Abstract: Locally backwashing portions of filter media allows a simple and effective design of intake and pretreatment units, as well as their integration. An enclosure is used to limit portions of filter media and backwash them locally by suction, utilizing filtered water from adjacent filter media as the back wash water. Wastewater is produced at small amounts that allows efficient sludge treatment. This design enables water pretreatment at the intake unit, simplifying overall plant design and preventing damage to organisms living outside the intake unit.

Abstract: A method of operating a pressure-retarded osmosis plant, the plant comprising at least one osmosis element having a semi-permeable membrane, the semi-permeable membrane defining a feed side and a permeate side of the osmosis element, the method comprising, in a first mode of operation, supplying a feed stream having a relatively high concentration of solute to the feed side, supplying a permeate stream having a relatively low concentration of solute to an inlet of the permeate side, and receiving a feed outlet stream from the feed side wherein permeate has passed through the semi-permeable membrane from the permeate side to the feed side, in a second mode of operation, supplying a backwash stream having a relatively low concentration to the feed side of the osmosis element such that water passes through the semi-permeable membrane, and receiving a permeate outlet stream from an outlet of the permeate side, the method further comprising alternately performing the first mode of operation, to perform a productio

Abstract: An osmosis element comprising a central permeate tube and a membrane element, the membrane having a first part and a second part, the first part having a top edge for location adjacent the central tube, the second part being disposed at the opposite edge, the first part comprising a material to allow water to flow therethrough, the second part comprising at least two adjacent permeate spacers extending from the first part to allow water to flow therethrough, the permeate spacers having a semi-permeable membrane attached to opposed faces of the two adjacent permeate spacers, the first part comprising a barrier extending from the vicinity of the top edge, the central tube comprising an external wall and a longitudinally extending internal separator defining a first channel and a second channel each extending longitudinally of the central permeate tube, at least one first aperture extending from the first channel though the external wall and at least one second aperture extending from the second channel through

Abstract: A desalination system (100) having an intake unit (110) providing seawater to a pre-treatment unit (120) connected to a reverse osmosis (RO) desalination unit (130) and a post treatment unit (150). The desalination system (100) is configured to operate without any external addition of chemicals to simplify logistics and regulation concerns. The units of the system are configured to prevent biofouling, scaling and corrosion by mechanical and biological means including high flow speeds, biological flocculation of colloids, and making the water entering the RO units inhospitable to bacteria and other organisms that cause biofouling, hence preventing their settlement and removing them with the brine. Recovery rate is lowered and energy is recovered to increase the energetic efficiency and minerals that are added to the product water are taken from the brine.

Abstract: A system and method for the structure and operation of a work exchanger system in a reverse osmosis plant is disclosed. The work exchanger system is characterized by a an array of multiple work exchanger chambers each being individually controlled and operated to a meet an aggregate need of pressure recovery by the entire system. Each work exchanger chamber is characterized by at least one valve having a bypass system which is configured to equalize pressure on both sides of the valve. Such an equalizing process's delays are monitored and controlled by the central systems' controlling system to create no restrictions to reject high pressure brine flow in a reverse osmosis system at any given time.

Abstract: A desalination system (100) having an intake unit (110) providing seawater to a pre-treatment unit (120) connected to a reverse osmosis (RO) desalination unit (130) and a post treatment unit (150). The desalination system (100) is configured to operate without any external addition of chemicals to simplify logistics and regulation concerns. The units of the system are configured to prevent biofouling, scaling and corrosion by mechanical and biological means including high flow speeds, biological flocculation of colloids, and making the water entering the RO units inhospitable to bacteria and other organisms that cause biofouling, hence preventing their settlement and removing them with the brine. Recovery rate is lowered and energy is recovered to increase the energetic efficiency and minerals that are added to the product water are taken from the brine.

Abstract: A printer includes a global skew adjustment and a print head assembly having an adjustment mechanism.

Abstract: Combining flue gas treatment, and in particular CO2 sequestration, with hardening of reverse osmosis (RO) permeate. Flue gas is compressed and injected into pressurized water, being either cooling water or RO permeate. The water with dissolved CO2 is either dispensed into the sea for biological fixation of the CO2 or, in the case of RO permeate, mixed with limestone to harden the product water.

Abstract: Locally backwashing portions of filter media allows a simple and effective design of intake and pretreatment units, as well as their integration. An enclosure is used to limit portions of filter media and backwash them locally by suction, utilizing filtered water from adjacent filter media as the back wash water. Wastewater is produced at small amounts that allows efficient sludge treatment. This design enables water pretreatment at the intake unit, simplifying overall plant design and preventing damage to organisms living outside the intake unit.

Abstract: A printer includes a global skew adjustment and a print head assembly having an adjustment mechanism.

