Clathrate Hydrate Desalination via Temperature Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current desalination methods using clathrate hydrates face inefficiencies due to brine entrapment during hydrate crystal nucleation and growth, requiring costly wash columns to achieve potable water quality.
Innovation Solution
Employing novel hydrate formers and inert heat exchange liquids to control hydrate formation environments, preventing dendritic crystal growth and minimizing salt entrapment, allowing for high-temperature hydrate formation and efficient separation of hydrates from interstitial salts without the need for wash columns.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional clathrate hydrate formation is used for desalination, then hydrate crystals are formed to separate fresh water from saltwater, but brine becomes entrapped during crystal nucleation and growth requiring costly wash columns
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the temperature parameter to enable hydrate formation at temperatures above the freezing point of water (0°C). By operating at elevated temperatures (e.g., 5-40°C), the process forms hydrates under different thermodynamic conditions that prevent dendritic growth and brine entrapment, eliminating the need for wash columns while maintaining high crystal purity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite hydrate structures formed from mixed guest molecules (e.g., methane and other hydrocarbons) that create more stable crystal lattices. These composite hydrates form denser, more uniform structures that exclude brine more effectively, achieving high purity without additional washing equipment
2Manufacturing precision
If low temperature freezing is used to form clathrate hydrates, then hydrate crystals can be formed, but power requirements and economic cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent fundamentally changes the temperature parameter from sub-freezing conditions to above-freezing conditions (5-40°C). This parameter change allows hydrate formation to occur at temperatures where the surrounding environment can provide sufficient thermal energy, dramatically reducing the power requirements for cooling and refrigeration systems while maintaining effective desalination
Solution Approach 2:
By operating at temperatures above the freezing point of water, the system can utilize ambient thermal energy or low-grade heat sources to maintain operating conditions. The process becomes self-sustaining thermally, requiring minimal external energy input compared to conventional low-temperature freezing methods that demand continuous refrigeration
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach significantly enhances the efficiency of the desalination process by reducing salt content by approximately 80% and eliminating the need for wash columns, thereby lowering operational costs and improving overall system efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
Clathrate hydrates are a class of solids in which gas molecules occupy 'cages' made up of hydrogen-bonded water molecules at temperatures higher than the freezing temperature of water
Implementation Method 2
When the gas hydrate is melted, fresh water and the hydrocarbon are recovered
Implementation Method 3
cages' made up of hydrogen-bonded water molecules
Implementation Method 4
a quantity of a hydrate forming species that has been solubilized in a heat exchange ('HX') liquid at a sufficient temperature and pressure
Implementation Method 5
These 'guest' gas and/or liquid molecules are held in place within the hydrogen bonded molecular water lattice by Van der Waals forces
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a method that achieves water desalination by utilizing and optimizing clathrate hydrate phenomena. Clathrate hydrates are crystalline compounds of gas and water that desalinate water by excluding salt molecules during crystallization. Contacting a hydrate forming gaseous species with water will spontaneously form hydrates at specific temperatures and pressures through the extraction of water molecules from the bulk phase followed by crystallite nucleation. Subsequent dissociation of pure hydrates yields fresh water and, if operated correctly, allows the hydrate-forming gas to be efficiently recycled into the process stream.