Review
Chemistry, Physical
Lijun Meng, Wei Shi, Yang Li, Xuesong Li, Xin Tong, Zhiwei Wang
Summary: Membrane technology is an efficient strategy for addressing water and energy scarcity globally. However, traditional membranes have limitations such as low permeability, low selectivity, and high fouling tendency. Janus membranes are promising solutions to overcome these limitations due to their unique transport behaviors and separation properties. This review provides a comprehensive summary and critical discussion on the research advances of Janus membranes in the water-energy nexus, including design strategies, working principles, and applications in various membrane systems.
ADVANCES IN COLLOID AND INTERFACE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Victor Rezende Moreira, Julia Vieira Raad, Julia Xavier Lazarini, Lucilaine V. S. Santos, Miriam C. S. Amaral
Summary: Membrane distillation is a promising process for water reclamation due to its ability to retain non-volatile components and operate without hydraulic pressure. This paper explores the use of renewable energy sources and waste heat to improve the energy efficiency of membrane distillation, with solar energy being the most preferred option. Successful case studies suggest the potential for widespread use of membrane distillation in the near term.
JOURNAL OF WATER PROCESS ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Thermodynamics
Xipan Wang, Junnian Song, Jiahao Xing, Haiyan Duan, Xian'en Wang
Summary: This study explores the coupling between water and energy efficiency in Chinese provincial regions and finds that regions generally have better performance in energy efficiency compared to water efficiency. The coupling level between the two factors is high, but the coordination level varies across regions. The economically leading regions in the eastern part of China show a higher coupling level. The study also identifies pathways to improve water and energy efficiency.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Jing Ke, Nina Khanna, Nan Zhou
Summary: This study aims to explore the water-energy nexus and support integrated resource planning and management to achieve the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals by analyzing China's energy-water data over the past 21 years. The analysis indicates that improving energy-water efficiency is critical for controlling the increase in energy and water use and achieving resource and environmental protection targets.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2022)
Article
Thermodynamics
Mustafa Kiziltan
Summary: Efficient use of water resources plays a crucial role in achieving Turkey's energy efficiency goals. An increase in water consumption leads to a rise in electricity consumption, while urbanization and electricity prices have varying effects on electricity consumption.
Article
Economics
Carlos Francisco Terneus Paez, Oswaldo Viteri Salazar
Summary: This research analyzes the impact of biofuel production in Ecuador on water, food, and energy, with a focus on ethanol produced from sugar cane. Despite the trend of promoting biofuels in countries highly dependent on petroleum imports, other options should be explored due to the risks biofuels pose to food security.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
C. Suo, Y. P. Li, H. Mei, J. Lv, J. Sun, S. Nie
Summary: This study develops a CN-ECWN model integrating global climate models, multiple linear regression, and interval-parameter programming to simulate the impact of energy-climate-water nexus on China's energy system. Results show a decline in fossil fuel share, carbon emissions, and water withdrawal under the ECWN pattern, indicating a shift towards clean-production, low-carbon, and water-saving energy system in China.
RENEWABLE & SUSTAINABLE ENERGY REVIEWS
(2021)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Marzieh Hasanzadeh Saray, Aziza Baubekova, Alireza Gohari, Seyed Saeid Eslamian, Bjorn Klove, Ali Torabi Haghighi
Summary: This study analyzed the water-energy-food (WEF) nexus and CO2 emissions of a farm in northwest Iran, providing data support for policy-makers in response to climate change. The analysis revealed a direct relationship between energy consumption and CO2 emissions, with barley, rapeseed, silage corn, and wheat performing best in terms of maximizing WEF nexus and minimizing CO2 emissions.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Elmira Shamlou, Radisav Vidic, Vikas Khanna
Summary: This study compares the economic and energetic performance of different MD configurations operating in multi-stage mode, and finds that multi-stage operation can reduce treatment cost and energy intensity, with AGMD performing the best among the configurations studied.
Article
Thermodynamics
Sheng Xie, Jingshu Zhang, Datao Shi, Qi Zhang
Summary: The multi-energy system in iron and steel plants poses challenges in energy distribution and management due to its strong coupling characteristic. This study establishes a multi-energy and multi-objective mixed integer non-linear programming model to optimize the energy system under the water-energy-carbon nexus. The model considers the coupling of gas-steam-electricity and includes multiple objectives such as economic performance, CO2 emissions, water generation, and global energy efficiency. The results show that the studied iron and steel plant has significant potential in reducing economic cost, emission mitigation, improving system water production, and enhancing global energy efficiency, thus helping achieve carbon peak and carbon neutrality targets.
