Article
Engineering, Chemical
Anshul Yadav, Pawan Kumar Labhasetwar, Vinod Kumar Shahi
Summary: PVDF-co-HFP flat sheet membranes incorporated with poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) of varied molecular weights were studied to control membrane pore size and porosity. The use of TOPSIS method predicted the most suitable membrane for VMD water desalination, with the M3 membrane showing superior performance.
SEPARATION AND PURIFICATION TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Pedram Mohammadi Esfarjani, Hossein Fashandi, Mehdi Karevan, Ahmad Moheb
Summary: Water scarcity is a global issue, and water desalination has been proposed as a viable solution. In this study, PVC membranes were fabricated using a distillation technique for water desalination. Various parameters in the membrane production process were adjusted to optimize the PVC membrane morphology for vacuum membrane distillation (VMD), showing a significant influence on membrane performance. By altering the PVC concentration in the casting solution, membranes with suitable macrovoids and cellular pores can be produced, balancing membrane flux and liquid entry pressure for optimal VMD performance. Additionally, the study found that operational parameters during VMD can affect membrane flux positively without impacting salt rejection, highlighting the importance of PVC concentration in membrane production.
COLLOIDS AND SURFACES A-PHYSICOCHEMICAL AND ENGINEERING ASPECTS
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Amr Omar, Qiyuan Li, Amir Nashed, Jing Guan, Pan Dai, Robert A. Taylor
Summary: This study introduces a hollow fiber-based multi-effect vacuum membrane distillation system to internalize the latent heat of the permeate vapor between effects, leading to higher energy efficiency. By investigating the impact of operating and design conditions on performance, it was found that a multi-effect design can significantly improve total energy consumption compared to single-effect design. The proposed energy-efficient system is most suitable for compact, portable applications to address water scarcity in rural arid regions.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Mitra Bahrami Eynolghasi, Toraj Mohammadi, Maryam Ahmadzadeh Tofighy
Summary: For the first time, hydrophobic carbon nanotubes were used to fabricate polystyrene/CNTs mixed matrix membranes for vacuum membrane distillation application. The membranes exhibited increased porosity, average pore size, and improved mechanical properties compared to neat polystyrene membranes. The hydrophobicity and unique physicochemical properties of cyclohexanol-based CNTs improved the performance of the membranes in VMD application.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Qi Zhao, Lina Wang, Jianhui Liu, Guohui Xu, Haicheng Jiang, Xingming Jie, Yiming Cao
Summary: Nano-porous poly(ether ether ketone) (PEEK) hollow fiber membranes were successfully fabricated via thermally-induced phase separation (TIPS) and chemical extraction of polyetherimide (PEI) from PEEK/PEI blends. The gas permeation rates, morphologies, and mechanical properties of the membranes were investigated under different spinning conditions. The presence of PEEK in the blends greatly influenced the gas permeation rates, with higher PEEK content resulting in higher permeation rates.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Lusi Zou, Yu Zhang, Jianjia Yu, Shangwen Zha, Rong Guan, Shufang Jiang
Summary: The research focuses on customizing PVDF hollow fiber membrane (HFM) and successfully synthesizing PVDF/Si-R hybrid HFM with superior wetting resistance and salt rejection, showing great promise in treating high-salinity oilfield produced water.
JOURNAL OF WATER PROCESS ENGINEERING
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Waqas Alam, Muhammad Asif, Muhammad Suleman
Summary: The study focuses on improving seawater desalination efficiency through multi-stage vacuum membrane distillation, finding that energy consumption, output gain ratio, and membrane area decrease with increasing feed temperature. Additionally, multi-staging initially reduces the cost of water, but further stages beyond a certain point lead to an increase in cost.
DESALINATION AND WATER TREATMENT
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Salah S. Ibrahim, Qusay F. Alsalhy
Summary: A mathematical model was proposed to describe the effects of membrane characteristic parameter variations on permeation flux during the VMD process. The model was validated through simulation with various experimental results, showing good agreement between the model and experimental data. Simulation results confirmed changes in membrane characteristics during MD operation as reported in literature.
SEPARATION SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Yi Yang, Xinfei Fan, Yuanlu Xu, Chengwen Song, Zonglin Pan, Yanming Liu
Summary: In this study, an all-in-one conductive hollow fiber membrane was fabricated, which exhibited high distillate flux and low energy requirement, as well as superior resistance to salt.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Anshul Yadav, Khushboo Singh, Vinod Kumar Shahi
Summary: In this study, side-chain grafted PVDF-HFP fluorinated membranes were prepared to enhance the hydrophobic and anti-fouling properties for desalination of high saline water using the VMD process. Different functional groups were explored for grafting with the PVDF-HFP matrix, and the 2,3,4,5,6-penta fluoro styrene grafted PVDF-HFP membrane showed promising performance with improved water flux, salt rejection, and fouling resistance.
