Abstract: Methods and systems of lowering a concentration of divalent cations in lithium-containing brines are described. A method includes diluting saturated salar brine such that sodium chloride concentration is at most about 80% of saturation. The method also includes feeding the diluted salar brine to a high pressure nanofiltration system operating at pressure above about 60 bar effective to form a permeate and a concentrate. The method also includes collecting the permeate having a lower concentration of divalent cations relative to the saturated salar brine.

Abstract: The embodiments disclosed herein include forward osmosis hydration and dewatering devices. The forwards osmosis devices disclosed herein include one or more forward osmosis membranes and one or more barriers. The barriers are configured to protect the forward osmosis membranes from damage, such as damage caused by contact between at least one osmotic agent or another ingredients of the forward osmosis device.

Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein relate to an osmotic milk concentrator having a nutrient fortified draw solution and related methods. The osmotic milk concentrator includes at least one draw material reservoir, at least one human milk reservoir, at least one semi-permeable membrane between the at least one draw material reservoir and the at least one human milk reservoir.

Abstract: Described herein is a submerged plate membrane device intended for use in forward osmosis processes, particularly for concentrating various process streams such as those in ponds. Particular examples of feed streams that may be concentrated are for example the following feed solutions: brines, seawater, drilling mud, waste water, bio-digestate, and the like. Thus, the process and device described herein are useful for de-watering, and thus concentrating, the content of solar evaporation ponds and drilling mud ponds.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are processes, methods, and devices for use in water reclamation, including a system comprising an osmotic membrane bioreactor (OMBR), a microporous membrane bioreactor (MBR), a biological nitrogen removal system (BNR), and a source of high osmotic pressure solution (draw solution), and a reconcentration process to achieve high water recovery at low energy expenditure, which may produce purified water streams of different qualities in parallel. Disclosed processes, methods, and systems for the treating of waste water may further provide for production other useful products, for example, fertilizers. One embodiment of the disclosed systems, processes, or methods may include a hybrid membrane bioreactor comprising a semipermeable membrane and a porous membrane.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are processes, methods, and devices for use in water reclamation, including a system comprising an osmotic membrane bioreactor (OMBR), a microporous membrane bioreactor (MBR), a biological nitrogen removal system (BNR), and a source of high osmotic pressure solution (draw solution), and a reconcentration process to achieve high water recovery at low energy expenditure, which may produce purified water streams of different qualities in parallel. Disclosed processes, methods, and systems for the treating of waste water may further provide for production other useful products, for example, fertilizers. One embodiment of the disclosed systems, processes, or methods may include a hybrid membrane bioreactor comprising a semipermeable membrane and a porous membrane.

Abstract: Methods and systems for generating strong brines are disclosed in which a feed stream and a draw inlet stream are passed through a forward osmosis membrane to create a concentrate and a draw outlet stream, the draw outlet stream is passed through a reverse osmosis membrane to create a reverse osmosis permeate flow and a reverse osmosis retentate flow, the reverse osmosis retentate flow is passed through a first nanofiltration membrane to create a first nanofiltration permeate flow and a first nanofiltration retentate flow; and the first nanofiltration retentate flow is passed through a second nanofiltration membrane to create a second nanofiltration permeate flow and a second nanofiltration retentate flow. In some embodiments, the process is repeated through a third nanofiltration membrane. The process may be repeated through a third nanofiltration membrane.

Abstract: Described herein is a structure for a permeate spacer for use in spiral wound osmosis membrane elements, having at least two sets of parallel ribs, wherein the ribs in the first set are oriented at about a 90 degree angle to the ribs in the second set. The permeate spacer is used by sandwiching it inside a membrane envelope or leaf, and is particularly useful for non-pressure-driven processes, such as forward osmosis (FO) and pressure-reduced osmosis (PRO).

Abstract: Bicarbonate conversion assisted reverse-osmosis (RO) treatment systems for treatment of contaminated water, particularly natural gas flowback water. The systems and processes provide for simultaneous conversion of the primary salt in gas production flowback waters from sodium bicarbonate to sodium sulfate, and flotation removal of organic contaminants, for the enhanced water recovery by RO of these waters. In the systems and processes, RO processes are enhanced by lowering the osmotic potential of the water being processed, by converting the bicarbonate ions to sulfate ions.

Abstract: Described herein is a submerged plate membrane device intended for use in forward osmosis processes, particularly for concentrating various process streams such as those in ponds. Particular examples of feed streams that may be concentrated are for example the following feed solutions: brines, seawater, drilling mud, waste water, bio-digestate, and the like. Thus, the process and device described herein are useful for de-watering, and thus concentrating, the content of solar evaporation ponds and drilling mud ponds.

Abstract: A method of forming a gas separation membrane including: depositing a first hydrophilic polymer solution; depositing on top of the first hydrophilic polymer solution a second, different hydrophilic polymer solution, thereby forming a two-layer polymer solution; forming the two-layer polymer solution into one of a forward osmosis membrane and a pressure retarded osmosis membrane by bringing the second, different hydrophilic polymer solution into contact with water to form the dense layer; coating one of the forward osmosis membrane and the pressure retarded osmosis membrane with a thin layer of a third, different, hydrophilic polymer more pH tolerant than the first and second hydrophilic polymer solutions to form a dense rejection layer thereon; and exposing one of the coated forward osmosis membrane and the coated pressure retarded osmosis membrane to a high pH solution. A gas separation membrane formed from the foregoing process.

Abstract: A center tube is disclosed which allows a draw solution to flow through all membrane elements in a membrane system in parallel. The center tube may include a cylindrical wall with two open ends and a barrier element there between separating an upstream chamber and a downstream chamber within the cylindrical wall. At least one non-perforated bypass tube may be located substantially within the cylindrical wall, which extends a length of the downstream chamber and/or the upstream chamber so that the upstream chamber is configured to communicate with a second upstream chamber of a second center tube and/or the downstream chamber is configured to communicate with a second downstream chamber of the second center tube.

