WO2009135497A2

WO2009135497A2 - Use of nanoconsolidated energy current for water desalination

Info

Publication number: WO2009135497A2
Application number: PCT/EG2009/000014
Authority: WO
Inventors: Adel Mohammad Salem Alshareef
Original assignee: Adel Mohammad Salem Alshareef
Priority date: 2008-05-06
Filing date: 2009-05-04
Publication date: 2009-11-12
Also published as: WO2009135497A9

Abstract

The innovative idea of water desalination device depends on the formation of liquid crystalline water from the salt water & brackish water by passing any type of revived, nanotech consolidated energy through it. The device consists of aquatic reactor that receives salt water or brackish water through a pipe that opens in a special port in its wall. The reactor has many vents at its periphery through which passes the desalinated & refined water. The wall of the reactor is made of hydrophilic material that is manufactured using nanotechnology procedures, materials, and techniques. Connected to the energy source outside the reactor are two energy poles (cathode & anode) that pass through two ports in the wall of the reactor to submerge deep in the salt and brackish water. when the energy passes through the poles, water particles in the vicinity of the reactor's hydrophilic wall crystallize thus driving away salt particles ( in case of salt water ) and other impurities ( in case of brackish water ) towards the charged poles in the center of the reactor thus forming a liquid crystal water zone at the wall of the reactor. At that time the valves open thus draining liquid crystal water to the collecting tank (diagram 1).

Description

Use of Nanoconsolidated Energy Current

for Water Desalination

Technical Field :

Water desalination and nanotechnology . Background Art :

The importance of fresh water is clearly evident to everybody to an extent that the whole world is facing a hard challenge in the sense of fresh water provision wherein the average water consumption is doubled every twenty years ; an average that surpasses the population growth rate twice. The fact that oceans comprise 97.5 % of the planet water and most of the remaining part ( 2 % ) is sequestered in the snow thus leaving only minute portion ( 0.5 % ) of planet water available for human use , has pushed people to compete strongly finding suitable ways of water desalination and purification .

Shortage of water supply has negative impacts on the economy and lifestyles . Hence the world health organization has put standards of potable water wherein a salinity level higher than 0.25 - 0.5 gram / liter is not allowed .

Nevertheless , drawing people's attention and increasing their awareness of the importance of fresh potable water and the devastating difficulties in its provision , remains the best and most helpful way of water provision and preservation . some of desalination methods known so far are :

1. Distillation /Multi-stage flash distillation (MSF) /Multiple-effect evaporator (MED|ME) /Vapor-compression evaporation (VC) Evaporation/condensation

2. Ion exchange¹-⁵-^{1 [6]}

3. Membrane processes / Electrodialvsis reversal (EDR) /Reverse osmosis (RO) / Nanofiltration (NF) /Forward osmosis (FO) Membrane distillation (MD)

4. Freezing

5.Geothermal desalination 6. Solar humidification (HDH₃ MEH)

7. Methane hydrate crystallization

8. High grade water recycling /RF Induced Hyperthermia

Since July 2004 , the two most commonly used methods are ; the reverse osmosis ( 47.2% ) and the multistage flash distillation ( 36.5% ). The commonly used methods of desalination face a lot of problems viz ; high cost , energy source , technical difficulties that are related to their design , and the waste products that oblige workers to clean the filters frequently . This indicates the pressing need to evolve a desalination method and machine that avoids all the disadvantages of previous methods with regard to the cost and the waste they produce . In respect to these merits , I can say that our invention fully satisfies these needs .

Disclosure of Invention :

This invention is related to water desalination field of knowledge , and is particularly related to nanotechnology procedures that can be used in desalination of salt water and brackish water by passing revived nanotech consolidated electric energy through it .

Having in mind the aforementioned problems that are encountered with the conventional methods of water desalination , we find that the current invention parallels them in the sense that it provides desalinated water but with the minimum need for regular maintenance and waste elimination .

To realize this , the aquatic reactor receives salt or brackish water , that is intended to be desalinated , through water inlet pipe or port . Then , the revived nanotech or non-nanotech consolidated energy source ( solar or others ) sends energy current through the electric poles towards the center of the water . This will attract salt particles and impurities towards the electric poles away from the wall of the reactor , whereby a layer of liquid crystalline water forms thus creating an isthmus between salt water and desalinated water portions of the reactor .

This invention is superior to other conventional methods of water desalination in the sense that it overcomes their vices or disadvantages , viz ; the energy source , the cost , and the maintenance . Claims were based on this fact .

