Complex admixtures of clathrate hydrates in a water desalination method
| DWPI Title: Provision of potable water from source of polluted or salt-containing water for electrodialysis process or reverse osmosis process, by using hydrate-forming species and perfluorocarbon heat exchange liquid compound |
| Abstract: Disclosed is a method that achieves water desalination by utilizing and optimizing clathrate hydrate phenomena. Clathrate hydrates are crystalline compounds of gas and water that desalinate water by excluding salt molecules during crystallization. Contacting a hydrate forming gaseous species with water will spontaneously form hydrates at specific temperatures and pressures through the extraction of water molecules from the bulk phase followed by crystallite nucleation. Subsequent dissociation of pure hydrates yields fresh water and, if operated correctly, allows the hydrate-forming gas to be efficiently recycled into the process stream. |
| Use: Method for providing potable water from a source of polluted or salt-containing water used in electrodialysis process or reverse osmosis process (claimed). |
| Advantage: The method can suppress or prevent brine entrapment during the hydrate crystal nucleation/growth phase and thus eliminating the need for a wash column, which enhances overall system efficiency. |
| Novelty: Potable water from a source of polluted or salt-containing water is provided by forming a coolant solution of hydrate-forming species and perfluorocarbon heat exchange liquid compound; introducing a seed quantity of a solid hydrate into the water having a temperature and pressure within the specific range; dispersing the coolant solution while maintaining the temperature and pressure forming a clathrate hydrate; separating and removing the clathrate hydrate; and melting the clathrate hydrate and separating and recovering the coolant solution and purified water comprising the clathrate hydrate. |
| Filed: 7/18/2006 |
| Application Number: US2006489306A |
| Tech ID: SD 8608.0 |
| This invention was made with Government support under Contract No. DE-NA0003525 awarded by the United States Department of Energy/National Nuclear Security Administration. The Government has certain rights in the invention. |
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