APPLIED THERMAL ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Enrica Fontananova, Valentina Grosso, Elvira Pantuso, Laura Donato, Gianluca Di Profio
Summary: In the context of global climate crisis and growing world population, there is an urgent need for viable technical solutions to extract energy from alternative and renewable sources and recover pure water at affordable costs. The study focuses on direct contact membrane distillation technology, which proves to be a feasible option to treat high-concentration feed solutions and recover pure water from brines that are difficult to dewater through reverse osmosis. The thermal energy requirements of the membrane distillation stage can be tailored by controlling the ratio between different salinity streams in the reverse electrodialysis unit and potentially adapting it to the available heat.
JOURNAL OF MEMBRANE SCIENCE
(2023)
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Muhammad Usman Farid, Jehad A. Kharraz, Jiawei Sun, Min-Wei Boey, Muhammad Adil Riaz, Pak Wai Wong, Mingyi Jia, Xinning Zhang, Bhaskar Jyoti Deka, Noman Khalid Khanzada, Jiaxin Guo, Alicia Kyoungjin An
Summary: This review explores the significance of nano-enabled membrane distillation in achieving a sustainable water-energy-environment nexus. By analyzing and summarizing the properties, applications, challenges, and commercialization potential of nano-enhanced MD membranes, it provides insights for future research and development efforts.
ADVANCED MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Electrical & Electronic
Pengfei Zhao, Chenghong Gu, Zhidong Cao, Qian Ai, Yue Xiang, Tao Ding, Xi Lu, Xinlei Chen, Shuangqi Li
Summary: The study proposes a two-stage distributionally robust operation model for integrated water-energy nexus systems, considering wind uncertainty and risk measures to minimize operation costs of multi-energy infrastructures. Case studies validate the economic effectiveness of optimizing scheduling for multi-energy infrastructures within the integrated water-energy system.
IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON POWER SYSTEMS
(2021)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Hasan Mehrjerdi, Ahmed A. M. Aljabery
Summary: This paper proposes a mixed integer linear programming model based on the energy-water-carbon nexus for the local community's water and energy resource planning. By considering community demand, minimizing system cost, and maintaining permissible pollution levels, it is found that using hybrid renewable energies and desalination as primary energy and water resources can lead to a more sustainable community with affordable and less polluting energy and water resources.
ADVANCED SUSTAINABLE SYSTEMS
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Elmira Mohammadi Shamlou, Radisav Vidic, Vikas Khanna
Summary: Optimizing membrane distillation systems is essential for evaluating their economic performance. AGMD configuration shows lower cost advantage in treating hypersaline wastewater, but this advantage diminishes under more practical operating conditions. Additionally, treatment cost using PGMD configuration approaches those of CGMD and DCMD, particularly when modules with small gaps are used.
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
M. Obaid, Norah Alsadun, Osama Shekhah, Sarah Almahfoodh, Sheng Zhou, Noreddine Ghaffour, Mohamed Eddaoudi
Summary: Despite progress in oil-water separation, challenges like low permeance and fouling problems still exist. Superwettable materials, particularly metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), are potential candidates for oily wastewater treatment. However, MOFs have been rarely explored for separating stabilized oil-in-water emulsions, calling for the development of better MOF materials.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Mohammed Al Namazi, Sheng Li, Noreddine Ghaffour, TorOve Leiknes, Gary Amy
Summary: This study compares three types of organic matter (AOM, BOM, and HOM) in terms of their content, fouling behavior, and removal efficiency in ceramic UF filtration. It found that the 5 kDa membrane removed more transparent exopolymer particles (TEP)/organics than the 50 kDa membrane, but had less fouling formation for all three types of organic matter. The study also revealed that AOM had the highest MFI-UF and TMP values among the three organics and exhibited high fouling potential.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Muhammad Ali, Yogesh Singh, Luca Fortunato, Zahid Ur Rehman, Sarvajith Manjunath, Johannes S. Vrouwenvelder, Mario Pronk, Mark C. M. van Loosdrecht, Pascal E. Saikaly
Summary: A pilot-scale wastewater treatment process integrating aerobic granular sludge with a gravity-driven membrane system showed superior performance compared to a conventional aerobic MBR system. This novel process is a promising solution for decentralized wastewater treatment and reuse in water-scarce regions. It demonstrated superior nutrient removal and stable operation without the need for frequent cleaning.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Najat A. Amin, Harun Elcik, Alla Alpatova, Graciela Gonzalez-Gil, Bastiaan Blankert, Nadia Farhat, Johannes S. Vrouwenvelder, Noreddine Ghaffour
