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Jawed AS, Nassar L, Hegab HM, van der Merwe R, Al Marzooqi F, Banat F, Hasan SW. Recent developments in solar-powered membrane distillation for sustainable desalination. Heliyon 2024; 10:e31656. [PMID: 38828351 PMCID: PMC11140715 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e31656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2023] [Revised: 04/02/2024] [Accepted: 05/20/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024] Open
Abstract
The freshwater shortage continues to be one of the greatest challenges affecting our planet. Although traditional membrane distillation (MD) can produce clean water regardless of climatic conditions, the process wastes a lot of energy. The technique of solar-powered membrane distillation (SPMD) has received a lot of interest in the past decade, thanks to the development of photothermal materials. SPMD is a promising replacement for the traditional MD based on fossil fuels, as it can prevent the harmful effects of emissions on the environment. Integrating green solar energy with MD can reduce the cost of the water purification process and secure freshwater production in remote areas. At this point, it is important to consider the most current progress of the SPMD system and highlight the challenges and prospects of this technology. Based on this, the background, recent advances, and principles of MD and SPMD, their configurations and mechanisms, fabrication methods, advantages, and current limitations are discussed. Detailed comparisons between SPMD and traditional MD, assessments of various standards for incorporating photothermal materials with desirable properties, discussions of desalination and other applications of SPMD and MD, and energy consumption rates are also covered. The final section addresses the potential of SPMD to outperform traditional desalination technology while improving water production without requiring a significant amount of electrical or high-grade thermal energy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmad S. Jawed
- Center for Membranes and Advanced Water Technology (CMAT), Khalifa University of Science and Technology, PO Box, 127788, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
- Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, Khalifa University of Science and Technology, PO Box, 127788, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Lobna Nassar
- Center for Membranes and Advanced Water Technology (CMAT), Khalifa University of Science and Technology, PO Box, 127788, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
- Department of Civil Infrastructure and Environmental Engineering, Khalifa University of Science and Technology, PO Box, 127788, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Hanaa M. Hegab
- Center for Membranes and Advanced Water Technology (CMAT), Khalifa University of Science and Technology, PO Box, 127788, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
- Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, Khalifa University of Science and Technology, PO Box, 127788, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Riaan van der Merwe
- Department of Civil Infrastructure and Environmental Engineering, Khalifa University of Science and Technology, PO Box, 127788, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Faisal Al Marzooqi
- Center for Membranes and Advanced Water Technology (CMAT), Khalifa University of Science and Technology, PO Box, 127788, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
- Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, Khalifa University of Science and Technology, PO Box, 127788, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Fawzi Banat
- Center for Membranes and Advanced Water Technology (CMAT), Khalifa University of Science and Technology, PO Box, 127788, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
- Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, Khalifa University of Science and Technology, PO Box, 127788, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Shadi W. Hasan
- Center for Membranes and Advanced Water Technology (CMAT), Khalifa University of Science and Technology, PO Box, 127788, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
- Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, Khalifa University of Science and Technology, PO Box, 127788, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
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2
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Zhang N, Zhang J, Zhu X, Yuan S, Wang D, Xu H, Wang Z. Synergistic Effect of Ti 3C 2T x MXene Nanosheets and Tannic Acid-Fe 3+ Network in Constructing High-Performance Hydrogel Composite Membrane for Photothermal Membrane Distillation. NANO LETTERS 2024; 24:724-732. [PMID: 38166126 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.3c04159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2024]
Abstract
Photothermal membrane distillation (PMD) has emerged as a promising and sustainable approach for seawater desalination and wastewater purification. However, the wide application of the technique is severely impeded by low freshwater production and membrane fouling/wetting issues. Herein, we developed an advanced hydrogel-engineered membrane with simultaneously enhanced photothermal conversion capacity and desired fouling and wetting resistance for PMD. By the synergies of photothermal Ti3C2Tx MXene nanosheets and the tannic acid-Fe3+ network in the hydrogel, the membrane was endowed with excellent surface self-heating ability, yielding the highest freshwater production rate (1.71 kg m-2 h-1) and photothermal efficiency among the fabricated hydrogel composite membranes under 1 sun irradiation. Meanwhile, the PMD membrane could robustly resist oil-induced fouling and surfactant-induced wetting, significantly extending the membrane lifespan in treating contaminated saline water. Furthermore, when desalinating real seawater, the membrane exhibited superior durability with a stable vapor flux and excellent ion rejection (e.g., 99.24% for boron) for 100 h.
