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Advanced Water Treatment Research---> Membranes

Membrane and Module Development Research

Membrane development research to improve membrane operation and efficiency included research into membrane materials, process configurations and new separation phenomena. Advances in membrane material allow for broader water type applications and resistance to foulants. Alternate membrane configurations result in increased product recovery or lower operating costs. We are conducting research in the following specific areas:


Membrane Development

Desalting and Water Purification Research Program

Report Title Performing Agency Date Report # Category
Development of an Advanced Transverse Flow Nanofiltration Membrane Process for High Performance Desalination ZENON Environmental, Inc.; Burlington, Ontario, Canada Jun-95 9  
Enhancement of Membrane Fouling Resistance through Surface Modification USBR; Denver CO March 1997 22  
Development of an Advanced Transverse Flow Nanofiltration and Membrane Process for High Performance Desalination-Phase II  ZENON Environmental, Inc.; Burlington, Ontario Nov-98 37  
Molecular Sieving Hollow Fiber Ceramic Membranes for Reverse Osmosis/Nanofiltration Membranes  Media and Process Technology, Inc.; Pittsburg PA Feb-97 40  
New Design Channel Feed Spacer in Spiral Wound Elements for Pretreatment Cost Reduction t. Desalination Systems, Inc.; Minnetonka MN; September 1998 45  
Polyamide Reverse Osmosis Membrane Fouling and Its Prevention: Oxidation-Resistant Membrane Development, Membrane Surface Smoothing, and Enhanced Membrane Hydrophilicity Separations Systems Technology, Inc.; San Diego, CA; Orange County Water District; Fountain Valley, CA Nov-00 61 Material Characterization
Novel Membrane and Device for Direct Contact Membrane Distillation-Based Desalination Process New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, NJ; March 2001 87  
Novel Membrane and Device for Direct Contact Membrane Distillation-Based Desalination Process - Phase II New Jersey Institute of Technology; Newark NJ July 2003 96  
Predicting Membrane Flux Decline Using Parameters Derived from Field-Flow Fractionation Measurements #102.
Colorado School of Mines; Golden CO June 2006 102  
Novel Fouling Resistant Membranes for Water Purification University of Texas at Austin, Austin TX; September 2008 129  
Reduced Membrane Fouling Potential by Tailored Fluid/Structure Interaction (abstract) Heat Transfer Research, Inc.; College Station TX; May 2008 143  
Use of Dendrimers to Enhance Selective Separation of Nanofiltration and Reverse Osmosis Membranes (abstract) Hydranautics; Oceanside CA Aug-09 140  

Science and Technology Program Projects

ID Title Start End Contact Report results
107 Cellulose Acetate (CA) Membrane Study 2005 2010 Andrew Murphy  
342 Development of a Novel Desalting Treatment Technology 2004 2004 Andrew Murphy New Generation Cellulose Acetate Reverse Osmosis Membrane (PDF, 64KB)
526 Developing the Next Generation Chlorine Resistant, High Flux, and High Salt Rejection Polyamide Desalting Membrane to Increase Water Supply 2004 2010 Andrew Murphy  
1289 Foward Osmosis (FO) Water Purification 2004 2010 Chuck Moody Forward Osmosis Water Purification (PDF, 73KB)
1933 Molecular Modeling of Membranes 2005 2005 Kevin Kelly  
8552 Fouling Resistant Membrane for Produced Water Desalination 2006 2006 Katherine Guerra  
9081

Optimization of Energy Recovery Seawater Reverse Osmosis Desalination Systems

 2011   J. Dundorf

Sessions, B., Shih, W., McHarg, J., Dundorf, S., 2009. Optimizing Brackish Water Reverse Osmosis for Affordable Desalination. Conference Proceeding of the International Desalination Association World Congress in 2009. (PDF275)

Sessions, B., Shih, W., McHarg, J., Dundorf, S., 2011. Optimizing Brackish Water Reverse Osmosis for Affordable Desalination. Conference Proceedings of the American Membrane Technology Association’s 2011 Annual Conference (July 17 – 20, 2011 Miami, Florida).
9549 Surface Modification to Nanofiltration (NF) Membranes 2005 2006 Katherine Guerra
9741 Development of Coatings for Polymeric Membranes to Minimize Biofouling 2008 2009 Katherine Guerra