CO2 Hydrate Water Purification for Hypersaline Streams

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing water purification technologies such as reverse osmosis and multi-stage flash desalination are energy-intensive and have limitations with membrane costs and scaling issues, making them unsuitable for extremely saline water and radioactive-infused water.

Innovation Solution

A system utilizing carbon dioxide (CO2) to form hydrates with impurity-infused water, separating impurities through hydrate formation and dissociation, and compressing dissociated CO2 for reuse, integrated with energy generation systems like the Allam power cycle to optimize energy efficiency and reduce carbon footprint.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If reverse osmosis is used for water purification, then water can be purified, but membrane costs increase and extremely saline water cannot be handled

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewater purification capabilityVSAvoidmembrane cost and applicability

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the fundamental parameter of purification mechanism from membrane-based physical barrier to chemical hydrate formation. CO2 hydrates form inclusion compounds with impurities, allowing purification without membranes. This resolves the contradiction by eliminating membrane costs and enabling handling of extremely saline water that would damage conventional membranes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

CO2 hydrates serve as an intermediary substance that selectively binds with impurities in water. The hydrate formation process creates a temporary complex that separates impurities from purified water, eliminating the need for expensive membranes while maintaining effective purification capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If multi-stage flash desalination is used for water purification, then water can be purified, but energy consumption increases and scaling problems occur

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewater purification capabilityVSAvoidenergy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the mechanical thermal processing system (multi-stage flash desalination) with a chemical process (CO2 hydrate formation). Instead of using heat and pressure stages to separate water from salts, the system uses CO2 to form chemical hydrates with impurities, dramatically reducing energy consumption while avoiding scaling problems associated with thermal evaporation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Use of energy by moving object

If CO2 hydrate formation is used for water purification, then energy consumption decreases and extremely saline water can be handled, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveenergy consumptionVSAvoidsystem structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The CO2 hydrate formation process serves multiple functions simultaneously: it purifies water, concentrates impurities in the hydrate phase for removal, and provides a mechanism for handling various types of salinity including extremely saline and radioactive-infused water. This multi-functionality justifies the system complexity by delivering superior performance across multiple purification challenges.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

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

The system achieves high-purity water production with reduced energy consumption, capable of handling hypersaline and radioactive-infused water, while providing an additional revenue stream and modular construction for cost-effectiveness.

Implementation Method 1

forming CO2 hydrates using the CO2 from the CO2 input tubular and the impurity-infused water

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHydrate formation: Hydrates

Implementation Method 2

dissociating the CO2 hydrates into purified water and dissociated CO2 by heating the CO2 hydrates

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal dissociation: Phase Change

Data Source

PatentUS20250333329A1Water purification system and method using carbon dioxide

Publication Date: 2025.10.30 NUOVO PIGNONE TECH SRL

AI summary

A system for purifying impurity-infused water includes a CO2 input tubular, a CO2 output tubular, a CO2 hydrate-former vessel configured to form CO2 hydrates using the CO2 from the CO2 input tubular and the impurity-infused water. The system also includes a CO2 hydrate-dissociator vessel configured receive CO2 hydrates from the CO2 hydrate-former vessel and to dissociate the CO2 hydrates into purified water and dissociated CO2 by heating the CO2 hydrates. The system further includes a CO2 compressor configured to receive the dissociated CO2 from the CO2 hydrate-dissociator vessel, compress the dissociated CO2, and discharge compressed CO2 into the CO2 output tubular. The CO2 hydrate-former vessel includes an impurity solution output for discharging an impurity solution having impurities removed from the impurity-infused water by the formation of the CO2 hydrates. The CO2 hydrate-dissociator vessel includes a heating device configured to heat the CO2 hydrates to dissociate them.