Abstract: A self-regulating FO system is disclosed comprising a container containing a source water supply, a forward osmosis membrane element located within the container comprising an area of osmotic membranes, an osmotic agent inlet and a drink outlet, an osmotic pump element also located within the container comprising an area of osmotic membranes, an osmotic agent inlet and a drink outlet, and an osmotic agent tank located above the container. The osmotic agent tank comprises a feed tube connected to an outlet located on the bottom of the osmotic agent tank. The feed tube communicates with the osmotic agent inlet of the forward osmosis membrane unit and the osmotic agent inlet of the osmotic pump element. A return tube communicates with the drink outlet of the osmotic pump element and a port near the top of the osmotic agent tank.

Abstract: An organic forward osmosis system includes an acid treatment stage comprising an acid treatment operation configured to produce an acid treated, digester centrate stream in a forward osmosis reject loop and a fertilizer stream. A forward osmosis stage is coupled to the acid treatment stage and includes a forward osmosis operation configured to remove water from the acid treated, digester centrate stream by: diverting the acid treated, digester centrate stream to one side of at least one forward osmosis membrane; and contacting an opposite side of the at least one forward osmosis membrane with a salt brine stream in a forward osmosis draw loop and osmotically pulling water across the at least one forward osmosis membrane from the acid treated, digester centrate stream to the salt brine stream using only a concentration gradient; thereby producing a concentrated, acid treated, digester centrate stream and a diluted salt brine stream.

Abstract: A forward osmosis system and process for producing fertilizer and recycling water from a food waste methane digester wastewater stream. The process includes: forming a residual wastewater stream from food waste using digesters; coarse filtering the residual wastewater stream; acid treating the filtered, residual wastewater stream so that ammonium is retained therein; diverting the acid treated, filtered, residual wastewater stream to one side of at least one forward osmosis membrane; and concentrating the acid treated, filtered, residual wastewater stream to form fertilizer by contacting a saturated salt brine in a forward osmosis draw loop to an opposite side of the at least one forward osmosis membrane and osmotically pulling water across the at least one forward osmosis membrane from the acid treated, filtered, residual wastewater stream to the saturated salt brine, thereby diluting the saturated salt brine.

Abstract: A method of forming a two-layered membrane by immersion precipitation including: depositing a first hydrophilic polymer solution with a formulation optimized to produce a high performance porous layer; depositing on top of the first hydrophilic polymer solution a second, different hydrophilic polymer solution optimized to produce a high performance dense layer; and forming the two-layer polymer solution into one of a forward osmosis membrane and a pressure retarded osmosis membrane by bringing the second, different hydrophilic polymer solution into contact with water to form the dense layer. A two-layered membrane formed by immersion precipitation includes: a porous layer formed from a first hydrophilic polymer solution with a formulation optimized to produce a high performance porous layer; and a dense layer on top of and supported by the porous layer, the dense layer formed from a second, different hydrophilic polymer solution optimized to produce a high performance dense layer.

Abstract: A method of forming a gas separation membrane including: depositing a first hydrophilic polymer solution; depositing on top of the first hydrophilic polymer solution a second, different hydrophilic polymer solution, thereby forming a two-layer polymer solution; forming the two-layer polymer solution into one of a forward osmosis membrane and a pressure retarded osmosis membrane by bringing the second, different hydrophilic polymer solution into contact with water to form the dense layer; coating one of the forward osmosis membrane and the pressure retarded osmosis membrane with a thin layer of a third, different, hydrophilic polymer more pH tolerant than the first and second hydrophilic polymer solutions to form a dense rejection layer thereon; and exposing one of the coated forward osmosis membrane and the coated pressure retarded osmosis membrane to a high pH solution. A gas separation membrane formed from the foregoing process.

Abstract: A method of forming a polymer coated hydrolyzed membrane includes forming a membrane from a first hydrophilic polymer by immersion precipitation, coating the membrane with a thin layer of a second hydrophilic polymer more pH tolerant than the first hydrophilic polymer to form a dense rejection layer, and exposing the coated membrane to a high pH solution thereby forming a hydrolyzed ultrafiltration membrane. A polymer coated hydrolyzed membrane includes a porous membrane formed from a first hydrophilic polymer by immersion precipitation and from hydrolysis, and a dense rejection layer applied to the membrane and formed from a second hydrophilic polymer more pH tolerant than the first hydrophilic polymer.

Abstract: A forward osmosis water transfer system is disclosed which recycles water from an incoming wastewater stream into an outgoing dilute process brine stream. The system includes a saturated brine stream, a first portion of which is diverted to form a saturated process brine stream and a second portion of which is diverted to at least one forward osmosis membrane. The at least one forward osmosis membrane moves water from the incoming wastewater stream into the incoming diverted saturated brine stream thereby creating an outgoing concentrated wastewater stream and the outgoing dilute process brine stream.

Abstract: A self-regulating FO system is disclosed comprising a container containing a source water supply, a forward osmosis membrane element located within the container comprising an area of osmotic membranes, an osmotic agent inlet and a drink outlet, an osmotic pump element also located within the container comprising an area of osmotic membranes, an osmotic agent inlet and a drink outlet, and an osmotic agent tank located above the container. The osmotic agent tank comprises a feed tube connected to an outlet located on the bottom of the osmotic agent tank. The feed tube communicates with the osmotic agent inlet of the forward osmosis membrane unit and the osmotic agent inlet of the osmotic pump element. A return tube communicates with the drink outlet of the osmotic pump element and a port near the top of the osmotic agent tank.