Development of thermally stable and fouling-resistant polymeric membranes for SAGD produced water treatment

石油价格的波动以及最近联邦和省政府为应对气候变化和保护水资源所做的努力，促使油砂行业开发降低每桶产品运营成本以及资源开采过程中消耗的能源和淡水量的技术。拟议的研究项目将通过开发具有增强过滤性能的创新纳米功能膜来实现这一目标。配备我们的膜的膜技术通过提供更高的分离效率和热稳定性，为当前工艺提供了一种有前途的替代方案。耐热膜具有改善热提取设施中的热集成的潜力，从而减少锅炉给水加热需求和温室气体产生。该提案是油砂公司通过加拿大油砂创新联盟（COSIA）进行三年研究的结果，旨在开发用于油砂采出水处理的纳米复合膜。对选定的膜材料（碳基纳米材料的纳米复合膜，例如，石墨烯和纳米图案化膜），并且生产更大规模的膜有可能提高油砂中的水处理效率，从而降低能源使用并增加水循环。我们的具体目标是（1）开发热稳定和可渗透的膜，（2）制造更大规模的膜并开发螺旋缠绕模块，（3）测试用于在高温（> 90 oC）下过滤油砂采出水的膜。 拟议的膜技术将首先针对油砂采出水量身定制;然而，它将解决其他部门的许多其他水修复问题。这项技术还将为加拿大人的健康做出积极贡献，因为它将减少我们环境中的污染物，保持我们水系统的完整性。HQP将认识到水资源管理在自然资源部门的重要性，这将是新兴技术和未来水政策发展的资产。

Fluctuating oil prices and recent Federal and Provincial efforts to address climate change and to protect water resources are motivating the oil sands industry to develop technologies that reduce the operating cost per barrel of product and the amount of energy and freshwater consumed during resource extraction. The proposed research project will pursue this goal by developing innovative nano-enabled membranes with enhanced filtration performance. The membrane technology, equipped with our membranes, offers a promising alternative to current processes by providing higher separation efficiency and thermal stability. Thermally tolerant membranes have the potential to improve heat integration in thermal extraction facilities, thereby reducing boiler feed water heating requirements and greenhouse gas production. This proposal is the result of three years of research involving oil sands companies, through Canada's Oil Sands Innovation Alliance (COSIA), to develop nanocomposite membranes for the treatment of oil sands produced water. The extended work on selected membrane materials (nanocomposite membranes by carbon-based nanomaterials, e.g., graphene, and nanopatterned membranes) and the production of larger-scale membranes has the potential to improve the efficiency of water treatment in oil sands, leading to decreased energy usage and increased water recycle. Our specific goals are to (1) develop thermally stable and antifouling membranes, (2) fabricate larger-scale membranes and development of spiral wound modules, (3) test the membranes for the filtration of oil sands produced water at elevated temperatures (>90oC). The proposed membrane technology will be tailored first for oil sands produced water; however, there are many other water remediation issues in other sectors that it will address. The technology will also positively contribute to the health of Canadians as it will reduce contaminants in our environment and maintain the integrity of our water systems. The HQP will appreciate the importance of water management in the natural resource sector, which will be an asset in the development of emerging technologies and future water policies.