Our research article on Temperature Swing Solvent Extraction (TSSE) has been accepted for publication in Environmental Science & Technology Letters!
In this study, we demonstrate TSSE that is membrane-less and not based on evaporative phase-change for the desalination of hypersaline brines. The technology utilizes a low-polarity solvent with temperature-dependent water solubility for the selective extraction of water over salt from saline feeds. We show that TSSE can desalinate brines with salinities as high as ≈234,000 ppm total dissolved solids (4.0 M NaCl) and achieve salt removals up to 98.4%. Importantly, only moderate temperatures of <70 °C are needed to drive the separation, which can be supplied by inexpensive or even free low-grade thermal sources for enhanced sustainability. Because TSSE does not require a phase change of water, the penalizing energy cost associated with the enthalpy of vaporization is inventively sidestepped. Lastly, we experimentally demonstrate >50% water recovery in the desalination of 1.5 M NaCl brine, i.e., >50% volume reduction. TSSE showed promising potential for the growing market of high-salinity dewatering/desalination applications.
Media coverage:
https://engineering.columbia.edu/press-releases/ngai-yin-yip-radical-desalination
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/05/190506151839.htm
https://www.theengineer.co.uk/columbia-hypersaline-brines-desalination/
https://newatlas.com/desalination-hypersaline-brine-solvent-method/59572/
https://eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2019-05/cuso-rda050619.php
https://www.newswise.com//articles/radical-desalination-approach-may-disrupt-the-water-industry
https://phys.org/news/2019-05-radical-desalination-approach-disrupt-industry.html