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Affiliation(s)
- Na Zhang
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Water Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237, People's Republic of China
| | - Jiaojiao Zhang
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Water Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaohui Zhu
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Water Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237, People's Republic of China
| | - Shideng Yuan
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Water Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237, People's Republic of China
| | - Dong Wang
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Water Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237, People's Republic of China
| | - Haoran Xu
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Water Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhining Wang
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Water Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237, People's Republic of China
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3
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Tan YZ, Alias NH, Aziz MHA, Jaafar J, Othman FEC, Chew JW. Progress on Improved Fouling Resistance-Nanofibrous Membrane for Membrane Distillation: A Mini-Review. MEMBRANES 2023; 13:727. [PMID: 37623788 PMCID: PMC10456459 DOI: 10.3390/membranes13080727] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2023] [Revised: 08/03/2023] [Accepted: 08/04/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023]
Abstract
Nanofibrous membranes for membrane distillation (MD) have demonstrated promising results in treating various water and wastewater streams. Significant progress has been made in recent decades because of the development of sophisticated membrane materials, such as superhydrophobic, omniphobic and Janus membranes. However, fouling and wetting remain crucial issues for long-term operation. This mini-review summarizes ideas as well as their limitations in understanding the fouling in membrane distillation, comprising organic, inorganic and biofouling. This review also provides progress in developing antifouling nanofibrous membranes for membrane distillation and ongoing modifications on nanofiber membranes for improved membrane distillation performance. Lastly, challenges and future ways to develop antifouling nanofiber membranes for MD application have been systematically elaborated. The present mini-review will interest scientists and engineers searching for the progress in MD development and its solutions to the MD fouling issues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong Zen Tan
- School of Chemistry, Chemical and Biotechnology Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 637459, Singapore;
| | - Nur Hashimah Alias
- School of Chemistry, Chemical and Biotechnology Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 637459, Singapore;
- Department of Oil and Gas Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Shah Alam 40450, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Mohd Haiqal Abd Aziz
- Department of Chemical Engineering Technology, Faculty of Engineering Technology, Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia, Pagoh Higher Education Hub Muar, Batu Pahat 84600, Johor, Malaysia
| | - Juhana Jaafar
- Advanced Membrane Technology Research Center (AMTEC), School of Chemical and Energy Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Skudai 81310, Johor, Malaysia;
| | - Faten Ermala Che Othman
- Digital Manufacturing & Design Center (DManD), Singapore University of Technology & Design, 8 Somapah Road, Singapore 487372, Singapore;
| | - Jia Wei Chew
- School of Chemistry, Chemical and Biotechnology Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 637459, Singapore;
- Singapore Membrane Technology Center, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 637141, Singapore
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4
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Jeong S, Gu B, Choi S, Ahn SK, Lee J, Lee J, Jeong S. Engineered multi-scale roughness of carbon nanofiller-embedded 3D printed spacers for membrane distillation. WATER RESEARCH 2023; 231:119649. [PMID: 36702024 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2023.119649] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2022] [Revised: 01/02/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Membrane distillation (MD) transfers heat and mass simultaneously through a hydrophobic membrane. Hence, it is sensitive to both concentration and temperature polarisation (CP and TP) effects. In this study, we fabricated feed spacers to improve MD efficiency by alleviating the polarisation effects. First, a 3D printed spacer design was optimised to show superior performance amongst the others tested. Then, to further enhance spacer performance, we incorporated highly thermally stable carbon nanofillers, including carbon nanotubes (CNT) and graphene, in the fabrication of filaments for 3D printing. All the fabricated spacers had a degree of engineered multi-scale roughness, which was relatively high compared to that of the polylactic acid (PLA) spacer (control). The use of nanomaterial-incorporated spacers increased the mean permeate flux significantly compared to the PLA spacer (27.1 L/m2h (LMH)): a 43% and 75% increase when using the 1% graphene-incorporated spacer (38.9 LMH) and 2% CNT incorporated spacer (47.5 LMH), respectively. This could be attributed to the locally enhanced turbulence owing to the multi-scale roughness formed on the spacer, which further increased the vaporisation rate through the membrane. Interestingly, only the CNT-embedded spacer markedly reduced the ion permeation through the membrane, which may be due to the effective reduction of CP. This further decreased with increasing CNT concentration, confirming that the CNT spacer can simultaneously reduce the CP and TP effects in the MD process. Finally, we successfully proved that the multi-scale roughness of the spacer surface induces micromixing near the membrane walls, which can improve the MD performance via computational fluid dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seongeom Jeong
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Pusan National University, Busan 46241, Republic of Korea
| | - Boram Gu
- School of Chemical Engineering, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 61186, Republic of Korea.
