Wave energy seawater desalination system

Abstract

This invention discloses a wave-powered seawater desalination system (100) for seawater desalination. The desalination system (100) includes at least: a wave-powered pump (102), a booster unit (106) connected downstream of the wave-powered pump (102), and a reverse osmosis (RO) membrane unit (108) connected downstream of the outlet (110) of the booster unit (106). The RO membrane unit (108) is used to convert the input high-pressure seawater into desalinated water (DW) and high-pressure concentrated brine. The booster unit (106) is used to increase the pressure of the seawater inside the RO membrane unit (108) using the high-pressure concentrated brine provided by the RO membrane unit (108) and to discharge low-pressure concentrated brine. The wave-powered pump (102) includes a pump plunger (118), a pump barrel (120), and a float (122).

Description

[0001] field This invention relates to the field of seawater desalination devices. More specifically, this invention relates to a wave energy seawater desalination system. definition Unless the context otherwise requires, the following terms as used in this disclosure generally have the following meanings.

[0002] Osmosis: As used in this disclosure, the term "osmosis" refers to, but is not limited to, the net movement of a solution of lower concentration through a semipermeable membrane to a solution of higher concentration. Only small amounts of dissolved salts, organic matter, bacteria, and pyrogen molecules can pass through a semipermeable membrane. background The following background information is related to this disclosure, but is not necessarily prior art.

[0003] Water covers 70% of the Earth's surface. Despite the fact that most of the Earth is covered by water, most countries in the world face severe drinking water shortages because most of the water is in the form of saltwater.

[0004] Seawater desalination technology is typically used to convert saline seawater into usable water. Reverse osmosis is a well-known seawater desalination technology, commonly used to obtain clean drinking water.

[0005] Reverse osmosis is the process of pressurizing feed water, such as saline seawater, and passing it through a semi-permeable membrane. The water molecules that pass through the membrane are called permeate. Most salts, organic matter, bacteria, and pyrogens are blocked outside the membrane and discharged as concentrated brine. Typically, reverse osmosis (RO) desalination plants are built on land. These land-based RO plants achieve desalination rates of 35% to 45%. To achieve these rates, the seawater needs to be pretreated before reverse osmosis desalination to remove particulate matter, debris, microorganisms, suspended solids, and impurities. Pretreatment involves adding various chemicals to the seawater. This pretreatment process increases the overall cost of desalination. For lower desalination rates, pretreatment may not be necessary.

[0006] In addition, these desalination plants are far from the coastline, so seawater needs to be pumped from the nearshore area to the reverse osmosis unit via pipelines.

[0007] A land-based reverse osmosis unit includes a pump to increase the pressure of the fluid supplied to the reverse osmosis membrane. However, this pump consumes a large amount of electrical energy, thus increasing the cost of seawater desalination.

[0008] Traditional land-based reverse osmosis systems include energy recovery units / boosters. Several types of energy recovery units are available on the market. One well-known type of booster is the Clark pump. However, this type of booster is complex and may not be suitable for large commercial systems. Furthermore, its routine maintenance requires multiple steps, resulting in lengthy maintenance times.

[0009] Therefore, there is an urgent need for a device that can alleviate the above-mentioned shortcomings.

[0010] Purpose Some of the objectives of this disclosure are as follows, and at least one embodiment is provided herein to satisfy these objectives: One object of this disclosure is to provide a wave energy seawater desalination system.

[0011] Another object of this disclosure is to provide a wave energy seawater desalination system that can reduce the amount of pretreatment work required for seawater desalination.

[0012] Another objective of this disclosure is to provide a wave energy desalination system that can reduce the total energy consumption required for seawater desalination.

[0013] Another object of this disclosure is to provide a wave energy seawater desalination system that can operate efficiently under varying seawater pump flow rates. Another object of this disclosure is to provide a wave energy pump that utilizes wave energy to pump water.

[0014] Another object of this disclosure is to provide a wave energy pump that can reduce the energy consumption required for pumping water.

[0015] Another objective of this disclosure is to provide a booster for a seawater desalination system that is simple in structure and requires little maintenance.

[0016] Another object of this disclosure is to provide a booster for a seawater desalination system that can control the freshwater recovery rate.

[0017] Other objects and advantages of this disclosure will become more apparent from the following description, but the following description is not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure.

[0018] summary According to a first aspect of the present invention, a wave-powered seawater desalination system for seawater desalination is disclosed. The wave-powered seawater desalination system includes at least a wave-powered pump, a pressurization unit, and a reverse osmosis (RO) membrane unit.

[0019] A booster unit is connected downstream of the wave pump; it increases the water pressure from the wave pump. A reverse osmosis (RO) membrane unit is connected downstream of the booster unit's outlet. The RO membrane unit converts the incoming high-pressure seawater into desalinated water and high-pressure brine. The booster unit uses the high-pressure brine provided by the RO membrane unit to increase the seawater pressure within the booster unit and discharges low-pressure brine. The wave pump is at least partially afloat on the seawater and uses the wave energy to pump seawater from the pump inlet to the pump outlet.

[0020] In one embodiment of the wave energy seawater desalination system, the wave energy pump is connected to the support structure via a suitable connection method.

[0021] In one embodiment of the wave energy seawater desalination system, the support structure can be a floating support structure or a support structure fixed to the seabed.

[0022] In one embodiment of the wave energy desalination system, a pre-filter unit is connected downstream of the wave energy pump. The pre-filter unit is used to filter water from the wave energy pump.