Being cost effective , simple , and environmentally safe , this invention which intends to provide a novel method of water desalination , can be used at homes , as well as new and old cities . Referring to the illustrative diagrams 1 , 2 ,and 3 , we will describe in details the procedure of desalinating and refining salt and brackish water by passing through it the nanotech based energy ; meanwhile we will have a quick survey on the basic concepts of this invention .

The whole process occurs inside a water reactor ( diagram 1 ) .

The energy poles ; cathode and anode ( item 3 diagram 1) are insulated by insulator ( item 4 diagram 1) which insulates them ( except at their ends at the heart of the reactor ) from the surrounding water and the reactor's wall ( item 1 diagram 1 ) .

When the energy ( electric ) current passes inside water through the energy poles ( item 3 diagram 1 ) , the energy current will crystallize contiguous water particles ( diagram 3 ) and stratify them in a reiterative manner in millions of layers. This pavement occurs near the surface of the hydrophilic wall ( item 1 diagram 1 ) of the aquatic reactor ( diagram 1 ) ; the wall could be made of simple materials or nano particles which increase its durability , tensile strength , and resistance to oxidation and rust formation . This process draws the impurities and salt particles towards the center ( heart ) of the reactor i.e. away from the hydrophilic surface . According to the international researches in nanotechnology , usage of the nanotech consolidated revived energy will increase the efficacy of this process many folds ; for example , the Japanese researchers have managed to increase the efficiency of solar energy plants from 22% up to 50% .

This way , millions of jelly like liquid crystals are formed in layers ; the thickness of each is measured in nanometer units . Many factors play a role in increasing the thickness of the liquid crystal water zone ; amongst them are two crucial factors ; the first is the amount of energy that passes through the water ( direct relationship ) , and the second is the degree of acidity ( ph ) of the salt or brackish water ( reverse or inverse relationship). When liquid crystal water forms , the computerized aquatic reactor opens the valves ( item 7 diagram 1 ) at ports of the collecting ( drainage ) tubes. At that time the liquid crystal water is relieved from the electric field of the inside of the reactor , thus changes from jelly form to regular liquid form which will collect in the collection reservoir or tank ( item 11 diagram 1 ) .

This process continues until salt water comes in the vicinity of drainage tube ( actually very minute amount of it may enter inside the tubes ) where salt sensors ( item 8 diagram 1 ) notice this and send signals to close the valves ( item 9 diagram 1 ) . This way , water inside the reactor will be highly concentrated in a sense that it contains high amounts of salt , alkaline materials ,and impurities .we get rid of this water through water disposal pipe system ( item 10 diagram 1 )

Because of the formation of liquid crystal water zone that is free of salts and alkali ; a voltage difference is created between this zone and the rest of salt brackish water present inside the reactor . This will give us the opportunity to create electric current if we insert two sets of electrode ( item 13 diagram 2 ) in the two zones . This can be likened to the already known water batteries .

The crystals of water have been studied extensively and photographed at IHM institute headed by professor Tacheij kizo . They freeze the crystals and watch them under metallic electron microscope , where its light beam is spotlighted on the bulge ( or intumescence ) in the middle of the specimen and watched for sometimes until a photograph is the captured .

Brief Description of Diagrams : Diagram 1: shows the comprehensive design of nanotech based water reactor used in water desalination . It shows all parts of the reactor as follows :

1- The wall of the reactor ; it could be made of simple materials or nano particles that increase its durability , tensile strength , and resistance to oxidation and rust formation .

2- Salt or brackish water source .

3- Nano based energy poles ( cathode and anode ) that pass the current inside water at the heart of the reactor .

4- Insulator that insulates energy poles from the surrounding water , and the reactor's wall .

5- Liquid crystal water zone where crystals form .

6- Isthmus that separates the salt brackish water from the liquid crystal zone .

7- Liquid crystal water drainage ( collection ) system .

8- Salt sensors .

9- Chemical additive ( alkaline ) port or pipe .

10- Highly salted water disposal pipe .

11- Desalinated water collection tank . Diagram 2 :

Water battery idea of the reactor . The energy poles installed in the aquatic reactor have been distributed on two zones ; viz , liquid crystal water zone , and reactor's center that contains salt water , thus creating voltage difference like what happens in water batteries .

Diagram 3 :

Some shapes of water crystals as seen on electron microscopy .

Claims

1- Water desalination by forming crystalline liquid water by passing revived nanotechnology consolidated energy through it .