Abstract: A desalination system (100) having an intake unit (110) providing seawater to a pre-treatment unit (120) connected to a reverse osmosis (RO) desalination unit (130) and a post treatment unit (150). The desalination system (100) is configured to operate without any external addition of chemicals to simplify logistics and regulation concerns. The units of the system are configured to prevent biofouling, scaling and corrosion by mechanical and biological means including high flow speeds, biological flocculation of colloids, and making the water entering the RO units inhospitable to bacteria and other organisms that cause biofouling, hence preventing their settlement and removing them with the brine. Recovery rate is lowered and energy is recovered to increase the energetic efficiency and minerals that are added to the product water are taken from the brine.

Abstract: According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a desalination system comprising a plurality of elongated pressure vessels (PV). Each PV has a longitudinal axis, oriented such that the longitudinal axis thereof is of a vertical orientation. Each of the PVs is adapted to receive therein a plurality n of desalination membranes. The membranes located above the lowermost membrane within the PV have a total weight allowing them to function as a mechanism limiting axial expansion of the lowermost membrane, whereby the PV is free of any additional limiting mechanism.

Abstract: Combining flue gas treatment, and in particular CO2 sequestration, with hardening of reverse osmosis (RO) permeate. Flue gas is compressed and injected into pressurized water, being either cooling water or RO permeate. The water with dissolved CO2 is either dispensed into the sea for biological fixation of the CO2 or, in the case of RO permeate, mixed with limestone to harden the product water.

Abstract: Periodically operating a forward osmosis (FO) semi-permeable membrane element in reverse osmosis (RO), to yield product extraction on a feed side of the membrane, to flush out a concentration polarization (salt concentration of the feed side and dilution of draw solution on the draw side) across the membrane. Utilizing treated waste water to generate the flushing solution of low osmotic pressure, and gauge pressurizing the flushing solution to the gauge pressure of the draw solution to keep a constant gauge pressure of the solutions. FO process is interrupted every 5-20 minutes for a 10-60 seconds long flushing RO process, thereby increasing the FO throughput five fold and recovering power from the increased throughput, i.e. from the osmotic pressure of the brine.

Abstract: A desalination system based on forward osmosis, that uses a draw solution at high osmotic and gauge pressures to generate mechanical power from the expansion of the draw solution due to water extracted from feed water through a semi-permeable membrane. The extracted water is produced during the regeneration of the draw solution. The generated power may be used to desalinate additional feed water, e.g. via reverse osmosis, such that most power needed for the reverse osmosis is supplied from the expanding draw solution, e.g. via a work exchanger. After power recovery, partly dilute draw solution may be used to extract additional water from feed water via an additional forward osmosis module.

Abstract: A vertical desalination element comprising a vertical pressure vessel (PV), membrane elements, and a loading mechanism for loading the membrane elements into the vertical PV. The vertical arrangement of the membrane elements and the vertical PV enhances air bubble percolation, increases construction efficiency and allow handling heavy membrane elements. The membrane elements may be loaded singly or groupwise, from either the upper or the lower end of the vertical PV. The loading mechanism may comprise various appliances and devices for supporting and securing the membrane elements, and may apply various ways of loading and releasing the membrane elements.

Abstract: A method for improving performance of an original reverse osmosis system for seawater desalination, the original system comprising a high pressure pump, a reverse osmosis membrane arrangement, a pump hydraulic line and a turbine hydraulic line, the method comprising operating the motor at a power lower than a normal operation power; providing an energy recovery device; splitting new brine flow to a first brine flow; supplying an additional seawater; providing a booster pump; providing an energy recovery device hydraulic line; providing a first booster pump hydraulic line; and providing a second booster pump hydraulic line.

Abstract: A wide/super wide digital printer comprising a printer head box that reciprocates from left to right across a wide or super wide printing table having a length of up to 20 cm that is supported by a fixed support, and a feed roller and a guiding roller that are moveably coupled to the fixed support, wherein the wide/super wide digital printer is configurable as a roll to roll printer by lowering the feed roller and the guiding roller to a lowered configuration wherein uppermost parts of the feed roller and the guiding roller are below upper surface of printing table, or as a discontinuous sheet printer by raising the feed roller and the guiding roller to a raised configuration wherein the uppermost parts of the feed roller and the guiding roller are collinear with the upper surface of the printing table.

Abstract: A vertical desalination element comprising a vertical pressure vessel (PV), membrane elements, and a loading mechanism for loading the membrane elements into the vertical PV. The vertical arrangement of the membrane elements and the vertical PV enhances air bubble percolation, increases construction efficiency and allow handling heavy membrane elements. The membrane elements may be loaded singly or groupwise, from either the upper or the lower end of the vertical PV. The loading mechanism may comprise various appliances and devices for supporting and securing the membrane elements, and may apply various ways of loading and releasing the membrane elements.

Abstract: According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a desalination system comprising a plurality of elongated pressure vessels (PV). Each PV has a longitudinal axis, oriented such that the longitudinal axis thereof is of a vertical orientation. Each of the PVs is adapted to receive therein a plurality n of desalination membranes. The membranes located above the lowermost membrane within the PV have a total weight allowing them to function as a mechanism limiting axial expansion of the lowermost membrane, whereby the PV is free of any additional limiting mechanism.