Desalination methods and systems that include carbonate compound precipitation

Abstract

Desalination methods that include carbonate compound precipitation are provided. In certain embodiments, feed water is subjected to carbonate compound precipitation conditions prior to desalination. In certain embodiments, desalination waste brine is subjected to carbonate compound precipitation conditions. In yet other embodiments, both feed water and waste brine are subjected to carbonate compound precipitation conditions. Aspects of embodiments of the invention include carbon dioxide sequestration. Embodiments of the invention further employ a precipitate product of the carbonate compound precipitation conditions as a building material, e.g., a cement. Also provided are systems configured for use in methods of the invention.

1 .- 11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . A system, comprising:
 an input of water to be desalinated;   a desalination station comprising a reverse osmosis desalination apparatus;   an output for waste brine,   a carbonate compound precipitation reactor, wherein the precipitation reactor is configured to contact the waste brine and an industrial waste source of carbon dioxide to produce a material comprising an alkaline earth metal carbonate as a solid product and an alkaline-earth-metal-depleted product water; and   a solids-separating system to separate the solid product and a drying system to dry the solid product to form a dried composition.   
     
     
         13 . The system according to  claim 12 , wherein the system further comprises a cement production station that produces cement from the solid product produced by the precipitation reactor. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the alkaline earth metal carbonate comprises calcium carbonate. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the calcium carbonate comprises vaterite, aragonite, amorphous calcium carbonate or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 12 , further comprising a washing system to remove salts from the solid product. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 12 , further comprising a station for preparing a building materials from the solid product. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the building material comprises cement. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 12 , further comprising a refining station for refining the solid product. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein refining the solid product results in a composition comprising the solid product and hydraulic cement. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the alkaline-earth-metal-depleted product water is suitable for animal consumption. 
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the alkaline-earth-metal-depleted product water is suitable for human consumption. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the alkaline-earth-metal-depleted product water is suitable for irrigation. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the drying station comprises an input of waste gas from a power plant for drying the solid product. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 12 , further comprising a storage site for storing the solid material. 
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 25 , where the storage site is an underground site.