NSF Convergence Accelerator Track K: Electrokinetic water purification system for point-of-use applications

该项目的总体目标是开发一种便携式、适合用途的净水系统，以解决水的不安全问题。这样的系统将绕过基本水基础设施和水质监测有限的地区的限制，或者气候变化或干旱和飓风等自然灾害造成的频繁短缺或中断。水不安全和水质不足不利于社会和经济增长，特别是在波多黎各和科隆尼亚等靠近美墨边境的地区。年轻人被迫离开这些地区，以寻求更好的生活条件和就业机会，而无法离开的老年人生活条件不断恶化，导致身心健康状况不佳。适合用途的净水系统将减轻这些地区的一些水不安全负担，进而解决这些社会问题。市面上市面上为数不多的便携式膜式净水系统需要持续的维护、高压和水预处理步骤，这限制了部署的灵活性并增加了成本。这个分两个阶段的项目旨在开发一种便携式的、无膜的水净化和监测系统，其中不需要水预处理，并且使用电场实现盐分和污染物的去除。所采用的具体技术具有明显的优势，即可以很容易地调整出水率以满足需求。第一阶段的重点是确定社区需求并证明拟议技术的可行性。首先，通过将不同的利益攸关方聚集在一起，这项研究将评估受影响地区的水不安全状况，并确定将指导预原型设备开发的关键变量、需求和设计偏好。其次，计算和实验相结合的方法将加快技术开发，并证明实际可行性。第三，将采用最近开发的可按需应用的传感技术，对利益攸关方确定为高度优先的水污染物进行在线持续监测。最后，拟议项目的第一阶段将确定关键合作伙伴关系，以便在第二阶段进一步推进技术及其在实地的适应。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The overarching goal of the project is to develop a portable fit-for-purpose water purification system to address water insecurity. Such a system would circumvent limitations in regions where there is limited basic water infrastructure and water quality monitoring, or frequent shortages or interruptions caused by climate change or natural disasters, such as drought and hurricanes. Water insecurity and insufficient water quality are detrimental to social and economic growth, especially in regions like Puerto Rico and Colonias near the U.S.-Mexico border. The young population is compelled to migrate away from these areas to seek better living conditions and employment, while the elderly who are unable to leave, are subjected to deteriorating living conditions, which result in poor mental and physical health. A fit-for-purpose water purification system will alleviate some of the water insecurity burden in these regions and in turn, address these societal issues. The few portable membrane-based water purification systems that are commercially available require continuous maintenance, high-pressure, and water preconditioning steps, which limit deployment flexibility and increase cost. This two-phase project aims to develop a portable, membrane-free water purification and monitoring system where no water preconditioning is necessary, and the removal of salts and contaminants is achieved using an electric field. The specific technology employed has the distinct advantage that the rate of water output can be readily scaled to meet demand. The focus of Phase I is to determine community needs and demonstrate feasibility of the proposed technology. First, by bringing together various stakeholders, the research will evaluate the landscape of water insecurity in impacted regions and identify key variables, needs, and design preferences that will guide the development of a pre-prototype device. Second, a coupled computational and experimental approach will expedite technology development and demonstrate practical feasibility. Third, a recently developed sensing technology amenable to point-of-need applications will be adapted for in-line continuous monitoring of water contaminants identified by stakeholders as being high priority. Lastly, Phase I of the proposed project will identify key partnerships for further advancement of technology and its adaptation in the field in Phase II.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.