Assessing the Feasibility of Using a Novel Sub-Micron, Magnetic Sorbent Material for the Removal of Dissolved Organic Carbon from Blue Water

Stopford能源与环境有限公司与兰开斯特大学环境中心合作，正在寻求开发和试验一种新型工艺（“Magimix”），用于高效去除水中的溶解有机碳（DOC），从而从水体中提取水，否则使用现有的处理技术将被认为是不经济的。“Magimix”是一种新发明的复合磁性材料，它将超细颗粒尺寸与强磁性和ph依赖的表面电荷相结合，为从供水中去除污染物提供了前所未有的潜力。“Magimix”是完全新颖的，原因有四个：1。它是超细颗粒（亚微米），创造极高的表面积，从而能够高效地吸附溶液中的离子。由于它的表面电荷依赖于ph值，以及选定的核心化合物组成，它是“可调谐的”。它将吸附低pH值（即低于pH 6.5）和高pH值（即高于pH 6.5）的阳离子。该项目的一个具体例子是去除天然酸性水源饮用水中存在的污染溶解有机碳（DOC）阴离子。根据目标离子亲和力选择核心化合物。由于它的强磁性，它及其表面吸附的离子可以被磁性收集并从溶液中去除。它可以很容易地重新激活（通过ph操纵解吸），使产品重复使用。我们的财团将：开发和试验“Magimix”工艺；将其与现有的竞争技术进行比较；进行初步的放大设计；开发营销材料和投资说明书；吸引行业终端用户对新技术进行演示。我们的具体研究目标是：1。1 .合成不同等级的“Magimix”（即一种新型专利磁性吸附剂，具有不同的核心化合物），专门用于从蓝色水中去除DOC，并测试其对一系列工业供应的DOC污染水的吸附能力；设计和开发实验室规模的试验装置，以评估“Magimix”从蓝水中去除DOC的可行性。该钻机的设计将使操作参数具有灵活性，从而可以修改流速、接触时间和再生制度，以增强离子的去除。2 .还将寻求工业上可行的流量，以便能够生成反映最终用户需求的数据集；根据现有流程对“Magimix”的性能进行基准测试（通过桌面研究和与工业最终用户的对话）。检查的参数将包括去除效率、吸收能力、工艺安全性和成本，以评估“Magimix”技术对目标部门的适用性；对Magimix合成和水处理工艺进行初步设计。该研究将考虑建筑材料，并使与工厂资本支出和生产/工艺成本相关的成本估算得以获得。设计阶段将考虑所有三个先前工作的结果，以使其适合工艺和现场操作条件；在对性能参数进行评价的基础上，制定DOC蓝水处理新技术的营销材料和投资说明书。同时，将邀请工业终端用户和技术投资者参加技术演示。Magimix在去除水中离子方面的潜在应用已经获得了专利。因此，该技术为水务部门提供了一种新的方法，可以有效地从蓝水来源中去除DOC，目前使用现有工艺无法确保蓝水来源的安全。鉴于全球对水资源的压力以及相关的使用和处理成本日益增加，这一领域的创新是非常及时的

Stopford Energy & Environment Ltd in partnership with Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University is seeking todevelop and trial a novel process ('Magimix') for the highly efficient removal of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) from water,enabling abstraction of water from water bodies that would have otherwise been deemed uneconomic using existingtreatment technologies.'Magimix' is a newly invented group of composite magnetic materials, which combine ultrafine grain size with strongmagnetic properties & pH-dependent surface charge, to provide unprecedented potential for removal of contaminants fromwater supplies.'Magimix' is completely novel for four reasons:1. It is ultrafine-grained (sub-micrometre), creating extremely high surface area, thus enabling highly efficient adsorption ofions from solution.2. Because of its pH-dependent surface charge, & selected core compound composition, it is 'tuneable'. It will adsorbanions at low pHs (i.e. below pH 6.5), cations at high pHs (i.e. above pH 6.5). An example specific to this project is theremoval of contaminating dissolved organic carbon (DOC) anions which occur in naturally acid, upland-sourced drinkingwater supplies. The core compound is selected for target ion affinity.3. Because of its strongly magnetic nature, it & its surface-adsorbed ions can be magnetically collected & removed fromsolution.4. It can be readily reactivated (via pH-manipulated desorption) to enable product re-use.Our consortium will: develop & trial the 'Magimix' process; benchmark it against existing rival technologies; conductpreliminary scale-up design; develop marketing materials & an investment prospectus; & engage industry end-users indemonstrations of the new technology.Our specific research aims are:1. To synthesise various grades of 'Magimix' (i.e. a novel, patented magnetic sorbent, with different selected corecompounds) specifically for DOC removal from blue-water, & test their adsorption capacity for a range of industry-suppliedDOC-contaminated waters;2. To design & develop a laboratory-scale trial rig to enable the viability of 'Magimix' for the removal of DOC from bluewaterto be assessed. The rig will be designed to enable flexibility in operational parameters whereby flow-rate, contacttime & regeneration regimes can be modified to enhance ion removal. Industrially-viable flow rates will also be sought, toenable the generation of datasets reflective of end-user requirements;3. To benchmark the performance of 'Magimix' against existing processes (through combination of desk-based research &dialogue with industrial end-users). Examined parameters will include removal efficiency, absorption capacity, processsafety & cost, in order to assess the applicability of the 'Magimix' technology to the target sector;4. To conduct preliminary designs for both the 'Magimix' synthesis & the water treatment processes. The study will considermaterials of construction & also enable costs estimates relating to plant CAPEX & production/process costs to be obtained.The design phase will take into consideration results from all three previous work aims to enable suitability to both process& site operating conditions;5. Upon evaluation of the performance parameters, to develop marketing material and an investment prospectus for thenovel DOC blue-water treatment technology. In parallel, industrial end-users & technology investors will be invited to attendtechnology demonstrations.The potential application of 'Magimix' for the removal of ions from water has already been patented. As such thistechnology presents the water sector with a novel approach for effectively removing DOC from blue-water sources that arepresently unviable to secure using currently available processes.Given the increasing global pressure on water resources and the associated costs for use and treatment, innovation in this area is extremely timely