Abstract: Provided herein are copolymers and copolymer compositions that are both hydrophilic and oleophobic. The copolymers include structural units derived from a fluoroalkyl monomer and a zwitterionic monomer. It further relates to membranes formed by coating a porous substrate with the copolymeric compositions. The copolymeric coating imparts hydrophilicity and oleophobicity/oil-tolerance to the membranes. The uses of such membranes as microfiltration membrane or ultrafiltration membrane are also provided.

Abstract: A subsea water processing system and associated methods are disclosed. The subsea water processing system includes a microfiltration unit, an ultrafiltration unit, and an electrochemical unit. The microfiltration unit includes an oil-tolerant microfiltration membrane and is configured to receive a stream of produced water and to produce a first treated stream of water. The ultrafiltration unit is fluidly connected downstream of the microfiltration unit, includes an oil-rejecting ultrafiltration membrane, and is configured to receive the first treated stream of water and to produce a second treated stream of water. The electrochemical unit is fluidly connected to at least one of the microfiltration unit or the ultrafiltration unit, and is configured to produce an acid and a base, and to deliver the acid, the base, or both the acid and the base to the at least one of the microfiltration unit or the ultrafiltration unit during a cleaning cycle.

Abstract: A method of removing barium and naturally occurring radioactive material from produced water. The method includes pretreating the produced water having a pH in a range of from about 4.0 to about 10.0 with a sulfate source to form a suspension of barium sulfate, radium sulfate, or a combination thereof, treating the pretreated produced water with an anionic flocculant and gravitational])? separating the treated produced water from the barium sulfate, radium sulfate, or a combination thereof.

Abstract: Provided herein are copolymers and copolymer compositions that are both hydrophilic and oleophobic. The copolymers include structural units derived from a fluoroalkyl monomer and a zwitterionic monomer. It further relates to membranes formed by coating a porous substrate with the copolymeric compositions. The copolymeric coating imparts hydrophilicity and oleophobicity/oil-tolerance to the membranes. The uses of such membranes as microfiltration membrane or ultrafiltration membrane are also provided.

Abstract: Provided herein are copolymers and copolymer compositions that are both hydrophilic and oleophobic. The copolymers include structural units derived from a fluoroalkyl monomer and a zwitterionic monomer. It further relates to membranes formed by coating a porous substrate with the copolymeric compositions. The copolymeric coating imparts hydrophilicity and oleophobicity/oil-tolerance to the membranes. The uses of such membranes as microfiltration membrane or ultrafiltration membrane are also provided.

Abstract: Provided herein are copolymers and copolymer compositions that are both hydrophilic and oleophobic. The copolymers include structural units derived from a fluoroalkyl monomer and a zwitterionic monomer. It further relates to membranes formed by coating a porous substrate with the copolymeric compositions. The copolymeric coating imparts hydrophilicity and oleophobicity/oil-tolerance to the membranes. The uses of such membranes as microfiltration membrane or ultrafiltration membrane are also provided.

Abstract: A method for treating low barium frac water includes contacting a frac water stream with a radium selective complexing resin to produce a low radium stream, passing the low radium stream through a thermal brine concentrator to produce a concentrated brine; and passing the concentrated brine through a thermal crystallizer to yield road salt.

Abstract: A method for removing ionic species from a desalination unit, comprises: (a) circulating a wash stream in a closed loop comprising a desalination unit and a precipitation unit, the wash stream flowing at a linear velocity of at least 5 cm/second through the desalination unit, the wash stream becoming more saline after passage through the desalination unit; and (b) removing a portion of calcium sulfate from the wash stream by precipitation in the precipitation unit to obtain a supersaturation degree of calcium sulfate in the wash stream entering the desalination unit in a range of from about 1.0 to about 3.0.

Abstract: Bis(halophthalimides) are prepared in mixture in an organic liquid such as ortho-dichlorobenzene or anisole, by a reaction at a temperature of at least 150° C. between at least one diamine compound and at least one halophthalic anhydride in the presence of imidization catalyst. The reaction mixture is maintained at about 15% by weight solids content and rich in the halophthalic anhydride by constantly monitoring the reaction mixture using analytical methods such as high performance liquid chromatography. The product mixture may be directly employed in the direct preparation of polyetherimides, and similar slurries may be employed to prepare other polyether polymers.

