Integrated system for demineralization and / or purification of water and for simultaneous production of hydrogen

Abstract

The present invention relates to an integrated system for demineralization and / or purification of water and for the simultaneous production of hydrogen comprising a heat-dissipating element thermally connected to a system for demineralization and / or purification of water which is hydraulically connected to an electrochemical cell producing hydrogen, wherein the system for demineralization and / or purification of water is a system operating through the principle of thermal distillation via membrane and comprises at least two units, each comprising a first chamber, inside which waste water to be demineralized and / or purified flows under pressure and a second chamber, inside which demineralized and / or purified water flows under pressure in the opposite direction with respect to the direction of flow of the waste water, the two chambers being separated by a preferably microporous hydrophobic membrane, wherein the at least two units are placed thermally in series and hydraulically in parallel with continuous flow, wherein each unit is hydraulically connected to a source of waste water and a source of demineralized and / or purified water, in particular wherein each first chamber comprises an inlet portion, hydraulically connected to the source of waste water, for introduction into the first chamber of waste water, while each second chamber comprises an inlet portion, hydraulically connected to the source of demineralized and / or purified water, for introduction into the second chamber of demineralized and / or purified water, wherein the first chamber further comprises an outlet portion for emission from the first chamber of waste water, and the second the chamber further comprises an outlet portion for emission from the second chamber of demineralized and / or purified water, wherein inside each unit the first chamber is spatially located with an opposite configuration with respect to the second chamber, thus forming in the unit a first area in which in proximity to the inlet portion of the first chamber there is the outlet portion of the second chamber, and a second area, spatially opposite the first area, in which near the outlet portion of the first chamber there is the inlet portion of the second chamber.

Description

[0001] Integrated system for demineralization and / or purification of water and for simultaneous production of hydro en

[0002] Field of the invention

[0003] The present invention relates to an integrated system for demineralization and / or purification of water and for simultaneous production of hydrogen, in particular a system comprising a heat-dissipating element thermally connected to a system for demineralization and / or purification of water, which system is in turn hydraulically connected to an electrochemical cell producing hydrogen.

[0004] Prior art

[0005] The term “energy transition” refers to the transition from the so-called “old fossil world” to the so-called new “renewable world,” i.e., the transition from an energy production model based on the use of fossil sources such as oil, natural gas and coal, to a model based on renewable energy sources such as wind and photovoltaic.

[0006] The reason for this transition is not only that fossil sources are depletable resources, but above all due to the need to reduce environmental impact and emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) produced by their use.

[0007] An important and increasingly emerging renewable energy source is hydrogen.

[0008] Hydrogen is the first element of the periodic table and is also the lightest.

[0009] Among the most interesting features of hydrogen is its high energy density per unit of mass and its low volumetric energy density with respect to hydrocarbons (gasoline, for example). The energy developed from one kilogram of hydrogen is therefore greater than that developed from one kilogram of gasoline.

[0010] Given its chemical nature, hydrogen is in its natural state combined with other atoms, for example with oxygen in forming water or together with carbon in various hydrocarbons (the simplest is methane CH4). It must therefore be “extracted” from more complex molecules in order to be used; this process requires energy consumption.

[0011] Currently, almost all hydrogen is produced by reforming natural gas or by a reforming reaction with vapor (so-called “gray hydrogen”), or by the gasification of coal (also called “black hydrogen”) and lignite (also called “brown hydrogen”). However, these productions are associated with large emissions of carbon dioxide.

[0012] More sustainable production processes are known: the first provides for the production of hydrogen using natural gas via reforming, but with capture and sequestration of the CO2 emitted during the process (this is the so-called “blue hydrogen”).

[0013] Another more sustainable production process involves the generation of hydrogen by splitting water molecules (H2O) by means of an electrolysis process powered by renewable electrical energy (thus obtaining so-called “green or renewable hydrogen”).

[0014] In order to implement this principle, there are currently electrochemical cells on the market the electrical supply of which is provided by a photovoltaic panel.

[0015] As is known, electrochemical cells are devices that may convert energy deriving from a chemical reaction into electrical energy or that may cause a non- spontaneous reaction to occur by converting electrical energy into chemical energy.

[0016] In the first case, a galvanic cell is mentioned, and a typical example is that of the battery, while in the second case an electrolysis cell is mentioned, and a typical example is that of the electrolysis of water: a process through which hydrogen and gaseous oxygen are obtained.

[0017] In the case of electrolysis, the electrolytic cell is generally composed of two electrodes made of inert metal (e.g., platinum), immersed in an aqueous electrolytic solution and connected to a current source (e.g., a photovoltaic panel). The electric current decouples the water molecule into the H+and OH" ions.

[0018] At the cathode, the hydrogen ions (H+) acquire electrons in a reduction reaction that leads to the formation of hydrogen gas.

[0019] At the anode, the hydroxide ions (OH") undergo the oxidation process, yielding electrons.

[0020] This type of process therefore makes it possible to obtain hydrogen gas starting from water and a source of electrical energy.

[0021] However, the systems that are on the market today that utilize this principle to produce hydrogen have drawbacks: the amount of water required in order to produce suitable quantities of hydrogen is high; these systems therefore exhibit the drawback of having high management costs. In an electrochemical cell that operates according to the principle of water electrolysis, not all water is suitable for use. In order to achieve proper electrolysis and thus correct and beneficial hydrogen production, the water must possess certain chemicalphysical characteristics, must be demineralized and / or purified water and then possibly added to optimize its characteristics for the chosen electrochemical process. This need to use a certain type of water having specific physical-chemical characteristics increases the cost of accessibility and management.

[0022] The systems that currently make it possible to obtain demineralized and / or purified water are systems that have design limits which make them difficult to adopt in commercial industrial environments (e.g., batch processes, disadvantageous costs and energy balance, and a non-compact and unsustainable design) and are systems that often also require a significant use of electricity to create demineralized and / or purified water and produce byproducts which are often pollutants (e.g., depending on the salt being treated, hypers aturated water).

[0023] The possibility of providing a system which makes it possible to produce demineralized and / or purified water that may be used in an electrolysis process within an electrochemical cell for the production of hydrogen, which system is a low-management-cost system, produces demineralized and / or purified water that may be directly used in an electrochemical cell, has no inappropriate design limits for industrial adoption, requires zero or low use of electricity traditionally supplied by a national electricity network and reduces the production of pollutants for the environment is therefore a need felt in the market.