[0023] In one embodiment of a wave energy desalination system, a wave energy pump is fixed in place by connection to a support structure. The pump includes a pump plunger connected to the support structure, the plunger having a pump outlet near its working end. The pump also includes a pump barrel with a fluid inlet located at the lower and upper (working ends) ends of the pump barrel, slidably connected to the outer periphery of the pump plunger and slidable along the length of the pump plunger. The pump plunger and pump barrel form a pump chamber between the outer periphery of the pump plunger and the inner and outer peripheries of the pump barrel. A float is connected to the outer periphery of the pump barrel and is vertically movable with the pump barrel. The pump barrel includes an inlet valve located near the fluid inlet and submerged in fluid, which allows fluid to enter the pump chamber and prevents fluid from exiting from the inlet. The pump plunger includes an outlet valve located near its lower end, which allows pumped water to exit from the pump chamber to the pump outlet.

[0024] In a wave energy desalination system, the pump includes a filter screen located at the fluid inlet and a self-cleaning mechanism for cleaning the filter screen. The self-cleaning mechanism includes: an auxiliary float movable vertically relative to a main float; at least one support member connected at one end to the auxiliary float; and a plurality of scraping devices connected to the other end of the support member. The scraping devices protrude toward the outer peripheral surface of the filter screen for scrubbing and cleaning the filter screen during operation.

[0025] In a wave energy seawater desalination system, the scraping device includes multiple rings whose outer peripheral edges are connected to the support member, and the inner and outer peripheral edges are used to scrub the filter screen.

[0026] In one embodiment of the wave-dynamic seawater desalination system, the scraping device includes multiple scrapers, one end of which is connected to a support member and the other end is used to scrape the filter screen.

[0027] In one embodiment of a wave-dynamic seawater desalination system, the support member may be a rod or a tube.

[0028] In a wave energy seawater desalination system, a pressurization unit includes a first pump cylinder and a second pump cylinder, which are coaxially arranged. The first and second pump cylinders are separated by a partition. The pressurization unit includes a first piston and a second pump piston, the first piston being configured to slide within the first pump cylinder, and the second pump piston being configured to slide within the second pump cylinder. Both the first and second pump cylinders include: a seawater inlet for supplying low-pressure seawater into the cylinder; a seawater outlet for discharging high-pressure seawater into the cylinder; a brine inlet for supplying high-pressure brine into the cylinder; and a brine outlet for discharging low-pressure brine into the cylinder. The pressurization unit also includes a pull rod connecting a first side of the first piston and a first side of the second piston. The pressurization device includes: a first piston rod disposed on a second side of the first piston and a second piston rod disposed on a second side of the second piston, the diameters of both the first and second piston rods being larger than the diameter of the pull rod. In an embodiment of the wave energy seawater desalination system, a first bearing sealing assembly and a second bearing sealing assembly are respectively disposed at the first ends of the first and second pump cylinders. The first bearing sealing assembly is used to seal the first end of the first pump cylinder and the pull rod, and the second bearing sealing assembly is used to seal the first end of the second pump cylinder and the pull rod.

[0029] In an embodiment of the wave energy seawater desalination system, a third bearing sealing assembly and a fourth bearing sealing assembly are respectively disposed at the second ends of the first pump cylinder and the second pump cylinder. The third bearing sealing assembly is used to seal the second end of the first pump cylinder and the first piston rod, and the fourth bearing sealing assembly is used to seal the second end of the second pump cylinder and the second piston rod.

[0030] In one embodiment of the wave energy seawater desalination system, the first bearing sealing assembly, the second bearing sealing assembly, the third bearing sealing assembly, and the fourth bearing sealing assembly can all be inspected from the outside.

[0031] In one embodiment of the wave energy seawater desalination system, the first piston rod and the second piston rod are detachably installed in the first pump cylinder and the second pump cylinder, respectively.

[0032] According to a second aspect of the invention, a wave-powered pump is disclosed. This wave-powered pump utilizes the motion of fluid waves to pump fluid. The wave-powered pump is at least partially floating on the fluid and is fixed in place by connection to a support structure. The pump includes: a pump plunger connected to the support structure, the pump plunger having a pump outlet near its working end; a pump barrel having a fluid inlet at its working end, the working end of which is slidably connected to the outer periphery of the pump plunger and is slidable along the length of the pump plunger; the pump plunger and the pump barrel forming a pump chamber between the outer periphery of the pump plunger and the inner periphery of the pump barrel; a float connected to the outer periphery of the pump barrel and movable vertically with the pump barrel. The pump barrel includes an inlet valve located near the fluid inlet and immersed in the fluid, the inlet valve for allowing fluid to enter the pump chamber and preventing fluid from exiting from the fluid inlet. The pump plunger includes an outlet valve located near its working bottom end; the outlet valve for allowing pumped water to exit from the pump chamber to the pump outlet.

[0033] According to an embodiment of a wave-powered pump disclosed herein, the support structure is selected from a floating support structure or a support structure fixed to the seabed.

[0034] According to an embodiment of a wave-powered pump disclosed herein, the pump includes a filter screen located at a fluid inlet and a self-cleaning mechanism for cleaning the filter screen. The self-cleaning mechanism includes: an auxiliary float that moves vertically relative to a main float; at least one support member connected at one end to the auxiliary float; and a plurality of scraping devices connected to the other end of the support member. The scraping devices protrude toward the outer peripheral surface of the filter screen and are used to scrub and clean the filter screen during operation. According to an embodiment of a wave-driven pump disclosed herein, the scraping device includes a plurality of rings, the outer peripheral edges of which are connected to a support member, and the inner and outer peripheral edges of which are used to scrape a filter screen.

[0035] According to an embodiment of a wave-driven pump disclosed herein, the scraping device includes a plurality of scrapers, one end of which is connected to a support member and the other end is used to scrape a filter screen.

