US researcher secures patent for innovative water desalination technology

A researcher at the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) in Newark, US has secured a patent for an advanced water desalination and purification technology which uses carbon nanotubes to treat brackish water and industrial effluents.

The innovative carbon nanotube immobilised membrane (CNIM) has been developed by NJIT chemistry and environmental science professor Somenath Mitra, along with a former doctoral student Ken Gethard.

CNIM can be used to remove salts and pollutants from the contaminated water resources to make them fit for reuse by businesses and households.

It runs on fuels such as industrial by-product of waste heat and solar energy.

Besides being energy-efficient, the membrane can filter salts in higher concentrations, as compared to the levels possible through the standard reverse osmosis process, the researcher claimed.

CNIM has been designed to eliminate pollutants including volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from water, which are the chemicals used in solvents.

The process uses desalination method whereby heated salt water passes through hollow fiber, which is a tube-like membrane that allows only pure water vapour to permeate its walls.

The net flux of water vapour is the passed to the cooler side of the membrane where it condenses to form potable water.

Mitra said: "There is a huge and growing demand for potable water coming from developing nations that are modernising their infrastructure to improve living conditions.

"At the same time, droughts caused by climate change are reducing supply in many regions of the world, including parts of the US.

"Our hope is to expand the supply of water in places that really need it, while also reducing costs for industry."

Ultra pure water, treated through the technology, can be benefit industries including semiconductor manufacturing and pharmaceutical processing.

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Image: NJIT chemistry and environmental science professor Somenath Mitra. Photo: courtesy of New Jersey Institute of Technology.