[0024] Summary of the invention

[0025] The object of the present invention is therefore to provide a system that makes it possible to produce demineralized and / or purified water that may be used in an electrolysis process within an electrochemical cell for the production of hydrogen, which is a low-management- cost system, produces demineralized and / or purified water that may be directly used in an electrochemical cell, does not have design limits that are unsuitable for industrial adoption, requires zero or low use of electricity traditionally supplied by a national electricity network and reduces the production of pollutants for the environment.

[0026] This object is achieved by an integrated system for demineralization and / or purification of water and for the simultaneous production of hydrogen as outlined in the appended claims, the definitions of which form an integral part of the present description.

[0027] Brief description of the figures

[0028] The invention will be better understood from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments thereof, given by way of non-limiting example and with reference to the accompanying figures, in which:

[0029] - Fig. 1 is a diagram depicting a preferred embodiment of the system 1 according to the present invention,

[0030] - Fig. 2 is an exploded view of a unit 9, a heat-dissipating element 3 and a framework 35 of the system 1 according to the present invention;

[0031] - Fig. 3 shows a detail of Fig. 2;

[0032] - Fig. 4 is a diagram showing another preferred embodiment of the system 1 according to the present invention; - Fig. 5 is a diagram showing another preferred embodiment of the system 1 according to the present invention;

[0033] In the accompanying figures, identical or similar elements are denoted by the same reference signs.

[0034] Detailed description of the invention

[0035] With reference to Fig. 1, a first subject matter of the present invention is shown, namely an integrated system 1 for the demineralization and / or purification of water and for the simultaneous production of hydrogen comprising a heat-dissipating element 3 thermally connected to a system for demineralization and / or purification of water 5 which is hydraulically connected to an electrochemical cell 7 producing hydrogen, wherein the system for demineralization and / or purification of water 5 is a system operating through the principle of thermal distillation via a membrane (thermal membrane distillation) and comprises at least two units 9, each comprising a first chamber 11, inside which waste water to be demineralized and / or purified flows under pressure, and a second chamber 13, inside which demineralized and / or purified water flows under pressure in the opposite direction with respect to the direction of flow of the waste water, the two chambers 11 and 13 being separated by a preferably microporous hydrophobic membrane 15, wherein the at least two units 9 are placed thermally in series and hydraulically in parallel with continuous flow, wherein each unit 9 is hydraulically connected to a source of waste water 17 and a source of demineralized and / or purified water 19, in particular wherein each first chamber 11 comprises an inlet portion 21, hydraulically connected to the source of waste water 17, for the introduction into the first chamber 11 of waste water, while each second chamber 13 comprises an inlet portion 23, hydraulically connected to the source of demineralized and / or purified water 19, for the introduction into the second chamber 13 of demineralized and / or purified water, wherein the first chamber 11 further comprises an outlet portion 25 for the emission from the first chamber 11 of waste water, and the second chamber 13 further comprises an outlet portion 27 for the emission from the second chamber 13 of demineralized and / or purified water, wherein inside each unit 9, the first chamber 11 is spatially located with an opposite configuration with respect to the second chamber 13, thus forming in the unit 9 a first area in which in proximity to the inlet portion 21 of the first chamber 11 there is the outlet portion 27 of the second chamber 13, and a second area, spatially opposite the first area, in which near the outlet portion 25 of the first chamber 11 there is the inlet portion 23 of the second chamber 13.

[0036] Advantageously, the feature of providing the at least two units 9 thermally placed in series with each other and hydraulically parallel in continuous flow provides the advantage of ensuring a continuous flow of water (both waste water and demineralized and / or purified water) within each unit 9 as well as for the entire system for demineralization and / or purification of water 5. This continuous flow advantageously limits the phenomena of accumulation and crystallization of salt in the units 9 and widens the number of applications and markets for use of the system for demineralization and / or purification of water 5; moreover, there is no need to install the aforesaid system near the surface of the waste water: by virtue of its configuration, the system for demineralization and / or purification of water 5 may advantageously be installed wherever running and / or pressurized water may reach it in order to feed it.

[0037] With reference to the present description and the accompanying claims, the term “demineralized and / or purified water” means water from which the saline component has been extracted and / or water from which the non-volatile components have been extracted (including heavy metals and salts).

[0038] With reference to the present description and the accompanying claims, the term “thermally connected” refers to a thermal connection between two elements, and one element is therefore capable of transmitting heat to another element. Preferably, the two elements are in direct contact.

[0039] With reference to the present description and the accompanying claims, the term “membrane thermal distillation” refers to the process known to those skilled in the art wherein the passage of the solvent molecules from a more concentrated solution to a less concentrated solution is forced, generating in the more concentrated solution (i.e., of the waste water to be demineralized and / or purified) a vapor pressure that is greater than the vapor pressure of the less concentrated solution (i.e., demineralized and / or purified water). As is known, this distillation is carried out by placing a membrane between the two solutions that is able to prevent contamination between the two aqueous solutions. This phenomenon is not a spontaneous phenomenon, in fact it requires the application of a thermal gradient.

[0040] According to a preferred embodiment of the system 1 according to the present invention, the pressure of both waste water and demineralized and / or purified water, which flow in the respective chambers 11 and 13, is preferably the atmospheric pressure, even more preferably it is a relative pressure of between 0 bar and 5 bar.

[0041] With reference to the present description and the accompanying claims, the term “waste water” means water which by its nature could not be used as such within an electrochemical cell, i.e., so-called second-grade water, or waste water from other industrial processes, such as: seawater, industrial waste water and muddy water that does not contain volatile components.

[0042] According to a preferred embodiment of the system 1 according to the present invention, the preferably microporous hydrophobic membrane is preferably a membrane having a pore size of between 1.0 pm and 3.0 pm and is preferably made of polytetrafluoroethylene or alternatively may be made of poly vinylidene fluoride or polypropylene.

[0043] With reference to the present description and the accompanying claims, the term “continuously flowing” means that both waste water and demineralized and / or purified water flow within the respective chambers 11 and 13 in a constant, continuous and seamless manner. They are therefore preferably always in motion.