[0036] According to an embodiment of a wave-driven pump disclosed herein, the support member is selected from rods or tubes.

[0037] According to a third aspect of the present invention, a pressurization unit for a seawater desalination system is disclosed. The seawater desalination system includes at least one reverse osmosis (RO) membrane unit for converting input seawater into desalinated water and high-pressure concentrated brine. The pressurization unit includes a first pump cylinder and a second pump cylinder, coaxially arranged. The first pump cylinder and the second pump cylinder are separated by a partition. The pressurization unit includes a first piston and a second pump piston, the first piston being configured to slide within the first pump cylinder, and the second pump piston being configured to slide within the second pump cylinder. Both the first and second pump cylinders include: a seawater inlet for supplying low-pressure seawater into the cylinder; a seawater outlet for discharging high-pressure seawater out of the cylinder; a concentrated brine inlet for supplying high-pressure concentrated brine into the cylinder; and a concentrated brine outlet for discharging low-pressure concentrated brine out of the cylinder. The pressurization unit includes: a pull rod connecting a first side of the first piston and a first side of the second piston; a first displacement rod and a second displacement rod located on a second side of the first piston; the diameters of the first displacement rod and the second displacement rod are both larger than the diameter of the pull rod.

[0038] According to an embodiment of a turbocharger unit disclosed herein, a first bearing sealing assembly and a second bearing sealing assembly are respectively disposed at the first end of a first pump cylinder and a second pump cylinder. The first bearing sealing assembly is used to seal the first end of the first pump cylinder and the pull rod, and the second bearing sealing assembly is used to seal the first end of the second pump cylinder and the pull rod.

[0039] According to an embodiment of a turbocharger unit disclosed herein, a third bearing sealing assembly and a fourth bearing sealing assembly are respectively disposed at the second ends of a first pump cylinder and a second pump cylinder. The second bearing sealing assembly is used to seal the second end of the first pump cylinder and the first piston rod, and the second bearing sealing assembly is used to seal the second end of the second pump cylinder and the second piston rod.

[0040] According to an embodiment of a turbocharger unit disclosed herein, the first bearing seal assembly, the second bearing seal assembly, the second bearing seal assembly, and the second bearing seal assembly can all be inspected from the outside.

[0041] According to an embodiment of the pressurization device for the seawater desalination system disclosed herein, the first piston rod and the second piston rod are detachably installed in the first pump cylinder and the second pump cylinder, respectively. Brief description of the attached diagram The wave-powered seawater desalination device of this disclosure is now described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1A , 1B A wave-powered seawater desalination system according to the first aspect of this disclosure is shown; Figure 2 A wave-powered pump is shown in the wave-powered seawater desalination system of the second aspect of this disclosure; Figure 3The self-cleaning mechanism of a wave-powered seawater desalination device according to an embodiment of this disclosure is shown; Figure 4 The pressurization unit of a wave-powered seawater desalination device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown; Figure 5 shows a detailed view of the pressure enhancer of Figure 4 according to an embodiment of the present invention; Reference Number List 100 - Wave Energy Seawater Desalination System 102 - Wave Energy Pump 104 - Pre-filter 106 - Boosting device 108 - Reverse Osmosis (RO) Membrane Module 110 - Export 112 - Pump Inlet 114 - Pump Outlet 118 - Pump plunger 120 - Pump cylinder 122 - Float 124 - Inlet Valve 126 - Fluid Inlet 128 - Water outlet valve 130 - Filter 132 - Self-cleaning mechanism 134 - Secondary float 136 - Support component 138 - Wiper Device 140 - First pump cylinder 142 - Second Pump Cylinder 144 - First Piston 146 - Second Piston 148 - Seawater entrance 150 - Seawater entrance 152 - Seawater Export 154 - Seawater Export 156 - Saltwater Intake 158 - Saltwater Intake 160 - Brine Export 162 - Brine Export 164 - Pull-up bar 166 - First Displacement Rod 168 - Second Displacement Rod 170 - First Bearing Seal Assembly 172 - Second Bearing Seal Assembly 174 - Third Bearing Seal Assembly 176 - Fourth Bearing Seal Assembly 178 - First End 180 - First End 182 - Second End 184 - Second End 186 - Gasket 188 - Water Level 189 - Seawater 190 - Flexible Joint 192 - Seals 194 - Connectors DW - Desalinated Water Detailed description Embodiments of this disclosure will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0043] The embodiments provided are intended to fully and completely convey the scope of this disclosure to those skilled in the art. Numerous details relating to particular components and methods are set forth in detail herein to provide a comprehensive understanding of embodiments of this disclosure. Those skilled in the art should understand that the details provided in the embodiments should not be construed as limiting the scope of this disclosure. In some embodiments, well-known processes, apparatus structures, and techniques are not described in detail.

[0044] The terminology used in this disclosure is for illustrative purposes only and should not be construed as limiting the scope of this disclosure. Unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the forms such as “a,” “one,” and “the” used in this disclosure may also include plural forms. The terms “comprising,” “including,” “containing,” and “having” are open-ended transitional terms, thus indicating the presence of the stated features, integers, operations, elements, modules, units, and / or components, but not excluding the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, operations, elements, components, and / or combinations thereof.

[0045] To address the aforementioned shortcomings, this disclosure presents a wave-dynamic seawater desalination system (hereinafter referred to as 100). Figure 1A A wave-powered seawater desalination system according to a first aspect of the present invention is shown. According to the first aspect of the present invention, a wave-powered seawater desalination system 100 is disclosed. The wave-powered seawater desalination system 100 is configured to desalinate seawater using the movement of seawater. The system 100 includes at least one wave-powered pump 102, at least one pressurization unit 106, and at least one reverse osmosis (RO) membrane unit (108).

