Faradayic Desalination for Produced Water Treatment

The DOE seeks innovative approaches for the treatment of the water produced at oil and gas wells, specifically, a cost-effective strategy for the removal of salinity from this waste stream. This project will develop technology to treat the produced water by first applying the Faradayic electro-dialysis process to reduce the high salinity levels. In this process, a pulsed electrolytic field is tuned to achieve enhanced ion transport, as well as a reduced boundary layer thickness, for improved transport efficiencies across the electro-dialysis membrane. This process will be followed by treatment with reverse osmosis (RO) for the removal of dissolved organics, bacteria, and other produced water contaminants, enabling reuse rather than disposal of the produced water stream. The RO process also is expected to limit membrane fouling. The combined process is expected to result in a larger volume of purified water, as well as in a reduction in ineffective power expenditures, making the process more economically viable. Commercial Applications and other Benefits as described by the awardee: Significant volumes of produced water are generated every year in the United States, and a cost-effective treatment strategy would enable the reuse of this water for applications such as irrigation, drinking water, and habitats for livestock and wildlife. Industrial uses include dust control, vehicle and equipment washing, power generation, and fire control.