US 12,084,371 B2
Systems and methods for solar thermal osmosis desalination
D. Yogi Goswami, Tampa, FL (US); Martina Leveni, Tampa, FL (US); and Eydhah Almatrafi, Jeddah (SA)
Assigned to UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA, Tampa, FL (US)
Appl. No. 18/554,447
Filed by UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA, Tampa, FL (US)
PCT Filed Apr. 7, 2022, PCT No. PCT/US2022/023814
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Oct. 6, 2023,
PCT Pub. No. WO2022/216921, PCT Pub. Date Oct. 13, 2022.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/171,769, filed on Apr. 7, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2024/0101460 A1, Mar. 28, 2024
Int. Cl. C02F 1/14 (2023.01); C02F 1/44 (2023.01); C02F 9/00 (2023.01)
CPC C02F 9/00 (2013.01) [C02F 1/14 (2013.01); C02F 1/441 (2013.01); C02F 1/445 (2013.01); C02F 2201/009 (2013.01); C02F 2303/10 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A solar thermal osmosis desalination system comprising:
a forward osmosis subsystem, the forward osmosis subsystem comprising a working fluid, an absorber, and a distillation column in fluid communication with the absorber by a strong solution path, a weak solution path, and a high-temperature path,
wherein the absorber is configured to output the working fluid by the strong solution path that comprises, in order, one or more energy recovery devices (ERDs), an forward osmosis (FO) unit, the one or more ERDs, a pump, a recovery heat exchanger, and a boiler that delivers the working fluid to the distillation column;
wherein the distillation column is configured to output the working fluid by the weak solution path that comprises, in order, the recovery heat exchanger and a pressure reducing valve that delivers the working fluid to the absorber;
wherein the distillation column is configured to output the working fluid by the high-temperature path that comprises, in order, a turbine and a refrigeration heat exchanger that delivers the working fluid to the absorber; and
wherein the FO unit is configured to receive a FO feed brine on a first side of a semipermeable membrane that divides the FO unit into two sides, to receive the working fluid on a second side of the semipermeable membrane, and to deliver water from the FO feed brine through the semipermeable membrane to the working fluid;
a reverse osmosis system, the reverse osmosis system comprising a reverse osmosis (RO) unit and the absorber, wherein the RO unit is configured to receive a RO feed brine heated by the absorber and output RO product water; and
wherein the forward osmosis subsystem is configured to receive solar thermal heat and generate power that can be used to operate the reverse osmosis subsystem.