Abstract: Disclosed herein is a system for cleaning feed water of variable quality, the system including an inlet for selectively delivering feed water to one or other of at least two feed chambers, each feed chamber having a delivery pipe for delivering feed water to a reverse osmosis or nanofiltration, a pump to deliver the feed water from one of the chambers through its associated delivery pipe to the reverse osmosis or nanofiltration to create a concentrated feed stream and a product water stream, return pipes for selectively returning the concentrated feed stream to one or another of the at least two feed chambers, a product water outlet for removal of the product water, and switching mechanisms and/or switchers for switching the delivery of the concentrated feed stream between the selectable return pipes upon detection of a predetermined reduction in efficiency within one or another of the feed chambers.

Abstract: The co-generation of hydrogen from water produced during pressure driven water desalination/filtration processes, such as reverse osmosis, forward osmosis, pressure retarded osmosis or ultrafiltration, is described herein. A small part of feed, raw saline solution and/or permeate involved in a desalination/filtration processes is subjected to electrolysis thereby splitting the water to produce hydrogen. This is achieved by the provision of novel RO type semi-permeable membranes and UF type membrane that incorporate electrodes within the membrane to allow splitting of the water via electrolysis.

Abstract: A system for cleaning feed water of variable quality, the system comprising an inlet for selectively delivering feed water to one or other of at least two feed chambers, each feed chamber having a delivery pipe for delivering feed water to a reverse osmosis or nanofiltration; a pump to deliver the feed water from one of the chambers through its associated delivery pipe to the reverse osmosis or nanofiltration to create a concentrated feed stream and a product water stream; return pipes for selectively returning the concentrated feed stream to one or other of the at least two feed chambers; a product water outlet for removal of the product water; and means for switching the delivery of the concentrated feed stream between the selectable return pipes upon detection of a predetermined reduction in efficiency within one or another of the feed chambers.

Abstract: A system for cleaning feed water of variable quality, the system comprising an inlet for selectively delivering feed water to one or other of at least two feed chambers, each feed chamber having a delivery pipe for delivering feed water to a reverse osmosis or nanofiltration; a pump to deliver the feed water from one of the chambers through its associated delivery pipe to the reverse osmosis or nanofiltration to create a concentrated feed stream and a product water stream; return pipes for selectively returning the concentrated feed stream to one or other of the at least two feed chambers; a product water outlet for removal of the product water; and means for switching the delivery of the concentrated feed stream between the selectable return pipes upon detection of a predetermined reduction in efficiency within one or another of the feed chambers.

Abstract: A pumping apparatus for a water treatment plant, the pumping apparatus comprising a gas supply, at least one gas turbine 11 connected to the gas supply, the at least one gas turbine connected to drive at least one primary pump 12 through a reduction gear train 13 and clutch 14, a waste heat boiler 26 having a feed water input, the waste heat boiler having an exhaust gas input 26a to receive exhaust gas from the at least one gas turbine 11 and generate steam from the feed water, the waste heat boiler having an steam output 18, the apparatus further comprising at least one steam turbine 20, the at least one steam turbine connected to drive at least one secondary pump 21, the at least one steam turbine being connected to the steam output 18 of the waste heat boiler, the at least one steam turbine 20 further having an exhaust steam output 27, the apparatus further comprising a condensing apparatus 28 to receive steam from the exhaust steam output and generate a feed water stream at a feed water output, the feed w

Abstract: A system for cleaning feed water of variable quality, the system comprising an inlet for selectively delivering feed water (FW) to one or other of at least two feed chambers (2,4), each feed chamber having a delivery pipe (2i, 4i) for delivering feed water to a reverse osmosis or nanofiltration (8); a pump (6) to deliver the feed water from one of the chambers (2, 4) through its associated delivery pipe (2i, 4i) to the reverse osmosis or nanofiltration (8) to create a concentrated feed stream and a product water stream (PW); return pipes (2R, 4R) for selectively returning the concentrated feed stream to one or other of the at least two feed chambers (2, 4); a product water outlet for removal of the product water (PW); and means for switching the delivery of the concentrated feed stream between the selectable return pipes (2R, 4R) upon detection of a predetermined reduction in the efficiency of the RO or NF process within one or other of the feed chambers (2, 4).

Abstract: A method and system for cleaning a multistage evaporator, the evaporator having a normal operational mode and a cleaning mode and having at least two groups of effects (2, 4), each group having one or more effects. In a normal operational mode, input vapor is introduced to a first group of effects (2), the first group comprising the hottest effects, and then vapor is delivered from the first group to a second group of effects (4), and optionally, from the second group of effects to a third group of effects (6) and so on depending on the total number of effects. Upon detection of a predetermined level of scale formation in the first group of effects, the evaporator is switched to a cleaning mode wherein the first group of effects (2) is physically separated from the other groups of effects and the input vapor is re-directed into the second group of effects (4). A cleaning agent is introduced into the physically separated first group of effects (2) until a predetermined level of cleanliness is achieved.

Abstract: A water treatment system comprising a mechanical vapour compression apparatus (11), the mechanical vapour apparatus having a evaporation/condensation vessel (11a) and a recirculation circuit (20) whereby recirculated water is pumped from an outlet (18a) of the evaporation/condensation vessel (11A) to an inlet (18B) of the evaporation/condensation vessel (11A), wherein the recirculation circuit (20) comprises a fluidized bed crystallizer (22), and at least part of the recirculated brine is passed through the fluidized bed crystallizer (22) to remove dissolved minerals therefrom.

