Ion Concentration Water Purification
Uses contactless, electrically charged membrane to separate contaminants from water
Innovators at ERDC’s Construction Engineering Research Laboratory (CERL) have developed an energy-efficient water purification technology that uses a contactless ion filtration membrane to remove a wide variety of contaminants, including viruses, bacteria, protozoa, spores, clay, hair, proteins, nucleic acids, peptides, and lipids. CERL’s design centers on water flowing through an electrically charged membrane that diverts the positively charged contaminants out of the flow, while water without ions passes through. The method can produce 1 gallon of purified water per minute.
Current water purification systems struggle to detect contaminants at high dilution, require substantial energy to operate, and are easily fouled. By contrast, this system’s multiple sensors precisely measure ion concentrations, enabling the system to produce clean water at just 5 Watt-hours per liter. Its contactless, low-maintenance design prevents biofilm from forming on the membrane, increasing its lifespan and reducing costs.
This technology is in early-stage development. ERDC seeks partners to develop this technology further.
- Flexible: Can be used as a concentrator and a separation tool at the same time
- Accurate: Features multiple sensors (conductivity, fluorescence, absorbance) that measure the ion concentrations, ensuring precise filtration
- Durable: Resists biofouling, enabling a longer membrane life with minimal maintenance
- Low-power: Requires less than 5 Watt-hours per Liter (Wh/L)
- Robust: Yields water production rates of 50 mL/min scalable to 1 gal/min
- Public works (e.g., water filtration/purification, desalinization, wastewater treatment)
- Environmental remediation (e.g., wastewater treatment, groundwater treatment)
- Military (e.g., expeditionary forces, operations)
- Coming Soon