MUMBAI, India, May 30 -- Intellectual Property India has published a patent application (202517032307 A) filed by Hydric Desalination Pty Ltd., Curtin, Australia, on April 1, for 'novel regeneration of mixed bed ion exchange resins for seawater desalination.'
Inventor(s) include Pashley, Richard.
The application for the patent was published on May 30, under issue no. 22/2025.
According to the abstract released by the Intellectual Property India: "The present invention is directed at a novel ion exchange regeneration process where there is no need for resin separation or acid and base consumption for regeneration. An exhausted strong acid/strong base mixed bed resin suitable for seawater desalination can be regenerated in situ, that is without the need for bead separation, by washing with high pressure (10 atm) concentrated ammonium bicarbonate (AB) solution (up to a concentration of 8-10 m) at moderately elevated temperatures, of up to 60 - 80 C. Under these conditions a relatively small amount of AB solution can be used to regenerate an exhausted mixed bed resin, converting it into a form where it is saturated with absorbed NH4+ and HCO3- ions. This resin can then be used for seawater desalination, via direct exchange with Na+ and Cl- ions, as well as other ions in seawater. By this method the volume of produced drinking water can be at least 2-4 times the volume of the AB solution required, which is then discarded as waste concentrated salt solution. The AB dissolved in the desalinated product water can be easily thermally decomposed, by heating to 60 - 80 C, or lower under a reduced pressure, which completely removes the AB in the form of the emitted gases NH3 and CO2, which can then be captured and redissolved in cool water to reform the regenerant solution. The application of an increased pressure for driving super saturated ammonium bicarbonate regeneration can also be carried out using guided ultrasonic waves. A suitable frequency and intensity of wave-guided ultrasonic waves, transmitted along the inside of a container housing the exhausted mixed bed resin, immersed in concentrated or supersaturated AB solution, drives the ion exchange regeneration process. Alternatively, the pressure applied to the resin could be generated via the centrifugal forces produced inside a spinning drum."
The patent application was internationally filed on Oct. 12, 2023, under International application No.PCT/AU2023/051005.
Disclaimer: Curated by HT Syndication.