Article
Polymer Science
Amjad Albiladi, Lassaad Gzara, Hussam Organji, Nazeeha S. Alkayal, Alberto Figoli
Summary: The major challenge in membrane distillation (MD) is membrane wetting caused by pollutants. This study focused on fabricating hydrophobic membranes for brine treatment using electrospun PVDF-HFP nanofiber membranes. The effects of solvent composition and polymer concentration on the electrospinning process were investigated, and post-treatment was carried out to optimize membrane performance.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
A. Criscuoli
Summary: This study compared the energy consumption of VMD and OD in juice concentration, finding that VMD had lower energy consumption compared to OD due to the inability to use NF or RO technologies in OD.
SEPARATION AND PURIFICATION TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Kezhong Wang, Yunfeng Chao, Zhiqi Chen, Sepidar Sayyar, Caiyun Wang, Gordon Wallace
Summary: A facile coaxial wet-spinning method was used to continuously produce hollow graphene fibers with high conductivity and flexibility. The resulting fibers exhibited outstanding electrochemical and mechanical properties, making them promising candidates for use in wearable supercapacitors and electronics.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Bahareh Rahmaniyan, Toraj Mohammadi, Maryam Ahmadzadeh Tofighy
Summary: In this study, PVDF/TNTs MMMs were prepared with modified TNTs to improve VMD performance, enhancing water flux and salt rejection. Optimization of operating parameters further increased membrane performance, showing potential for successful application in membrane distillation.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Amin Rasekh, Ahmadreza Raisi
Summary: In this study, hydrophobic nanofibrous membranes based on PEBAX-2533 were prepared using the electrospinning technique for water desalination applications. The incorporation of silica nanoparticles into the polymer solution improved the separation performance of the electrospun SiO2/PEBA membranes. The VMD performance of the nanofibrous membrane was superior to that of a commercial PVDF membrane in terms of water flux, flux decline, and TDS content.
SEPARATION AND PURIFICATION TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biophysics
Antonella Piscioneri, Sabrina Morelli, Tiziana Ritacco, Michele Giocondo, Rafael Penaloza, Enrico Drioli, Loredana De Bartolo
Summary: Biomaterial surface modification through the introduction of defined patterns of topography helps study cell behavior in response to geometrical cues. The lithographic molding technique is widely used for conferring biomaterial surface cues and enhancing the performance of biomedical devices. Different topographical features, such as channels, pillars, and pits, were investigated for their effects on different cell types, revealing distinct cell responses and interactions.
COLLOIDS AND SURFACES B-BIOINTERFACES
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Mamdouh S. Alharthi, Omar Bamaga, Hani Abulkhair, Husam Organji, Amer Shaiban, Francesca Macedonio, Alessandra Criscuoli, Enrico Drioli, Zhaohui Wang, Zhaoliang Cui, Wanqin Jin, Mohammed Albeirutty
Summary: In this study, the integrated MBBR/MBR/DCMD process showed better removal efficiency of TDS and higher effluent permeate flux compared to the two-step MBR/DCMD process. The proposed membrane processes also outperformed the Jeddah Industrial Wastewater Treatment Plant in terms of effluent quality.
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Beatrice Russo, Emma Piacentini, Fabio Bazzarelli, Gabriele Calderoni, Paolo Vacca, Alberto Figoli, Lidietta Giorno
Summary: Ionotropic gelation (IG) is an attractive method for synthesizing water-soluble polymeric nanoparticles and sub-micron particles. The technique relies on the electrostatic interaction between ionic species of opposite charge. However, achieving size control in conventional bench-top processes is challenging. This study explores the combination of membrane dispersion technology with IG as a scalable method for producing chitosan sub-micron particles.
CARBOHYDRATE POLYMERS
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Vu T. Luong, Edgardo E. Canas Kurz, Ulrich Hellriegel, Duc N. Dinh, Hang T. Tran, Alberto Figoli, Bartolo Gabriele, Tran L. Luu, Jan Hoinkis
Summary: This study developed and tested a modular desalination system combining membrane capacitive deionization (MCDI) with low-pressure reverse osmosis (LPRO). The system was evaluated and compared with conventional seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) at different salinities. The pilot tests conducted in the Can Gio region of South Vietnam showed that the system achieved drinking water quality with low energy consumption. The study also investigated fouling mitigation methods for the ultrafiltration pre-treatment.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Wenzhong Ma, Zhuang Zhou, Norafiqah Ismail, Elena Tocci, Alberto Figoli, Mohamed Khayet, Takeshi Matsuura, Zhaoliang Cui, Naser Tavajohi
Summary: Thermally-induced phase separation (TIPS) is a popular method for membrane preparation. This review critically evaluates the literature on TIPS and provides an overview of the current state-of-the-art. It discusses the basic principles of TIPS, materials used, parameters affecting the outcome, mass transfer, modeling techniques, current and potential applications, and future developments and prospects for the TIPS process.