| | - Subi Choi
- Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Pusan National University, Busan 46241, Republic of Korea
| | - Suk-Kyun Ahn
- Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Pusan National University, Busan 46241, Republic of Korea
| | - Jaegeun Lee
- School of Chemical Engineering, Pusan National University, Busan 46241, Republic of Korea
| | - Jieun Lee
- Institute for Environment and Energy, Pusan National University, Busan 46241, Republic of Korea
| | - Sanghyun Jeong
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Pusan National University, Busan 46241, Republic of Korea.
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5
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Liu F, Li Y, Han L, Xu Z, Zhou Y, Deng B, Xing J. A Facile Strategy toward the Preparation of a High-Performance Polyamide TFC Membrane with a CA/PVDF Support Layer. NANOMATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 12:4496. [PMID: 36558347 PMCID: PMC9785465 DOI: 10.3390/nano12244496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2022] [Revised: 12/02/2022] [Accepted: 12/06/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
In this study, polyamide (PA) thin-film composite (TFC) nanofiltration membranes were fabricated via interfacial polymerization on cellulose acetate (CA)/poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) support layers. Several types of CA/PVDF supports were prepared via the phase inversion method. With increasing CA, the PVDF membrane surface pore size decreased and hydrophilicity increased. The effect of the support properties on the performance and formation mechanism of PA films was systematically investigated via an interfacial polymerization (IP) process. The permselectivity of the resulting TFC membranes was evaluated using a MgSO4 solution. The results show that the desired polyamide TFC membrane exhibited excellent water flux (6.56 L/(m2·h·bar)) and bivalent salt ion rejection (>97%). One aim of this study is to explore how the support of CA/PVDF influences the IP process and the performance of PA film.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feng Liu
- School of Textile and Garment, Anhui Polytechnic University, Wuhu 241000, China
- Advanced Fiber Materials Engineering Research Center of Anhui Province, Anhui Polytechnic University, Wuhu 241000, China
| | - Yanyan Li
- College of Materials and Textile Engineering, Jiaxing University, Jiaxing 314001, China
| | - Lun Han
- School of Textile and Garment, Anhui Polytechnic University, Wuhu 241000, China
| | - Zhenzhen Xu
- School of Textile and Garment, Anhui Polytechnic University, Wuhu 241000, China
| | - Yuqi Zhou
- Laboratory for Advanced Nonwoven Technology, Key Laboratory of Eco-Textiles, Ministry of Education, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, China
| | - Bingyao Deng
- Laboratory for Advanced Nonwoven Technology, Key Laboratory of Eco-Textiles, Ministry of Education, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, China
| | - Jian Xing
- School of Textile and Garment, Anhui Polytechnic University, Wuhu 241000, China
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6
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Fluoropolymer Membranes for Membrane Distillation and Membrane Crystallization. Polymers (Basel) 2022; 14:polym14245439. [PMID: 36559805 PMCID: PMC9782556 DOI: 10.3390/polym14245439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2022] [Revised: 12/01/2022] [Accepted: 12/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Fluoropolymer membranes are applied in membrane operations such as membrane distillation and membrane crystallization where hydrophobic porous membranes act as a physical barrier separating two phases. Due to their hydrophobic nature, only gaseous molecules are allowed to pass through the membrane and are collected on the permeate side, while the aqueous solution cannot penetrate. However, these two processes suffer problems such as membrane wetting, fouling or scaling. Membrane wetting is a common and undesired phenomenon, which is caused by the loss of hydrophobicity of the porous membrane employed. This greatly affects the mass transfer efficiency and separation efficiency. Simultaneously, membrane fouling occurs, along with membrane wetting and scaling, which greatly reduces the lifespan of the membranes. Therefore, strategies to improve the hydrophobicity of membranes have been widely investigated by researchers. In this direction, hydrophobic fluoropolymer membrane materials are employed more and more for membrane distillation and membrane crystallization thanks to their high chemical and thermal resistance. This paper summarizes different preparation methods of these fluoropolymer membrane, such as non-solvent-induced phase separation (NIPS), thermally-induced phase separation (TIPS), vapor-induced phase separation (VIPS), etc. Hydrophobic modification methods, including surface coating, surface grafting and blending, etc., are also introduced. Moreover, the research advances on the application of less toxic solvents for preparing these membranes are herein reviewed. This review aims to provide guidance to researchers for their future membrane development in membrane distillation and membrane crystallization, using fluoropolymer materials.
