SBIR Phase I: Performance and Feasibility Evaluation of Electrochemical Advanced Oxidation Technology for Water Purification

该SBIR项目更广泛的影响/商业化潜力是一种电化学水处理技术，该技术具有最小化成本的潜力，几乎不需要维护，并全面处理饮用水中的病原体，有毒有机物和金属等有害污染物。 大约有8000万美国房主因担心水质而寻求净水解决方案。他们对现有系统的高维护、长期成本和缺乏综合处理能力感到不满。该SBIR第一阶段项目旨在优化，演示和扩展住宅入口应用的电化学水净化系统。现有的水净化系统在综合处理诸如病原体、有毒有机物和金属的污染物方面基本上是无效的，并且还需要频繁的维护，这导致高成本和废物产生。为了解决这些问题，将在实验室和中试规模的应用中研究所提出的电化学技术处理被病原体和有毒有机化合物污染的水的处理效果、成本和可行性。将优化设计参数，以实现最高的处理能力和最低的成本和维护需求。原型将按比例缩放，以便在居民入境点应用的流速下进行试点评估，并评估其稳健性。将根据NSF/ANSI P473对实验室和中试装置的全氟化合物（PFC）去除进行评价，并根据EPA净化器标准认证对病原体消毒进行评价。PFC去除和消毒是证明分散式处理的全面水净化解决方案的关键。最终的结果将是一个由传感器自动化的小型产品，直接与建筑物的管道连接。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader impact/commercialization potential of this SBIR project is an electrochemical water treatment technology which has the potential for minimizing cost, requiring little to no maintenance, and comprehensively treating harmful contaminants such as pathogens, toxic organics, and metals in drinking water. About 80M U.S. homeowners are seeking a water purification solution for fear of their water quality. They are unsatisfied with the high maintenance, long-term costs, and lack of comprehensive treatment capabilities of existing systems. This SBIR Phase I project proposes to optimize, demonstrate, and scale an electrochemical water purification system for residential point-of-entry application. Existing water purification systems are largely ineffective in comprehensively treating contaminants such as pathogens, toxic organics, and metals, and also require frequent maintenance which contributes to high costs and waste generation. To address these concerns, the treatment effectiveness, cost, and feasibility of treating water contaminated with pathogens and toxic organic compounds by the proposed electrochemical technology will be studied in laboratory and pilot scale applications. Design parameters will be optimized for highest treatment capability and lowest costs and maintenance needs. Prototypes will be scaled for pilot evaluation at flow rates for residential point-of-entry application and evaluated for robustness. The laboratory and pilot units will be evaluated for perfluorinated compound (PFC) removal consistent with NSF/ANSI P473 and for pathogen disinfection following EPA Purifier Standard Certification. PFC removal and disinfection are keys to proving a comprehensive water purification solution for decentralized treatment. The end result will be a small product automated by sensors that connects directly in-line with a building's plumbing.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.