Abstract: A thermal desalination system, comprising a multi-effect evaporator comprising a plurality of effects, configured to produce product water and brine and a fluidized bed crystallizer, configured to remove dissolved minerals and/or solids from the water, wherein the fluidized bed crystallizer is disposed between at least two effects of the multi-effect evaporator.

Abstract: A water treatment system comprising a mechanical vapour compression apparatus (11), the mechanical vapour apparatus having a evaporation/condensation vessel (11a) and a recirculation circuit (20) whereby recirculated water is pumped from an outlet (18a) of the evaporation/condensation vessel (11A) to an inlet (18B) of the evaporation/condensation vessel (11A), wherein the recirculation circuit (20) comprises a fluidized bed crystallizer (22), and at least part of the recirculated brine is passed through the fluidized bed crystallizer (22) to remove dissolved minerals therefrom.

Abstract: A thermal desalination system, comprising a multi-effect evaporator comprising a plurality of effects, configured to produce product water and brine and a fluidized bed crystallizer, configured to remove dissolved minerals and/or solids from the water, wherein the fluidized bed crystallizer is disposed between at least two effects of the multi-effect evaporator.

Abstract: A method of cleaning an evaporator that includes at least one heat transfer element for the evaporation of water, comprising forming a sacrificial layer of a first material on a surface of the heat transfer element (1); evaporating water that includes a second material to deposit the second material on top of the sacrificial layer (2, 3); and cleaning the evaporator by removing both the sacrificial layer formed on the heat transfer element and the second layer formed on top of the sacrificial layer; wherein the first material is more easily removed from the heat transfer element than the second material (4).

Abstract: A reverse osmosis desalination system for treating feed water, the feed water containing minerals, the system comprising a reverse osmosis unit comprising a first reverse osmosis stage (21) and a second reverse osmosis stage (22), each of the reverse osmosis stages (21, 22) having a feed water input, a product water outlet and a brine outlet, and a fluidized bed crystallizer (30), configured to remove minerals from the water, wherein the fluidized bed crystallizer (30) receives brine from the first reverse osmosis stage (21) and passes treated water to the feed water input of the second reverse osmosis stage (22).

Abstract: A method and system for cleaning a multistage evaporator, the evaporator having a normal operational mode and a cleaning mode and having at least two groups of effects (2, 4), each group having one or more effects. In a normal operational mode, input vapor is introduced to a first group of effects (2), the first group comprising the hottest effects, and then vapor is delivered from the first group to a second group of effects (4), and optionally, from the second group of effects to a third group of effects (6) and so on depending on the total number of effects. Upon detection of a predetermined level of scale formation in the first group of effects, the evaporator is switched to a cleaning mode wherein the first group of effects (2) is physically separated from the other groups of effects and the input vapor is re-directed into the second group of effects (4). A cleaning agent is introduced into the physically separated first group of effects (2) until a predetermined level of cleanliness is achieved.

Abstract: A system for cleaning feed water of variable quality, the system comprising an inlet for selectively delivering feed water (FW) to one or other of at least two feed chambers (2,4), each feed chamber having a delivery pipe (2i, 4i) for delivering feed water to a reverse osmosis or nanofiltration (8); a pump (6) to deliver the feed water from one of the chambers (2, 4) through its as sociated delivery pipe (2i, 4i) to the reverse osmosis or nanofiltration (8) to create a concentrated feed stream and a product water stream (PW);return pipes (2R, 4R) for selectively returning the concentrated feed stream to one or other of the at least two feed chambers (2, 4); a product water outlet for removal of the product water (PW); and means for switching the delivery of the concen trated feed stream between the selectable return pipes (2R, 4R) upon detection of a predetermined reduction in the efficiency of the RO or NF process within one or other of the feed chambers (2, 4).

Abstract: A method of cleaning an evaporator that includes at least one heat transfer element for the evaporation of water, comprising forming a sacrificial layer of a first material on a surface of the heat transfer element (1); evaporating water that includes a second material to deposit the second material on top of the sacrificial layer (2, 3); and cleaning the evaporator by removing both the sacrificial layer formed on the heat transfer element and the second layer formed on top of the sacrificial layer; wherein the first material is more easily removed from the heat transfer element than the second material (4).

Abstract: A pumping apparatus for a water treatment plant, the pumping apparatus comprising a gas supply, at least one gas turbine 11 connected to the gas supply, the at least one gas turbine connected to drive at least one primary pump 12 through a reduction gear train 13 and clutch 14, a waste heat boiler 26 having a feed water input, the waste heat boiler having an exhaust gas input 26a to receive exhaust gas from the at least one gas turbine 11 and generate steam from the feed water, the waste heat boiler having an steam output 18, the apparatus further comprising at least one steam turbine 20, the at least one steam turbine connected to drive at least one secondary pump 21, the at least one steam turbine being connected to the steam output 18 of the waste heat boiler, the at least one steam turbine 20 further having an exhaust steam output 27, the apparatus further comprising a condensing apparatus 28 to receive steam from the exhaust steam output and generate a feed water stream at a feed water output, the feed w