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7
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Yu J, Yue D, Sun D, Li B, Ge Y, Lin Y. Micron flower-like CuO light trapping grown on the copper foam skeleton combined with PVDF membrane for solar-driven vacuum membrane distillation. Sep Purif Technol 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.seppur.2022.121989] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/31/2022]
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8
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Santoro S, Avci AH, Politano A, Curcio E. The advent of thermoplasmonic membrane distillation. Chem Soc Rev 2022; 51:6087-6125. [PMID: 35789347 DOI: 10.1039/d0cs00097c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Freshwater scarcity is a vital societal challenge related to climate change, population pressure, and agricultural and industrial demands. Therefore, sustainable desalination/purification of salty/contaminated water for human uses is particularly relevant. Membrane distillation is an emerging hybrid thermal-membrane technology with the potential to overcome the drawbacks of conventional desalination by a synergic exploitation of the water-energy nexus. Although membrane distillation is considered a green technology, efficient heat management remains a critical concern affecting the cost of the process and hindering its viability at large scale. A multidisciplinary approach that involves materials chemistry, physical chemistry, chemical engineering, and materials and polymer science is required to solve this problem. The combination of solar energy with membrane distillation is considered a potentially feasible low-cost approach for providing high-quality freshwater with a low carbon footprint. In particular, recent discoveries about efficient light-to-heat conversion in nanomaterials have opened unprecedented perspectives for the implementation of sunlight-based renewable energy in membrane distillation. The integration of nanofillers enabling photothermal effects into membranes has been demonstrated to be able to significantly enhance the energy efficiency without impacting on economic costs. Here, we provide a comprehensive overview on the state of the art, the opportunities, open challenges and pitfalls of the emerging field of solar-driven membrane distillation. We also assess the peculiar physicochemical properties and synthesis scalability of photothermal materials, as well as the strategies for their integration into polymeric nanocomposite membranes enabling efficient light-to-heat conversion and freshwater.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergio Santoro
- University of Calabria - Department of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Cubo 44 A, Via Pietro Bucci, 87036 Rende CS, Italy.
| | - Ahmet H Avci
- University of Calabria - Department of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Cubo 44 A, Via Pietro Bucci, 87036 Rende CS, Italy.
| | - Antonio Politano
- Department of Physical and Chemical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, via Vetoio, 67100 L'Aquila (AQ), Italy.
| | - Efrem Curcio
- University of Calabria - Department of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Cubo 44 A, Via Pietro Bucci, 87036 Rende CS, Italy.
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Liao X, Dai P, Wang Y, Zhang X, Liao Y, You X, Razaqpur AG. Engineering anti-scaling superhydrophobic membranes for photothermal membrane distillation. J Memb Sci 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.memsci.2022.120423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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10
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11
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Mustakeem M, El-Demellawi JK, Obaid M, Ming F, Alshareef HN, Ghaffour N. MXene-Coated Membranes for Autonomous Solar-Driven Desalination. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2022; 14:5265-5274. [PMID: 35060695 PMCID: PMC8815036 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.1c20653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
Clean water supply in off-grid locations remains a stumbling stone for socio-economic development in remote areas where solar energy is abundant. In this regard, several technologies have already introduced various solutions to the off-grid freshwater predicament; however, most of them are either costly or complex to operate. Nonetheless, photothermal membrane distillation (PMD) has emerged as a promising candidate with great potential to be autonomously driven by solar energy. Instead of using energy-intensive bulk feed heating in conventional MD systems, PMD membranes can directly harvest the incident solar light at the membrane interface as an alternative driving energy resource for the desalination process. Because of its excellent photothermal properties and stability in ionic environments, herein, Ti3C2Tx MXene was coated onto commercial polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) membranes to allow for a self-heated PMD process. An average water vapor flux of 0.77 kg/m2 h with an excellent temporal response under intermitting lighting and a photothermal efficiency of 65.3% were achieved by the PMD membrane under one-sun irradiation for a feed salinity of 0.36 g/L. Naturally, the efficiency of the process decreased with higher feed concentrations due to the reduction of the evaporation rate and the scattering of incident sunlight toward the membrane photothermal surface, especially at rates above 10 g/L. Notably, with such performance, 1 m2 of the MXene-coated PMD membrane can fulfill the recommended daily potable water intake for a household, that is, ca. 6 L/day.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mustakeem Mustakeem
