Nanoengineered Membrane for Selective Nitrate Removal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional water purification methods, such as ultrafiltration membranes, are limited in effectively removing minute substances like bacteria and heavy metals from contaminated water sources, leading to water scarcity and pollution issues due to industrial and agricultural contaminants like nitrates, arsenates, and perchlorates.
Innovation Solution
The development of computer-designed nanoengineered materials with microengineered porous membranes and nanopores that create an electrical charge, allowing selective passage of ions based on charge, enabling efficient removal of targeted species like nitrates and arsenics through double layer overlap conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If conventional ultrafiltration membranes are used for water purification, then the flow rate is high due to larger pore size, but the ability to eliminate minute substances such as bacteria and heavy metals is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the pore size parameter from conventional ultrafiltration range to nanoscale range (1-100 nanometers), specifically optimizing it to create double layer overlap conditions. This parameter change enables the membrane to eliminate minute substances like bacteria and heavy metals while maintaining effective flow rates, resolving the contradiction between flow rate and elimination capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs nanoscale porous membranes with specifically engineered pore structures that create double layer overlap. These porous materials are designed at the nanoscale level to provide both adequate flow rates and effective elimination of minute substances through the unique double layer overlap mechanism, addressing the limitations of conventional ultrafiltration membranes.
2Quantity of substance
If conventional water purification methods are used, then they can remove suspended solids and entrained oils, but they are ineffective against dissolved solids and dissolved organics like nitrates and heavy metals
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the pore size parameter to nanoscale dimensions (1-100 nanometers) and optimizes it to create double layer overlap conditions. This parameter change enables the membrane to effectively remove dissolved solids and dissolved organics like nitrates and heavy metals, while still maintaining the ability to remove suspended solids and entrained oils, thus resolving the contradiction between removing different types of contaminants.
3Reliability
If reverse osmosis membranes are used to remove dissolved solids, then the elimination of minute substances is improved, but the energy consumption increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs nanoscale porous membranes with optimized pore sizes that create double layer overlap. These porous materials provide effective elimination of minute substances through electrostatic repulsion and size exclusion mechanisms that require significantly less energy than reverse osmosis, while maintaining high removal efficiency for dissolved solids and organics.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the high-pressure mechanical system of reverse osmosis with a nanoscale porous membrane system that utilizes electrostatic forces and double layer overlap effects. This substitution reduces the mechanical energy input required while achieving effective removal of dissolved solids and organics, resolving the contradiction between elimination efficiency and energy consumption.
4Speed
If conventional filtration membranes are used, then they can provide high flow rates, but they cannot selectively remove specific ions like nitrates from water
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the pore size parameter to create double layer overlap conditions and can adjust the surface charge characteristics of the membrane. These parameter changes enable selective removal of specific ions like nitrates while maintaining high flow rates, providing both the speed advantage of ultrafiltration and the selectivity needed for targeted contaminant removal.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates local electrostatic properties at the membrane surface through controlled surface charge, which provides selective interaction with specific ions. This local quality modification at the nanoscale level enables selective ion removal while the overall membrane structure maintains high flow rates, resolving the contradiction between flow rate and selective removal capability.
Data Source
AI summary
A computer designed nanoengineered membrane for separation of dissolved species. One embodiment provides an apparatus for treatment of a fluid that includes ions comprising a microengineered porous membrane, a system for producing an electrical charge across the membrane, and a series of nanopores extending through the membrane. The nanopores have a pore size such that when the fluid contacts the membrane, the nanopores will be in a condition of double layer overlap and allow passage only of ions opposite to the electrical charge across the membrane.