[0044] According to a preferred embodiment of the system 1 according to the present invention, the term “waste water source” preferably refers, for example, to the sea or to a container in which industrial waste water is stored. While “source of demineralized and / or purified water” preferably refers, for example, to a container in which demineralized and / or purified water is stored. With specific reference to Fig. 2: according to a preferred embodiment of the system 1 according to the present invention, each chamber 11 and 13 preferably comprises a gasket 29 surrounding the lateral surface of each chamber 11 and 13 and preferably a frame 31 overlapping the gasket 29, therefore also surrounding the lateral surface of each chamber 11 and 13. Preferably, the frame 31 is placed in contact between the membrane 15 and the gasket 29. According to an alternative embodiment of the system according to the present invention, the gasket 29 and the frame 31 are made in a single body. Preferably both the frame 31 and the gasket 29 are made of a plastics material. Advantageously, the adoption of plastics material components provides the advantage of minimizing thermal dispersion while ensuring / improving the buoyancy of each chamber 11 and 13, improving the thermal insulation of both the chambers 11 and 13 and of the system 1, as well as being an advantage in economic terms.

[0045] Preferably, both the gasket 29 and the frame 31 have rectangular geometry, wherein the short side of the rectangular geometry is in a ratio preferably of between 1 / 1.5 and 1 / 10 with respect to the long side of the rectangular geometry; such a ratio advantageously allows the heat exchange processes to be improved and thus the edge effect to be minimized, thus obtaining optimum temperature profiles.

[0046] Preferably, there is a metal sheet 33 between one unit 9 and the other, preferably made of aluminum, thus creating a configuration in which each unit 9 is between two metal sheets 33. The exception to this is the unit 9, placed in direct thermal contact with the heatdissipating element 3. This unit 9 is in fact between the heat-dissipating element 3 and a metal sheet 33.

[0047] Preferably, the system for demineralization and / or purification of water 5 is contained in a framework 35, also preferably surrounding the lateral surface of each chamber 11 and 13 and in addition preferably surrounding the lateral surfaces of the heat-dissipating element 3, the membrane 15 and the metal sheet 33. Preferably, the framework 35 is also advantageously made of a plastics material and preferably also has a rectangular geometry.

[0048] Preferably, the gasket 29, the frame 31 and the framework 35, which are made of a plastics material, are preferably made by means of a production process preferably comprising either a plastics material injection molding step or a classical molding step. These types of molding advantageously allow for the production of thin components (the gasket 29, the frame 31 and the framework 35) so as to have an optimal thickness for each chamber 11 and 13, thus improving efficiency and thermal transport (as written above, the units 9 and therefore the chambers 11 and 13 are thermally in series with each other) and a precise surface finish that is able, advantageously, to reduce any problems with fluid dynamic resistance. These types of molding also have the advantage of being low-cost production processes.

[0049] With specific reference to Fig. 3: preferably, each frame 31 comprises at least one delivery hole 37 hydraulically connected to at least one distribution channel 39 which flows into either the first chamber 11 at its inlet portion 21 or the second chamber 13 at its inlet portion 23.

[0050] Preferably, the delivery hole 37 of the frame 31 of the first chamber 11 is hydraulically connected to the waste water source 17, while the delivery hole 37 of the frame 31 of the second chamber 13 is hydraulically connected to the demineralized and / or purified water source 19. This is because, as written above, each unit 9, and therefore each of the first and second chambers 11 and 13, are placed hydraulically parallel to each other in continuous flow.

[0051] Preferably, the distribution channel 39 extends along either the length dimension or the width dimension of one of the two chambers 11 or 13. Even more preferably, the distribution channel 39 has a substantially T-shaped or Y-shaped forked configuration.

[0052] According to a preferred embodiment of the system 1 according to the present invention, the waste water arriving from the waste water source 17 preferably passes through the delivery hole 37 of the frame 31 of the first chamber 11 and, flowing into the distribution channel 39, exits therefrom at the inlet portion 21 to flow into the first chamber 11. The waste water now flows inside the first chamber 11.

[0053] While the demineralized and / or purified water arriving from the demineralized and / or purified water source 19 preferably passes through the delivery hole 37 of the frame 31 of the second chamber 13 and, flowing into the distribution channel 39, exits said distribution channel at the inlet portion 23 to flow into the second chamber 13. The demineralized and / or purified water now flows inside the second chamber 13.

[0054] Preferably, each frame 31 further comprises at least one outlet hole hydraulically connected to at least one collection channel, which collects incoming (waste or demineralized) water arriving from the outlet portions 25 or 27 of the chambers 11 or 13. Preferably, the outlet hole and the collection channel are spatially arranged in opposition to the delivery hole 37 and to the distribution channel 19. Preferably, for example, if the delivery hole 37 and the distribution channel 19 are located on a north side of the frame 31, the outlet hole and the collection channel are located on a south side of the frame 31.

[0055] The collection channel then collects the waste water or the demineralized and / or purified water which, as it flows into the chambers 11 or 13, passes through the outlet portions 25 or 27 and is then collected in the collection channel and exits the chambers 11 or 13 through the outlet hole.

[0056] Preferably, the collection channel also extends along either the length dimension or the width dimension of one of the two chambers 11 or 13. Even more preferably, the collection channel also has a substantially T-shaped or Y-shaped forked configuration.

[0057] Within each unit 9, the first chamber 11 and the second chamber 13 are separated by the membrane 15. The first chamber 11 is spatially arranged in an opposite configuration with respect to the second chamber 13. Preferably, therefore, in each unit 9 there is a first area in which in the vicinity of the inlet portion 21 of the first chamber 11 (and therefore of the delivery hole 37 and of the distribution channel 39 of the first chamber 11) there is the outlet portion 27 of the second chamber 13 (and therefore of the collection channel and of the outlet hole of the second chamber 13) and a second area, spatially opposite the first area, in which in the proximity of the outlet portion 25 of the first chamber 11 (and therefore of the collection channel and of the outlet hole of the first chamber 11) there is the inlet portion 23 of the second chamber 13 (and therefore of the delivery hole 37 and of the distribution channel 39 of the second chamber 13).

[0058] This spatial configuration allows the waste water to flow in a direction opposite the direction of flow of the demineralized and / or purified water and vice versa.

[0059] Advantageously, the preferred presence of the distribution channels 39 allows the speed of the water flow (both waste water and demineralized water) to be slowed, thus allowing a better heat exchange between the waste water and the demineralized water and a better distribution of the waste water inside the first chamber 11 and of the demineralized and / or purified water inside the second chamber 13.

[0060] According to a preferred embodiment of the system 1 according to the present invention, the heat-dissipating element is preferably a photovoltaic panel in which the heat dissipated by the photovoltaic panel is transmitted according to a thermal gradient to the at least two units arranged therebetween thermally in series, wherein the unit thermally connected directly to the photovoltaic panel thus receives a greater amount of heat than the unit that follows it in series.