[0046] Pump 102 is configured to float on seawater. The pump utilizes the vertical and horizontal movement of the tides to draw seawater into the pump and provide pressurized water. The wave-powered pump 102, floating on the seawater, is connected to a support structure via a connecting device 194. This support structure is used to bring all pumps close together so that pressurized seawater can be collected from each pump. The wave-powered pump 102 is secured in place by its connection to the support structure.

[0047] In one exemplary embodiment, twenty wave power pumps 102 may be connected to a support structure. The seawater pumped by each pump 102 forms a stream and is delivered to the booster 106.

[0048] The booster 106 is connected downstream of the wave pump 102. The booster 106 is used to increase the water pressure from the wave pump 102. The pressurized water is then delivered to the reverse osmosis membrane unit.

[0049] In one exemplary embodiment, the pressurization unit 106 supplies seawater to the reverse osmosis membrane unit 108 at a pressure range of 40-70 bar and a flow rate of 110-440 liters / second.

[0050] A reverse osmosis (RO) membrane unit 108 is connected downstream of the outlet 110 of the booster unit 106. The RO membrane unit 108 is used to convert the input high-pressure seawater into desalinated water (DW) and high-pressure concentrated brine.

[0051] In one exemplary embodiment, the reverse osmosis membrane unit 108 discharges desalinated water with a pressure range of 1-3 bar and a flow rate of 11-44 liters / second, and discharges high-pressure concentrated brine with a pressure range of 40-70 bar and a flow rate of 99-396 liters / second into the booster 106.

[0052] Furthermore, the booster 106 is configured to increase the seawater pressure using the high-pressure brine provided by the reverse osmosis membrane unit 108 and discharge low-pressure brine. In one exemplary embodiment, the booster 106 discharges low-pressure brine with a pressure range of 0.5-1.5 bar and a flow rate of 99-396 liters / second into the seawater.

[0053] In one exemplary embodiment, the wave energy desalination system 100 may include 28 pressure vessels, each 16 inches in diameter. Each pressure vessel contains two seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) membranes. The SWRO membranes are 40 inches long and 16 inches in diameter. All pressure vessels are connected in parallel and are of a single-pass design. All pressure vessels are fluidly connected to each other via piping. The pressure vessels are mounted on a steel frame for easy assembly and disassembly.

[0054] In the exemplary embodiment shown in Figure 1B, the seawater pumped by each pump 102 forms a water flow that is sent to a pre-filter 104, which has a pressure range of 12-18 bar and a flow rate range of 110-130 liters per second. The pre-filter unit 104 is connected downstream of the wave energy pump 102 and is in fluid communication with it. The pre-filter unit 104 is used to remove solid particles and contaminants from the water from each wave energy pump 102. The pressure of the seawater flowing through the pre-filter unit is lower than the pressure required for desalination by the reverse osmosis membrane unit. Therefore, the water filtered by the pre-filter unit is sent to a booster. In one exemplary embodiment, the pre-filter unit 104 sends the filtered seawater to a booster 106, which has a pressure range of 11-17 bar and a flow rate range of 110-130 liters per second.

[0055] Figure 2 A wave energy pump for a wave energy seawater desalination system according to a second aspect of the present invention is shown. According to the second aspect of the present invention, a wave energy pump 102 is disclosed. The wave energy pump 102 includes a pump plunger 118, a pump barrel 120, and a float 122. The wave energy pump 102 is configured to at least partially float on seawater and utilizes the wave motion of the seawater to pump seawater from a pump inlet 112 to a pump outlet 114.

[0056] Pump plunger 118 is connected to a support structure and includes a pump outlet 114 located near the working tip of pump plunger 118.

[0057] In one embodiment, the support structure can be a floating support structure or a support structure fixed to the seabed. The floating support structure is designed to float on the seawater.

[0058] The pump barrel 120 includes a fluid inlet 126 located at its working bottom end. The working top end of the pump barrel 120 is slidably connected to the outer periphery of the pump plunger 118 and is slidable along the length of the pump plunger 118.

[0059] The seal 192 is located between the working top of the pump plunger 118 and the pump barrel 120.

[0060] Pump housing 120 includes an inlet valve 124 located near fluid inlet 126 and submerged in fluid, which allows fluid to enter the pump chamber and prevents fluid from exiting from fluid inlet 126.

[0061] Pump plunger 118 and pump barrel 120 constitute a pump chamber, and the pump chamber is formed between the two. The inner periphery of pump plunger 118 and pump barrel 120.

[0062] Pump plunger 118 includes an outlet valve 128 located near the working bottom end of pump plunger 118. Outlet valve 128 discharges pumped water from the pump chamber to pump outlet 114. Float 122 is connected to the outer periphery of pump barrel 120 via a flexible joint 190. Flexible joint 190 allows limited rotation, enabling the float to align with the slope of the incident wave. The float is capable of floating in seawater, thereby allowing other pump components to float as well. The float is capable of vertical movement along with pump barrel 120.

[0063] In one embodiment, the float 122 is made of a waterproof material.

[0064] The pump casing 120 is equipped with a filter screen 130 at the fluid inlet 126. This filter screen is used to prevent unwanted solid particles from entering the pump casing, which could otherwise damage the pump's structure. During pump operation, solid particles may become trapped in the filter screen. A self-cleaning mechanism is provided for cleaning the filter screen 130.

[0065] Because the fluid inlet 126 is located at the bottom of the pump casing 120, it is far below the liquid surface. Deep fluids are cleaner than surface fluids. Furthermore, since the fluid inlet 126 is submerged in the fluid, it has a self-priming function. The pump plunger 118 has a dual function: it both pressurizes the fluid and provides a path to the outlet through its internal hollow structure. This reduces the number of parts and complexity of the wave energy pump.

