Hydrate-based desalination using compound permeable restraint panels and vaporization-based cooling

Abstract

Desalination apparatus based on porous restraint panels fabricated from a number of different layers of metal, thermoplastic, or other substances are used as sophisticated heat exchangers to control the growth of gas hydrate. The gas hydrate is produced after infusion of liquid hydrate-forming material into water to be treated, which liquid hydrate-forming material can also be used to carry out all the refrigeration necessary to cool seawater to near the point of hydrate formation and to cool the porous restraint panels. Hydrate forms on and dissociates through the porous restraints. The composite restraint panels can also be used in gaseous atmospheres where, for instance, it is desired to remove dissolved water.

1 . A method for disposing of CO 2 , comprising:
 introducing CO 2  into a generally bounded volume of seawater;   extracting fresh water from the seawater by forming CO 2  hydrate from the CO 2  and water molecules contained within the seawater, thereby yielding residual brine having increased salinity, and hence increased density, and CO 2  dissolved therein;   releasing the increased-density, CO 2 -laden residual brine into an open body of seawater such that the residual brine sinks to depth.