1. Summary
Climate changes and global urbanization leads to growing pressure on water and energy resources. This has great and increasing implications for industrial production and human life.
The surging populations and economies in the developing world further underscore the double crunch we face in the demand for water and energy in the coming decades. Several emerging membrane processes are attracting considerable interest as they may provide potential solutions for the global double challenge of water and energy scarcity. In MEMEBTO we will focus on using osmotic and electrochemical gradients across membranes to develop new technologies for addressing the energy-water nexus. However, lack of technology has hindered implementation of promising membrane processes such as reverse electro-dialysis (RED) & pressure retarded osmosis (PRO) for energy production, and forward osmosis (FO) for combined energy production and wastewater treatment in membrane bioreactors (MBRs).
In this strategic research project we therefore will design new biomimetic RED, PRO and FO membranes and modules with the ultimate goal of demonstrating their feasibility in sustainable energy production. MEMENTO brings together two Danish university groups with biomimetic expertise, two established water technology providers, a global independent private not-for profit water research and development organization, and two foreign university groups with cutting-edge membrane technology expertise. This will ensure Danish technology providers and consultants a good domestic and international research and development platform.
Increased water & energy efficiencies are competitive factors for Danish industry and the global market for technology solutions providing increased water and energy efficiency is huge.
2. Objective of the project
Our general objective is to investigate how RED, PRO, and FO can be used to address the water-energy nexus. We explore RED and PRO for energy production with minimal CO2 footprint, and FO separation in wastewater treatment & energy production. Our specific objectives are:
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To improve RED energy generation by developing new cost effective biomimetic membranes with low fouling propensity and selective only to monovalent cations and anions based on the superior selectivity of natural ion channels resulting in higher RED membrane ion separation and ensuing energy production.
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To improve PRO energy generation by developing new membranes and membrane modules for use with high salinity gradients. In particular to develop robust biomimetic membranes and to identify designs for minimizing internal and external concentration polarization resulting in higher membrane/membrane module energy densities.
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To improve anaerobic submerged membrane bioreactors (SMBR) by developing lowfouling biomimetic FO membranes for use in domestic wastewater treatment resulting in higher energy (methane) and water production.
3. The main results of the project
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Scientific: Strengthening of Danish research in sustainable energy and Water technology and ensuring that the research and development has an international scope and level through committing collaborations. The success criterion is to have at least 26 international peer reviewed publications during the funding period.
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Technological: Providing knowledge on the scientific, technical, environmental, and economic feasibility of the new developed membranes and modules for RED, PRO, and FO-SMBR applications. The main success criterion is that all three objective applications have been successfully tested by the end of the funding period. End-users, already having collaboration/customer relation with the two participating technology providers and the consulting organization, include industries, water and energy suppliers, and urban water/waste water treatment facilities.
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Educational: Training of PhDs/postdocs. In particular postdocs will be encouraged to develop their own projects with associated students in MEMENTO thereby giving them training in leadership for future positions in the Danish energy and water sectors
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Exploitation of results: Using the gained competitive advantage for Danish industries to develop superior & cost-effective solutions addressing the water-energy nexus.