[0066] Figure 3 A self-cleaning mechanism of a wave energy seawater desalination system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown; The self-cleaning mechanism 132 includes an auxiliary float 134, at least one support member 136, and a plurality of wiping devices 138.

[0067] The secondary float 134 is connected to the float 122 via a connecting device. The secondary float 134 can move vertically relative to the float 122.

[0068] In one embodiment, the secondary float 134 is made of a waterproof material.

[0069] The support member is a long strip structure, with one end connected to the secondary float 134. The other end of the support member 136 is connected to multiple scraping devices 138. The scraping devices extend toward the outer surface of the filter screen 130.

[0070] In one embodiment, the support member 136 may be a rod or a tube.

[0071] The scraping device 138 is used to scrub and clean the filter screen 130 during operation of the wave energy pump. The scraping device 138 includes multiple rings whose outer peripheral edges are connected to the support 136, and the inner and outer peripheral edges are used to scrape the filter screen 130.

[0072] In one embodiment, the scraping device 138 includes a plurality of scrapers, one end of which is connected to the support 136 and the other end is used to scrape the filter screen 130.

[0073] The self-cleaning mechanism 132 reduces the frequency of filter maintenance and cleaning.

[0074] The wave energy pump is in fluid communication with the booster unit 106. The booster unit 106 according to a third aspect of the invention is as follows: Figure 4 As shown in Figure 5.

[0075] The booster unit 106 includes a first pump cylinder 140 and a second pump cylinder 142, which are arranged coaxially. The first pump cylinder 140 and the second pump cylinder 142 are separated by a spacer 186. The first pump cylinder 140 and the second pump cylinder 142 are in fluid communication.

[0076] A first piston 144 is provided inside a first pump cylinder 140, and the piston can slide within the first pump cylinder 140. A second pump piston 146 is provided inside a second pump cylinder 142, and the piston can slide within the second pump cylinder 142. A pull rod 164 is used to connect the first side of the first piston 144 and the first side of the second piston 146.

[0077] Both the first pump cylinder 140 and the second pump cylinder 142 are equipped with seawater inlets 148 and 150, respectively. Low-pressure seawater supplied by the wave power pump 102 enters the cylinders 140 and 142 through seawater inlets 148 and 150, respectively.

[0078] Both the first pump cylinder 140 and the second pump cylinder 142 are equipped with seawater outlets 152 and 154. High-pressure seawater is discharged from pump cylinders 140 and 142 through seawater outlets 152 and 154.

[0079] In addition, both the first pump cylinder 140 and the second pump cylinder 142 are provided with concentrated brine inlets 156 and 158. The high-pressure concentrated brine discharged from the reverse osmosis membrane module enters the pump cylinders 140 and 142 through the concentrated brine inlets 156 and 158.

[0080] The energy from the high-pressure concentrated brine is used to increase the pressure of the seawater inside the booster, thereby reducing the pressure of the concentrated brine. Therefore, the booster acts as an energy recovery device, utilizing the energy of the high-pressure concentrated brine to increase the pressure of the seawater.

[0081] Low-pressure brine is discharged from cylinders 140 and 142 through brine outlets 160 and 162.

[0082] Check valves are installed at each seawater inlet (148, 150) and each seawater outlet (152, 154).

[0083] Each brine inlet 156, 158 and each brine outlet 160, 162 is equipped with a control valve to control the brine flow rate entering and leaving cylinders 140, 142.

[0084] The high-pressure brine discharged from the reverse osmosis membrane module 108 enters the first pump cylinder 140 through the brine inlet 156, driving the first piston 144 from the second end 182 to the first end 178, and simultaneously driving the second piston 146 from the first end 180 to the second end 184. The movement of the first piston 144 causes the pressurized seawater in the first pump cylinder 140 to be discharged through the seawater outlet 152. At the same time, the brine in the second pump cylinder 142 is discharged through the brine outlet 162, allowing seawater to enter the second pump cylinder.

[0085] Furthermore, the high-pressure concentrated brine discharged from the reverse osmosis membrane unit 108 enters the second pump cylinder 142 through the concentrated brine inlet 158, driving the first piston 144 to move from the first end 180 to the second end 182, and the second piston 146 to move from the second end 184 to the first end 180. The movement of the second piston 146 causes the pressurized seawater in the second pump cylinder 142 to be discharged through the seawater outlet 154. Simultaneously, the concentrated brine in the first pump cylinder 140 is discharged through the concentrated brine outlet 160, allowing seawater to enter the first pump cylinder 140.

[0086] A first piston rod 166 is provided on the second side of the first piston 144, and a second piston rod 168 is provided on the second side of the second piston 146. The diameters of both the first piston rod 166 and the second piston rod 168 are larger than the diameter of the pull rod 164.

[0087] In one embodiment, the first piston rod 166 and the second piston rod 168 are detachably mounted in the first pump cylinder 140 and the second pump cylinder 142, respectively.

[0088] The diameters of piston rods 166 and 168 affect the effective area on which brine pressure is applied to pistons 144 and 146. The effective area of ​​pistons 144 and 146 determines the freshwater recovery rate. Therefore, by selecting piston rods 166 and 168 with appropriate diameters, the freshwater recovery rate can be controlled as needed.

[0089] In one exemplary embodiment, the stroke length of cylinders 140 and 142 can be 3 meters.