Summary: This study explores the efficiency of different cleaning strategies in biofilm removal during seawater membrane distillation (MD). The results showed that chemical cleanings were more effective in removing biofilm, and the post-cleaning permeate conductivities were low, indicating stable membrane performance.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Adnan Qamar, Sarah Kerdi, Johannes S. Vrouwenvelder, Noreddine Ghaffour
Summary: Optimal spacer design, such as the proposed novel airfoil feed spacer design, plays a crucial role in enhancing filtration performance in spiral-wound modules. The airfoil spacers are found to provide steady-state and uniform flow characteristics, resulting in improved permeate flux, reduced energy consumption, and minimized biofouling development. Controlling the Angle of Attack (AOA) of the airfoil filaments allows for effective control of localized hydrodynamics based on the filtration type and operating conditions.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Chao Chen, Yu Yang, Nigel J. D. Graham, Zhenyu Li, Xingtao Yang, Zhining Wang, Nadia Farhat, Johannes S. Vrouwenvelder, Li -an Hou
Summary: The fouling of seawater reverse osmosis membranes is a persistent challenge in desalination. This study monitored the operational performance of a desalination plant for 7 years and the fouling development in different areas of membrane modules. The findings showed that operational performance declined over time and fouling mainly occurred at the feed side of the modules, with the highest microbial diversity. Keystone species like Chloroflexi and Planctomycetes played an important role in maintaining community structure and biofilm maturation. Polysaccharides, soluble microbial products, marine humic acid-like substances, and inorganic substances contributed to fouling. Overall, biofouling had a significant impact on membrane fouling after 7 years of operation.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Emad Ali, Jamel Orfi, Hany AlAnsary, Saleh Baakeem, Ahmad S. Alsaadi, Noreddine Ghaffour
Summary: Three different modifications of the reversal multi-stage flash (MSF) plant were proposed and compared. The hybrid MSF and membrane distillation (MD) configuration showed promising results, while the cascaded MSF blocks had different advantages and disadvantages.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Sofiane Soukane, Muhammad Saqib Nawaz, M. Obaid, Veerabhadraiah Gudideni, Ali Al-Qahtani, Noreddine Ghaffour
Summary: The development of eco-friendly desalination and water reuse is crucial for securing water resources for future generations. Numerical modeling, specifically the integration of forward osmosis (FO) and membrane distillation (MD), plays a key role in accelerating the design and scale-up of hybrid processes. This study presents an advanced 3D multiscale modeling approach that combines heat and mass transfer calculations with computational fluid dynamics, leading to effective process scale-up evaluation.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Emad Ali, Jamel Orfi, Hany Alansary, Saleh Baakeem, Ahmad S. Alsaadi, Noreddine Ghaffour
Summary: This study presents the concept and analysis of integrating membrane distillations with reversal once-through Multistage Flash desalination. The analysis is based on numerical simulation. The results show that integrating MD vessels into the terminal ends of the RV-MSF system can leverage thermal energy and increase the overall production rate. Hybridisation at stage one, by utilizing the energy of the MSF reject brine, has a greater impact on production rate compared to hybridisation at the last MSF stage.
ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Enas Taha Sayed, M. Obaid, A. G. Olabi, Mohammad Ali Abdelkareem, Muaz Al Radi, Amer Al-Dawoud, Sameer Al-Asheh, Noreddine Ghaffour
Summary: This review summarizes the principles, applications, and future development of capacitive deionization (CDI) technology in wastewater treatment, highlighting the significant advancements in removing various contaminants from water using CDI.
JOURNAL OF WATER PROCESS ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Luca Fortunato, Lamya Al Fuhaid, Sapia Murgolo, Cristina De Ceglie, Giuseppe Mascolo, Laura Falivene, Johannes S. Vrouwenvelder, Geert-Jan Witkamp, Andreia Farinha
Summary: This study investigated the use of natural deep eutectic solvents (NADES) for the extraction of Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) from aqueous solutions. The results showed that a hydrophobic NADES, menthol-acetic acid, was effective in extracting perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHpA) from water. The extraction efficiency was high and not affected by PFHpA concentration or the initial pH of the solution. Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations provided insights into the interaction mechanism between PFHpA and NADES.