- Water
Desalination and Reuse Center (WDRC), Biological and Environmental
Science and Engineering Division (BESE), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, (KAUST), Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Jehad K. El-Demellawi
- Physical
Science and Engineering (PSE) Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, (KAUST), Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - M. Obaid
- Water
Desalination and Reuse Center (WDRC), Biological and Environmental
Science and Engineering Division (BESE), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, (KAUST), Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Fangwang Ming
- Physical
Science and Engineering (PSE) Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, (KAUST), Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Husam N. Alshareef
- Physical
Science and Engineering (PSE) Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, (KAUST), Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Noreddine Ghaffour
- Water
Desalination and Reuse Center (WDRC), Biological and Environmental
Science and Engineering Division (BESE), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, (KAUST), Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
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12
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Thermal Performance of Integrated Direct Contact and Vacuum Membrane Distillation Units. ENERGIES 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/en14217405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
An integrated membrane distillation (MD) flowsheet, consisting of direct contact membrane distillation (DCMD) and vacuum membrane distillation (VMD) units, was proposed and analysed in terms of thermal performance and water recovery factor, for the first time. The same lab-scale membrane module (40 cm2) was used for carrying out experiments of DCMD and VMD at fixed feed operating conditions (deionised water at 230 L/h and ~40 °C) while working at the permeate side with deionised water at 18 °C and with a vacuum of 20 mbar for the DCMD and the VMD configuration, respectively. Based on experimental data obtained on the single modules, calculations of the permeate production, the specific thermal energy consumption (STEC) and the gained output ratio (GOR) were carried out for both single and integrated units. Moreover, the calculations were also made for a flow sheet consisting of two DCMD units in series, representing the “traditional” way in which more units of the same MD configuration are combined to enhance the water recovery factor. A significant improvement of the thermal performance (lower STEC and higher GOR) was obtained with the integrated DCMD–VMD flowsheet with respect to the DCMD units operating in series. The integration of DCMD with VMD also led to a higher permeate production and productivity/size (PS) ratio, a metric defined to compare plants in terms of the process intensification strategy.
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13
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Electrospun nanofibrous polyether-block-amide membrane containing silica nanoparticles for water desalination by vacuum membrane distillation. Sep Purif Technol 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.seppur.2021.119149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
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14
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In situ photo-thermal conversion nanofiber membrane consisting of hydrophilic PAN layer and hydrophobic PVDF-ATO layer for improving solar-thermal membrane distillation. J Memb Sci 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.memsci.2021.119500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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15
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Liu J, Guo H, Sun Z, Li B. Preparation of photothermal membrane for vacuum membrane distillation with excellent anti-fouling ability through surface spraying. J Memb Sci 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.memsci.2021.119434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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16
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Liu F, Zhou Y, Shen Y, Wang L, Li D, Liu Q, Deng B. The preparation of electrospun PVDF/TBAC multi morphology nanofiber membrane and its application in direct contact membrane distillation. Macromol Rapid Commun 2021; 43:e2100286. [PMID: 34463397 DOI: 10.1002/marc.202100286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2021] [Revised: 08/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Microporous membrane with a hydrophobic surface, high porosity and narrow pore size distribution is the ideal membrane distillation (MD) membrane. The electrospun membranes for MD is a new type and effective way to seawater desalination. Herein, a novel polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF)/ tetrabutylammonium chloride (TBAC) electrospun nanofiber membrane (ENMs) fabricated apply to for direct contact membrane distillation (DCMD). Combine with the spinning condition, the characteristic and content of TBAC significant effect on the multi morphology structure of nanofiber. Therefore, the porous structure and morphology of PVDF/TBAC ENMs can be well-designed by optimizing relative humidity and TBAC concentration in spinning process, three different structure nanofiber membranes were obtained. Lab-scale setup was used to test membrane separation performance. The result indicated that the ultrafine ENMs with 0.025 mol/L TBAC presented a steady water flux of about 20.6 L/(m2 h) and a high-efficiency salt rejection rate of over 99%. PVDF/TBAC ENMs are expected to provide a solution for development of efficient water treatment membrane. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feng Liu