[0061] Preferably, the photovoltaic panel is also connected to the system 1 by means of an electrical connection in order therefore to supply any electrical energy necessary for the system 1 to operate. Advantageously, in this way the photovoltaic panel converts solar energy into electrical energy useful for the operation of the system 1 and the heat dissipated by the photovoltaic panel, which would otherwise be discarded, is advantageously used by the system for demineralizing and / or purifying water to produce demineralized and / or purified water from waste water.

[0062] According to a preferred embodiment of the system 1 according to the present invention, each outlet portion 27 of each second chamber 13 is preferably hydraulically connected to the electrochemical cell 7.

[0063] Preferably, the electrochemical cell 7 is an electrolysis cell for the electrolysis of water. According to a preferred embodiment of the system 1 according to the present invention, the electrochemical cell 7 receives — preferably and advantageously, starting from waste water and usually unsuitable for use in an electrochemical cell for the production of hydrogen — demineralized and / or purified water due to the action of the system for demineralization and / or purification of water 5.

[0064] Preferably, in the event that the electrochemical cell 7 requires a change in the chemical / physical characteristics (e.g., PH, conductivity, presence of catalysts in suspension) of the demineralized and / or purified water exiting the water demineralization and / or purification system 5, the electrochemical cell may preferably comprise an apparatus for modifying / correcting the chemical / physical characteristics of the demineralized and / or purified water exiting the water demineralization and / or purification system 5 before it enters the electrochemical cell 7. This apparatus, placed between the water demineralization and / or purification system 5 and the electrochemical cell 7, allows useful components (such as salts, electrolytes, catalysts) to be added to the demineralized and / or purified water to improve the effectiveness of the electrochemical cell 7.

[0065] Preferably, the components introduced by means of the aforesaid apparatus do not necessarily have to be introduced continuously (an option nevertheless anticipated by the system 1 according to the present invention), because not all the demineralized and / or purified water that passes through the electrochemical cell 7 is converted into hydrogen. The non-converted demineralized and / or purified water is in fact preferably immersed again in circulation inside the electrochemical cell 7, preferably through the use of appropriate pumps and / or valves, which therefore advantageously allow the recirculation of both the demineralized and / or purified water not converted into hydrogen and the related components contained therein.

[0066] According to a preferred embodiment of the system 1 according to the present invention, the waste water source 17, the demineralized and / or purified water source 19 and each unit 9 of the water demineralization and / or purification system 5 are preferably hydraulically connected by an open-circuit configuration, wherein the waste water coming out from its own source 17, passing through the inlet portion 21 of the first chamber 11 (and thus preferably through the delivery hole 37 and the relevant distribution channel 19 of the first chamber 11), flows under pressure inside said distribution channel then exits, passing through the outlet portion 25 of the first chamber 11 (and therefore preferably through the collection channel and the outlet hole of the first chamber 11), wherein the demineralized and / or purified water coming out from its own source 19, passing through the inlet portion 23 of the second chamber 13 (and therefore preferably through the delivery hole 37 and the relevant distribution channel 19 of the second chamber 13), flows under pressure inside said second chamber and then exits, passing through the outlet portion 27 of the second chamber 13 (and therefore preferably through the collection channel and the outlet hole of the second chamber 13), and enters the electrochemical cell 7.

[0067] According to an alternative embodiment of the system 1 according to the present invention, the waste water source 17 and each first chamber 11 of the water demineralization and / or purification system 5 are preferably hydraulically connected by means of a closed-circuit configuration in which the waste water coming out from its own source 17, passing through the inlet portion 21 of the first chamber 11 (and therefore preferably through the delivery hole 37 and the relevant distribution channel 19 of the first chamber 11), flows under pressure inside said distribution channel and then exits, passing through the outlet portion 25 of the first chamber 11 (and therefore preferably through the collection channel and the outlet hole of the first chamber 11) and enters the waste water source 17, while the demineralized and / or purified water source 19 and each second chamber 13 of the water demineralization and / or purification system 5 are preferably hydraulically connected via a closed-circuit configuration, in which the demineralized and / or purified water coming out from its own source 19, passing through the inlet portion 23 of the second chamber 13 (and therefore preferably through the delivery hole 37 and the relevant distribution channel 19 of the second chamber 13), flows under pressure inside said distribution channel and then exits, passing through the outlet portion 27 of the second chamber 13 (and thus preferably through the collection channel and the outlet hole of the second chamber 13), and then enters the electrochemical cell 7 or enters the source of demineralized and / or purified water 19.

[0068] According to a preferred embodiment of the system 1 according to the present invention, the system 1 further preferably comprises at least two pumps 41, one preferably placed in proximity to the waste water source 17 and one preferably placed in proximity to the demineralized and / or purified water source 19, so as to increase the pressure of both the waste water and the demineralized and / or purified water flowing in the respective chambers 11 and 13.

[0069] Preferably, the pumps 41 are electric pumps.

[0070] Preferably, they are pumps 41 that while working require a low consumption of electrical energy and that preferably operate with relative pressures of between 0 bar and 5 bar.

[0071] According to an alternative embodiment of the system 1 according to the present invention, the system 1 preferably further comprises at least one valve 41 placed in series downstream from the waste water source 17 but upstream from the water demineralization and / or purification system 5 so as to regulate the pressure of the waste water flowing in the first chambers 11 and / or preferably at least one valve 41 placed in series downstream from the demineralized and / or purified water source 19 but upstream from the water demineralization and / or purification system 5 so as to regulate the pressure of the demineralized and / or purified water that flows in the second chambers 13.

[0072] Preferably, the valves 41 are solenoid valves.

[0073] Preferably, they are valves 41 that require a low consumption of electrical energy while in operation.

[0074] The system 1 according to the present invention, when configured to comprise an open circuit with continuous flow, advantageously reduces the risk of creating salt sedimentations at the interface between the membrane 15 and the first chambers 11, thus avoiding saturation of the waste water. This advantage positively impacts both the costs and the frequency of maintenance interventions required by the system 1. Furthermore, the lack of formation of salt sediment in the first chamber 11 advantageously allows the quality of the demineralized and / or purified water in the second chamber 13 to be maintained unaltered and reduces the deterioration of the membrane 15 which, if it were to occur, would lead to a worsening of the performance of the membrane 15 and therefore a decrease in the efficiency of the entire system 1.