[0090] A first bearing sealing assembly 170 and a second bearing sealing assembly 172 are respectively disposed at the first ends 178 and 180 of the first pump cylinder 140 and the second pump cylinder 142. The first bearing sealing assembly 170 is used to seal the first end 178 of the first pump cylinder 140 and the pull rod 164. The second bearing sealing assembly 172 is used to seal the first end 180 of the second pump cylinder 142 and the pull rod 164.

[0091] The third bearing sealing assembly 174 and the fourth bearing sealing assembly 176 are respectively disposed at the second ends 182 and 184 of the first pump cylinder 140 and the second pump cylinder 142. The third bearing sealing assembly 174 is used to seal the second end 182 of the first pump cylinder 140 and the first piston rod 166. The second bearing sealing assembly 172 is used to seal the second end 184 of the second pump cylinder 142 and the second piston rod 168.

[0092] The first bearing seal assembly 170, the second bearing seal assembly 172, the third bearing seal assembly 174, and the fourth bearing seal assembly 176 are all stuffing box seals. Stuffing box seals allow for maintenance by replacing the separate seal rings without disassembly, thus enabling external maintenance of bearing assemblies 170, 172, 174, and 176.

[0093] The external maintenance design of bearing seal assemblies 170, 172, 174 and 176 reduces maintenance steps, thereby shortening maintenance time.

[0094] In one exemplary embodiment, the length of the booster unit 106 may be 12 meters.

[0095] The seawater desalination system uses a cylindrical shell in the wave power pump 102, a pressure vessel in the reverse osmosis membrane unit 108, and cylinders 140 and 142 in the pressurization unit 106. To reduce design complexity, these cylindrical shells are designed to have the same diameter, but their lengths vary as needed.

[0096] In a preferred embodiment, the cylindrical body is a fiber-wound composite material body.

[0097] In another embodiment, the cylindrical body may be made of a corrosion-resistant material, such as stainless steel, copper, etc.

[0098] In one exemplary embodiment, the cylindrical body is designed with an inner diameter of 16 inches and a rated pressure of 60 bar.

[0099] In one exemplary embodiment, the wave energy seawater desalination system 100 is configured to operate with 20 pumps. The nominal feed flow rate from pump 102 is 830 cubic meters per hour (minimum 400 cubic meters / hour, maximum 1600 cubic meters / hour). The permeate (freshwater) recovery rate is 10%. The single-membrane recovery rate is 5%. The freshwater recovery rate is controlled by varying the design of the booster. The feed pressure varies between 30 and 60 bar depending on the feed flow rate. A fouling-resistant seawater reverse osmosis membrane is selected, and a thicker feed septum is used.

[0100] The above description of the embodiments is for illustrative purposes only and is not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. Components of a particular embodiment are generally not limited to that particular embodiment and are interchangeable. Such variations should not be considered a departure from this disclosure, and all such modifications should be considered within the scope of this disclosure.

[0101] Technological progress The aforementioned disclosure has several technical advantages, including but not limited to realizing a wave-dynamic seawater desalination system, which: Reduce the workload of seawater pretreatment; Low energy consumption; It operates efficiently under varying influent flow rates; and Better control over the recovery rate.

[0102] The above-disclosed content has several technical advantages, including but not limited to realizing a wave-powered pump. This system: Low energy consumption; Use renewable energy; No water injection required; It has a self-cleaning mechanism that automatically cleans the inlet filter.

[0103] Less maintenance required The above disclosure has several technical advantages, including but not limited to: the implementation method of the pressure enhancer, wherein the pressure enhancer: Simple structure; Less maintenance required; and The freshwater recovery rate can be controlled.

[0104] The following description will explain embodiments, various features, and advantages thereof with reference to non-limiting examples. To avoid unnecessarily obscuring the embodiments herein, descriptions of well-known components and processing techniques have been omitted. The examples used herein are intended only to aid in understanding the implementation of the embodiments herein and to further enable those skilled in the art to practice the embodiments herein. Therefore, these examples should not be construed as limiting the scope of the embodiments herein.

[0105] The foregoing description of specific embodiments fully reveals the general nature of the embodiments herein, enabling others to modify and / or adjust these specific embodiments using existing knowledge without departing from the general concepts to adapt them to various applications. Therefore, such adjustments and modifications should and are intended to be understood as being included within the equivalent meaning and scope of the disclosed embodiments. It should be understood that the wording or terminology used herein is for descriptive purposes only and not for limiting purposes. Therefore, although embodiments have been described herein according to preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that the embodiments described herein can be implemented through modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the embodiments described herein.

[0106] The use of terms such as “at least” or “one or more” indicates that one or more elements, ingredients or quantities may be used in embodiments of the present invention in order to achieve one or more expected goals or results.

[0107] Any discussion of documents, actions, materials, devices, articles, etc., contained in this specification is for background purposes only and should not be construed as an admission that any or all of the foregoing constitutes part of the prior art or was common knowledge in the field relating to this invention prior to the priority date of this application.

[0108] The values ​​of various physical parameters, dimensions, or quantities are only approximate values. Unless otherwise expressly specified in this specification, values ​​higher or lower than those assigned to these parameters, dimensions, or quantities should be included within the scope of this invention.

[0109] While this document has given considerable attention to the components and elements of the preferred embodiments, it should be understood that various implementations are possible, and various modifications can be made to the preferred embodiments without departing from the principles of this disclosure. These and other modifications to the preferred and other embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the disclosure herein. Therefore, it should be clearly understood that the foregoing descriptive content is for illustrative purposes only and not for limiting the scope of this disclosure.

