SUMMARY
UCLA researchers in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering have developed a novel approach for treating industrial wastewater through a CO2 sequestration process.
BACKGROUND
Liquid waste streams generated from several industrial processes include produced effluent water from oil and gas extraction operations, industrial (aqueous) effluents containing dissolved minerals, and desalination brine. It is desired to treat these waste streams to derive value, while employing management costs and handling practices that are both cost effective and environmentally sustainable. The treated water may also find potential uses in irrigation, rangeland restoration, and animal consumption, among others.
INNOVATION
UCLA researchers have developed a novel CO2 sequestration process that can potentially save 25% in power plant energy and 15% of salt treatment costs. Costly standard chemicals are avoided by varying the wastewater pH with a reusable buffer agent that is less hazardous and solvent free. This process also reduces costs by avoiding CO2 compression for long-distance pipeline transport and avoids laborious processes such as stripping CO2 from flue gas scrubbing media.
POTENTIAL APPLICATIONS
ADVANTAGES
RELATED MATERIALS