[0075] As is known to a person skilled in the art, one of the disadvantages of the water demineralization systems currently on the market is obtaining, as a waste element, hypersaturated water (called saltwater or brine). Conversely, the system 1 according to the present invention, by virtue of its continuous flow configuration and open- or closed-circuit configuration, allows for a considerable reduction in the concentration of brine insofar as hypersaturated water is not produced inside the system 1 and that which will be produced by the system 1 will instead be on the one hand demineralized and / or purified water and on the other hand waste water having a slight increase in salinity of between 1% and 50%.

[0076] The feature of providing a continuous flow with an open circuit in the system 1 according to the present invention also advantageously allows for a continuous dilution effect of the waste water with higher salinity flowing in the first chambers 11.

[0077] Advantageously, therefore, the low risk of saturation of the waste water entering the system 1 increases the longevity of said system and reduces the need for maintenance and component replacement actions.

[0078] Advantageously, the system 1 according to the present invention is a system having an innovative fluidic circuit wherein, preferably, the water is moved by a reduced number of elements: preferably for example pumps and / or valves. This configuration advantageously leads to low energy absorption and high efficiency. Preferably and advantageously, the valve and pump system is suitably sized to be supplied with a small fraction of electrical energy, for example with a small fraction of the electrical energy generated by the photovoltaic panel of the system 1. Preferably, the water movement system (for both waste water and demineralized water) comprises: valves that control the volume and flow of water entering the system 1, therefore downstream of the waste water source 17 and / or the demineralized and / or purified water source 19; flowmeters that control the flows of water (for both waste water and demineralized water) exiting the water demineralization and / or purification system 5; and, if the system 1 is inserted into contexts in which the waste water does not reach pressure, it may comprise pumps that allow drawing from the waste water source 17 and recirculating the waste water into the system 1.

[0079] Preferably, moreover, the dimensions of each first chamber 11 and each second chamber 13 have been preferably designed in order to reduce the thermal capacity (and thus the inertia) of the moving water (both waste water and demineralized and / or purified water) and minimize the edge effect (i.e., the influence of the upstream temperature).

[0080] Advantageously, the choice of configuring the system 1 according to the present invention in an open- or closed-circuit configuration (therefore with a possibility of recirculation), added to the structure of the system for demineralization and / or purification of water 5 thermally in series but hydraulically in parallel, allows the full potential of the available thermal gradient (the system for demineralization and / or purification of water 5 is in fact thermally connected in series with the heat-dissipating element 3) to be utilized, maximizing the demineralization of the waste water while avoiding the problem of the clogging / accumulation of waste substance, such as saline deposits.

[0081] Referring to Fig. 4: according to a preferred embodiment of the system 1 according to the present invention, the system 1 further preferably comprises at least one heat exchanger 43 placed between the waste water source 17 and the inlet portions 21 of the first chambers 11 to further heat the waste water entering the first chambers 11, wherein said at least one heat exchanger 43 is preferably also fed by the waste water exiting from at least one outlet portion 25 of a first chamber 11.

[0082] Advantageously, the system 1 according to the present invention therefore preferably comprises a heat exchanger 43 which thermally connects the inlet portion 21 and the outlet portion 25. This advantageously provides preheating from the waste water by recovering the residual heat contained in the waste water exiting from the outlet portion 25.

[0083] Preferably, the system 1 comprises various configurations of heat exchangers 43 for preheating the waste water which, when properly sized, improve the efficiency of the system 1 by maximizing thermal gradients and thus improving the recovery of the residual heat of the waste water exiting from the outlet portion 25.

[0084] Preferably, the system 1 may further comprise a configuration in which the heat exchanger 43 is also preferably fed by the waste water exiting from each outlet portion 25 of multiple first chambers 11 placed hydraulically parallel to each other.

[0085] Preferably, the system 1 may further comprise multiple heat exchangers 43 preferably placed hydraulically parallel to each other, wherein either each heat exchanger 43 is also preferably fed by waste water exiting each outlet portion 25 of multiple first chambers 11 placed hydraulically parallel to each other, or each heat exchanger 43 is also preferably fed by waste water exiting from the outlet portion 25 of a first chamber 11.

[0086] Referring to Fig. 5: according to a preferred embodiment of the system 1 according to the present invention, the system 1 further preferably comprises at least one heat exchanger 43 placed between the demineralized and / or purified water source 19 and the inlet portions 23 of the second chambers 13 to cool the demineralized and / or purified water entering the second chambers 13, wherein said at least one heat exchanger 43 is also preferably fed by the demineralized and / or purified water exiting from at least one outlet portion 27 of a second chamber 13.

[0087] Advantageously, the system 1 preferably comprises a heat exchanger 43, which has the function of cooling the demineralized and / or purified water entering the inlet portion 23 of the second chamber 13 before it is reintroduced into the circuit. This action is advantageous in order to keep the thermal gradients (and thus productivity) constant along the system for demineralization and / or purification of water 5, because the demineralized and / or purified water preferably flows in a partially closed circuit.

[0088] Preferably, the system 1 comprises various configurations of heat exchangers 43 for cooling demineralized and / or purified water which, when properly sized, improve the efficiency of the system 1 by maximizing thermal gradients.

[0089] Preferably, the system 1 may further comprise a configuration in which the heat exchanger 43 is also preferably fed by the demineralized and / or purified water exiting from each outlet portion 27 of a plurality of second chambers 13 arranged hydraulically parallel to each other.

[0090] Preferably, the system 1 may further comprise multiple heat exchangers 43, preferably placed hydraulically parallel to each other, wherein either each heat exchanger 43 is also preferably fed by the demineralized and / or purified water exiting each outlet portion 27 of multiple second chambers 13 placed hydraulically parallel to each other, or each heat exchanger 43 is also preferably fed by the demineralized and / or purified water exiting the outlet portion 27 of a second chamber 13.

[0091] Preferably, with reference to both Fig. 4 and Fig. 5, the heat exchanger 43 is a heat exchanger selected from: tubular heat exchanger, plate heat exchanger with gaskets, welded plate heat exchanger, and brazed plate heat exchanger.

[0092] According to a preferred embodiment of the system 1 according to the present invention, the system 1 is advantageously and preferably a compact and sustainable system that allows demineralized and / or purified water to be produced from waste water and dissipated heat (i.e., waste heat) for the simultaneous production of green hydrogen. Thus, the system 1 advantageously and preferably makes it possible to simultaneously produce electrical energy, when the heat-dissipating element 3 is a photovoltaic panel, and hydrogen by demineralizing waste water and utilizing the heat dissipated by the heat-dissipating element 3.

