Authors:

Joyce Hu

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About Paper:

The rapid increase in global population has led to an escalating demand for fresh water, a resource predominantly sourced from freshwater bodies. However, climate change is disrupting weather patterns and depleting groundwater reserves. This highlights the need for sustainable alternative water sources, such as desalinating ocean water. Membrane distillation (MD) is a key thermal desalination technique, but existing polymeric membranes, though effective, often utilize environmentally harmful fluoropolymers and pose disposal challenges. In this work, we introduce a first-of-its-kind hydrophobic carbonized wood-based membrane tailored specifically for membrane distillation. Our tests showed that this carbonized wood membrane has a vapor permeability of 914 GPU, a porosity of 90%, and a contact angle of 136°, indicating its superhydrophobic nature and potential as a sustainable replacement for traditional polymeric membranes. Initial experiments conducted using an air gap membrane distillation (AGMD) module yielded promising permeate flux performance. Moving forward, we aim to integrate these membrane properties into a comprehensive numerical model to predict and optimize performance at larger scales. This work not only highlights the viability of carbonized wood as a sustainable alternative in MD processes but also sets the stage for future advancements in eco-friendly desalination technologies. Keywords: Sustainability; Membrane Distillation; Carbonized Membranes; Wood Membranes

Source:

Purdue University / 2024

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Co-authors:

Joyce Hu