Grantee Research Project Results
Final Report: Small, Safe, Sustainable (S3) Public Water Systems through Innovative Ion Exchange
EPA Grant Number: R835334Title: Small, Safe, Sustainable (S3) Public Water Systems through Innovative Ion Exchange
Investigators: Boyer, Treavor H. , Zhang, Qiong
Institution: University of Florida , University of South Florida
EPA Project Officer: Packard, Benjamin H
Project Period: August 16, 2012 through August 15, 2016 (Extended to August 15, 2017)
Project Amount: $499,361
RFA: Research and Demonstration of Innovative Drinking Water Treatment Technologies in Small Systems (2011) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Drinking Water , Water
Objective:
The main objective of this project was to identify and test ion exchange processes that can treat groups of chemical contaminants and evaluate their sustainability. The specific objectives of this project were to (1) identify combined anion and cation exchange processes that can treat groups of chemical contaminants in an environmentally friendly way; (2) develop an ion exchange process model that includes multi-contaminant treatment and regeneration efficiency; (3) demonstrate the performance of the ion exchange treatment and regeneration processes through pilot-scale testing at a small PWS; and (4) evaluate the environmental, human health, and economic impacts of the ion exchange treatment and regeneration processes through life cycle assessment (LCA) and life cycle costing (LCC). The objectives of this project have not changed from the original proposal.
Summary/Accomplishments (Outputs/Outcomes):
Accomplishment of specific objective 1 included laboratory ion exchange experiments that evaluated anion exchange, cation exchange, and combined anion and cation exchange (hereafter combined ion exchange) for a wide range of drinking water contaminants, and subsequent regeneration of the resins testing various regeneration chemicals. The results generated are significant because they provide new data on the effect of resin properties on regeneration efficiency, specifically selectivity of bicarbonate-form anion exchange resin and potassium-form cation exchange resin for a variety of contaminants relevant to drinking water treatment.
Accomplishment of specific objective 2 included the following activities. At UF the focus was on development of an ion exchange process model based on completely mixed flow reactor (CMFR) configuration, and at USF the focus was on development of an ion exchange process model based on fixed bed reactor (FBR) configuration. Both ion exchange process models incorporated contaminant removal and regeneration efficiency. The work by UF has been published, see Hu and Boyer (2017). The work by USF has been published, see Zhang et al. (2015). The results generated are significant because they provide new process model for ion exchange in fixed bed reactor incorporating regeneration, and new process model for ion exchange in completely mixed flow reactor incorporating regeneration.
Accomplishment of specific objective 3 was achieved by ion exchange pilot plant testing. The fixed-bed ion exchange pilot plant was installed at the Cedar Key Water Treatment Plant in Cedar Key, FL. The pilot plant consisted of two columns and associated tubing, pumps, and tanks. The columns were designed to test combined anion exchange resin and cation exchange resin in the same vessel. The design flow rate was 0.5 gal/min. Sodium chloride and potassium chloride were tested for regeneration. The ratio of anion exchange resin to cation exchange resin was the main design variable being tested in terms of contaminant removal and regeneration efficiency. A second completely mixed ion exchange pilot plant was also set-up at the Cedar Key Water Treatment Plant. The pilot plant testing results are significant because they provide very useful results in terms of the real-world performance of combined ion exchange, which has not been previously documented.
Accomplishment of specific objective 4 included creating an integrated decision model for assessing improvements to ion exchange technology, and evaluating life cycle environmental impacts and costs of various conventional ion exchange systems with the proposed combined cation/anion exchange (CCAE). The life cycle assessments, cost assessments, and process models for both fixed bed and completely mixed bed reactors were implemented in an integrated decision model that allows for evaluating the environmental impacts and costs of various design choices. The life cycle environmental impact and cost analysis have been completed for six scenarios: 1) CMFR combined cation/anion exchange (theoretical), 2) CMFR combined cation/anion exchange (actual), 3) FBR anion exchange + FBR cation exchange, 4) FBR anion exchange + CMFR cation exchange, 5) CMFR anion exchange + FBR cation exchange, and 6) CMFR anion exchange + CMFR cation exchange. The results generated are significant because they provide new data on tightly integrating LCA/LCC of ion exchange processes with process models to allow for identification of improved designs.
