Progress 07/01/21 to 01/31/23
Outputs
Target Audience:Our target audience are bio refineries and the engineering firms that work with the refineries. Based on our customer discovery, there are two major opportunities. The first is based on splitting a slurry stream, filtering and processing part of the liquid stream via CNEM-MD before sending it back to thermal distillation. The second is recovering ethanol fromCO2 scrubbers where there is typically 2% ethanol and this can be concentrated and sent back to distillation column. Either way, we expected to save in terms of operational cost and CAPEX. However, we realize that there may be many other opportunities in the biofuel refining. For example, a related opportunity may be the purification of refined products using our approach, and the dewatering distillates may lead to significant energy savings. Solvent recovery in waste streams and in solvent recycling may be some other important applications of our technology. We initiated discussions with several engineering firms who design bioethanol manufacturing plants in the USA. One of our strategies to reach the customers is to partner with engineering firms and ethanol refineries and conduct pilot tests at their facility to provide proof of concept. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?
Nothing Reported
How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? We initiated discussions with two engineering companies who designed most of the bioethanol manufacturing plants in the USA and rest of world. Simultaneously, we have been in discussions with two of the largest ethanol producers to act as a host site for a pilot demonstration. Currently we are working collaboratively with Lawrence Berkley Laboratory and US Navy to use our CNEM-MD approach torecover a bio aviation fuel product isoprenol. Another commercial potential of CNEM-MD technology is in solvent recycling. We have been in advanced talks with amajor waste processing company to run pilot testing for recovery of isopropyl alcohol and ethylene glycol in its plant. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
R&D activities carried out during the reporting period and significant results achieved under the specific objectives are described below: CNEM Development: (1) Several porous membranes were evaluated by liquid entry pressure (LEP), water contact angel and flux measurements. (2) Different CNT (carbon nanotube) coating formulations comprising of solvent and polymeric binder was made on trial-and-error basis and the stability of the dispersion were studied using dynamic light scattering (DLS) technique to evaluate the fabrication time line. (3) PTFE membrane and CNT coated PTFE membrane were characterized with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and thermogravimetry (TGA). (4) The effect of membrane pore size on ethanol recovery performance was studied experimentally on a bench scale CNEM-MD system. (5) The influence of forms of CNT functionalization was studied experimentally. (6) The effect of the number of CNT layers on top of base membrane was studied by water/solvent contact angle measurements, TGA analysis, SEM imaging and by SGMD experiments. Ethanol recovery via CNEM-MD: (1) Spiral wound CNEM modules were fabricated using a fully functional spiral wound module fabrication facility at NanoSepex. (2) A lab-pilot CNEM-MD system was developed and built at Nanosepex facility. (3) A series of experiments were conducted on the lab pilot system to verify the effectiveness of the CNEM-MD process for ethanol recovery from its aqueous solution. Effects of process parameters including feed inlet temperature, feed flow rate, sweep air flow rate were studied. (4) Experimental studies were carried out using the lab-pilot CNEM-MD system to recover ethanol from CO2 scrubber waste samples provided by a biofuel manufacturer. System configuration and design for maximizing recovery: We have developed a simulation tool that allows us to predict CNEM-MD process outcomes under different operation conditions (feed concentration, temperature, flow rate, etc.). This was used to carry out some simulations. Integration with existing biofuel separation systems such as thermal distillation and pervaporation: We studied the feasibility of integrating CNEM-MD with pervaporation. The results showed high separation factor that can generate pure (99%) ethanol at low flux. A dense membrane is needed to synthesize the CNEM membranes and the process would be difficult to scale up in our laboratory. Since the flux of pervaporation system was low, it would require large membrane modules. The technique does not appear viable for commercial scale manufacturing by NanoSepex at this time as it would also need additional investments. Also. it does not appear to be attractive at this point according to customer discovery. A concentrated ethanol stream generated by CNEM-MD can be integrated with thermal distillation. This we believe is the best way to enter the biofuel refining market to gain acceptance. Other applications of CNEM-MD: We also performed experimental studies that demonstrated the feasibility of CNEM-MD for application in recovery of ethylene glycol from antifreeze coolant waste and enrichment of other types of biofuel (isoprenol, butanol) from its low concentration aqeous solutions. Development of a pilot scale system: Development of a pilot scale 2 ~ 5 gpm CNEM-MD system has been initiated.