[0093] The system 1 according to the present invention therefore makes it possible to obtain hydrogen from demineralized and / or purified water that is in turn obtained by utilizing the heat dissipated by the heat-dissipating element 3, from waste water. This advantageous system operates by virtue of the shape of the system 1 according to the present invention, in particular by virtue of the fact that the units 9 are arranged thermally in series with each other and hydraulically in parallel, thus allowing the formation of a “vertical” thermal gradient starting with the heat-dissipating element 3, which, being thermally connected to the first unit 9 of the system for demineralization and / or purification of water 5, transmits to it all of the heat dissipated thereby. This first unit 9 therefore absorbs part of the dissipated heat but, in turn, being thermally in series with another unit 9, transmits to said unit the heat that it has not absorbed and so on for all of the units 9 that may be present in the system for demineralization and / or purification of water 5. Thus, it results in a thermal gradient being created where the unit 9 that is directly in contact with the heat-dissipating element 3 will have a higher temperature, while the unit 9 that is spatially further away from the heatdissipating element 3 will have a lower temperature. Because within each unit 9 there are both the first chamber 11 and the second chamber 13, which are also placed thermally in series but hydraulically in parallel, it follows that the first chamber 11 will have a higher temperature than the second chamber 13. This phenomenon favors the principle of thermal distillation by means of a membrane that operates within the system for demineralization and / or purification of water 5. In fact, there will be a first chamber 11 having a higher temperature than the second chamber 13; this temperature difference advantageously favors the evaporation of the solvent (the water) in the first chamber 11 and the passage of the evaporated solvent (the water vapor) through the preferably hydrophobic and microporous membrane 15 to the second chamber 13 where, due to the lower temperature, it may be recondensed (in water). The presence of the preferably hydrophobic microporous membrane 15 and of the thermal gradient therefore advantageously allows only the passage of the solvent and not the passage of the solute, thus allowing the formation of demineralized and / or purified water in the second chamber 13.

[0094] According to a preferred embodiment of the system 1 according to the present invention, the system 1 preferably and advantageously has a compact and modular design; it is in fact possible to provide a plurality of units 9, preferably a number from 2 to 50. Preferably, in each unit 9 between the membrane 15 and the metal sheet 33 there is preferably a distance of between 0.1 mm and 10 mm; the same distance is preferably between the membrane 15 and the metal sheet 33 that belongs to the unit 9 which structurally precedes it within the system for demineralization and / or purification of water 5.

[0095] The system 1 according to the present invention may also preferably comprise a buoyancy mechanism that allows the system 1 to be buoyant. This possibility advantageously makes it possible to install the system 1 in sea water, thus allowing the production of green hydrogen directly from sea water, thus desalinating sea water and converting it into hydrogen useful for maritime logistics (gas, cargo and passengers, for example).

[0096] According to a preferred embodiment of the system 1 according to the present invention, the system 1 further comprises a communication structure comprising a programmable logic control system (PLC) and / or a remote management system (loT) for monitoring the functionality, management and maintenance of the entire system 1.

[0097] Preferably, for communication between the system 1 and the outside, said communication structure preferably further comprises the network known to a person skilled in the art as “CAN-bus,” which is preferably integrated with the loT system for performance monitoring, management and remote adjustment and maintenance operations on the system 1.

[0098] Preferably, the system 1 according to the present invention is thermally, electrically, and hydraulically connected to other equivalent systems 1, thus creating a set of integrated systems 1 for the demineralization and / or purification of water and for the simultaneous production of hydrogen.

[0099] Preferably and advantageously, the loT system and alternatively the PLC system may put into effect the following actions on the system 1: a) energy redistribution, b) adjustment of the system 1, and c) maintenance of the system 1. A more detailed explanation of each action is provided below: a) in the event that the electrochemical cell 7 producing hydrogen has a momentary malfunction, whereby it is prevented from producing hydrogen, the solar power converted into electric power by the heat-dissipating element 3 (preferably a photovoltaic panel) would be redistributed among the other electrochemical cells closest to it (by means of an electrical connection) within the set of systems 1, so as not to lower the overall productivity of the set of systems 1 and thus reduce the incidence of failures in relation to the overall performance and extraordinary emergency maintenance interventions. In this way it is therefore possible to schedule the maintenance interventions with greater planning, without compromising the profitability of the set of systems 1; b) the system 1 is a system having different output products (heat, electric power, demineralized and / or purified water, hydrogen); therefore, the adjustment of its performance based on boundary conditions, market needs or the requests of any customers is made possible through the PLC system and the loT system (for example by favoring hydrogen production over direct electric power production); c) automatic and semi-automatic maintenance is preferably made possible by the logic implemented in the PLC system and / or by the signals received through the loT system; the types of automatic and semi-automatic maintenance carried out in the water demineralization and / or purification system 5 are: cl) in the case of anomalies signaled by output flow control sensors, the flow of the waste water and / or demineralized and / or purified water circuits may be carried out; in this case, flow-pressure control valves raise the pressure threshold operating in the system (for example 30% higher than ambient pressure) so as to be able to free the system 5 from possible occlusions — as an alternative the supply pumps may increase the flow or pressure in order to have the same flow effect; c2) in the case of anomalies signaled by sensors on the power output from the heat-dissipating element 3 (preferably a photovoltaic panel), it is possible to carry out one or more washing cycles by means of an apparatus for collecting water droplets.

[0100] According to a preferred embodiment of the system 1 according to the present invention, the system 1 in fact comprises an apparatus for collecting water droplets present above a surface of the heat-dissipating element 3, wherein said apparatus preferably comprises a movable arm which, by flowing on said surface, collects the water droplets and then conveys them to the inlet portion 21 of a first chamber 11 and wherein the system 1 further comprises an apparatus which sprays and / or nebulizes the water present in the system 1 onto said surface of the heat-dissipating element 3.

[0101] The water droplets are preferably deposited on said surface of the heat-dissipating element 3; for example, they are droplets derived from atmospheric phenomena such as rain, snow, fog, dew, ice or are droplets that have been deposited on said surface as a result of the motion or evaporation and then condensation of water present near the system 1, such as water from rivers, lakes, seas, oceans, ponds, dams, pools.

