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WO1999006323A1 - Procede et installation de dessalage de l'eau de mer dans lesquels la pression hydrostatique est exploitee - Google Patents

Procede et installation de dessalage de l'eau de mer dans lesquels la pression hydrostatique est exploitee Download PDF

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Publication number
WO1999006323A1
WO1999006323A1 PCT/IT1998/000210 IT9800210W WO9906323A1 WO 1999006323 A1 WO1999006323 A1 WO 1999006323A1 IT 9800210 W IT9800210 W IT 9800210W WO 9906323 A1 WO9906323 A1 WO 9906323A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
water
fact
ocean
plant
underwater
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Ceased
Application number
PCT/IT1998/000210
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English (en)
Inventor
Francesco Maria Piccari
Fulvio NOVELLI
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Individual
Original Assignee
Individual
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Priority to AU86453/98A priority Critical patent/AU8645398A/en
Publication of WO1999006323A1 publication Critical patent/WO1999006323A1/fr
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Ceased legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01D—SEPARATION
    • B01D61/00—Processes of separation using semi-permeable membranes, e.g. dialysis, osmosis or ultrafiltration; Apparatus, accessories or auxiliary operations specially adapted therefor
    • B01D61/02—Reverse osmosis; Hyperfiltration ; Nanofiltration
    • B01D61/10—Accessories; Auxiliary operations
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02A—TECHNOLOGIES FOR ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02A20/00—Water conservation; Efficient water supply; Efficient water use
    • Y02A20/124—Water desalination
    • Y02A20/131—Reverse-osmosis