JOURNAL OF WATER PROCESS ENGINEERING
(2023)
Review
Engineering, Chemical
I. Ihsanullah, Muhammad Bilal, Muhammad Sajid, Abdul Wahab Mohammad, Muataz A. Atieh, Noreddine Ghaffour
Summary: This review critically summarizes the successful applications of MXene materials in the separation of oily emulsions. The unique characteristics of MXene materials position them as ideal candidates for oil/water separation applications. The paper evaluates the separation mechanisms, regeneration performance, stability, and durability of MXene-based materials and identifies current challenges and research gaps. Future prospects for advancing MXene-based oil/water separation technology are also presented.
SEPARATION AND PURIFICATION TECHNOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Bastiaan Blankert, Fernan D. Martinez, Johannes S. Vrouwenvelder, Cristian Picioreanu
Summary: Perimeter artefacts, such as membrane damage and unrepresentative hydrodynamics, can significantly affect bench scale performance evaluation. However, the effect can be mitigated by measuring salt rejection from only the central area of the coupon.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Arvin Sohrabi, Mousa Meratizaman, Shuli Liu
Summary: This paper simulates and discusses possible solutions to improve the economic and technical performances of a battery-less renewable energy-powered BWRO system under real climate conditions. The study finds that the photovoltaic-based system performs better in terms of specific energy consumption and unused energy ratio.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Chunlan Pan, Xiaoyin Hu, Vishal Goyal, Theyab R. Alsenani, Salem Alkhalaf, Tamim Alkhalifah, Fahad Alturise, Hamad Almujibah, H. Elhosiny Ali
Summary: This paper introduces a novel waste heat recovery method using the hot flue gas from a ship's engine to produce liquefied hydrogen while meeting the ship's air-conditioning requirement. A comprehensive feasibility assessment is conducted and an artificial neural network with a multiobjective grey wolf optimization method is used for optimization. The findings indicate the highest mean sensitivity index of the flash temperature and the best optimization scenario for exergy efficiency, CO2 emission reduction, and liquefied hydrogen cost.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Daniele Chinello, Jan Post, Louis C. P. M. de Smet
Summary: In this study, PVDF-based anion-exchange membranes were designed to selectively separate nitrate from chloride. Experimental data showed that increasing the concentration of PVDF enhanced nitrate transport but also increased the membrane electrical resistance. The selectivity of nitrate was found to be independent of the membrane thickness and mainly driven by the increased affinity between the anion and the membrane.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Umar Noor, Muhammad Fayyaz Farid, Ammara Sharif, Amna Saleem, Zubair Nabi, Muhammad Furqan Mughal, Kiran Abbas, Toheed Ahmed
Summary: Global water scarcity is increasing, and water desalination is an important solution. Multifunctional advanced materials, such as membrane materials and solar-driven desalination, play a crucial role in water desalination. Additionally, these materials can be used for water purification, wastewater treatment, and pollutant elimination.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Emrah Gumus
Summary: With growing global concerns about climate change and environmental impacts, the use of nuclear energy in naval vessels offers a cleaner and more efficient solution to reduce emissions and address water and energy supply challenges. This study explores a novel system that combines a nuclear-driven supercritical carbon dioxide power cycle with reverse osmosis cogeneration to meet the water and electricity demands in maritime operations, enhancing the sustainability, efficiency, and self-sufficiency of naval vessels. The results indicate that the system has the potential to be a viable and effective solution for naval operations.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Dao Thi Thanh Huyen, Saikat Sinha Ray, Young -Nam Kwon
Summary: This study focuses on the modification of a commercially available polyamide thin-film composite membrane with a zwitterionic material to enhance its fouling resistance. The modified membrane shows improved salt rejection and reduced permeability compared to the pristine membrane. Fouling tests demonstrate that the modified membrane has a lower fouling ratio and higher recovery ratio. The enhanced antifouling characteristics are attributed to the improved hydrophilicity resulting from the zwitterionic brushes and the salting-in effect.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Niklas Koeller, Lukas Mankertz, Selina Finger, Christian J. Linnartz, Matthias Wessling
