, wherein said pipe has a hole for allowing an inner diameter side and an outer diameter side of said pipe to communicate with each other. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The seawater desalination system according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of said energy exchange chambers are provided; and there is provided at least one switching valve for switching supply of the concentrated seawater to said concentrated seawater port and discharge of the concentrated seawater from said concentrated seawater port in said plurality of energy exchange chambers. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The seawater desalination system according to claim 1, further comprising another energy exchange chamber comprising a concentrated seawater port for introducing and discharging the concentrated seawater, a seawater port for introducing and discharging the seawater, and a piston capable of reciprocating in the chamber. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The seawater desalination system according to claim 10, wherein said another energy exchange chamber has a sensor for detecting a position of said piston. ### Claim 12 An energy exchange chamber for utilizing pressure energy of concentrated seawater discharged from a reverse-osmosis membrane-separation apparatus as energy for pressurizing seawater in a seawater desalination system for producing fresh water from the seawater by passing the seawater pressurized by a pump through said reverse-osmosis membrane-separation apparatus to separate the seawater into fresh water and concentrated seawater, said energy exchange chamber comprising: a concentrated seawater port for introducing and discharging the concentrated seawater; a seawater port for introducing and discharging the seawater; and a plurality of partitioned fluid passages provided in the chamber to allow said concentrated seawater port and said seawater port to communicate with each other. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The energy exchange chamber according to claim 12, wherein said plurality of partitioned fluid passages comprise a plurality of tubes. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The energy exchange chamber according to claim 12, wherein said plurality of partitioned fluid passages are formed by a plurality of partitions. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The energy exchange chamber according to claim 12, wherein said plurality of partitioned fluid passages are formed by honeycomb. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The energy exchange chamber according to claim 12, further comprising a pipe for supporting said plurality of partitioned fluid passages; wherein said pipe is fitted in said energy exchange chamber. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The energy exchange chamber according to claim 16, wherein said pipe is divided into plural pieces in a longitudinal direction of said pipe. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The energy exchange chamber according to claim 16, wherein said pipe is extended to a space in said energy exchange chamber in which said plurality of partitioned fluid passages are not provided. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The energy exchange chamber according to claim 16, wherein said pipe has a hole for allowing an inner diameter side and an outer diameter side of said pipe to communicate with each other. ### Claim 20 (depends on 12) The energy exchange chamber according to claim 12, wherein a flow regulator is provided between said concentrated seawater port and said plurality of partitioned fluid passages. ### Claim 21 (depends on 12) The energy exchange chamber according to claim 12, wherein a flow regulator is provided between said seawater port and said plurality of partitioned fluid passages.