This projects long-term goal is to leverage teams detailed understanding of the spatial and temporal temperature variation and brine evaporation behavior in enhanced evaporation systems to…

This Cooperative Agreement awarded by the U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Reclamation under the Water Desalination Research and Development program (CFDA 15.506) aims to leverage the University of Minnesota's expertise in understanding spatial and temporal temperature variation and brine evaporation behavior. The $244,342 award, with a period of performance from October 2023 to September 2025, seeks to confirm that altering the temperature of brine solutions can make it favorable for selective precipitation and recovery of specific salts. The key product or service to be delivered is research and development to optimize salt recovery processes for enhanced evaporation systems, with the long-term goal of increasing the supply of usable water while minimizing environmental impacts.

This projects long-term goal is to leverage teams detailed understanding of the spatial and temporal temperature variation and brine evaporation behavior in enhanced evaporation systems to intentionally, and selectively, precipitate salt in distinct locations for collection and reuse. This project aims to confirm that for a given volume, concentration, and composition of brine, the solution temperature can be altered to make IT either thermodynamically or kinetically favorable for a particular salt to precipitate.