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Home , Membrane distillation

Hybrid System for Industrial Water Reuse

New Advanced System Utilizes Industrial Waste Heat to Power

Introduction As population growth and associated factors stress water availability, the ability of U.S. manufacturers to move toward sustainable, efficient, and low- cost water management practices is crucial to ensuring their status as global competitors. Currently, most industries treat water to meet standards for direct discharge to surface water. The process includes a primary treatment to remove free oils and solids and secondary Pilot-scale hybrid FO/MD membrane system prototype being assembled. treatment to remove biodegradable Photo credit RTI International. organics and nutrients. The water must be treated further if it is to be reused for This project is developing a robust, The remaining, non-permeated solution cooling tower makeup, boiler feed, or low-energy, dual hybrid membrane containing non-volatile solutes and salt process streams. system that is capable of treating is sent back to the FO system as “draw” (RO) is considered the wastewaters with TDS content exceeding solution. current state-of-the-art for manufacturers 60,000 ppm and provides water quality wishing to reuse water, but this technique comparable to RO. The new hybrid Benefits for Our Industry is also limited by a number of factors. system synergistically combines a and Our Nation Extensive pre-treatment of industrial (FO) system with Based on current industrial wastewater wastewater is required for RO to be membrane distillation (MD) technology practices and preliminary analysis, this successful, and residual dissolved and is powered by waste heat. Minimally technology has the potential to provide organics and solids can degrade and foul treated wastewater is sent to an FO the following benefits: the RO membrane. In addition, energy is system containing a salt “draw” solution on the permeate side of the membrane. required to force water through the semi- • Reduction in electricity costs associat- The higher osmotic potential in the salt permeable RO membrane. ed with advanced wastewater treatment solution drives the FO process. The by more than 60% In many industrial water systems, it resulting permeated water, consisting is necessary to treat water with total of mainly dissolved solids with little • Reduction in water treatment costs by dissolved solids (TDS) content in organic content, is then passed through 20% or more the range of 60,000 parts per million to the MD system. This water evaporates (ppm) to 180,000 ppm—something due to moderate heating by industrial • Reduction in carbon emissions by more existing RO technology cannot handle. waste heat, and the vapor is transported than 60% Conventionally, treatment of such across the MD membrane for collection high-TDS waters uses thermal by . The quality of the • Reduction in wastewater discharge technology, which requires exotic and product water is comparable to distilled volumes by up to 93% expensive high-alloy construction water and is suitable for direct reuse. • Reduction in external industrial water materials. withdrawal requirements by up to 34%

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The proposed technology can potentially Pathways Commercialization enable the U.S. manufacturing sector to The project is being executed by a The project team includes a leading non- become more water sustainable and move multidisciplinary team. RTI International profit research institution specializing in toward zero discharge operations. is the project lead with responsibility for developing technology from bench-scale the overall process concept and design, through commercialization as well as an Applications in Our as well as development of the pilot-scale industrial partner that is a global leader Nation’s Industry system. Duke University is conducting in water treatment and reuse technology research on MD and Opportunities to recover waste heat to with access to potential testing sites. The modeling, and Veolia Water Technologies operate a hybrid membrane system for industrial partner also provides technical is providing technical advice on field treating wastewater exist in a number solutions with design-build-operate testing. Researchers took advantage of industries, including petroleum (DBO) capabilities. The DBO business of commercially available membranes refining, pulp and paper, and chemical model will be used to introduce the new suitable for FO and MD for various manufacturing. The sustainable low- technology into the marketplace. The industrial waste streams and optimized energy approach to water management technology has already attracted interest them for the hybrid system. Appropriate has also generated interest from other across industry and it is expected that the draw solutions were developed to industries, including shale gas extraction technology could achieve a high degree determine the most suitable FO and biofuels production. of market penetration within existing membrane. Advanced, next-generation treatment plants that require upgrading ceramic membranes were developed and in new facilities that are expected to Project Description and benchmarked against membranes begin operations after 2016. The project objective is to demonstrate conventionally used for MD. A bench- an advanced water treatment and reuse scale integrated FO/MD system was then Project Partners process in a single hybrid system that developed for high-fidelity performance combines forward osmosis (FO) with testing. Following bench-scale RTI International membrane distillation (MD) to achieve performance verification, a prototype Research Triangle Park, NC greater efficiency and increased water integrated system is being field-tested Principal Investigator: Lora Toy reuse. The technology uses recovered using real industrial wastewater. E-mail: [email protected] waste thermal energy to power the MD Duke University Milestones process and is applicable across all Durham, NC manufacturing facilities for a wide range This project began in 2012. of wastewater streams. Veolia Water Technologies • Development of a suitable ce- Cary, NC Barriers ramic membrane for an MD unit (Completed). • Attaining a suitable MD membrane For additional information, with adequate flux performance. • Optimized FO membrane process with please contact • Attaining a suitable draw solution that suitable FO draw solution (Completed). Bob Gemmer produces minimal scaling on the MD • Construction and commission of a Technology Manager membrane and inhibits biofilm growth bench-scale, integrated FO/MD test U.S. Department of Energy on both the FO and MD membranes. system and initiation of performance Advanced Manufacturing Office testing using industrial effluents Phone: (202) 586-5885 • Poor rejection of organic and inorganic Email: [email protected]  contaminants in the industrial waste (Completed). stream. • Construction, installation, and initial • Stability of membranes upon exposure testing of the prototype using real to industrial waste streams. industrial wastewater (2016). • Techno-economic and environmental analysis of the developed system (2016).

For more information, visit: manufacturing.energy.gov

DOE/EE-0877 • Updated August 2016