Summary: This study presents a methodology to scale up Flow-electrode Capacitive Deionization (FCDI) technology from lab-scale to pilot-scale systems. By increasing membrane area and using a stacking approach, the FCDI modules were successfully scaled up and achieved a salt transfer rate comparable to lab-scale systems. This provides a foundation for future assessments of energy demand and economics.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Mona Gulied, Sifani Zavahir, Tasneem Elmakki, Hyunwoong Park, Guillermo Hijos Gago, Ho Kyong Shon, Dong Suk Han
Summary: This study introduces a novel hybrid system that combines direct contact membrane distillation (DCMD) and electrically switched ion exchange (ESIX) to facilitate seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) brine enrichment and selective lithium recovery.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Zhiqiang Zhang, Ruifeng Deng, Jiao Zhang, Lu She, Guangfeng Wei, Renyong Jia, Pengyu Xiang, Siqing Xia
Summary: A transmembrane electro-chemisorption system with authigenic acid and base was developed for enhancing ammonia recovery from strong ammonia wastewater. The system efficiently transformed ammonium into free ammonia, which was then adsorbed and recovered through transmembrane chemisorption. This system yielded pure (NH4)2SO4 product and produced valuable byproducts of pure hydrogen and oxygen. Higher applied voltage resulted in better ammonia recovery.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Alena Popova, Sandrine Boivin, Takuji Shintani, Takahiro Fujioka
Summary: This study aimed to produce a high-integrity RO membrane by forming a polyamide skin layer on a TE support layer, in order to enhance the integrity of the membrane and improve the microbiological safety of potable water reuse.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Sanjana Yagnambhatt, Saber Khanmohammadi, Jonathan Maisonneuve
Summary: This study investigates the concept of using heat to enhance reverse osmosis (RO) desalination. The effect of temperature on water permeate flux, specific energy, permeate quality, and applied operating pressures is evaluated using an analytical model. The results suggest that under specific conditions, the tradeoff between savings in mechanical pump work and thermal energy input in thermally-enhanced RO can be favorable, leading to overall energy savings.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Jiangju Si, Chenrui Xue, Shun Li, Linchao Yang, Weiwei Li, Jie Yang, Jihong Lan, Ningbo Sun
Summary: To meet the huge demand for lithium resources, there is an urgent need to develop a new efficient technology for lithium recovery from salt-lake brines. In this study, a selective membrane capacitive deionization system is reported, which achieves high lithium recovery capacity and rate through the use of materials with efficient intercalated pseudo-capacitance and a high specific area porous carbon. The use of a modified thin-coated membrane allows for selective Li+ recovery, and adjusting the concentrations of Li+ and Mg2+ in the feed solution enables higher Li+/Mg2+ selectivity.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Mohamed R. Salem, R. Y. Sakr, Ghazy M. R. Assassa, Omar A. Aly
Summary: This research proposes a new method of using wasted thermal energies as an additional heating source for solar still distillation units (SSDUs) to increase productivity and reduce pollution and global warming. By testing two SSDUs, the study shows that heating airflow can raise temperatures, enhance freshwater production, and improve system thermal efficiency.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Qimeng Sun, Miao Sun, Linyan Yang, Yuan Gao, Xinghai Zhou, Lihua Lyu, Chunyan Wei
Summary: This study presents an innovative design and fabrication of a fabric-based conical roll (FCR) evaporator, which enables low-temperature evaporation and achieves high evaporation efficiency with excellent thermal management ability. The evaporator has demonstrated advanced light-harvesting capability and can produce freshwater that meets drinking water standards, showing great potential for applications in desalination and sewage treatment.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Yidong Zhang, Wangfang Deng, Meiyan Wu, Chao Liu, Guang Yu, Qiu Cui, Pedram Fatehi, Chunlin Xu, Bin Li
Summary: In this study, a novel polydopamine-functionalized lignin-containing pulp foam evaporator with high-efficiency desalination and multi-contaminant adsorption capabilities was designed. The foam evaporator showed excellent light absorption, water absorption, thermal conductivity, and chelation abilities, allowing for solar evaporation and contaminant adsorption synergistically. It also exhibited potential applications in metal ion concentration and contaminated seawater treatments, and demonstrated superior biodegradability compared to poly-styrene foam. This foam material holds promise for developing multifunctional photo-thermal systems for solar-driven water purification.
