NSF Convergence Accelerator Track K: Electrokinetic water purification system for point-of-use applications

该项目的总体目标是开发一种便携式适用的水净化系统，以解决水不安全问题。在基本水基础设施和水质监测有限的区域，或在气候变化或干旱和飓风等自然灾害造成的水资源短缺或中断频繁的区域，这种系统将规避各种限制。水不安全和水质不足对社会和经济增长有害，特别是在靠近美国的波多黎各和殖民地等地区。墨西哥边境。年轻人被迫离开这些地区，以寻求更好的生活条件和就业，而无法离开的老年人的生活条件不断恶化，导致身心健康状况不佳。一个适合目的的水净化系统将减轻这些地区的水不安全负担，从而解决这些社会问题。市售的少数便携式膜基水净化系统需要连续维护、高压和水预处理步骤，这限制了部署灵活性并增加了成本。这个两阶段项目旨在开发一种便携式无膜水净化和监测系统，不需要对水进行预处理，并且使用电场实现盐和污染物的去除。所采用的特定技术具有明显的优点，即水输出率可以容易地按比例调整以满足需求。第一阶段的重点是确定社区的需求，并证明拟议技术的可行性。首先，通过汇集各种利益相关者，研究将评估受影响地区的水不安全状况，并确定关键变量，需求和设计偏好，以指导原型设备的开发。第二，计算和实验相结合的方法将加快技术开发并证明实际可行性。第三，最近开发的传感技术，适合点的需要的应用程序将适用于在线连续监测水污染物确定的利益相关者作为高度优先事项。最后，拟议项目的第一阶段将确定关键的合作伙伴关系，以进一步推进技术及其在第二阶段的实地适应。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并被认为值得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。

The overarching goal of the project is to develop a portable fit-for-purpose water purification system to address water insecurity. Such a system would circumvent limitations in regions where there is limited basic water infrastructure and water quality monitoring, or frequent shortages or interruptions caused by climate change or natural disasters, such as drought and hurricanes. Water insecurity and insufficient water quality are detrimental to social and economic growth, especially in regions like Puerto Rico and Colonias near the U.S.-Mexico border. The young population is compelled to migrate away from these areas to seek better living conditions and employment, while the elderly who are unable to leave, are subjected to deteriorating living conditions, which result in poor mental and physical health. A fit-for-purpose water purification system will alleviate some of the water insecurity burden in these regions and in turn, address these societal issues. The few portable membrane-based water purification systems that are commercially available require continuous maintenance, high-pressure, and water preconditioning steps, which limit deployment flexibility and increase cost. This two-phase project aims to develop a portable, membrane-free water purification and monitoring system where no water preconditioning is necessary, and the removal of salts and contaminants is achieved using an electric field. The specific technology employed has the distinct advantage that the rate of water output can be readily scaled to meet demand. The focus of Phase I is to determine community needs and demonstrate feasibility of the proposed technology. First, by bringing together various stakeholders, the research will evaluate the landscape of water insecurity in impacted regions and identify key variables, needs, and design preferences that will guide the development of a pre-prototype device. Second, a coupled computational and experimental approach will expedite technology development and demonstrate practical feasibility. Third, a recently developed sensing technology amenable to point-of-need applications will be adapted for in-line continuous monitoring of water contaminants identified by stakeholders as being high priority. Lastly, Phase I of the proposed project will identify key partnerships for further advancement of technology and its adaptation in the field in Phase II.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.