Part 2. The Future of Cleaner Water Through Desalination

• 15:15-15:35; A unique solution for Ion-Exchange operation optimization: Economical and environmental impacts. Elad Barak.
• 15:35-15:55; An innovative composite framework with a highly permeable metal-organic framework -membrane for sustainable water desalination.
• 15:55-16:15; MHD-EHD Physical Desalination of Seawater Coupled with Centrifugation and Crystallization Mechanisms
• 16:15-16:35; Reducing Desalination's Carbon Footprint with Enzymes.

Elad Barak:

A unique solution for Ion-Exchange operation optimization: Economical and environmental impacts. 

1. Performing an automatic regeneration according to the characteristics of the input stream (flow rates and concentrations of hardness ions) considering the change in temperature throughout the year and according to the production plan - the nature of the feed stream changes, the amount of water required for treatment changes and therefore also the loading rate of the ion exchangers.

2. Determining the volume of water required for regeneration. 

The above is expected to significantly reduce the amount of acid required for regeneration and large amount of water required for washing and rinsing.

Methodology:

- During the project, the "effective" capacity of the resin was tested in relation to the theoretical capacity -a long experiment with many repetitions: loading the resins until "breakthrough" and then a long regeneration until reaching a constant hardness value.

- For several months, data was collected on the inlet current to the ion exchangers: calcium and magnesium using ICP-MS, and conductivity. 

- An in-depth analysis was performed on how the system works and how it is implemented in the field.

Main findings:

- The resin capacity was found to be lower than the theoretical (about ~ 30%).

- A strong relationship was found between the concentrations of calcium and magnesium (each separately) and the conductivity of the feed to the ion exchangers.

How to integrate the findings into the existing system and the consequences of the change:

- To determine the number of ions loaded into the ion exchangers, an algorithm was implemented in the control system that calculates the amount of hardness ions from the measured conductivity. When the cumulative amount reaches the predetermined value (because of understanding the "effective" resin capacity)- the unit automatically started its regeneration.

- The amount of water required for regeneration was determined from the experiment to determine the capacity of the resin and by combining additional data.

These days we are running an experiment to examine the effect of the regeneration solution conductivity on the required regeneration volume to increase the availability of the system, especially during the summer days when the loads are high.

Muneer Bata:

Addressing the critical challenges of traditional desalination processes such as high energy consumption and significant fouling, this study investigates the integration of Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOF-303) with chitosan and Arabic gum into a polysulfone matrix. The research highlights the importance of enhancing the efficiency and sustainability of water desalination systems by leveraging the unique properties of its constituents.

The synthesis utilized a strategic layering approach, starting with the integration of MOF-303 into the polysulfone base, followed by the addition of chitosan and Arabic gum. This methodology was designed to optimize the membrane's hydrophilicity and mechanical strength, thereby improving its permeability and antifouling properties. Under varying pressures, desalination tests demonstrated a substantial increase in both water flux and salt rejection rates, achieving optimal performance at 6 bar with a flux of 48 L/m²h and salt rejection stabilizing at 90%.

SEM analyses confirmed the successful incorporation of MOF-303 and revealed enhanced structural integrity of the membrane. The results underscore the membrane's potential for large-scale applications, marking a significant advancement in desalination technology. Future efforts will focus on scaling production and conducting real-world tests to further validate the membrane's performance and operational durability.