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

波动的石油价格以及最近联邦和各省为应对气候变化和保护水资源所做的努力，促使油砂行业开发技术，以降低每桶产品的运营成本以及资源开采过程中消耗的能源和淡水量。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膜来实现这一目标。膜技术，配备我们的膜，提供了一个有前途的替代目前的工艺，提供更高的分离效率和热稳定性。耐热膜有可能改善热萃取设施的热集成，从而减少锅炉给水加热要求和温室气体的产生。这项提案是油砂公司通过加拿大油砂创新联盟（COSIA）三年研究的结果，旨在开发用于处理油砂采出水的纳米复合膜。选择膜材料（碳基纳米材料的纳米复合膜，如石墨烯和纳米图案膜）的扩展工作和大规模膜的生产有可能提高油砂水处理的效率，从而减少能源使用并增加水的循环利用。我们的具体目标是：(1)开发热稳定和防污膜，(2)制造更大规模的膜和开发螺旋缠绕模块，(3)测试膜在高温（bb0 - 90℃）下对油砂采出水的过滤。提出的膜技术将首先针对油砂采出水进行定制；然而，在其他行业还有许多其他的水修复问题需要解决。这项技术还将对加拿大人的健康作出积极贡献，因为它将减少我们环境中的污染物并保持我们水系统的完整性。HQP将认识到水管理在自然资源部门的重要性，这将成为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.