JOURNAL OF MEMBRANE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Polymer Science
Amjad Albiladi, Lassaad Gzara, Hussam Organji, Nazeeha S. Alkayal, Alberto Figoli
Summary: The major challenge in membrane distillation (MD) is membrane wetting caused by pollutants. This study focused on fabricating hydrophobic membranes for brine treatment using electrospun PVDF-HFP nanofiber membranes. The effects of solvent composition and polymer concentration on the electrospinning process were investigated, and post-treatment was carried out to optimize membrane performance.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Rania E. Morsi, Franco Corticelli, Vittorio Morandi, Denis Gentili, Massimiliano Cavallini, Alberto Figoli, Francesca Russo, Francesco Galiano, Annalisa Aluigi, Barbara Ventura
Summary: In membrane-based water purification technology, the preparation conditions greatly affect the pore size distribution and dye removal efficiency of cellulose acetate membranes. Different fabrication methods and conditions, such as film casting speed, casted solution thickness, coagulation bath usage, and surfactant addition, significantly influence the membranes' pore size, porosity, and water permeability. The study also found that Azure A had better chemical affinity for cellulose acetate and was removed more efficiently, and both Azure A and Methyl Orange dye uptake followed a pseudo-second order model indicating chemisorption through valency forces.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Fangli Zhang, Wei Hou, Zhonglin Yang, Zhaohui Wang, Rizhi Chen, Enrico Drioli, Xiaozu Wang, Zhaoliang Cui
Summary: This paper proposed a membrane distillation and crystallization (MDCr) process to achieve zero liquid discharge of aniline wastewater. The effects of feed solution temperature and flow rate on the membrane distillation (MD) process were investigated. The results showed that under certain feeding conditions, the MD process had a high flux and salt rejection. The possibility of realizing zero liquid discharge of aniline wastewater in the MDCr process was verified.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Francesca Alessandro, Francesca Macedonio, Enrico Drioli
Summary: Water scarcity is a major concern for human sustainability and ecosystem preservation. Seawater desalination, particularly membrane distillation, has emerged as a sustainable solution. However, temperature polarization in membrane distillation leads to a significant reduction in water flux. Plasmonic nanostructures in membranes and the efficient conversion of light into heat offer potential prospects for enhancing solar-driven membrane distillation.
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Alessandra Criscuoli
Summary: The flexibility of membrane contactors is highlighted for a reverse osmosis desalination plant, where they are used for oxygen removal, pH reduction, pH increase, and brine volume reduction. Without the use of chemicals, the seawater pH can be decreased and the RO permeate pH can be increased to meet the target of produced water. The performance of Direct Contact Membrane Distillation and Vacuum Membrane Distillation is compared in terms of feed concentration and temperature, and both systems efficiently remove salts with higher distillate flux achieved when vacuum is applied.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Lakshika Weerasundara, Bartolo Gabriele, Alberto Figoli, Jochen Bundschuh
Summary: Most arsenic (As) removal methods remove other ions in water, especially important anions for water quality. The efficiency of selective removal depends on competitive ions, their concentrations, removal capacity, and water quality parameters. To reduce waste and energy use in water treatment, it is necessary to selectively remove As and easily separate adsorbent materials and produced water. Regeneration and re-use capability are key characteristics for sustainable selective As removal. Increasing the re-use capacity can significantly reduce waste generation and energy use.
CURRENT OPINION IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & HEALTH
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
F. Russo, S. Santoro, F. Galiano, C. Ursino, E. Avruscio, E. Di Nicolo, G. Desiderio, G. Lombardo, A. Criscuoli, A. Figoli
Summary: A new non-invasive method utilizing a temperature-sensitive phosphorescent molecular probe and an infrared camera was proposed to evaluate the thermal polarization in hollow fiber membranes during the DCMD process. The temperature profile on the membrane surface was monitored in real time, providing insights into the thermal polarization phenomenon and strategies for its mitigation and counteraction.
JOURNAL OF MEMBRANE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Yanyan Ye, Tongyu Li, Yanmei Zhao, Junkuo Liu, Dongwei Lu, Jianqiang Wang, Kai Wang, Yingjie Zhang, Jun Ma, Enrico Drioli, Xiquan Cheng
Summary: In this study, we developed a facile approach to fabricate superhydrophobic polylactic acid (PLA) nanofiber membranes through coaxial electrospinning technology. By incorporating fluorine modified SiO2 clusters and polydimethylsiloxane coatings, the resulting membranes exhibited excellent hydrophobic properties and efficient water droplet removal.
SEPARATION AND PURIFICATION TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
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.