An Innovative Zero-Liquid Discharge Intermediate-Cold-Liquid Eutectic-Freeze Desalination System

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Program:
OPEN 2018
Award:
$608,333
Location:
Norman, Oklahoma
Status:
ALUMNI
Project Term:
04/15/2019 - 07/14/2022

Technology Description:

The University of Oklahoma will develop a novel, zero-liquid discharge freeze system to remove dissolved salt from contaminated water, such as is produced by industrial processes like oil and gas extraction. The project will take advantage of the density difference between water and ice to extract pure ice from a salty brine, using a cooling approach that maximizes efficiency and avoids the need for energy-intensive evaporation methods. The system will operate under atmospheric pressure and be capable of treating highly concentrated/contaminated water. If successful, the treated water would be suitable for agricultural use, providing an abundant new water source and easing competition for this vital resource.

Potential Impact:

This project’s goal is develop a zero-liquid discharge (ZLD) freeze-desalination system capable of treating water with total dissolved solids (TDS) values up to 250,000 milligrams mg/L or milligrams per liter. (Seawater TDS are approximately 35,000 mg/L).

Security:

The proposed system offers a sustainable solution for the increasing water demand in industrial and oil and gas sectors by recycling the otherwise wasted water, without putting pressure on increasingly scarce fresh water resources also in demand by local communities for agricultural and municipal purposes.

Environment:

The environmental concerns related to disposing highly contaminated water are avoided by the use of the proposed ZLD desalination system.

Economy:

The goal is a levelized cost of water of $1.2/m3 for relatively small-scale desalination unit with a capacity of ≈1000 m3/day, well below the DOE target value of $1.5/m3 for ZLD desalination systems.

Contact

ARPA-E Program Director:
Dr. Jack Lewnard
Project Contact:
Dr. Hamidreza Shabgard
Press and General Inquiries Email:
ARPA-E-Comms@hq.doe.gov
Project Contact Email:
shabgard@ou.edu

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Release Date:
12/13/2017