Hybrid Thermal Distillation and Membrane Filtration for Produced Water Purification
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current technologies for removing contaminants from water in industrial and oil/gas operations are costly and inefficient, leading to high energy consumption, equipment corrosion, and environmental issues, particularly in desalination and water recycling processes.
Innovation Solution
A system that uses thermal distillation and membrane filtration technologies, integrated with energy recovery devices and metal extraction methods, to purify water and separate valuable metals like lithium, magnesium, and rare earth elements from contaminated water, utilizing existing energy sources at well sites to reduce costs and environmental impact.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If reverse osmosis technology is used to remove contaminants from water, then purification effectiveness is improved, but energy consumption and equipment cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines thermal distillation with membrane filtration in a hybrid system where steam generated from contaminated water is condensed and passed through membranes for further purification. This integration allows the system to leverage both thermal and membrane-based mechanisms, achieving high purification effectiveness while reducing reliance on high-energy reverse osmosis alone.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the physical state of water through phase transitions (liquid to vapor to liquid) to separate contaminants. By utilizing boiling and condensation processes, the patent achieves purification through parameter changes rather than relying solely on high-pressure membrane filtration, thereby reducing energy consumption compared to conventional reverse osmosis.
2Reliability
If reverse osmosis technology is used to remove contaminants from water, then purification effectiveness is improved, but equipment cost and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges thermal distillation equipment with membrane filtration units into an integrated system. The steam generation chamber, condensation system, and membrane modules work together in a unified apparatus, achieving effective purification while managing equipment complexity through functional integration rather than separate standalone systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The purification system is divided into distinct functional segments: a thermal distillation section for initial separation, a condensation section for vapor-to-liquid transition, and membrane filtration sections for final purification. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently while maintaining overall system effectiveness and manageable complexity.
3Quantity of substance
If unpurified water with high contaminant content is used for steam generation, then water availability is improved, but corrosion and scaling increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary purification through thermal distillation before the water is used for steam generation or other industrial processes. By removing a significant portion of contaminants in advance, the water fed to steam generators has reduced contaminant content, minimizing corrosion and scaling while still utilizing available contaminated water resources.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts contaminants from water through phase separation in the thermal distillation process. Contaminants remain in the liquid phase while pure water vapor is generated, effectively removing harmful substances before the vapor is condensed and used, thereby preventing corrosion and scaling in downstream equipment.
4Use of energy by moving object
If thermal distillation is used to purify water, then energy consumption for steam generation is reduced, but purification effectiveness decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges thermal distillation with membrane filtration to create a hybrid purification system. The thermal distillation stage removes bulk contaminants with moderate energy input, while subsequent membrane filtration stages achieve high-level purification. This combination maintains energy efficiency while ensuring purification effectiveness meets industrial standards.
Solution Approach 2:
Different purification mechanisms are applied at different stages of the process. Thermal distillation is used for initial bulk separation where energy efficiency is prioritized, while membrane filtration is applied in later stages where high purification effectiveness is critical. This local application of different quality measures optimizes both energy consumption and purification effectiveness.
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 efficiently recycles water, reduces energy consumption, and extracts valuable metals, making the process more economical and environmentally friendly while minimizing equipment corrosion and scaling issues.
Implementation Method 1
thermal distillation
Implementation Method 2
thermal distillation
Implementation Method 3
separate the purified vapor from the initial contaminated fluid
Data Source
AI summary
A new apparatus, system and method to purified produced water and removed valuable metals and minerals is described. The apparatus comprises a device for flowing produced water wellbore from a wellbore to the produced water purification apparatus; at least one device to remove heavy metals from the produced water; at least one brine removal device to remove brine from the produced water. The method comprises steps to use the apparatus and the system comprises a control panel that operates the at least one device for removing heavy metals and at least one sensor in a coordinated manner.