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Corrosion-Resistant Honeycomb Ceramics for Economical Membrane Separation of Individual Wastewater--Applied Ceramics, Inc., 555 Pleasantdale Road, Atlanta, GA  30340; 770-448-6888

Dr. Elizabeth A. Judson, Principal Investigator

Mr. Robert L. Mitchell, Business Official

DOE Grant No. DE-FG02-00ER82947

Amount:  $100,000

 

Recovering and recycling hot industrial wastewater can yield substantial environmental benefits by reducing pollution and conserving residual heat.  Unless an economical solution is available, companies will discharge contaminated water to the sewer.  Low cost ceramic membranes can remove the contaminants from the waste stream and allow hot process water to be reused, providing the impetus for industries to operate in an environmentally conscious manner by offering economic incentive for recycling hot wastewater.  Ceramic monoliths currently used for catalyst substrates are low-cost materials of choice for membrane supports, however, their composition and microstructure must be tailored to address the flow-rate performance and corrosion resistance required for this application.  By developing a material system and microstructure robust enough to operate in the wide pH swings typical of these waste-streams, a low-cost alternative will be available to encourage the economic removal of contaminants from industrial wastewater.  The feasibility of a low-cost, chemically and thermally stable, high flux rate ceramic membrane for industrial wastewater recycling will be determined by developing and characterizing a series of material compositions in the alumina-zirconia-mullite family with varying pore size and porosity.  With the support manufacturing already in place, the membrane application can be integrated to a high extent in order to lower the cost of the product.  Prototype membranes will be characterized for chemical corrosion resistance, flux rate, and economic benefit in two well-defined wastewater streams.

 

Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee:  Applications for low-cost ceramic membranes include the treatment of industrial, commercial, and hospital laundry operations, as well as bilge water treatment.  Unless an economic incentive exists, which requires a low-cost membrane, these industries will simply discharge the wastewater into the sewer system, polluting local water systems and wasting energy.