- Laboratory for Advanced Nonwoven Technology, Key Laboratory of Eco-Textiles, Ministry of Education, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, People's Republic of China.,The International Joint Research Laboratory for Eco-Textile Technology (IJRLETT) at Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuqi Zhou
- Laboratory for Advanced Nonwoven Technology, Key Laboratory of Eco-Textiles, Ministry of Education, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, People's Republic of China
| | - Ying Shen
- Laboratory for Advanced Nonwoven Technology, Key Laboratory of Eco-Textiles, Ministry of Education, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, People's Republic of China.,The International Joint Research Laboratory for Eco-Textile Technology (IJRLETT) at Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, People's Republic of China
| | - Lanlan Wang
- Laboratory for Advanced Nonwoven Technology, Key Laboratory of Eco-Textiles, Ministry of Education, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, People's Republic of China.,The International Joint Research Laboratory for Eco-Textile Technology (IJRLETT) at Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, People's Republic of China
| | - Dawei Li
- Laboratory for Advanced Nonwoven Technology, Key Laboratory of Eco-Textiles, Ministry of Education, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, People's Republic of China.,The International Joint Research Laboratory for Eco-Textile Technology (IJRLETT) at Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, People's Republic of China
| | - Qingsheng Liu
- Laboratory for Advanced Nonwoven Technology, Key Laboratory of Eco-Textiles, Ministry of Education, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, People's Republic of China.,The International Joint Research Laboratory for Eco-Textile Technology (IJRLETT) at Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, People's Republic of China
| | - Bingyao Deng
- Laboratory for Advanced Nonwoven Technology, Key Laboratory of Eco-Textiles, Ministry of Education, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, People's Republic of China.,The International Joint Research Laboratory for Eco-Textile Technology (IJRLETT) at Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, People's Republic of China
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17
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Razaqpur AG, Wang Y, Liao X, Liao Y, Wang R. Progress of photothermal membrane distillation for decentralized desalination: A review. WATER RESEARCH 2021; 201:117299. [PMID: 34107363 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2021.117299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2021] [Revised: 05/22/2021] [Accepted: 05/24/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The conventional membrane distillation (MD) process is accompanied by large energy consumption, low thermal efficiency and inevitable requirements of centralized infrastructures, which impede its practical applications, especially in the offshore and remote off-grid areas. Thanks to the rapid development of efficient photothermal materials over the last decade, a new photothermal membrane distillation (PMD) process has emerged to harness abundant solar energy and localize heating on the membrane-feed water interface via photothermal effects. Driven by the temperature difference across the PMD membrane, water vapor can be generated on the membrane-feed surface, transported through membrane pores and condensed at permeate side to obtain freshwater, thus tackling the challenge of obtaining clean water using green energy. The PMD process avoids heating the entire bulk feed water and feed transportation from heat units to membrane modules, which save substantial amounts of energy. The interfacial localized heating intrinsically mitigates the temperature polarization across the membrane. The latent heat from vapor condensation can be effectively recovered via multi-level PMD configurations. As great efforts have been made to exploit PMD process, it is imperative to review the state-of-the-art progress of PMD and shed light on its future trend. Here, we briefly illustrate PMD mechanisms and membrane requirements, photothermal materials feasible for developing PMD membranes along with their light-to-heat mechanisms. This is followed by reviewing diverse approaches to prepare PMD membranes, which are classified into one-step fabrication and multi-step modification methods. Comprehensive discussion about PMD membrane performance in different configurations and their small pilot-scaled applications are provided. The effects of operational parameters and module designs are discussed in Section 6. Finally, the current challenges and future perspectives of PMD process are emphasized with the aim of providing guidance for future works.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdul Ghani Razaqpur
- Sino-Canadian Joint R&D Center for Water and Environmental Safety, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, No.38 Tongyan Road, Jinnan District, Tianjin 300350, PR China
| | - Yuqi Wang
- Sino-Canadian Joint R&D Center for Water and Environmental Safety, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, No.38 Tongyan Road, Jinnan District, Tianjin 300350, PR China
| | - Xiangjun Liao
- Sino-Canadian Joint R&D Center for Water and Environmental Safety, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, No.38 Tongyan Road, Jinnan District, Tianjin 300350, PR China
| | - Yuan Liao
- Sino-Canadian Joint R&D Center for Water and Environmental Safety, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, No.38 Tongyan Road, Jinnan District, Tianjin 300350, PR China.