2- Water desalination by forming crystalline liquid water by passing unrevived regular energy through it .

3- Designing aquatic reactor as seen in ( diagram 1) whereas its wall

( item 1 diagram 1) is made of hydrophilic nano material , its energy source is nanotech consolidated, and its salt sensors ( item 9 diagram 1 ) are made with nanobiological techniques .

4- Designing aquatic reactor as seen in ( diagram 2) which is the same as diagram 1( its wall , energy source , and salt sensors ) , but in addition , it bears the characteristic of using the reactor as a water battery .

5- Use of aquatic reactor as energy source ( water battery ) .

6- Use of nanobiological wall of the reactor .

7- Use of regular (non - nanobiological) wall of the reactor.

8- Use of nanobiological salt sensors.

9- Use of regular (non - nanobiological) salt sensors .

10- Designing the aquatic reactor that does not use alkali i.e. without alkali port tube , so that there will not be chemical refuse .

11- Designing the aquatic reactor that uses alkali , hence , having alkali refuse system that adds some neutralizing acids to neutralize them before discarding them ; thus saving the environment .

12- The design that uses revived nanotech consolidated solar energy as a source of energy passing through the poles .

13- The design that uses nonrevived non-nanotech consolidated solar energy as a source of energy passing through the poles . 14- The design that uses revived nanotech consolidated ultrasound waves as a source of energy passing through the poles.

15- The design that uses nonrevived non- nanotech consolidated ultrasound waves as a source of energy passing through the poles.

16- The design that uses revived nanotech consolidated sound waves as a source of energy passing through the poles.

17- The design that uses nonrevived non- nanotech consolidated sound waves as a source of energy passing through the poles.

18- The design that uses revived nanotech consolidated nuclear energy as a source of energy passing through the poles ( aquatic nano- nuclear reactor ).

19- The design that uses nonrevived non- nanotech consolidated nuclear energy as a source of energy passing through the poles

( aquatic nuclear reactor ).

20- The design that uses revived nanotech consolidated electric energy as a source of energy passing through the poles .

21- The design that uses nonrevived non- nanotech consolidated electric energy as a source of energy passing through the pole.

22- The design that uses revived nanotech consolidated electromagnetic energy as a source of energy passing through the poles .

23- The design that uses nonrevived non- nanotech consolidated electromagnetic energy as a source of energy passing through the pole.

24- The design that uses revived nanotech consolidated terrestrial ( earth ) heat energy as a source of energy passing through the poles .

25- The design that uses nonrevived non- nanotech consolidated terrestrial ( earth ) heat energy as a source of energy passing through the pole.

26- The design that uses revived nanotech consolidated thermal energy as a source of energy passing through the poles .

27- The design that uses nonrevived non- nanotech consolidated thermal energy as a source of energy passing through the pole.

28- The design that uses revived nanotech consolidated radioactive energy as a source of energy passing through the poles.

29- The design that uses nonrevived non- nanotech consolidated radioactive energy as a source of energy passing through the pole. 30- The design that uses revived nanotech consolidated chemical energy as a source of energy passing through the poles.

31- The design that uses nonrevived non- nanotech consolidated chemical energy as a source of energy passing through the pole.

32- The design that uses revived nanotech consolidated sea and oceanic energy ( tide and ebb tide ) as a source of energy passing through the poles.

33- The design that uses nonrevived non- nanotech consolidated sea and oceanic energy ( tide and ebb tide ) as a source of energy passing through the poles.

34- The design that uses revived nanotech consolidated sea and oceanic energy ( sea waves energy ) as a source of energy passing through the poles.

35- The design that uses nonrevived non- nanotech consolidated sea and oceanic energy ( sea waves energy ) as a source of energy passing through the poles.

36- The design that uses revived nanotech consolidated refuse energy as a source of energy passing through the poles.

37- The design that uses nonrevived non- nanotech consolidated refuse energy as a source of energy passing through the poles.

38- The design that uses a mixture of any two or more of the aforementioned types of energy as a source of energy passing through the poles.

39- The design that uses any type of energy and was not mentioned above as a source of energy passing through the poles.

40- A domestic design that can be used at homes which is merely one of the above mentioned designs but in a small scale suitable for home use . The domestic design can utilize sewage water .

41- Designs that suite different purposes and different places for example , the farms , the factories , dormitories , companies , malls , sea coasts , hotels , play yards, palaces , Olympic cities , campus , etc .