Offshore Reverse Osmosis With Energy Recovery and Brine Dilution
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenges of high energy consumption and environmental impact from existing desalination technologies, particularly in offshore applications, along with the difficulty in efficiently disposing of concentrated brine effluent, necessitate a more efficient and cost-effective large-scale desalination system that can reduce salinity in effluent discharge and minimize marine ecosystem harm.
Innovation Solution
An offshore structure equipped with a water intake device, filtration system, reverse osmosis filters, and effluent discharge device, controlled by a control panel, which efficiently purifies seawater and mixes discharge with seawater to reduce salinity before release, utilizing energy recovery and minimizing personnel requirements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If reverse osmosis plants are built to provide desalinated water, then fresh water supply is improved, but operational cost and energy consumption increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent recovers energy from the high-pressure brine stream produced during reverse osmosis desalination. Energy recovery devices (ERDs) capture the pressure energy in the rejected brine and transfer it to the incoming feed water, reducing the energy required by the high-pressure pump. This directly addresses the high energy consumption problem while maintaining fresh water production.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes operational parameters including feed water pressure, flow rate, and temperature to maximize energy efficiency. By dynamically adjusting these parameters based on real-time conditions, the system reduces energy consumption while maintaining effective desalination performance.
2Quantity of substance
If reverse osmosis plants are built to provide desalinated water, then fresh water supply is improved, but operational cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent recovers not only energy but also valuable minerals and chemicals from the brine stream through resource recovery systems. This reduces operational costs by generating sellable products and reducing waste disposal expenses, directly addressing the high operational cost issue.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements automated monitoring and control systems that enable the plant to optimize its own operation without constant human intervention. This reduces labor costs and maintenance expenses, addressing the operational cost problem while maintaining fresh water production capacity.
3Ease of manufacture
If brine is discharged directly into the ocean, then disposal is simplified, but environmental harm increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful concentrated brine waste stream into a valuable resource by recovering minerals, chemicals, and energy. The remaining diluted brine is then discharged with reduced environmental impact. This transforms the environmental harm problem into a benefit by creating resource recovery opportunities.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces intermediate processing steps including energy recovery devices and resource recovery systems between the desalination process and brine discharge. These intermediary systems reduce the salinity and temperature of the discharged brine, minimizing environmental harm while maintaining operational simplicity.
4Ease of operation
If conventional desalination plants are built on land, then accessibility is improved, but waterfront land availability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from traditional land-based desalination plants to floating or offshore platforms. This dimensional change allows the facility to be located in deep water where land is not required, solving the waterfront land availability problem while maintaining accessibility through offshore infrastructure connections.
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 significant energy savings and reduced operational costs while effectively diluting brine effluent, protecting marine ecosystems by reducing salinity and minimizing environmental harm.
Implementation Method 1
The RO process requires significant energy to force salt water against polymer membranes that have pores small enough to let fresh water through while holding salt ions back
Implementation Method 2
An offshore desalination system comprising a structure with a water intake device connected to multiple filters and reverse osmosis membranes, with an effluent discharge device that mixes the brine with seawater before discharge, reducing salinity
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus, system and method to purify water is disclosed. Pumps and energy recovery devices for taking water from an intake, filtering the water to remove solid contaminates before running the filtered water through the reverse osmosis system to the discharge device and purified water lines are described. The system may comprise a control panel that controls the plurality of filters, plurality of reverse osmosis membranes, purified water line and effluent discharge device, to achieve favorable water purification. A method that utilizes the apparatus and/or system is described herein.