Patent ID: 9266748
Filing Date: 2016-02-23
CPC Classification: B01D,C02F,Y02A,Y02P

Claim Text:
1. A method for producing a concentrated brine stream, comprising: supplying a first liquid stream comprising water and a dissolved salt at an initial concentration to a fluidic circuit comprising a humidifier, wherein the humidifier removes at least a portion of the water from the first liquid stream to produce a first concentrated brine stream comprising water and the dissolved salt at a second concentration higher than the initial concentration of the first liquid stream; recirculating the first concentrated brine stream through the fluidic circuit to remove at least a portion of the water from the first concentrated brine stream, forming a recirculated first concentrated brine stream comprising water and the dissolved salt at a third concentration higher than the second concentration of the first concentrated brine stream; discharging the recirculated first concentrated brine stream from the fluidic circuit when the recirculated first concentrated brine stream reaches a density of at least about 10 pounds per gallon, wherein discharging the recirculated first concentrated brine stream comprises flowing the recirculated first concentrated brine stream through a first portion of a heat exchanger; supplying a second liquid stream comprising water and a dissolved salt at an initial concentration to the fluidic circuit comprising the humidifier, wherein supplying the second liquid stream comprises flowing the second liquid stream through a second portion of the heat exchanger, wherein heat is transferred from the recirculated first concentrated brine stream to the second liquid stream in the heat exchanger, and wherein the humidifier removes at least a portion of the water from the second liquid stream to produce a second concentrated brine stream comprising water and the dissolved salt at a second concentration higher than the initial concentration of the second liquid stream; recirculating the second concentrated brine stream through the fluidic circuit to remove at least a portion of the water from the second concentrated brine stream, forming a recirculated second concentrated brine stream comprising water and the dissolved salt at a third concentration higher than the second concentration of the second concentrated brine stream; and discharging the recirculated second concentrated brine stream from the fluidic circuit when the recirculated second concentrated brine stream reaches a density of at least about 10 pounds per gallon.