Advanced Water Reclamation with Graphene Oxide Filtration

Introduction

Water scarcity is one of the most pressing global issues, affecting millions of people and threatening ecosystems worldwide. Traditional water treatment methods often struggle with energy inefficiency and high operational costs, making them less effective at addressing water scarcity on a large scale. Our patented graphene oxide film technology offers a cutting-edge solution for water reclamation, combining exceptional filtration capabilities with energy-efficient operation. This innovative system allows for the reclamation and purification of water from various sources, providing an eco-friendly and scalable solution for industrial, agricultural, and municipal applications.

Addressing the Limitations of Conventional Water Treatment

Traditional water treatment processes, such as reverse osmosis and distillation, are effective but require substantial energy inputs and infrastructure investment. These systems often face difficulties in removing contaminants like heavy metals, microplastics, and organic pollutants from wastewater. The need for advanced filtration materials that can operate more efficiently, with a higher removal rate of contaminants, is critical for industries and municipalities looking to enhance water reuse efforts and mitigate water shortages.

There is a growing demand for filtration systems that are both cost-effective and environmentally sustainable, offering high performance with minimal energy consumption. The ability to reclaim water from industrial waste streams or agricultural runoff without compromising water quality is crucial to long-term sustainability.

An Innovative Graphene Oxide Filtration Solution

Our graphene oxide film technology introduces a novel approach to water reclamation by utilizing the exceptional properties of graphene oxide for filtration. The thin, highly porous structure of the graphene oxide films enables the selective removal of contaminants, including organic compounds, heavy metals, and pathogens, from wastewater or polluted water sources. The material’s unique chemical and physical properties allow for rapid water flow while maintaining an impressive filtration efficiency, making it ideal for large-scale water treatment applications.

The technology can be applied across various industries, from purifying municipal wastewater to reclaiming water in industrial processes and agriculture. Additionally, the energy-efficient design of the filtration system makes it suitable for use in regions with limited access to energy, providing a sustainable solution for rural communities facing water scarcity.

Key Benefits

Efficient Contaminant Removal: Graphene oxide films provide superior filtration of heavy metals, organic pollutants, and pathogens.
Energy Efficient: The technology operates with lower energy consumption than traditional methods, reducing operational costs.
Scalable: Applicable to a wide range of industries and water reclamation scenarios, from industrial waste to agricultural water reuse.
Sustainable Water Management: Helps industries and municipalities meet water conservation goals and reduce dependence on freshwater sources.

A Critical Tool for Sustainable Water Purification

Licensing this graphene oxide water reclamation technology offers companies the opportunity to lead in sustainable water management. By combining efficiency, scalability, and environmental impact reduction, this innovation is poised to become a cornerstone of future water treatment and reclamation efforts.

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Abstract
Claims

Systems, devices, and methods are described herein for generating liquid water from water vapor present in the atmosphere through use of selectively permeable films that permit water to pass through but that block other liquids and gases, such as atmospheric gases. The systems, devices, and methods employ condensation techniques in which only the water that is passed through the selectively permeable film is cooled, as compared to other atmospheric water generation systems, which cool water and other gases that enter with the water.

What is claimed is:

1. A system for atmospheric water reclamation, comprising:

an enclosure defining an internal volume, wherein the enclosure prevents gases from permeating into or out of the internal volume, wherein at least a portion of the enclosure is a liquid water permeable region that allows water molecules to permeate into or out of the internal volume, and wherein the liquid water permeable region comprises:

an interlocking layer structure including a system of nano-capillaries, wherein liquid water is permitted to pass from a first surface of the interlocking layer structure to a second surface of the interlocking layer structure through the system of nano-capillaries, and wherein gases are incapable of passing through the system of nano-capillaries;

a heat transfer surface positioned within the internal volume, wherein the heat transfer surface is configured to remove heat from within the internal volume such that water vapor present within the internal volume condenses on the heat transfer surface to form condensed liquid water;

a reservoir positioned within the internal volume to collect the condensed liquid water; and

