The University of Texas System

Medical University of South Carolina

Other

Thomas A Davis

David C Nemir

Michael Matthews

Malynda A Cappelle

A sensor for detecting the breakthrough of hardness in a water softener measures a change in the conductivity of elongated cation-exchange material in contact with the treated water.

Methods and devices for measuring compositions of fluids

Methods, systems and compositions for recovery of regenerant ions from spent regenerant solution by utilization of electrodialysis are provided. For example, in certain aspects methods for separating spent regenerant using an electrodialysis system comprising selective membranes are described. Furthermore, the invention provides methods for treating a friable solid ion-removal material to prevent fragmentation during regeneration.

Recovery of regenerant electrolyte

A photovoltaic-thermal (PV-T) system and a method of cooling photovoltaic (PV) cells in the system is described herein. Energy from an excitation source such as the sun hits the PV cells in the PV-T system causing heating that reduces PV efficiency. The PV cells are cooled by fluid in an intact heat-transfer system making a heated water byproduct while the PV cells release a form of energy. In addition, the PV-T system can be implemented in a desalination plant to harvest energy and heat for desalination processes. The present invention also includes methods for transferring heat from PV cells to the earth to improve PV performance and reduce thermal shock to the PV cells.

Photovoltaic-thermal (PV-T) system for desalination

In accordance with certain embodiments of the present disclosure, a method for hydrolysis of a chemical hydride is provided. The method includes adding a chemical hydride to a reaction chamber and exposing the chemical hydride in the reaction chamber to a temperature of at least about 100&#xb0; C. in the presence of water and in the absence of an acid or a heterogeneous catalyst, wherein the chemical hydride undergoes hydrolysis to form hydrogen gas and a byproduct material.

Hydrolysis reactor for hydrogen production

A process and system for purifying water is disclosed. For example, in one embodiment, the process may be used to remove a divalent salt, such as calcium sulfate, from a water source in order to prevent the divalent salt from precipitating during the process. The water source, for instance, may be fed to an ion separating device, such as an electrodialysis device. In the electrodialysis device, an ion exchange takes place between the divalent salt and another salt, such as a monovalent salt to produce two concentrated salt streams that contain salts having greater solubility in water than the divalent salt. In one embodiment, the two salt streams that are produced may then be combined to precipitate the divalent salt in a controlled manner. During the process, various other components contained within the water feed stream may also be removed from the stream and converted into useful products. In one particular embodiment, the process is configured to receive a byproduct stream from a reverse osmosis process.

Water desalination process and apparatus

Sodium chloride and purified water are recovered by treating salt water that contains sodium chloride with an integrated reverse osmosis and electrodialysis system, which includes an efficiency-enhancing feature that is one or more of the following: the use of univalent anion and univalent cation selective membranes in the electrodialysis unit; the addition of a nanofiltration unit to process the diluate from the electrodialysis unit; or operation of the electrodialysis unit at an elevated pressure. Magnesium and bromine can optionally be produced when the salt water contains these materials.

Production of purified water and high value chemicals from salt water

A combination cover plate and safety guard plate to be interfaced with a conventional electrical wall receptacle to prevent a child of tender years from gaining unauthorized access to the receptacle and sustaining serious injury from an electric shock as a consequence of an accidental contact with a current carrying wire. The cover plate is adapted to receive one or more of the electrical receptacles, so that the power can be supplied therefrom to an electrical appliance, or the like. The cover plate and safety guard plate are pivotably interconnected with one another at first ends thereof. Each of the second ends of the cover plate and safety guard plate includes respective spring-biased retaining means by which the cover and safety guard plates can be releaseably connected together. Accordingly, the safety guard plate may be rotated towards the cover plate and secured in a position across the face thereof, whereby to cover the receptacles and prevent unauthorized access thereto. The safety guard plate may be rotated away from the cover plate by exerting sufficient force against the bias of a spring, whereby to permit the disconnection of the respective retaining means. The spring is selected so that the force required to disconnect the respective retaining means is greater than that which a child of tender years is capable of exerting.

Cover plate for an electrical receptacle

A solar collector mounting system includes a vertically extending pedestal for supporting a solar collector at a predetermined minimum height above ground level to provide an unobstructed utilization of the space immediately surrounding the pedestal. The pedestal includes a pivoting bracket at the upper end for supporting an array of panels for orientation into the sun, and is formed of a hollow structure to define a liquid storage reservoir for storing a heated liquid.

Growing community of inventors

El Paso, TX, United States of America

Thomas A Davis