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a method for desalting sea water, that exploits the positive gradient existing between the hydrostatic pressure that builds up at oceanic depths and the osmotic pressure exerted by salt water onto an interface which is made of a semi-permeable membrane.
  • the term "ocean” means to refer to any basin on whose floor pressures are in ranges over 20 fold that of the atmosphere.
  • the present invention further relates to a plant which is capable of accomplishing said method.
  • said method provides for the employment of desalting plants which are completely underwater, and are further statically hanging from floating islands, at depths which are higher than 200 metres, preferably 1000 metres, where natural pressures are in the range of 100 atmospheres, avoiding to get the semipermeable membranes to undergo the fatigue that derives from pressure variations.
  • a third drawback derives from the fact that, as the water to be filtered is taken from near the coasts, it is necessary to provide for ⁇ _he disposal of inert materials, which are themselves dispersed by the seawaves, and of all biological materials in the form of suspensions, making production plants more complex and increasing their costs.
  • European Patent EP 0 764 610 discloses a method for desalting sea water wherein seawater is drawn from near the coast and it is further forwarded to the terra firma , to such an altitude that is sufficient to generate enough pressure to substantially give way to an inverse osmosis phenomenon, so that salt water gets to be separated into fresh water and brine.
  • Such a solution which makes the most of geomorphological slopes solves the problem that we mentioned first, as it avoids to get the membranes to undergo a fatigue, as it resorts to the use of a constant hydrostatic pressure, but on the other hand it does net even approach a solution to the other problems, as it draws salt water from near the coast and gives way to a brine accumulation on the terra firma .
  • Aim of the present invention is that of finding a one solution that overcomes all of the drawbacks associated with the prior art, also reducing the overall costs associated with the production of desalted water.
  • Such an aim has been accomplished according to the present invention, by providing a method and a plant related thereto for seawater desalting, which is to be located under seawater level and is capable of exploiting the hydrostatic pressure that builds up at an at least 250 metre depth on one side of the filter membrane, in order to overcome the osmotic pressure which is characteristic of salt water itself, whereas the other side of the membrane is kept at atmospheric pressure, whilst pumping operations are only reduced to those related to the fresh water obtained from the filtration.
  • a desalting method is provided, as well as the plant and equipment thereto related, which are themselves based on the employment of semipermeable membranes and supply fresh water witnout tne ensuing production of residues to be disposed of on the ground, and without the risk of crystallisations that clog the semipermeable membranes.
  • the plant, equipment and method object of the present invention aimed at accomplishing seawater desalting precisely make use of ocean water and not seawater.
  • a substantial reduction in the overall production costs is accomplished, by providing for the tying of the underwater plant and equipment to a floating island whose surface is covered with solar cells, in order to exploit photovoltaic energy.
  • a first reason is the smaller chlorine content.
  • a second reason is its lower turbidity.
  • a third reason is its lower temperature.
  • a fourth reason is its smaller biological content.
  • a fifth reason is its greater hydrostatic pressure.
  • a sixth reason is the lack of crystalline residues to be disposed of.
  • the present invention makes it possible to perform ultrafiltration, which a sea water (and not ocean water) plant and equipment cannot certainly accomplish using an industrial process of the same type.
  • attention is drawn to the two pressures that build-up upstream and downstream from the semipermeable membranes.
  • the pressure gap between the two faces of each of the filtering membranes must have a value equalling one hundred atmospheres. Said pressure gap is accomplished according to the prior art as the gradient between 101 absolute atmospheres and 1 absolute atmosphere.
  • An absolute pressure equalling one atmosphere is the static pressure which is normally exerted by the environment.
  • a 100 atmosphere relative pressure can be accomplished in two different ways, that is naturally and artificially.
  • a natural system that exerts a 100 atm relative pressure can be better defined by referring to the hydrostatic pressure that builds up 1000 metres below sea level .
  • Fig. 1 is a schematic view of a pilot plant for the production and distribution of drinkable water, transformed from ocean water, where underwater chambers are statically hanging from floating islands;
  • Fig. 2 shows in particular an underwater chamber with semipermeable membranes.
  • Fig.3 is a cross section view of a membrane. With reference to the above drawings, a series of suspended and self-supporting chambers 2 at a 1000 metre depth is fixed.
  • Each chamber 2 is provided with three communicating openings 4, 6 and 8.
  • the first of said openings 4 is connected with a vertical chimney 10 which suitably desurfaces from the ocean and is apt to transfer atmospheric pressure into the volume of the underwater chamber which is located at a 1000 m depth.
  • the second opening 6 is stoppered by semi-permeable membrane blocks 12 which have an outer face E that is subject to a 100 atmosphere pressure, and an inner face I which is only subject to the atmospheric pressure transferred by chimney 10, and a slight depression is further created on it in order to compensate for the weight cf the one Km long air column that overlies it.
  • semi-permeable membrane blocks 12 which have an outer face E that is subject to a 100 atmosphere pressure, and an inner face I which is only subject to the atmospheric pressure transferred by chimney 10, and a slight depression is further created on it in order to compensate for the weight cf the one Km long air column that overlies it.
  • the third opening 8 is connected with a vertical conduit 14 that itself reaches the ocean surface and is provided with pumps that draw the drinking water which has been filtered into the chamber located underwater from the second opening 6, in such a way as to keep the water level constant inside the underwater chamber.
  • the water surface inside the chamber has in fact to result to be below the lower edge of the membrane, and it is net meant to ever rise to a level that is higher than said lower level of the membrane.
  • a system of buoys 15 which are suitably structured, sized and joined to each other, and carrying a platform or surface 16 mainly covered with photovoltaic cells, whose amount is proportional to the power necessary for the transport of the drinking water produced to the area where it is bound to be used.
  • Said area is horizontally far from the floating buoys 15 at the zenith of the underwater plant which is suspended in the ocean water. Distances along the sea horizon may be in the kilometre range, between 20 and 30 or even less according to the specific underwater morphology.
  • the drinking water pipes are located underwater and they are suspended above the continental platform; they are further allowed to crop up and desurface in safe areas that are very close to the coasts. From the coasts and down to the areas where the water is used, drinking water is distributed along underground pipes that may be even much longer than the distance separating the buoys from the coast.
  • K is a coefficient characterising the semipermeable membrane
  • S is the membrane surface expressed in square metres
  • p is the osmotic pressure that builds up from ocean water
  • P is the hydrostatic pressure of ocean water
  • Q is the Kg/s drinking water flow rate and it refers to the drinking water produced. Acting on the size of the surface, and estimating the pressure gap in the order of 75 Kg per square metre, the flow rate results to be:
  • Drinking water production has an investment and production cost per cubic metre of drinking water obtained. Said cost depends on the industrial process which is resorted to and it is proportional to the costs which are related to the power needed. According to the present invention there is found to be a drop in the costs related to the power that is necessary for the production of drinking water at ocean depths as there is no exploitment of temperature, rather of hydrostatic pressure which is naturally available at those depths. The drop in the costs for the production of a cubic metre of drinking water makes it possible to produce large amounts of drinking water at very reduced costs, and it further paves the way to the fight agains desertification.
  • the energy that is necessary for pumping is electric power.
  • the cost of the electric power necessary for the distribution of the product is made to drop, as it was already stated, resorting to photovoltaic energy.
  • the cost of photovoltaic energy can be categorised into the investment cost for the solar cells and the cost related to power production.