Publications
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2023
Citation:
Mitun Chandra Bhoumick, Cheng Li, Sagar Roy, Eric Sundstrom, Benjamin G. Harvey, and Somenath Mitra, ÿ¿ÿ¢ÿ¿ÿ¿ÿ¿ÿ¿Enhanced Recovery of Aviation Biofuel Precursor Isoprenol Using Nanocarbon-Immobilized Membrane-Based Membrane Distillationÿ¿ÿ¢ÿ¿ÿ¿ÿ¿ÿ, Energy Fuels 37, 2875ÿ¿ÿ¢ÿ¿ÿ¿ÿ¿ÿ¿2885 (2023).
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Progress 07/01/21 to 06/30/22
Outputs
Target Audience:Our target audience are bio refineries and the engineering firms that work with the refineries. Based on our customer discovery, there are two major opportunities. The first is based on splitting a slurry stream, filtering and processing part of the liquid stream via CNEM-MD before sending it back to thermal distillation. The second is recovering ethanol from CO2 scrubbers where there is typically 2% ethanol and this can be concentrated and sent back to distillation column. Either way, we expected to save in terms of operational cost and CAPEX. However, we realize that there may be many other opportunities in the biofuel refining. For example, a related opportunity may be the purification of refined products using our approach, and the dewatering distillates may lead to significant energy savings. Solvent recovery in waste streams and in solvent recycling may be some other important applications of our technology. We initiated discussions with several engineering firms who design bioethanol manufacturing plants in the USA. One of our strategies to reach the customers is to partner with engineering firms and ethanol refineries and conduct pilot tests at their facility to provide proof of concept. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?
Nothing Reported
How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? We initiated discussions with two engineering companies who designed most of the bioethanol manufacturing plants in the USA and rest of world. Simultaneously, we have been in discussions with two of the largest ethanol producers to act as a host site for a pilot demonstration. Currently we are working collaboratively with Lawrence Berkley Laboratory and US Navy to use our CNEM-MD approach to recover a bio aviation fuel product isoprenol. Another commercial potential of CNEM-MD technology is in solvent recycling. We have been in advanced talks with a major waste processing company to run pilot testing for recovery of isopropyl alcohol and ethylene glycol in its plant. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
R&D activities carried out during the reporting period and significant results achieved under the specific objectives are described below: CNEM Development: (1) Several porous membranes were evaluated by liquid entry pressure (LEP), water contact angle and flux measurements. (2) Different CNT (carbon nanotube) coating formulations comprising of solvent and polymeric binder was made on trial-and-error basis and the stability of the dispersion were studied using dynamic light scattering (DLS) technique to evaluate the fabrication time line. (3) PTFE membrane and CNT coated PTFE membrane were characterized with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and thermogravimetry (TGA). (4) The effect of membrane pore size on ethanol recovery performance was studied experimentally on a bench scale CNEM-MD system. (5) The influence of forms of CNT functionalization was studied experimentally. Ethanol recovery via CNEM-MD: (1) Spiral wound CNEM modules were fabricated using a fully functional spiral wound module fabrication facility at NanoSepex. (2) A lab-pilot CNEM-MD system was developed and built at Nanosepex facility. (3) A series of experiments were conducted on the lab pilot system to verify the effectiveness of the CNEM-MD process for ethanol recovery from its aqueous solution. Effects of process parameters including feed inlet temperature, feed flow rate, sweep air flow rate were studied. (4) Experimental studies were carried out using the lab-pilot CNEM-MD system to recover ethanol from CO2 scrubber waste samples provided by a biofuel manufacturer. System configuration and design for maximizing recovery: We have developed a simulation tool that allows us to predict CNEM-MD process outcomes under different operation conditions (feed concentration, temperature, flow rate, etc.). Integration with existing biofuel separation systems such as thermal distillation and pervaporation: We studied the feasibility of integrating CNEM-MD with pervaporation. The results showed high separation factor that can generate pure (99%) ethanol at low flux. A dense membrane is needed to synthesize the CNEM membranes and the process would be difficult to scale up in our laboratory. Since the flux of pervaporation system was low, it would require large membrane modules. The technique does not appear viable for commercial scale manufacturing by NanoSepex at this time as it would also need additional investments. Also. it does not appear to be attractive at this point according to customer discovery. A concentrated ethanol stream generated by CNEM-MD can be integrated with thermal distillation. This we believe is the best way to enter the biofuel refining market to gain acceptance.
Publications
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