Patent ID: 6531034
Filing Date: 2003-03-11
Classification: B01D,C02F,Y02A,Y02C,Y10S

Abstract:
A method of desalinating or purifying saline or otherwise polluted water, said method comprising:providing saline or otherwise polluted input water to a lower, hydrate formation region of a desalination fractionation installation that is located in a shaft formed in land and mixing said input water with a gas or gas mixture to produce gas hydrate, said gas hydrate, per se, having a specific gravity that is greater than the specific gravity of the input water and therefore being negatively buoyant relative to said input water, said mixing being performed at temperature and pressure conditions conducive to the formation of said gas hydrate; causing said gas hydrate to be provided to a dissociation region of said desalination fractionation installation and allowing said gas hydrate to dissociate into fresh water and the hydrate-forming gas or gas mixture; and collecting said fresh water; wherein said mixing is controlled such that said gas hydrate forms assisted buoyancy gas hydrate masses which, in toto, are positively buoyant relative to the input water and which therefore rise naturally within said desalination fractionation installation.