Landscapes

  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Water Supply & Treatment (AREA)
  • Nanotechnology (AREA)
  • Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
  • Pressure Vessels And Lids Thereof (AREA)
  • Powder Metallurgy (AREA)
  • Other Liquid Machine Or Engine Such As Wave Power Use (AREA)
  • Separation Using Semi-Permeable Membranes (AREA)

Abstract

L'invention concerne un procédé et une installation de dessalage de l'eau de mer. Ladite installation doit être installée au-dessous du niveau de la mer et est capable d'exploiter la pression hydrostatique s'accumulant à une profondeur d'au moins 250 m, d'un côté d'une membrane de filtrage semi-perméable, de sorte que cette dernière résiste à la pression osmotique caractéristique de l'eau de mer, alors que l'autre côté de la membrane est maintenu à la pression atmosphérique, les opérations de pompage étant réduites à celles relatives à l'eau douce obtenue par la filtration.
PCT/IT1998/000210 1997-07-29 1998-07-27 Procede et installation de dessalage de l'eau de mer dans lesquels la pression hydrostatique est exploitee Ceased WO1999006323A1 (fr)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
AU86453/98A AU8645398A (en) 1997-07-29 1998-07-27 Method and plant for desalting seawater exploiting hydrostatic pressur

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
ITRM97A000473 1997-07-29
IT97RM000473A IT1296306B1 (it) 1997-07-29 1997-07-29 Metodo per la desalinizzazione dell'acqua marina utilizzando la pressione idrostatica propria delle acque profonde e impianto relativo

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO1999006323A1 true WO1999006323A1 (fr) 1999-02-11

Family

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Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/IT1998/000210 Ceased WO1999006323A1 (fr) 1997-07-29 1998-07-27 Procede et installation de dessalage de l'eau de mer dans lesquels la pression hydrostatique est exploitee

Country Status (3)

Country Link
AU (1) AU8645398A (fr)
IT (1) IT1296306B1 (fr)
WO (1) WO1999006323A1 (fr)

Cited By (11)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0968755A3 (fr) * 1998-05-25 2000-09-20 Wip Kg Installation pour la séparation/la concentration/le dessalement de liquides, en particulier l'eau de mer ou l'eau saumâtre, par osmose inverse en utilisant la pression hydrostatique
EP1164109A1 (fr) * 2000-06-14 2001-12-19 Rochem Ultrafiltrations Systeme Gesellschaft für Abwasserreinigung mbH Dispositif pour la production d eau potable
FR2812219A1 (fr) * 2000-07-26 2002-02-01 Suido Kiko Kaishya Ltd "dispositif de traitement des eaux comprenant un ensemble a membrane de filtrage a pores de grandes dimensions"
ES2170644A1 (es) * 2000-03-22 2002-08-01 Luis Maria Rios-Aragues Sistema mejorado para la obtencion de agua desalada.
WO2005105271A1 (fr) * 2004-04-30 2005-11-10 Brian Douglas Parkinson Appareil d'osmose inverse a tete statique
US7726398B2 (en) 2005-06-16 2010-06-01 Bp Exploration Operating Company Limited Water flooding method
EP2125630A4 (fr) * 2007-02-14 2011-10-05 Dxv Water Technologies Llc Membrane exposée en profondeur pour extraction d'eau
WO2012131621A3 (fr) * 2011-03-31 2013-07-04 Dehlsen Associates, Llc Convertisseur d'énergie des vagues avec usine de dessalement
WO2019172775A1 (fr) 2018-03-06 2019-09-12 Stolpestad Tor M Procédé et système de production d'eau douce à l'aide d'un système à membrane d'osmose inverse
US10513446B2 (en) 2014-10-10 2019-12-24 EcoDesal, LLC Depth exposed membrane for water extraction
DE102023132887A1 (de) * 2023-11-24 2025-05-28 Membran Tech GmbH Verfahren und Vorrichtung zur Entsalzung von Meerwasser mittels Umkehrosmose

Citations (11)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3171808A (en) * 1960-11-30 1965-03-02 Harry W Todd Apparatus for extracting fresh water from ocean salt water
FR1462017A (fr) * 1964-12-30 1966-12-09 Siemens Ag Procédé et dispositif pour le traitement et le façonnage de substances et de pièces à travailler par l'action de la pression naturelle de l'eau
GB1141138A (en) * 1967-07-19 1969-01-29 Arthur Paul Pedrick Desalination of sea water, using reverse osmosis, in vessels submerged at depths for sufficient hydrostatic pressure
JPS5570387A (en) * 1978-11-22 1980-05-27 Yoshiro Hosoyama Fresh water obtaining system by reverse osmosis
JPS5599379A (en) * 1979-01-24 1980-07-29 Riichi Fujii Deep sea reverse osmotic pressure water making method
JPS55155788A (en) * 1979-05-22 1980-12-04 Nitto Kako Kk Method and device of salt-to-fresh water conversion by reverse osmosis method
JPS5653788A (en) * 1979-10-05 1981-05-13 Isamu Watanabe Fresh water making method from sea water
JPH02187189A (ja) * 1989-01-13 1990-07-23 Shiroguchi Kenkyusho:Kk 深層濾過装置
US5366635A (en) * 1992-11-27 1994-11-22 Global Water Technologies, Inc. Desalinization system and process
DE19647358A1 (de) * 1996-11-16 1998-05-20 Walter Graef Tiefsee-Wasser-Entsalzungsanlage
JPH10156356A (ja) * 1996-11-29 1998-06-16 Tokai Univ 淡水化方法及び淡水化装置