Abstract: Methods for treating water to remove radium include contacting the water with a magnetic adsorbent comprising manganese oxide(s), and applying a magnetic field to separate the magnetic adsorbent from the water, whereby radium is removed from the water. The methods may additionally include regenerating the magnetic adsorbent, and contacting the water with regenerated magnetic adsorbent. Alternately, calcium and/or strontium may be precipitated as carbonate salts from lime-treated water containing radium and barium without precipitating a significant fraction of the barium or radium; and removing radium from calcium- and strontium-free water by precipitating the barium and radium as carbonate salts. The barium- and radium carbonate precipitate may be redissolved in hydrochloric acid and disposed of by deep-well injection.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for the efficient purification of aqueous liquids comprising an ionic solute. The liquids are purified by a plurality supercapacitor desalination units working in tandem; a first unit operating in “charge” mode, deionizing the feed solution and producing a purified product liquid, while a second supercapacitor desalination unit is operated in “discharge” mode, releasing ions into a circulating stream and producing a concentrate. The output of the first desalination unit is removed as a purified product stream. The output of the second desalination unit is a concentrate, which is directed to a common precipitation unit where a portion of the ionic solute is precipitated and separated from the remaining liquid phase, which may be recirculated to the second desalination unit. The use of two supercapacitor desalination units operating out of phase allows the common precipitation unit to be operated continuously under steady state conditions.

Abstract: A method for treating low barium frac water includes contacting a frac water stream with a radium selective complexing resin to produce a low radium stream, passing the low radium stream through a thermal brine concentrator to produce a concentrated brine; and passing the concentrated brine through a thermal crystallizer to yield road salt.

Abstract: A method for treating crude or residual fuel oil includes extracting vanadium from the fuel oil by contacting the fuel oil with an adsorbent and a solvent. The adsorbent may be modified with a compound having both acidic functionality and basic functionality. The method provides effective removal of vanadium from crude or residual fuel oil at moderate temperatures.

Abstract: A precipitation device comprises a precipitation element disposed within a vessel and configured to define a precipitation zone and a solid-liquid separation zone between the precipitation element and the vessel, the precipitation zone configured to receive a first stream of saline liquid and to precipitate solids from the saline liquid, the solid-liquid separation zone configured to settle the solids by gravity, and an exit port located in an upper portion of the vessel and configured for exit of a second stream of liquid of lower salinity than the first stream, wherein a ratio of a diameter of the vessel to a diameter of the precipitation element ranges from about 1.5 to about 2.8. Associated system and method are also provided.

Abstract: A heat recovery system is disclosed, and includes a thermally-stable, organic working fluid which is based on a mixture of thiophene or a derivative thereof, and at least one hydrocarbon having a boiling point in the range of about 25° C. to about 125° C. A method for recovering waste-heat from a power plant is also described, and includes the step of directing the waste-heat to the heat-recovery system as described herein. A photometric sensor system for the detection of oxidative activity in an industrial process is disclosed, and includes the working fluid described above, and a detector for detecting a color change in the fluid, which signifies oxidative activity.

Abstract: A method for preparing a metal salt of a hydroxy-substituted aromatic compound is described. The method comprises contacting in an aqueous medium at least one hydroxy-substituted aromatic compound with a base comprising a metal cation to provide a mixture comprising water and a metal salt of said hydroxy-substituted aromatic compound. The aqueous metal salt is then contacted with a substantially water-immiscible solvent at a temperature greater than the boiling point of water at the prevailing pressure to provide a slurry comprising the metal salt of the hydroxy-substituted aromatic compound and a vapor stream comprising the water-immiscible solvent and water. The components of the vapor stream are separated using a vapor handling system comprising a partial reflux condenser to provide a water-rich component and a water immiscible solvent-rich component.

Abstract: A desalination system comprises an electrical separation device configured to receive and ionize a first stream for desalination and a crystallization device. The crystallization device is configured to provide a second stream to the electrical separation device to carry away ions from the first stream, and defining a crystallization zone for facilitating precipitation of the ions and a solid-liquid separation zone in fluid communication with the crystallization zone for separation of the precipitate. A desalination method is also presented.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for removing a neutral or an ionic guanidine compound from aqueous media optionally comprising an alkali metal halide, wherein the method is selected from the group consisting of (a) adsorption onto a carbonaceous adsorbent, (b) adsorption onto a clay adsorbent, (c) filtration through a nanofiltration membrane, and (d) removal of water and calcination.

Abstract: A method for removing ionic species from a desalination unit, comprises: (a) circulating a wash stream in a closed loop comprising a desalination unit and a precipitation unit, the wash stream flowing at a linear velocity of at least 5 cm/second through the desalination unit, the wash stream becoming more saline after passage through the desalination unit; and (b) removing a portion of calcium sulfate from the wash stream by precipitation in the precipitation unit to obtain a supersaturation degree of calcium sulfate in the wash stream entering the desalination unit in a range of from about 1.0 to about 3.0.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are polysiloxane-polycarbonate copolymer articles. In one embodiment, a ?th inch thick bar formed from the thermoplastic composition has a B-Y ratio of less than or equal to about 1.75. This article, which has a dimension that is greater than or equal to 1.5 cm, comprises the thermoplastic composition which comprises a polysiloxane-polycarbonate copolymer, wherein the copolymer comprises repeating diorganosiloxane units of formula (1): wherein each R is, independently, a C1-13 monovalent organic group; and E has an average value of 20 to 35.