Claims

1. A wave-driven desalination system (100) for seawater desalination, characterized in that, include: At least one wave energy driven pump (102); A booster unit (106) is connected downstream of the wave energy driven pump (102), and the booster unit (106) is configured to increase the pressure of the water from the wave energy driven pump (102); A reverse osmosis membrane unit (108) is connected downstream of the outlet (110) of the pressurization unit (106), the reverse osmosis membrane unit (108) being configured to convert the input high-pressure seawater into desalinated water flow (DW) and high-pressure concentrated brine; The pressurization unit (106) is configured to use high-pressure concentrated brine provided by the reverse osmosis membrane unit (108) to increase the pressure of the seawater in the pressurization unit (106) and discharge low-pressure concentrated brine. The wave energy driven pump (102) is configured to float at least partially on the seawater and use wave energy to transport seawater from the pump inlet (112) to the pump outlet (114).

2. The wave energy driven desalination system (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that: The wave energy driven pump (102) is mounted on the support structure.

3. The wave energy driven desalination system (100) according to claim 2, characterized in that: The support structure is selected from floating support structures or support structures fixed to the seabed.

4. The wave energy driven desalination system (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that: A pre-filtration unit (104) is connected downstream of the wave energy driven pump (102), the pre-filtration unit (104) being configured to filter water from the wave energy driven pump (102); 5. The wave energy driven desalination system (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that: The wave energy driven pump (102) is fixed by connection to the support structure, and the pump (102) includes: A plunger (118) is connected to the support structure and has a pump outlet (114) near its operating tip. A cylinder (120) has a fluid inlet (126) at its operating bottom end and its operating top end is slidably connected to the outer periphery of the plunger (118) and is configured to slide along the length direction of the plunger (118); The plunger (118) and the cylinder (120) are configured to form a pump chamber between the outer periphery of the plunger (118) and the inner periphery of the cylinder (120); A float (122) is connected to the outer periphery of the cylinder (120) and is configured to move with the cylinder (120) in a vertical direction; The cylinder (120) includes a water inlet valve (124) which is located near the fluid inlet (126) and submerged in the fluid. The water inlet valve (124) is configured to allow fluid to enter the pump chamber and prevent fluid from exiting from the fluid inlet (126). The plunger (118) includes a water outlet valve (128) located near the operating bottom end of the plunger (118) and configured to allow pumped water to be discharged from the pump chamber to the pump outlet (114). According to claim 5, the wave energy driven desalination system (100) is characterized in that: the pump (102) includes a filter screen (130) and a self-cleaning mechanism (132) for cleaning the filter screen (130) at the fluid inlet (126); the self-cleaning mechanism (132) includes: Secondary float (134), which is configured to move vertically relative to said float (122); At least one support member (136), one end of which is connected to the secondary float (134); and Multiple wiping elements (138) are connected to the other end of the support member (136) and extend toward the outer peripheral surface of the filter screen (130), the wiping elements (138) being configured to brush and clean the filter screen (130) in the working state.

6. The wave energy driven desalination system (100) according to claim 6, characterized in that: The wiping member (138) includes a plurality of annular members, the outer peripheral edges of which are connected to the support member (136), and the inner peripheral edges of which are configured to brush the filter (130).

7. The wave energy driven desalination system (100) according to claim 6, characterized in that: The wiping member (138) includes a plurality of scrapers, one end of each scraper being connected to the support member (136) and the other end being configured to brush the filter screen (130).

8. The wave energy driven desalination system (100) according to claim 6, characterized in that: The support member (136) is selected from rods or tubes.

9. The wave energy driven desalination system (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that: The booster unit (106) includes: A first pump cylinder (140) and a second pump cylinder (142), wherein the second pump cylinder (142) is coaxially arranged with the first pump cylinder (140), and the first pump cylinder (140) and the second pump cylinder (142) are separated by a spacer (186); A first piston (144) is configured to slide within a first pump cylinder (140); and a second piston (146) is configured to slide within a second pump cylinder (142); The first pump cylinder (140) and the second pump cylinder (142) each include: Seawater inlets (148, 150) are configured to supply low-pressure seawater into the pump cylinders (140, 142). Seawater outlets (152, 154) are configured to discharge high-pressure seawater from the pump cylinders (140, 142). The concentrated brine inlets (156, 158) are configured to supply high-pressure concentrated brine into the pump cylinders (140, 142). The concentrated brine outlets (160, 162) are configured to discharge low-pressure concentrated brine from the pump cylinders (140, 142).

10. A connecting rod (164) that connects the first side of the first piston (144) to the first side of the second piston (146); A first displacement rod (166) is disposed on the second side of the first piston (144); and a second displacement rod (168) is disposed on the second side of the second piston (146), wherein the diameters of the first displacement rod (166) and the second displacement rod (168) are greater than the diameter of the connecting rod (164).

11. The wave energy driven desalination system (100) according to claim 10, characterized in that: A first bearing sealing assembly (170) and a second bearing sealing assembly (172) are disposed at the first ends (178, 180) of the first pump cylinder (140) and the second pump cylinder (142). The first bearing sealing assembly (170) is configured to seal the first end (178) of the first pump cylinder (140) with the connecting rod (164), and the second bearing sealing assembly (172) is configured to seal the first end (180) of the second pump cylinder (142) with the connecting rod (164).

12. The wave energy driven desalination system (100) according to claim 10, characterized in that: A third bearing sealing assembly (174) and a fourth bearing sealing assembly (176) are disposed at the second ends (182, 184) of the first pump cylinder (140) and the second pump cylinder (142). The third bearing sealing assembly (174) is configured to seal the second end (182) of the first pump cylinder (140) with the first displacement rod (166), and the fourth bearing sealing assembly (172) is configured to seal the second end (184) of the second pump cylinder (142) with the second displacement rod (168).