Patent Citations (11)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3171808A (en) * 1960-11-30 1965-03-02 Harry W Todd Apparatus for extracting fresh water from ocean salt water
FR1462017A (fr) * 1964-12-30 1966-12-09 Siemens Ag Procédé et dispositif pour le traitement et le façonnage de substances et de pièces à travailler par l'action de la pression naturelle de l'eau
GB1141138A (en) * 1967-07-19 1969-01-29 Arthur Paul Pedrick Desalination of sea water, using reverse osmosis, in vessels submerged at depths for sufficient hydrostatic pressure
JPS5570387A (en) * 1978-11-22 1980-05-27 Yoshiro Hosoyama Fresh water obtaining system by reverse osmosis
JPS5599379A (en) * 1979-01-24 1980-07-29 Riichi Fujii Deep sea reverse osmotic pressure water making method
JPS55155788A (en) * 1979-05-22 1980-12-04 Nitto Kako Kk Method and device of salt-to-fresh water conversion by reverse osmosis method
JPS5653788A (en) * 1979-10-05 1981-05-13 Isamu Watanabe Fresh water making method from sea water
JPH02187189A (ja) * 1989-01-13 1990-07-23 Shiroguchi Kenkyusho:Kk 深層濾過装置
US5366635A (en) * 1992-11-27 1994-11-22 Global Water Technologies, Inc. Desalinization system and process
DE19647358A1 (de) * 1996-11-16 1998-05-20 Walter Graef Tiefsee-Wasser-Entsalzungsanlage
JPH10156356A (ja) * 1996-11-29 1998-06-16 Tokai Univ 淡水化方法及び淡水化装置

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DATABASE WPI Section Ch Week 9834, Derwent World Patents Index; Class D15, AN 98-391817, XP002087795 *
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PATENT ABSTRACTS OF JAPAN vol. 004, no. 113 (C - 021) 13 August 1980 (1980-08-13) *
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PATENT ABSTRACTS OF JAPAN vol. 098, no. 011 30 September 1998 (1998-09-30) *

Cited By (12)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0968755A3 (fr) * 1998-05-25 2000-09-20 Wip Kg Installation pour la séparation/la concentration/le dessalement de liquides, en particulier l'eau de mer ou l'eau saumâtre, par osmose inverse en utilisant la pression hydrostatique
ES2170644A1 (es) * 2000-03-22 2002-08-01 Luis Maria Rios-Aragues Sistema mejorado para la obtencion de agua desalada.
EP1164109A1 (fr) * 2000-06-14 2001-12-19 Rochem Ultrafiltrations Systeme Gesellschaft für Abwasserreinigung mbH Dispositif pour la production d eau potable
FR2812219A1 (fr) * 2000-07-26 2002-02-01 Suido Kiko Kaishya Ltd "dispositif de traitement des eaux comprenant un ensemble a membrane de filtrage a pores de grandes dimensions"
WO2005105271A1 (fr) * 2004-04-30 2005-11-10 Brian Douglas Parkinson Appareil d'osmose inverse a tete statique
US7726398B2 (en) 2005-06-16 2010-06-01 Bp Exploration Operating Company Limited Water flooding method
EP2125630A4 (fr) * 2007-02-14 2011-10-05 Dxv Water Technologies Llc Membrane exposée en profondeur pour extraction d'eau
WO2012131621A3 (fr) * 2011-03-31 2013-07-04 Dehlsen Associates, Llc Convertisseur d'énergie des vagues avec usine de dessalement
US10513446B2 (en) 2014-10-10 2019-12-24 EcoDesal, LLC Depth exposed membrane for water extraction
WO2019172775A1 (fr) 2018-03-06 2019-09-12 Stolpestad Tor M Procédé et système de production d'eau douce à l'aide d'un système à membrane d'osmose inverse
US11603323B2 (en) 2018-03-06 2023-03-14 Tor M. STOLPESTAD Method and system for producing fresh water using a reverse osmosis membrane system
DE102023132887A1 (de) * 2023-11-24 2025-05-28 Membran Tech GmbH Verfahren und Vorrichtung zur Entsalzung von Meerwasser mittels Umkehrosmose

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
AU8645398A (en) 1999-02-22
ITRM970473A1 (it) 1999-01-29
IT1296306B1 (it) 1999-06-25

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