US 12,006,233 B2
Methods for water extraction
Seung-Hak Choi, Dhahran (SA); and Halah A. Shaikh Sulaiman, Safwa (SA)
Assigned to Saudi Arabian Oil Company, Dhahran (SA)
Filed by Saudi Arabian Oil Company, Dhahran (SA)
Filed on Jan. 4, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/140,390.
Prior Publication US 2022/0212956 A1, Jul. 7, 2022
Int. Cl. C02F 1/44 (2023.01); B01D 11/04 (2006.01); B01D 69/02 (2006.01); C02F 1/26 (2023.01); C02F 103/08 (2006.01)
CPC C02F 1/265 (2013.01) [B01D 11/0415 (2013.01); B01D 11/0488 (2013.01); B01D 11/0492 (2013.01); B01D 69/02 (2013.01); C02F 1/44 (2013.01); B01D 2325/02 (2013.01); B01D 2325/38 (2013.01); C02F 2103/08 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of extracting water from saline water, the method comprising:
contacting saline water with a solvent liquid using a porous membrane, wherein the saline water comprises a solvent phase and a solute dissolved in the solvent phase, wherein the solvent liquid comprises hydrophilic moieties in a mainly hydrophobic chemical structure, wherein the saline water and the solvent liquid are immiscible, and the solvent phase of the saline water is soluble in the solvent liquid due to the presence of the hydrophilic moieties, wherein the porous membrane is configured to create and maintain a contact between saline water and the solvent liquid, wherein the saline water is contacted with the solvent liquid using the porous membrane for an amount of time sufficient to allow for a dissolution of water into the solvent liquid, wherein the amount of time is in a range of from about 1 second to about 1 hour, wherein the porous membrane comprises a first surface, a second surface, and a plurality of open pores defined between the first surface and the second surface, wherein the saline water is contacted with the first surface, the solvent liquid is contacted with the second surface, and the saline water is contacted with the solvent liquid through the plurality of open pores defined between the first surface and the second surface to create a contact area between the saline water and the solvent liquid at one of the first surface or the second surface of the porous membrane, wherein the saline water is contacted with the solvent liquid using the porous membrane at a first temperature;
producing a raffinate comprising brine and an extract comprising the solvent liquid enriched in water, wherein solubility of water in the solvent liquid is temperature-dependent; and
recovering water from the solvent liquid, wherein recovering water from the solvent liquid consists essentially of bringing the extract to a second temperature different from the first temperature to produce water and the solvent liquid depleted in water as separate, immiscible phases.