# US 9,039,900 B2 · Membrane distillation apparatus and methods

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- Number: US 9,039,900 B2
- Document ID: US9039900B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/085,854
- Filed: 2011-04-13
- Published: 2011-11-10
- Granted: 2015-05-26
- Earliest claimed: 2008-05-09
- Assignees: New Jersey Institute of Technology
- Applicants: Somenath Mitra; Ken Gethard
- Inventors: Somenath Mitra; Ken Gethard
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9039900B2

## CPC

- B01D 61/364: {Membrane distillation}
- B01D 61/02: Reverse osmosis; Hyperfiltration {; Nanofiltration}
- B01D 67/00793: {Dispersing a component, e.g. as particles or powder, in another component}
- B01D 69/06: Flat membranes
- B01D 69/08: Hollow fibre membranes (manufacture of hollow fibres D01D5/24, D01F1/08)
- B01D 69/148: {Organic/inorganic mixed matrix membranes}
- B01D 71/0212: {Carbon nanotubes}
- C02F 1/04: by distillation or evaporation
- C02F 1/447: {by membrane distillation (distillation and evaporation without the use of membranes C02F1/04)}
- B01D 71/34: Polyvinylidene fluoride
- B01D 2311/13: Use of sweep gas
- B01D 2313/221: Heat exchangers
- B01D 2325/38: Hydrophobic membranes
- B82Y 30/00: Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
- C02F 2305/08: Nanoparticles or nanotubes
- Y02A 20/124: Water desalination
- Y02A 20/131: Reverse-osmosis
- 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)
- B82Y: SPECIFIC USES OR APPLICATIONS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MEASUREMENT OR ANALYSIS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF NANOSTRUCTURES
- Y02A: TECHNOLOGIES FOR ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE

## Abstract

Membranes for membrane distillation include at least one hollow fiber porous hydrophobic membrane, the at least one membrane including carbon nanotubes incorporated into the pore structure of the membrane. Membrane distillation systems may include a heat exchanger operably connected to a hollow fiber membrane module with one or more membranes including carbon nanotubes. Methods of solvent removal, sample preconcentration and desalination employing hollow fiber porous hydrophobic membranes with carbon nanotubes are disclosed.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A porous membrane for membrane distillation apparatus comprising at least one membrane, said porous membrane comprising nano carbons incorporated into only pores of the membrane.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The membrane in accordance with claim 1 wherein at least a portion of the nano carbons comprises carbon nanotubes.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The membrane in accordance with claim 1 wherein at least a portion of the nano carbons comprises single or multiwalled carbon nanotubes.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The membrane in accordance with claim 1 wherein the membrane is a hollow fiber membrane.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The membrane in accordance with claim 1 wherein the membrane is a flat membrane.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The membrane in accordance with claim 1 wherein the membrane is a porous, hydrophobic, hollow fiber membrane.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

A membrane module comprising a housing containing therein at least one membrane according to claim 1, the housing having an inlet for receiving a feed and at least one outlet for discharging permeate.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The membrane module according to claim 7 comprising at least one outlet for discharging concentrate.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The membrane module according to claim 7 comprising plural membranes.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

A membrane distillation system comprising a heat exchanger operably connected to a membrane module comprising at least one membrane in accordance with claim 1, and a sample collection element operably connected to an outlet of the membrane module.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The membrane distillation system according to claim 10 further comprising a chromatography column for receiving concentrate and optionally a detector for online analysis.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The membrane distillation system according to claim 10 wherein the membrane module comprises plural membranes.

### Claim 13 (depends on 10)

The membrane distillation system according to claim 10 further comprising a pump for feeding solution to the membrane module.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

A membrane distillation desalination system comprising a heat exchanger operably connected to a membrane module comprising at least one membrane in accordance with claim 1, the membrane module comprising a vacuum port and a sweep air port.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The membrane distillation desalination system according to claim 14 wherein a flow of water, air or vacuum is used on a permeate side.

### Claim 16 (depends on 14)

The membrane distillation desalination system according to claim 14 wherein the membrane module comprises plural membranes.

### Claim 17 (depends on 14)

The membrane distillation system according to claim 14 further comprising a pump for feeding solution to the membrane module.

### Claim 18 (depends on 1)

A membrane distillation desalination system comprising a heat exchanger operably connected to a membrane module comprising at least one membrane in accordance with claim 1, the membrane module operably connected to a water supply to provide a water flow on a permeate side.

### Claim 19 (depends on 1)

A membrane distillation system for generating pure water from waste water and preconcentrating waste comprising a heat exchanger operably connected to a membrane module comprising at least one membrane in accordance with claim 1, the membrane module operably connected to a water supply to provide a water flow on a permeate side.

### Claim 20 (depends on 1)

A membrane distillation system for recovering solvent from a fluid stream and preconcentrating solutes comprising a membrane module comprising at least one membrane in accordance with claim 1, the membrane module operably connected to a solvent supply to provide a solvent flow on a permeate side.

### Claim 21 (depends on 1)

A method of membrane distillation comprising providing at least one membrane according to claim 1, the process comprising feeding a sample solution to a heat exchanger, introducing the sample solution to the at least one membrane comprising the nanocarbons, and filtering the sample solution.

### Claim 22 (depends on 21)

A method of preconcentrating a fluid stream employing the steps of claim 21 and further comprising collecting a permeate.

### Claim 23 (depends on 22)

The method according to claim 22 of preconcentrating a fluid stream, wherein the fluid stream is a waste stream.

### Claim 24 (depends on 22)

The method according to claim 22 further comprising analyzing the concentrate.

### Claim 25 (depends on 21)

A method of removing solvent from a solution employing the steps of claim 21.

### Claim 26 (depends on 1)

A method of membrane distillation desalination comprising providing at least one membrane according to claim 1, the process comprising feeding a solution to be desalinated to a heat exchanger, introducing the solution to the at least one membrane comprising nano carbons, and filtering the solution.