| | - Rong Wang
- Singapore Membrane Technology Centre, Nanyang Environment and Water Research Institute, Nanyang Technological University, 1 Cleantech Loop, Singapore 637141, Singapore; School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore 639798, Singapore
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18
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Xie B, Xu G, Jia Y, Gu L, Wang Q, Mushtaq N, Cheng B, Hu Y. Engineering carbon nanotubes enhanced hydrophobic membranes with high performance in membrane distillation by spray coating. J Memb Sci 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.memsci.2020.118978] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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19
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Anvari A, Azimi Yancheshme A, Kekre KM, Ronen A. State-of-the-art methods for overcoming temperature polarization in membrane distillation process: A review. J Memb Sci 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.memsci.2020.118413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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20
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Wang Y, Zhou G, Yan Y, Shao B, Hou J. Construction of Natural Loofah/Poly(vinylidene fluoride) Core-Shell Electrospun Nanofibers via a Controllable Janus Nozzle for Switchable Oil-Water Separation. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2020; 12:51917-51926. [PMID: 33147949 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.0c12912] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Developing microstructure and multifunctional membranes toward switchable oil-water separation has been highly desired in oily wastewater treatment. Herein, a controllable Janus nozzle was employed to innovatively electrospin natural loofah/poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) nanofibers with a core-shell structure for gravity-driven water purification. By adjusting flow rates of the PVDF component, a core-shell structure of the composite fibers was obtained caused by the lower viscosity and surface tension of PVDF. In addition, a steady laminar motion of fluids was constructed based on the Reynolds number of flow fields being less than 2300. In order to investigate the formation mechanism of the microstructure, a series of Janus nozzles with different lengths were controlled to study the blending of the two immiscible components. The gravity difference between the two components might cause disturbance of the jet motion, and the PVDF component unidirectionally encapsulated the loofah to form the shell layer. Most importantly, the dry loofah/PVDF membranes could separate oil from an oil-water mixture, while the water-wetted membrane exhibited switchable separation that could separate water from the mixtures because of the hydroxyl groups of the hydrophilic loofah hydrogen-bonding with water molecules and forming a hydration layer. The composite fibers can be applied in water remediation in practice, and the method to produce core-shell structures seems attractive for technological applications involving macroscopic core-shell nano- or microfibers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yihuan Wang
- Key laboratory of Automobile Materials of Ministry of Education, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Jilin University, Changchun 130025, China
| | - Guibin Zhou
- Key laboratory of Automobile Materials of Ministry of Education, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Jilin University, Changchun 130025, China
| | - Yifan Yan
- Key laboratory of Automobile Materials of Ministry of Education, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Jilin University, Changchun 130025, China
| | - Bohui Shao
- Key laboratory of Automobile Materials of Ministry of Education, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Jilin University, Changchun 130025, China
| | - Jiazi Hou
- Key laboratory of Automobile Materials of Ministry of Education, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Jilin University, Changchun 130025, China
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21
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Zhang Y, Li K, Liu L, Wang K, Xiang J, Hou D, Wang J. Titanium nitride nanoparticle embedded membrane for photothermal membrane distillation. CHEMOSPHERE 2020; 256:127053. [PMID: 32454351 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2020.127053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2020] [Revised: 05/08/2020] [Accepted: 05/10/2020] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
To meet the increasing worldwide need for freshwater, it has become critical to exploit non-potable saline water. Solar membrane distillation (MD) is a promising desalination technique, which does not require conventional energy and can reduce the cost of water production. We developed a cost-effective and high-efficiency photothermal membrane that employs TiN nanoparticles as an absorber of sunlight and energy converter. Due to a strong photothermal effect, the solar energy efficiency significantly improved. With optimal membrane and MD operating conditions, we obtained an MD flux of 0.940 kg/m2∙h and a solar efficiency of 64.1% under 1.0 kW/m2 solar irradiation. Compared with a bare poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) membrane, 65.8% more pure water was produced. Furthermore, the temperature polarization encountered in the conventional MD process was relieved on account of the unique interfacial heating of the photothermal coating, which also contributed to the high solar efficiency. In addition, the membrane was quite stable and the permeate water was of a high, potable quality. The as-prepared photothermal membrane demonstrated a good performance and application prospects for solar MD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Aquatic Chemistry, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 18 Shuangqing Road, Beijing, 100085, China; National Engineering Laboratory for Industrial Wastewater Treatment, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 18 Shuangqing Road, Beijing, 100085, China
