Grantee Research Project Results
Treatment of Produced Water from Coal-Bed Methane Production Using Carbon Aerogel Technology
EPA Contract Number: 68D60031Title: Treatment of Produced Water from Coal-Bed Methane Production Using Carbon Aerogel Technology
Investigators: Patton, Charles C.
Small Business: BPF Inc.
EPA Contact: Richards, April
Phase: I
Project Period: September 1, 1996 through March 1, 1997
Project Amount: $69,854
RFA: Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) - Phase I (1996) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: SBIR - Water and Wastewater , Watersheds , Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)
Description:
Coal-bed methane (CBM) is an increasingly important source of natural gas. Current production levels within the U.S. exceed 970 bcf/year. Disposal of produced water from CBM production can be expected to be a continuing problem for the foreseeable future. However, the high cost of water disposal and lack of efficient technology for treatment are barriers to expanded development of CBM reserves. Many of the areas where CBM is produced are arid or semi-arid and can benefit from creation of additional water supplies. If the water from CBM can be economically and efficiently treated to make it acceptable for surface discharge, it becomes a resource instead of a waste. Benefits can be achieved through both agricultural uses and domestic uses depending on the quality of the treated water which can be achieved. Treatment for surface discharge currently requires the application of reverse osmosis (RO) technology. This proposal will demonstrate the effectiveness of capacitive deionization (CDI) technology for the treatment of CBM produced water. This technology should prove to be more reliable and cost effective than RO. In addition, CDI uses approximately 1/10 of the energy of RO and has a significantly smaller secondary waste stream than RO in this application.Supplemental Keywords:
small business, SBIR, wastewater treatment, engineering, chemistry., Scientific Discipline, Water, Chemical Engineering, Engineering, Chemistry, Environmental Chemistry, Engineering, Chemistry, & Physics, Wastewater, Environmental Engineering, capacitive deionization, treatment, industrial wastewater, wastewater discharges, energy conservation, aqueous waste stream, surface water discharge, coal bed methane, wastewater treatment, produced water, discharge, reverse osmosis, aqueous impurities, alternative technologyProgress and Final Reports:
The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.