Accomplishment of specific objective 3 was achieved by ion exchange pilot plant testing. The fixed-bed ion exchange pilot plant was installed at the Cedar Key Water Treatment Plant in Cedar Key, FL. The pilot plant consisted of two columns and associated tubing, pumps, and tanks. The columns were designed to test combined anion exchange resin and cation exchange resin in the same vessel. The design flow rate was 0.5 gal/min. Sodium chloride and potassium chloride were tested for regeneration. The ratio of anion exchange resin to cation exchange resin was the main design variable being tested in terms of contaminant removal and regeneration efficiency. A second completely mixed ion exchange pilot plant was also set-up at the Cedar Key Water Treatment Plant. The pilot plant testing results are significant because they provide very useful results in terms of the real-world performance of combined ion exchange, which has not been previously documented.
Accomplishment of specific objective 4 included creating an integrated decision model for assessing improvements to ion exchange technology, and evaluating life cycle environmental impacts and costs of various conventional ion exchange systems with the proposed combined cation/anion exchange (CCAE). The life cycle assessments, cost assessments, and process models for both fixed bed and completely mixed bed reactors were implemented in an integrated decision model that allows for evaluating the environmental impacts and costs of various design choices. The life cycle environmental impact and cost analysis have been completed for six scenarios: 1) CMFR combined cation/anion exchange (theoretical), 2) CMFR combined cation/anion exchange (actual), 3) FBR anion exchange + FBR cation exchange, 4) FBR anion exchange + CMFR cation exchange, 5) CMFR anion exchange + FBR cation exchange, and 6) CMFR anion exchange + CMFR cation exchange. The results generated are significant because they provide new data on tightly integrating LCA/LCC of ion exchange processes with process models to allow for identification of improved designs.
Conclusions:
In summary, the systems-thinking approach and collective results from this project make tangible progress toward the main objective of this project, which is to “identify and test ion exchange processes that can treat groups of chemical contaminants and evaluate their sustainability.”
Journal Articles on this Report : 7 Displayed | Download in RIS Format
| Other project views: | All 37 publications | 7 publications in selected types | All 7 journal articles |
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Boyer TH. Removal of dissolved organic matter by magnetic ion exchange resin. Current Pollution Reports 2015;1(3):142-154. |
R835334 (2015) R835334 (Final) |
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Foster JTT, Hu Y, Boyer TH. Affinity of potassium-form cation exchange resin for alkaline earth and transition metals. Separation and Purification Technology 2017;175:229-237. |
R835334 (2016) R835334 (Final) |
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Hu Y, Foster J, Boyer TH. Selectivity of bicarbonate-form anion exchange for drinking water contaminants: influence of resin properties. Separation and Purification Technology 2016;163:128-139. |
R835334 (2016) R835334 (Final) |
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Maul GA, Kim Y, Amini A, Zhang Q, Boyer TH. Efficiency and life cycle environmental impacts of ion-exchange regeneration using sodium, potassium, chloride, and bicarbonate salts. Chemical Engineering Journal 2014;254:198-209. |
R835334 (2014) R835334 (2015) R835334 (Final) |
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Zhang J, Amini A, O'Neal JA, Boyer TH, Zhang Q. Development and validation of a novel modeling framework integrating ion exchange and resin regeneration for water treatment. Water Research 2015;84:255-265. |
R835334 (2015) R835334 (Final) |
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Amini A, Kim Y, Zhang J, Boyer TH, Zhang Q. Environmental and economic sustainability of ion exchange drinking water treatment for organics removal. Journal of Cleaner Production 2015;104:413-421. |
R835334 (2015) R835334 (2016) R835334 (Final) |
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Hu, Y., Boyer, T.H., 2017. Performance evaluation of treatment and regeneration integrated bicarbonate-form ion exchange process:model development and pilot plant study. Water Research, 115, 40–49. |
R835334 (Final) |
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Progress and Final Reports:
Original AbstractThe 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.
Project Research Results
- 2016 Progress Report
- 2015 Progress Report
- 2014 Progress Report
- 2013 Progress Report
- Original Abstract
7 journal articles for this project