[0102] Advantageously, the apparatus for collecting water droplets also allows for a process for cleaning the heat-dissipating element 3 (preferably a photovoltaic panel), thus allowing the efficiency of the element 3 to be maintained at a high level. This possibility entails an advantage over the prior art, because the possibility of washing elements, such as element 3 of the present invention, has always been too costly a possibility due to water-related costs. By virtue of the presence of the water droplet collection apparatus, the maintenance costs of the heat-dissipating element 3 are advantageously reduced, also significantly improving the efficiency thereof. Preferably, the movable arm collects the water droplets in a channel (where they undergo mechanical filtering) and then conveys them to the inlet portion 21 of a first chamber 11.

[0103] Advantageously, therefore, the apparatus for collecting water droplets allows the water droplets that are deposited on the surface of the heat-dissipating element 3 to be collected, both for example as a result of the condensation of atmospheric humidity and as a result of the night dew, and to have them flow into the first chamber 11.

[0104] Advantageously, the system 5 for the demineralization and / or purification of water according to the present invention is a system 5 that preferably works at ambient pressure. The partial pressure difference present between the first chamber 11 and the second chamber 13 determines a net flow of water vapor from the first chamber 11 (where waste water flows) to the second chamber 13 (where demineralized and / or purified water flows) by virtue of the use of the preferably hydrophobic microporous membrane 15. This advantageously determines the possibility of using the system for demineralization and / or purification of water 5 with any heat-dissipating element (waste heat sources), such as an industrial element, a server, an element belonging to power electronics, a photovoltaic panel, and a renewable energy source. Thus advantageously obtaining the possibility of recovering waste heat, such as heat dissipated by electrical / electronic systems or by thermal machines that require cooling systems. Preferably, as the operating conditions vary, i.e., depending on the type of waste heat used, it is possible to adapt the system 1 according to the present invention by varying the flows of waste water and demineralized and / or purified water independently in order to optimize the respective thermal capacities. This arrangement may preferably be implemented by varying the dimensions of the first chamber 11 and / or the second chamber 13 or by varying the speed of the waste water and / or the demineralized and / or purified water entering the respective chambers 11 and 13. According to a preferred embodiment of the system 1 according to the present invention, the system for demineralization and / or purification of water 5 preferably further comprises a heat exchanger (preferably functioning by the principle of natural convection and being, for example, preferably finned), wherein said heat exchanger is preferably located in the unit 9 furthest from the heat-dissipating element in order to ensure a suitable vertical thermal gradient. This heat exchange may also be ensured by immersing the exchanger directly in the source of waste water 17 to be demineralized and / or purified.

[0105] Advantageously, with the same energy supplied by the sun, the integrated system 1 for the demineralization and / or purification of water and for the simultaneous production of hydrogen according to the present invention is significantly more efficient, from an exergetic point of view, and profitable than known systems of art that utilize the principle of reverse osmosis (a principle known to a person skilled in the art, wherein the passage of the solvent molecules from the more concentrated solution to the less concentrated solution is forced by applying a pressure greater than the osmotic pressure to the more concentrated solution) combined with a photovoltaic panel insofar as, while the prior art system uses the electric power produced by the photovoltaic system, the system 1 according to the present invention utilizes only the waste heat dissipated by the heat-dissipating element 3 and a small fraction of electric power (<10%) (preferably the electric power produced when the heat-dissipating element is a photovoltaic panel) to demineralize and / or purify the waste water; therefore more than 90% of the electric power (preferably the electric power produced when the heatdissipating element is a photovoltaic panel) will still be available for other uses. For the same energy supplied by the sun, the system 1 according to the present invention is significantly more efficient from an exergetic and techno-economic point of view than known systems of art that utilize the principle of reverse osmosis combined with both a photovoltaic panel and an electrochemical cell insofar as the useful work generated by the system for demineralization and / or purification of water 5 is added to the product of the photovoltaic efficiency times the electrochemical efficiency.

[0106] The system 1 of the present invention, according to a preferred embodiment thereof, may also advantageously comprise chambers fed by mechanical pumps / valves 41 fed by a fraction (less than 5%) of the power produced by the photovoltaic panel (when the heatdissipating element is preferably a photovoltaic panel) and may also be installed in contexts that are not directly facing water, thus widening the range of applications to industrial installations, along infrastructure and even at home. The possibility of also using the electricity produced by the photovoltaic panel advantageously makes the system 1 a potentially “off-grid” system, i.e., independent from external energy sources.

[0107] Advantageously, moreover, in the system 1 according to the present invention, the coupling of the system for demineralization and / or purification of water 5 to the electrochemical cell 7 producing hydrogen powered by the electric power of the photovoltaic (when the heatdissipating element is preferably a photovoltaic panel) and by the water demineralized and / or purified by the system 5 allows the costs associated with the water for the production of hydrogen or the costs associated with the pre-treatment of water to be lowered in order to make it suitable for use in an electrochemical cell, thus lowering the cost of hydrogen production.

[0108] The system 1 according to the present invention, when comprising an open-circuit configuration, confers the advantage of reducing or eliminating the problem of the formation of hypers aturated water, a typical phenomenon present in known systems of art that utilize reverse osmosis.

[0109] Advantageously, when the system 1 according to the present invention comprises an opencircuit configuration, the possibility of recirculation added to the structure thermally in series but hydraulically in parallel allows the available thermal gradient to be utilized in the best possible way, thus maximizing the demineralization and / or purification of the waste water while avoiding the problem of clogging / accumulation of waste.

[0110] The system 1 according to the present invention is therefore advantageously a system that makes it possible to produce demineralized and / or purified water that may be used in an electrolysis process within an electrochemical cell for the production of hydrogen; it is a low management cost system; it produces demineralized and / or purified water that may be directly used in an electrochemical cell; it does not have design limits that are unsuitable for industrial adoption; it requires zero or low use of electricity that is traditionally supplied by a national electricity network and is a system that reduces the production of pollutants for the environment.