a fan or blower for directing air from an atmosphere external to the enclosure towards the liquid water permeable region, or a fan or blower within the internal volume for circulating gases within the internal volume over an internal surface of the liquid water permeable region or over the heat transfer surface.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the liquid water permeable region allows water molecules to permeate into the internal volume by water molecules, in vapor form present in an atmosphere external to the enclosure, condensing on the first surface of the interlocking layer structure and changing to liquid form, passing as a liquid through the system of nano-capillaries, and evaporating from the second surface of the interlocking layer structure to increase a partial pressure of water within the internal volume.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the liquid water permeable region comprises a graphene oxide film.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the interlocking layer structure comprises a graphene oxide laminate including a plurality of graphene oxide crystallites.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the liquid water permeable region comprises a thin film having a thickness between 0.1 μm and 5 μm.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein nano-capillaries of the system of nano-capillaries have a dimension selected between 5 Å and 15 Å.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the heat transfer surface comprises a condensing surface that has a temperature below ambient temperature.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the heat transfer surface comprises a surface of a heat exchanger that is positioned in thermal communication with a heat pump or refrigeration system.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the enclosure exhibits a gas permeation rate less than or equal to 10⁻⁸mm g/cm²s bar.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising a support structure attached to the enclosure for supporting the liquid water permeable region.

11. A method for atmospheric water reclamation, comprising:

providing an enclosure surrounding an internal volume, wherein the enclosure prevents gases from permeating into or out of the internal volume, wherein at least a portion of the enclosure is a liquid water permeable region that allows water molecules to permeate into or out of the internal volume, and wherein the liquid water permeable region comprises:

cooling a heat transfer surface positioned within the internal volume to remove heat from gases within the internal volume such that water vapor present in the gases within the internal volume condenses on the heat transfer surface to form condensed liquid water;

collecting the condensed liquid water in a reservoir within the internal volume; and

directing air from an atmosphere external to the enclosure towards the liquid water permeable region using a fan or blower external to the enclosure or circulating gases within the internal volume over an internal surface of the liquid water permeable region or over the heat transfer surface using a fan or blower within the internal volume.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the liquid water permeable region comprises a graphene oxide film or a graphene oxide laminate including a plurality of graphene oxide crystallites.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the liquid water permeable region is formed by steps including:

dispersing graphite oxide in water by sonication to form a stable suspension of graphene oxide crystallites;

spray-coating or spin-coating the stable suspension of graphene oxide crystallites over a supporting film; and

removing at least a portion of the supporting film, thereby generating the liquid water permeable region.

14. A method comprising:

providing an enclosure for surrounding an internal volume;

creating a liquid water permeable region within a wall of the enclosure, wherein the liquid water permeable region allows water molecules to permeate into or out of the internal volume, wherein the enclosure and the liquid water permeable region together prevents gas molecules and gas atoms from permeating into or out of the internal volume, and wherein the liquid water permeable region comprises:

positioning a fan or blower for directing air from an atmosphere external to the enclosure towards the liquid water permeable region or positioning a fan or blower within the internal volume for circulating gases within the internal volume over an internal surface of the liquid water permeable region.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein creating the liquid water permeable region includes forming a graphene oxide film by:

dispersing graphite oxide in water by sonication to form a stable suspension of graphene oxide crystallites;

spray-coating or spin-coating the stable suspension of graphene oxide crystallites over a supporting film; and

removing at least a portion of the supporting film.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the liquid water permeable region comprises a graphene oxide film or a graphene oxide laminate including a plurality of graphene oxide crystallites.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the liquid water permeable region comprises a thin film having a thickness between 0.1 μm and 5 μm or wherein nano-capillaries of the system of nano-capillaries have a dimension selected between 5 Å and 15 Å.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the liquid water permeable region comprises a thin film having a thickness between 0.1 μm and 5 μm or wherein nano-capillaries of the system of nano-capillaries have a dimension selected between 5 Å and 15 Å.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein the liquid water permeable region exhibits a gas permeation rate less than or equal to 10⁻⁸mm·g/cm²·s·bar or wherein the liquid water permeable region exhibits a water permeation rate greater than or equal to 10⁻⁵mm·g/cm²·s·bar.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein the heat transfer surface comprises a surface of the enclosure.

Title

Water reclamation using graphene oxide films

Inventor(s)

Mark Raizen

Assignee(s)

University of Texas System

Patent #

10589217

Patent Date

March 17, 2020