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Nguyen DT, Lee S, Lopez KP, Lee J, Straub AP. Pressure-driven distillation using air-trapping membranes for fast and selective water purification. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eadg6638. [PMID: 37450594 PMCID: PMC10348675 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adg6638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2023] [Accepted: 06/14/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
Membrane technologies that enable the efficient purification of impaired water sources are needed to address growing water scarcity. However, state-of-the-art engineered membranes are constrained by a universal, deleterious trade-off where membranes with high water permeability lack selectivity. Current membranes also poorly remove low-molecular weight neutral solutes and are vulnerable to degradation from oxidants used in water treatment. We report a water desalination technology that uses applied pressure to drive vapor transport through membranes with an entrapped air layer. Since separation occurs due to a gas-liquid phase change, near-complete rejection of dissolved solutes including sodium chloride, boron, urea, and N-nitrosodimethylamine is observed. Membranes fabricated with sub-200-nm-thick air layers showed water permeabilities that exceed those of commercial membranes without sacrificing salt rejection. We also find the air-trapping membranes tolerate exposure to chlorine and ozone oxidants. The results advance our understanding of evaporation behavior and facilitate high-throughput ultraselective separations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Duong T. Nguyen
- Department of Civil, Environmental, and Architectural Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, USA
| | - Sangsuk Lee
- Department of Civil, Environmental, and Architectural Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, USA
| | - Kian P. Lopez
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, USA
| | - Jongho Lee
- Department of Civil Engineering, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Anthony P. Straub
- Department of Civil, Environmental, and Architectural Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, USA
- Materials Science and Engineering Program, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, USA
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2
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Zhang L, Liu F, Wang J, Lin H, Han Q. Bioinspired nanobubble water channel membranes for ultrafast osmosis desalination. J Memb Sci 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.memsci.2023.121554] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/08/2023]
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3
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Lopez KP, Wang R, Hjelvik EA, Lin S, Straub AP. Toward a universal framework for evaluating transport resistances and driving forces in membrane-based desalination processes. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eade0413. [PMID: 36598997 PMCID: PMC9812388 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.ade0413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2022] [Accepted: 11/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Desalination technologies using salt-rejecting membranes are a highly efficient tool to provide fresh water and augment existing water supplies. In recent years, numerous studies have worked to advance a variety of membrane processes with different membrane types and driving forces, but direct quantitative comparisons of these different technologies have led to confusing and contradictory conclusions in the literature. In this Review, we critically assess different membrane-based desalination technologies and provide a universal framework for comparing various driving forces and membrane types. To accomplish this, we first quantify the thermodynamic driving forces resulting from pressure, concentration, and temperature gradients. We then examine the resistances experienced by water molecules as they traverse liquid- and air-filled membranes. Last, we quantify water fluxes in each process for differing desalination scenarios. We conclude by synthesizing results from the literature and our quantitative analyses to compare desalination processes, identifying specific scenarios where each process has fundamental advantages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kian P. Lopez
- Department of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309-0428, USA
| | - Ruoyu Wang
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235-1831, USA
| | - Elizabeth A. Hjelvik
- Materials Science and Engineering Program, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309-0428, USA
| | - Shihong Lin
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235-1831, USA
| | - Anthony P. Straub
- Department of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309-0428, USA
- Materials Science and Engineering Program, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309-0428, USA
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4
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Nanobubble-governed membrane with nanofluidic channels for efficient molecule/ion sieving. J Memb Sci 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.memsci.2023.121402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
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Perspectives and design considerations of capillary-driven artificial trees for fast dewatering processes. Sci Rep 2021; 11:8631. [PMID: 33883623 PMCID: PMC8060284 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-88006-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2020] [Accepted: 04/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent progresses on nanocapillary-driven water transport under metastable conditions have substantiated the potential of artificial trees for dewatering applications in a wide pressure range. This paper presents a comprehensive performance analysis of artificial trees encompassing the principle for negative capillary pressure generation; impacts of structural, compositional, and environmental conditions on dewatering performance; and design considerations. It begins by delineating functionalities of artificial trees for evaporation (leaves), conduction (xylem), and filtration (root) of water, in the analogy to natural trees. The analysis revealed that the magnitude of (negative) capillary pressure in the artificial leaves and xylem must be sufficiently large to overcome the osmotic pressure of feed at the root. The required magnitude can be reduced by increasing the osmotic pressure in the artificial xylem conduits, which reduces the risk of cavitation and subsequent blockage of water transport. However, a severe concentration polarization that can occur in long xylem conduits would negate such compensation effect of xylem osmotic pressure, leading to vapor pressure depression at the artificial leaves and therefore reduced dewatering rates. Enhanced Taylor dispersions by increasing xylem conduit diameters are found to alleviate the concentration polarization, allowing for water flux enhancement directly by increasing leaf-to-root membrane area ratio.