Claims

CLAIMS1. Integrated system (1) for demineralization and / or purification of water and for simultaneous production of hydrogen, comprising a heat-dissipating element (3) thermally connected to a system for demineralization and / or purification of water (5) which is hydraulically connected to an electrochemical cell (7) producing hydrogen, wherein the system (1) for demineralization and / or purification of water is a system operating through the principle of thermal distillation via membrane and comprises at least two units (9), each comprising a first chamber (11), inside which waste water to be demineralized and / or purified flows under pressure and a second chamber (13), inside which demineralized and / or purified water flows under pressure in the opposite direction with respect to the direction of flow of the waste water, the two chambers (11; 13) being separated by a preferably microporous hydrophobic membrane (15), wherein the at least two units (9) are placed thermally in series and hydraulically in parallel with continuous flow, wherein each unit (9) is hydraulically connected to a source of waste water (17) and a source of demineralized and / or purified water (19), in particular wherein each first chamber (11) comprises an inlet portion (21), hydraulically connected to the source of waste water (17), for introduction into the first chamber (11) of waste water, while each second chamber (13) comprises an inlet portion (23), hydraulically connected to the source of demineralized and / or purified water (19), for introduction into the second chamber (13) of demineralized and / or purified water, wherein the first chamber (11) further comprises an outlet portion (25) for emission from the first chamber (11) of waste water, and the second chamber (13) further comprises an outlet portion (27) for emission from the second chamber (13) of demineralized and / or purified water, wherein inside each unit (9) the first chamber (11) is spatially located with an opposite configuration with respect to the second chamber (13), thus forming in the unit (9) a first area in which in proximity to the inlet portion (21) of the first chamber (11) there is the outlet portion (27) of the second chamber (13), and a second area, spatially opposite the first area, in which near the outlet portion (25) of the first chamber (11) there is the inlet portion (23) of the second chamber (13).

2. System (1) according to claim 1, wherein the heat-dissipating element (3) is a photovoltaic panel wherein the heat dissipated by the photovoltaic panel is transmitted according to a thermal gradient to the at least two units (9) placed thermally in series, wherein the unit (9) directly thermally connected to the photovoltaic panel therefore receives a greater quantity of heat with respect to the unit (9) which follows it in series.

3. System (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein each outlet portion (27) of each second chamber (13) is hydraulically connected to the electrochemical cell (7).

4. System (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the waste water source (17), the demineralized and / or purified water source (19) and each unit (9) of the system (1) for demineralization and / or purification of water are hydraulically connected via an open-circuit configuration, wherein the waste water coming out from its own source (17), passing through the inlet portion (21) of the first chamber (11), flows under pressure inside said first chamber and then exits, passing through the outlet portion (25) of the first chamber (11), wherein the demineralized and / or purified water coming out from its own source (19), passing through the inlet portion (23) of the second chamber (13), flows under pressure inside said second chamber and then exits, passing through the outlet portion (27) of the second chamber (13), and enters the electrochemical cell (7).

5. System (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the waste water source (17) and each first chamber (11) of the system (1) for demineralization and / or purification of water are hydraulically connected via a closed-circuit configuration, wherein the waste water coming out from its own source (17), passing through the inlet portion (21) of the first chamber (11), flows under pressure inside said first chamber and then exits, passing through the outlet portion (25) of the first chamber (11), and enters in the waste water source (17), whereas the source of demineralized and / or purified water (19) and each second chamber (13) of the system (1) for demineralization and / or purification of water are hydraulicallyconnected via a closed-circuit configuration, wherein the demineralized and / or purified water coming out from its own source (19), passing through the inlet portion (23) of the second chamber (13), flows under pressure inside said second chamber and then exits, passing through the outlet portion (27) of the second chamber (13), to then either enter in the electrochemical cell (7) or enter in the source of demineralized and / or purified water (19).

6. System (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the system (1) further comprises at least two pumps (41), one located near the source of waste water (17) and one located near the source of demineralized and / or purified water (19), so as to increase the pressure of both the waste water and the demineralized and / or purified water flowing in the respective chambers (11; 13).

7. System (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the system (1) further comprises at least one valve (41) located in series downstream with respect to the waste water source (17) but upstream with respect to the system (1) for demineralization and / or purification of water in order to regulate the pressure of the waste water flowing into the first chambers (11) and / or at least one valve (41) placed in series and downstream with respect to the source of demineralized and / or purified water (19) but upstream with respect to the system (1) for demineralization and / or purification of water, in order to regulate the pressure of the demineralized and / or purified water flowing into the second chambers (13).

8. System (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the system (1) further comprises at least one heat exchanger (43) located between the waste water source (17) and the inlet portions (21) of the first chambers (11) in order to further heat the waste water entering the first chambers (11), wherein said at least one heat exchanger (43) is also powered by the waste water exiting from at least one outlet portion (25) of a first chamber (11).

9. System (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the system (1) further comprises at least one heat exchanger (43) located between the source of demineralized and / or purified water (19) and the inlet portions (23) of the second chambers (13) in order to cool the demineralized and / or purified water entering the second chambers (13), wherein said atleast one heat exchanger (43) is furthermore powered by the demineralized and / or purified water exiting from at least an outlet portion (27) of a second chamber (13).

10. System (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein each chamber (11; 13) comprises a gasket (29) surrounding a lateral surface of each chamber (11; 13) and a frame (31) superimposable on the gasket (29), therefore also surrounding the lateral surface of each chamber (11; 13), the frame (31) being placed in contact between the membrane (15) and the gasket (29); furthermore, between one unit (9) and the other, there is a metal sheet (33), thus creating a configuration in which each unit (9) is comprised between two metal sheets (33).

11. System (1) according to claim 10, wherein the gasket (29) and the frame (31) are made in a single body.

12. System (1) according to claim 10 or 11, wherein the system (1) has a compact and modular design comprising a plurality of units (9), preferably a number from 2 to 50, wherein in each unit (9) between the membrane (15) and the metal sheet (33) there is a distance comprised between 0.1 mm and 10 mm; the same distance exists between the membrane (15) and the metal sheet (33) which belongs to the unit (9) which structurally precedes it.

13. System (1) according to claim 10 or 11 or 12, wherein both the gasket (29) and the frame (31) have a rectangular geometry where the short side of the rectangular geometry is in a ratio between 1 / 1.5 and 1 / 10 with respect to the long side of the rectangular geometry; this ratio makes it possible to improve the heat exchange processes and therefore minimize the edge effect, thus obtaining optimal temperature profiles.

14. System (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the system (1) further comprises a communication structure comprising a programmable logic control (PLC) system and / or a remote management system (loT) for monitoring the functionality, the management and the maintenance of the entire integrated system (1) for the demineralization and / or purification of water and for the simultaneous production of hydrogen.

15. System (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the system (1) further comprises an apparatus for collecting water droplets present on a surface of the heat-dissipating element (3), wherein said apparatus comprises a mobile arm which, sliding on said surface, collects the droplets of water and then conveys them into the inlet portion (21) of a first chamber (11) and wherein the system (1) further comprises an apparatus which sprays and / or nebulizes the water present in the system (1) onto said surface of the heat-dissipating element (3).

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