Additive Manufacturing Ceramic Membrane for Water Treatment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional water treatment methods, including chemical disinfection and membrane-based technologies, face challenges in achieving high sieving selectivity, low energy costs, and high water flux rates while maintaining mechanical and chemical robustness.
Innovation Solution
The development of ceramic membranes with open porosity of at least 10% and tailored pore structures achieved through additive manufacturing, incorporating in-situ formed nano- and/or micro-particles within the membrane pores.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional membrane-based water treatment technologies are used, then water purification is achieved, but the sieving selectivity, energy cost, and water flux rate need further improvement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs ceramic membranes with controlled porous structures featuring hierarchical pore size distributions (micro-pores, meso-pores, and macro-pores) to achieve both high water flux rates and effective separation. The porous ceramic material provides high porosity (30-70%) with interconnected pores that facilitate rapid water transport while maintaining size-based selectivity for different contaminants
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses composite ceramic materials combining multiple oxide phases (e.g., alumina, zirconia, silica) with distinct pore size ranges. Each ceramic component contributes specific pore dimensions, creating a multi-scale porous network that simultaneously enables high flux and high selectivity by separating contaminants based on their size relative to different pore populations
2Productivity
If membrane porosity is increased to improve water flux, then mechanical strength decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements local quality differentiation within the membrane structure by creating zones with varying porosity and pore size distributions. The support layer has high porosity for structural integrity, while the selective layer has optimized pore structures for separation. This spatial variation in properties allows high overall flux while maintaining mechanical strength through the dense support framework
Solution Approach 2:
The membrane is segmented into multiple functional layers with distinct pore size distributions and porosity levels. The hierarchical structure divides the filtration function across micro-pores, meso-pores, and macro-pores, allowing each layer to contribute differently to flux and strength, thereby achieving high water permeability without compromising mechanical robustness
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional membrane materials are used, then manufacturing is established, but fouling resistance and chemical resistance need improvement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameters by transitioning from organic polymer membranes to inorganic ceramic materials. This parameter change fundamentally improves chemical resistance to harsh cleaning agents and pH extremes, while the controlled porous morphology parameters (pore size, porosity, surface area) enhance fouling resistance by reducing contaminant adhesion and facilitating cake layer formation that maintains flux
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
These ceramic membranes exhibit high selectivity and filtration efficiency due to controlled pore size distribution, enabling enhanced water treatment performance with improved mechanical and chemical resistance.
Implementation Method 1
a membrane interface portion operable to allow for fluid communication between said feed flow channels and said permeate flow channels through a membrane portion
Implementation Method 2
Pressure-driven membrane processes are the most widely applied membrane technologies in water treatment
Data Source
AI summary
A ceramic membrane, and a process for producing a ceramic membrane. In the process for the production of a ceramic membrane the ceramic membrane is produced by additive manufacturing. The ceramic membrane comprises a membrane portion comprising pores. A nano-and/or micro-particle is formed in-situ from a nano- and/or micro-particle precursor during the additive manufacturing process and/or post-processing step. The ceramic membrane comprises the in-situ formed nano- and/or micro-particle, or residue thereof, arranged within the pores of the membrane portion. Also described is a water treatment module including the ceramic membrane.