Abstract: A submerged offshore reverse osmosis desalination apparatus and method uses product water from the apparatus and an onshore cooler or heat exchanger to provide or improve the cooling of a Sea Water Air Conditioning (SWAC) system, power plant, data center, Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) system, or Rankine Cycle heat engine.

Abstract: A submersible reverse osmosis desalination apparatus uses low temperature concentrate or brine from the desalination apparatus to provide a high volume cold liquid stream to an Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) heat engine. The OTEC engine also employs a warm liquid stream and uses the cold and warm liquid streams to obtain electrical power from a closed-cycle or open-cycle heat exchange and generator system. Use of the concentrate or brine stream provides a much greater liquid volume and much greater cold thermal energy content than would be obtained by using cold desalinated product water from the desalination apparatus in the OTEC heat engine.

Abstract: A submersible water desalination apparatus includes an array of generally parallel water separation membrane cartridges each having a water separation membrane, an impermeable cartridge wall surrounding the membrane, and a product water collection tube that collects from inside the cartridges at least partially desalinated product water passing through the membrane, and through which the at least partially desalinated water exits the cartridges and enters a product water collection manifold. The cartridges are mounted in a perforated divider plate. In embodiments, a) the manifold is adhesively bonded to a plurality of the collection tubes, orb) the divider plate is adhesively bonded to a plurality of the cartridge walls or ends, or both a) and b). The adhesive reduces the likelihood of leakage at the manifold or divider plate.

Abstract: A desalination brine dispersal apparatus and method employ airlift to remove, oxygenate and disperse brine from a desalination apparatus. The apparatus includes a brine removal conduit having a brine inlet that receives brine from the desalination apparatus, a plurality of brine outlets submerged in seawater and one or more air introduction points located at depths below the brine outlets. The supplied air oxygenates and moves brine through the brine removal conduit and outlets via airlift and disperses the brine into seawater away from the brine removal conduit. The apparatus avoids the formation of concentrated, high shear brine plumes and can disperse brine into seawater over a wide area well away from the brine removal conduit.

Abstract: A submersible reverse osmosis desalination apparatus and method employs airlift to remove desalinated water from the apparatus via as annular flow regime over a substantial portion of the product water discharge conduit. Use of a high air fraction for airlift operation and an annular flow regime significantly lowers the weight of the product water column, as well as the backpressure on the downstream side of the osmotic membranes and at the bottom of the discharge water conduit. This permits deployment of the apparatus at reduced depths and in many eases closer to shore. In preferred embodiments the apparatus relies wholly upon hydrostatic pressure to drive seawater through the osmotic membranes, and continuously desalinates seawater and delivers pure water to the discharge water conduit without using any submerged moving parts subject to wear or breakage.