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Dutta A, Li X, Lee J. Dissolved methane recovery from anaerobically treated wastewaters using solvent-based membrane contactor: An experimental and modelling study. Sep Purif Technol 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.seppur.2020.118004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
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7
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Showerhead feed distribution for optimized performance of large scale membrane distillation modules. J Memb Sci 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.memsci.2020.118664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
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8
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Lee S, Straub AP. Opportunities for high productivity and selectivity desalination via osmotic distillation with improved membrane design. J Memb Sci 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.memsci.2020.118309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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Li C, Li X, Du X, Zhang Y, Wang W, Tong T, Kota AK, Lee J. Elucidating the Trade-off between Membrane Wetting Resistance and Water Vapor Flux in Membrane Distillation. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2020; 54:10333-10341. [PMID: 32702974 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.0c02547] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Membrane distillation (MD) has been receiving considerable attention as a promising technology for desalinating industrial wastewaters. While hydrophobic membranes are essential for the process, increasing membrane surface hydrophobicity generally leads to the reduction of water vapor flux. In this study, we investigate the mechanisms responsible for this trade-off relation in MD. We prepared hydrophobic membranes with different degrees of wetting resistance through coating quartz fiber membranes with a series of alkylsilane molecules while preserving the fiber structures. A trade-off between wetting resistance and water vapor flux was observed in direct-contact MD experiments, with the least-wetting-resistant membrane exhibiting twice as high vapor flux as the most wetting-resistant membrane. Electrochemical impedance analysis, combined with fluorescence microscopy, elucidated that a lower wetting resistance (still water-repelling) allows deeper penetration of the liquid-air interfaces into the membrane, resulting in an increased interfacial area and therefore a larger evaporative vapor flux. Finally, we performed osmotic distillation experiments employing anodized alumina membranes that possess straight nanopores with different degrees of wetting resistance, observed no trade-off, and substantiated this proposed mechanism. Our study provides a guideline to tailor the membrane surface wettability to ensure stable MD operations while maximizing the water recovery rate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenxi Li
- Department of Civil Engineering, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Xuesong Li
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, 1239 Siping Road, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Xuewei Du
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80526, United States
| | - Ying Zhang
- Department of Civil Engineering, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Wei Wang
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695, United States
| | - Tiezheng Tong
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80526, United States
| | - Arun Kumar Kota
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695, United States
| | - Jongho Lee
- Department of Civil Engineering, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z4, Canada
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An YP, Liu C, Yang J, Guo BB, Xu ZK. Concentrating water-soluble ionic liquids from aqueous solutions: Osmotic distillation with hydrophobic membranes. J Memb Sci 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.memsci.2020.118222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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11
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Alberghini M, Morciano M, Fasano M, Bertiglia F, Fernicola V, Asinari P, Chiavazzo E. Multistage and passive cooling process driven by salinity difference. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2020; 6:eaax5015. [PMID: 32201712 PMCID: PMC7069696 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aax5015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2019] [Accepted: 12/16/2019] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Space cooling in buildings is anticipated to rise because of an increasing thermal comfort demand worldwide, and this calls for cost-effective and sustainable cooling technologies. We present a proof-of-concept multistage device, where a net cooling capacity and a temperature difference are demonstrated as long as two water solutions at disparate salinity are maintained. Each stage is made of two hydrophilic layers separated by a hydrophobic membrane. An imbalance in water activity in the two layers naturally causes a non-isothermal vapor flux across the membrane without requiring any mechanical ancillaries. One prototype of the device developed a specific cooling capacity of up to 170 W m-2 at a vanishing temperature difference, considering a 3.1 mol/kg calcium chloride solution. To provide perspective, if successfully up-scaled, this concept may help satisfy at least partially the cooling needs in hot, humid regions with naturally available salinity gradients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matteo Alberghini
- Department of Energy “Galileo Ferraris”, Politecnico di Torino, Corso Duca degli Abruzzi 24, Torino 10129, Italy
- Clean Water Center, Politecnico di Torino, Corso Duca degli Abruzzi 24, Torino 10129, Italy
| | - Matteo Morciano
- Department of Energy “Galileo Ferraris”, Politecnico di Torino, Corso Duca degli Abruzzi 24, Torino 10129, Italy
- Clean Water Center, Politecnico di Torino, Corso Duca degli Abruzzi 24, Torino 10129, Italy
| | - Matteo Fasano
- Department of Energy “Galileo Ferraris”, Politecnico di Torino, Corso Duca degli Abruzzi 24, Torino 10129, Italy
| | - Fabio Bertiglia
- Applied Metrology and Engineering Division, INRIM Istituto Nazionale di Ricerca Metrologica, Strada delle Cacce 91, Torino 10135, Italy
| | - Vito Fernicola
- Applied Metrology and Engineering Division, INRIM Istituto Nazionale di Ricerca Metrologica, Strada delle Cacce 91, Torino 10135, Italy
| | - Pietro Asinari
- Department of Energy “Galileo Ferraris”, Politecnico di Torino, Corso Duca degli Abruzzi 24, Torino 10129, Italy
- Corresponding author. (E.C.); (P.A.)
| | - Eliodoro Chiavazzo
- Department of Energy “Galileo Ferraris”, Politecnico di Torino, Corso Duca degli Abruzzi 24, Torino 10129, Italy
- Corresponding author. (E.C.); (P.A.)
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Pressure-retarded membrane distillation for simultaneous hypersaline brine desalination and low-grade heat harvesting. J Memb Sci 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.memsci.2019.117765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
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13
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Chen X, Boo C, Yip NY. Low-temperature heat utilization with vapor pressure-driven osmosis: Impact of membrane properties on mass and heat transfer. J Memb Sci 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.memsci.2019.117181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
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14
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Pressure-retarded membrane distillation for low-grade heat recovery: The critical roles of pressure-induced membrane deformation. J Memb Sci 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.memsci.2019.02.045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
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