This National Science Foundation (NSF) Engineering program (CFDA 47.041) Project Grant award of $463,963 to Vanderbilt University supports the development of cost- and energy-efficient brine treatment technologies to enable decarbonized brackish water desalination (BWD) for climate-adaptive water supply. The key objectives are to:
- Develop a novel process integrating nanofiltration and reverse osmosis to enable cost-effective brine volume reduction;
- Design an innovative interface-enhanced crystallizer for energy-efficient and robust brine crystallization;
- Develop a high-efficiency heat pump to power the zero liquid discharge (ZLD) system; and
- Evaluate the sustainability of off-grid, decarbonized inland BWD with ZLD through techno-economic, lifecycle, and social acceptance assessments.
The successful completion of this 4-year project, running from August 2024 to July 2028, has the potential for transformative impact by enabling decarbonized ZLD to support the wide adoption of climate-resilient inland desalination and improve water resilience against a changing climate. The project will also provide research opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students from underrepresented groups.
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