Grantee Research Project Results
Ultrasonic PVDF In Commercial Membrane Systems Reduces Fouling for Efficient Water Reuse
EPA Contract Number: 68HERC22C0035Title: Ultrasonic PVDF In Commercial Membrane Systems Reduces Fouling for Efficient Water Reuse
Investigators: Frank, Jeff
Small Business: Pure Blue Tech Inc.
EPA Contact: Richards, April
Phase: II
Project Period: January 1, 2022 through December 31, 2023 (Extended to December 31, 2024)
RFA: Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II (2022) Recipients Lists
Research Category: Endocrine Disruptors , SBIR - Water , Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)
Description:
Ultrasound generated by polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) transducers effectively reduced membrane fouling in Pure Blue Tech Inc.'s EPA SBIR Phase I project. This innovation is of paramount importance to all membrane separations applications because fouling is the chief problem and managing it is the dominant focus of membrane operators. Reducing membrane fouling by integrated ultrasound can shift membrane economics, boost production, enhance efficiency, reduce cleaning, and potentially reduce waste volume. Membranes are the gold standard for water and wastewater treatment and reuse applications including food and beverage, microelectronics, power, extraction, automotive, and textiles. The value to United States include water security, ecological health, energy efficiency, and global competitiveness. The U.S. Water Reuse Action Plan (WRAP, Action 7.5) acknowledges this innovation to advance water reuse. In Phase I, Pure Blue Tech proved the concept by embedding a PVDF ultrasound transducer within a benchtop cross-flow cell and simulated plate- and-frame equipment and conducting fouling studies to measure the technology's relative benefit. Compared to current approaches to reduce membrane fouling, this ultrasound generation approach can reduce fouling up to half. Relative to historical attempts that thick lead zirconate titanate (PZT) transducers and high-powered drivers, this approach reduces attenuation, power intensity, system complexity, and costs. In Phase II, Pure Blue Tech will develop, manufacture, internally test, and pilot field test commercial-scale membrane elements with commercial-quality thin, flexible PVDF transducers. Spiral wound reverse osmosis membrane elements and hollow fiber ultrafiltration membrane elements for wastewater treatment and water reuse will be evaluated for flux, rejection, fouling, net economic savings, manufacturability, maintenance, and reliability. Wastewater reverse osmosis (WWRO) is a cornerstone for water reuse. Municipal and industrial element sales in 2018 totaled about $200 million, constituting about 10% of the total membrane market. This innovation applies to both the new build and retrofit water reuse markets. Our target municipal customers are city and county wastewater treatment plants with WWRO systems or plans. Our target industrial customers are plant owners and operators at companies committed to reuse, sustainability, and process improvements. For wastewater installations that tolerate filtration and chemical cleaning cycles, the payback may be as short as one year. Relative to current technologies, PVDF ultrasound has potential to eliminate or reduce the need for expensive microfiltration (MF) / ultrafiltration (UF) pretreatment systems. If successful, the capital cost of the overall systems could be cut up to 50%. This could save millions of dollars for a five million gallon per day (5 MGD) municipal WWRO facility and would simultaneously reduce space requirements by almost half. Environmentally, benefits would include reductions in cleaning chemical usage and discharge volumes, thus enabling minimal liquid discharge (MLD), a common goal of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and sustainability departments.
Progress and Final Reports:
SBIR Phase I:
Ultrasonic PVDF Reduces Membrane Fouling for Efficient Water Reuse | Final ReportThe 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.