Massachusetts Institute of Technology

King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals

Leonardo David Banchik

John H Lienhard

Gareth H McKinley

Umair Baig

Mohammed Ashraf Gondal

Mohamed Abdulkader Dastageer

Gregory P Thiel

Talal F Qahtan

Gibum Kwon

Divya Panchanathan

An oil-water separation membrane is described. The oil-water separation membrane comprises a porous metal sheet with a photocatalyst layer on one side and a layer of nanoparticles and a surfactant on the other side. The layer of nanoparticles and surfactant create a superoleophobic and superhydrophilic coating that allows passage of an aqueous phase and rejection of an oil phase. The photocatalyst layer, combined with UV irradiation, enables degradation of organic contaminants in the aqueous phase. The oil-water separation membrane may be used as part of an oil-water separation system, and a filtered water product may be recycled through the membrane to increase the removal of organic contaminants.

Membrane for oil-water separation and simultaneous removal of organic pollutants

A carrier gas and a combined feed liquid are directed through a humidifier, where water vaporizes from the combined feed liquid into the carrier gas, and through a dehumidifier, where the combined feed liquid cools the carrier gas to condense water from the carrier gas. At least a portion of the concentrated brine stream from the humidifier is directed through a pressure-retarded osmosis unit, while an initial feed solution is directed, in counter-flow, through the osmosis unit. Water from the initial feed solution flows through a membrane in the osmosis chamber into the concentrated brine stream to dilute and increase the volumetric flow rate of the brine stream. The diluted brine stream is extracted from the osmosis chamber and depressurized to produce power, while the concentrated initial feed solution is combined with the depressurized, diluted brine stream to form the combined feed liquid.

Hybridization of humidification-dehumidification and pressure-retarded osmosis

Growing community of inventors

Somerville, MA, United States of America

Leonardo David Banchik