| | - Kuiling Li
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Aquatic Chemistry, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 18 Shuangqing Road, Beijing, 100085, China; National Engineering Laboratory for Industrial Wastewater Treatment, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 18 Shuangqing Road, Beijing, 100085, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 19 Yuquan Road, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Lie Liu
- School of Chemical & Environmental Engineering, China University of Mining & Technology (Beijing), Ding 11 Xueyuan Road, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Kunpeng Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Aquatic Chemistry, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 18 Shuangqing Road, Beijing, 100085, China; National Engineering Laboratory for Industrial Wastewater Treatment, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 18 Shuangqing Road, Beijing, 100085, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 19 Yuquan Road, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Jun Xiang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Aquatic Chemistry, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 18 Shuangqing Road, Beijing, 100085, China; National Engineering Laboratory for Industrial Wastewater Treatment, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 18 Shuangqing Road, Beijing, 100085, China
| | - Deyin Hou
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Aquatic Chemistry, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 18 Shuangqing Road, Beijing, 100085, China; National Engineering Laboratory for Industrial Wastewater Treatment, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 18 Shuangqing Road, Beijing, 100085, China
| | - Jun Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Aquatic Chemistry, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 18 Shuangqing Road, Beijing, 100085, China; National Engineering Laboratory for Industrial Wastewater Treatment, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 18 Shuangqing Road, Beijing, 100085, China.
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22
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Ahmed FE, Lalia BS, Hashaikeh R, Hilal N. Enhanced performance of direct contact membrane distillation via selected electrothermal heating of membrane surface. J Memb Sci 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.memsci.2020.118224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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23
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Hu C, Yang Z, Sun Q, Ni Z, Yan G, Wang Z. Facile Preparation of a Superhydrophobic iPP Microporous Membrane with Micron-Submicron Hierarchical Structures for Membrane Distillation. Polymers (Basel) 2020; 12:E962. [PMID: 32326135 PMCID: PMC7240455 DOI: 10.3390/polym12040962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2020] [Revised: 04/17/2020] [Accepted: 04/17/2020] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
A facile method combining micro-molding with thermally-induced phase separation (TIPS) to prepare superhydrophobic isotacticpolypropylene (iPP) microporous membranes with micron-submicron hierarchical structures is proposed in this paper. In this study, the hydrophobicity of the membrane was controlled by changing the size of micro-structures on the micro-structured mold and the temperature of the cooling bath. The best superhydrophobicity was achieved with a high water contact angle (WCA) of 161° and roll-off angle of 2°, which was similar to the lotus effect. The permeability of the membrane was greatly improved and the mechanical properties were maintained. The membrane prepared by the new method and subjected to 60h vacuum membrane distillation (VMD) was compared with a conventional iPP membrane prepared via the TIPS process. The flux of the former membrane was 31.2 kg/m2·h, and salt rejection was always higher than 99.95%, which was obviously higher than that of the latter membrane. The deposition of surface fouling on the former membrane was less and loose, and that of the latter membrane was greater and steady, which was attributed to the micron-submicron hierarchical structure of the former and the single submicron-structure of the latter. Additionally, the new method is expected to become a feasible and economical method for producing an ideal membrane for membrane distillation (MD) on a large scale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cuicui Hu
- National-Local Joint Engineering Laboratory for Energy Conservation in Chemical Process Integration and Resources Utilization, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin 300000, China
| | - Zhensheng Yang
- National-Local Joint Engineering Laboratory for Energy Conservation in Chemical Process Integration and Resources Utilization, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin 300000, China
| | - Qichao Sun
- National-Local Joint Engineering Laboratory for Energy Conservation in Chemical Process Integration and Resources Utilization, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin 300000, China
| | - Zhihua Ni
- National-Local Joint Engineering Laboratory for Energy Conservation in Chemical Process Integration and Resources Utilization, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin 300000, China
| | - Guofei Yan
- National-Local Joint Engineering Laboratory for Energy Conservation in Chemical Process Integration and Resources Utilization, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin 300000, China
| | - Zhiying Wang
- National-Local Joint Engineering Laboratory for Energy Conservation in Chemical Process Integration and Resources Utilization, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin 300000, China
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