2.8—Process for Efficient Compound Distillation

Inland water desalination, wherein sparingly soluble species are present, presents a market problem due to the cost of disposing of the concentrate from a reverse osmosis process. Water supplies are lost due to the economic hurdle. This is a process (utility) invention wherein one intentionally uses a scaling-resistant, reverse osmosis membrane and module to initiate crystallization of targeted species. The reverse osmosis membrane is used to remove sufficient solvent (usually water) to supersaturate the targeted species, thus causing it to initiate nucleation of crystals and begin the process of desupersaturation. The desupersaturation is completed in other much smaller process equipment after exiting the membrane module. The development of scaling-resistant membranes enables the practice of this design. 

Inventor: John Pellegrino (CU Boulder Paul M. Rady Mechanical Engineering)

Potential Applications: Manufacturing, Health and Wellness, Biotech, Therapeutics