13. The wave energy driven desalination system (100) according to claims 11 and 12, characterized in that: The first bearing seal assembly (170), the second bearing seal assembly (172), the third bearing seal assembly (174), and the fourth bearing seal assembly (176) are configured to be accessible from the outside.

14. The wave energy driven desalination system (100) according to claim 10, characterized in that: The first displacement rod (166) and the second displacement rod (168) are detachably installed in the first pump cylinder (140) and the second pump cylinder (142), respectively.

15. A wave energy driven pump (102) for pumping fluid using fluid wave motion, the wave energy driven pump (102) being at least partially floating on the fluid and fixed by connection to a support structure, the pump comprising: A plunger (118) is connected to the support structure and has a pump outlet (114) near its operating tip. A cylinder (120) has a fluid inlet (126) at its operating bottom end and its operating top end is slidably connected to the outer periphery of the plunger (118) and is configured to slide along the length direction of the plunger (118); The plunger (118) and the cylinder (120) are configured to form a pump chamber between the outer periphery of the plunger (118) and the inner periphery of the cylinder (120); A float (122) is connected to the outer periphery of the cylinder (120) and is configured to move with the cylinder (120) in a vertical direction; The cylinder (120) includes a water inlet valve (124) which is located near the fluid inlet (126) and submerged in the fluid. The water inlet valve (124) is configured to allow fluid to enter the pump chamber and prevent fluid from exiting from the fluid inlet (126). The plunger (118) includes a water outlet valve (128) located near the operating bottom end of the plunger (118) and configured to allow pumped water to be discharged from the pump chamber to the pump outlet (114). The wave energy driven pump (102) according to claim 15 is characterized in that: the support structure is selected from a floating support structure or a support structure fixed to the seabed.

16. The wave energy driven pump (102) according to claim 15, characterized in that: The pump (102) includes a filter screen (130) at the fluid inlet (126) and a self-cleaning mechanism (132) for cleaning the filter screen (130); the self-cleaning mechanism (132) includes: Secondary float (134), which is configured to move vertically relative to said float (122); At least one support member (136), one end of which is connected to the secondary float (134); and Multiple wiping elements (138) are connected to the other end of the support member (136) and extend toward the outer peripheral surface of the filter screen (130), the wiping elements (138) being configured to brush and clean the filter screen (130) in the working state.

17. The wave energy driven pump (102) according to claim 17, characterized in that: The wiping member (138) includes a plurality of annular members, the outer peripheral edges of which are connected to the support member (136), and the inner peripheral edges of which are configured to brush the filter (130).

18. The wave energy driven pump (102) according to claim 17, characterized in that: The wiping member (138) includes a plurality of scrapers, one end of each scraper being connected to the support member (136) and the other end being configured to brush the filter screen (130).

19. The wave energy driven pump (102) according to claim 17, characterized in that: The support member (136) is selected from rods or tubes.

20. A pressurization unit (106) for a desalination system (100), the desalination system (100) including at least one reverse osmosis membrane unit (108) configured to convert incoming seawater into a desalinated water flow (DW) and high-pressure concentrated brine, the pressurization unit (106) comprising: A first pump cylinder (140) and a second pump cylinder (142), wherein the second pump cylinder (142) is coaxially arranged with the first pump cylinder (140), and the first pump cylinder (140) and the second pump cylinder (142) are separated by a spacer (186); A first piston (144) is configured to slide within a first pump cylinder (140); and a second piston (146) is configured to slide within a second pump cylinder (142); The first pump cylinder (140) and the second pump cylinder (142) each include: Seawater inlets (148, 150) are configured to supply low-pressure seawater into the pump cylinders (140, 142). Seawater outlets (152, 154) are configured to discharge high-pressure seawater from the pump cylinders (140, 142). The concentrated brine inlets (156, 158) are configured to supply high-pressure concentrated brine into the pump cylinders (140, 142). The concentrated brine outlets (160, 162) are configured to discharge low-pressure concentrated brine from the pump cylinders (140, 142).

21. A connecting rod (164) that connects a first side of the first piston (144) to a first side of the second piston (146); A first displacement rod (166) is disposed on the second side of the first piston (144); and a second displacement rod (168) is disposed on the second side of the second piston (146), wherein the diameters of the first displacement rod (166) and the second displacement rod (168) are greater than the diameter of the connecting rod (164).

22. The booster unit (106) according to claim 21, characterized in that: A first bearing sealing assembly (170) and a second bearing sealing assembly (172) are disposed at the first ends of the first pump cylinder (140) and the second pump cylinder (142). The first bearing sealing assembly (170) is configured to seal the first end of the first pump cylinder (140) with the connecting rod (164), and the second bearing sealing assembly (172) is configured to seal the first end of the second pump cylinder (142) with the connecting rod (164).

23. The booster unit (106) according to claim 21, characterized in that: A third bearing sealing assembly (174) and a fourth bearing sealing assembly (176) are disposed at the second ends (182, 184) of the first pump cylinder (140) and the second pump cylinder (142). The third bearing sealing assembly (174) is configured to seal the second end (182) of the first pump cylinder (140) with the first displacement rod (166), and the fourth bearing sealing assembly (176) is configured to seal the second end (184) of the second pump cylinder (142) with the second displacement rod.

24. The booster unit (106) according to claims 22 and 23, characterized in that: The first bearing seal assembly (170), the second bearing seal assembly (172), the third bearing seal assembly (174), and the fourth bearing seal assembly (176) are configured to be accessible from the outside.

25. The booster unit (106) according to claim 21, characterized in that: The first displacement rod (166) and the second displacement rod are detachably installed in the first pump cylinder (140) and the second pump cylinder (142), respectively.

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