Membrane Characterization and Design

膜表征和设计

• 批准号: RGPIN-2014-04902
• 负责人: Creber, Sarah
• 金额: $ 1.53万
• 依托单位: Royal Military College of Canada
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2018
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2018-01-01 至 2019-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=648276
• 关键词: Membrane; Characterization; Design

I propose to establish a research program on industrial membrane characterization and design. This work would focus initially on membrane processes for water treatment, with subsequent extension to other membrane systems. I propose to investigate identified challenges of existing membrane processes with a view to developing improved membrane materials and process systems. **My research would use a variety of methods in order to study membrane performance, including experimental, theoretical, and computational methods. Experimental methods would be the primary method used for characterizing membrane performance. Membrane flux, permeability, and pressure differential are standard measurements, which I propose to couple with imaging techniques such as optical microscopy and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Theoretical calculations and simulations are expected to provide additional insight into and validation for experimental observations as well as provide a method of predicting the performance of other membrane configurations. **The proposed work is important for several reasons. Membrane separation processes are used throughout industry (e.g., water treatment, food processing, and medical applications) and thus improved membrane performance could help to improve the overall industrial processes through reduced costs and enhanced product quality. With regards to water treatment, reverse osmosis membrane systems already provide safe drinking water to many people around the world, with substantial potential for expansion; however, increased operating costs due largely to fouling continue to pose a challenge for adoption. The portability and scalability of reverse osmosis systems, also, make it an attractive technology for applications such as military deployments. With regards to benefits within the field of membrane science and chemical engineering, I expect my work on one membrane system (e.g., reverse osmosis membranes) to be transferable to similar systems in terms of measurement techniques and thus aid other researchers in their work. Notably, my proposed work with MRI is unique in that it is still a relatively new technique in chemical engineering, with many applications able to benefit from this tool (e.g., fluid dynamics). While several research groups in other departments across Canada employ MRI in experimental settings (e.g., physics, medicine), it is not a well-established tool as it is in chemical engineering departments in other countries (e.g., UK, US, New Zealand). Finally, I expect that the students proposed to be hired for this work would benefit greatly in terms of research training.

我建议建立一个工业膜表征和设计的研究计划。这项工作最初将侧重于水处理的膜工艺，随后将扩展到其他膜系统。我建议调查现有膜工艺的已确定的挑战，以期开发改进的膜材料和工艺系统。**我的研究将使用多种方法来研究膜的性能，包括实验方法、理论方法和计算方法。实验方法将是表征膜性能的主要方法。膜通量、通透性和压差是标准测量，我建议将其与光学显微镜和磁共振成像(MRI)等成像技术结合使用。理论计算和模拟有望为实验观察提供更多的洞察力和验证，并提供一种预测其他膜结构性能的方法。**拟议的工作之所以重要，有几个原因。膜分离工艺广泛应用于工业(如水处理、食品加工和医疗应用)，因此，膜性能的改善有助于通过降低成本和提高产品质量来改善整个工业工艺。关于水处理，反渗透膜系统已经为世界各地的许多人提供了安全的饮用水，具有很大的扩展潜力；然而，主要由于污染而增加的运营成本继续对采用构成挑战。反渗透系统的便携性和可扩展性也使其成为军事部署等应用的一项有吸引力的技术。关于膜科学和化学工程领域的好处，我希望我在一个膜系统(例如反渗透膜)上的工作可以在测量技术方面转移到类似的系统，从而帮助其他研究人员进行他们的工作。值得注意的是，我提出的MRI工作是独一无二的，因为它在化学工程中仍然是一种相对较新的技术，许多应用程序能够从该工具中受益(例如，流体动力学)。虽然加拿大其他部门的几个研究小组在实验环境中(例如物理、医学)使用核磁共振，但它并不像其他国家(例如英国、美国、新西兰)的化学工程部门那样是一个成熟的工具。最后，我预计被录用的学生将在研究培训方面受益匪浅。