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Membraneless seawater desalination

Patent ·
OSTI ID:1433371
; ;

Disclosed are microfluidic devices and systems for the desalination of water. The devices and systems can include an electrode configured to generate an electric field gradient in proximity to an intersection formed by the divergence of two microfluidic channels from an inlet channel. Under an applied bias and in the presence of a pressure driven flow of saltwater, the electric field gradient can preferentially direct ions in saltwater into one of the diverging microfluidic channels, while desalted water flows into second diverging channel. Also provided are methods of using the devices and systems described herein to decrease the salinity of water.

Research Organization:
Board of Regents, The University of Texas System, Austin, TX (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
DOE Contract Number:
FG02-06ER15758
Assignee:
Board of Regents, The University of Texas System (Austin, TX)
Patent Number(s):
9,932,251
Application Number:
14/136,541
OSTI ID:
1433371
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

References (10)

Dual-channel bipolar electrode focusing: simultaneous separation and enrichment of both anions and cations journal January 2012
Bipolar electrode depletion: membraneless filtration of charged species using an electrogenerated electric field gradient journal January 2011
Direct seawater desalination by ion concentration polarization journal March 2010
Electrokinetics in Microfluidic Channels Containing a Floating Electrode
  • Dhopeshwarkar, Rahul; Hlushkou, Dzmitry; Nguyen, Mark
  • Journal of the American Chemical Society, Vol. 130, Issue 32, p. 10480-10481 https://doi.org/10.1021/ja8036405
journal August 2008
Nanofluidic concentration devices for biomolecules utilizing ion concentration polarization: theory, fabrication, and applications journal January 2010
Bipolar Electrode Focusing: The Effect of Current and Electric Field on Concentration Enrichment journal December 2009
Enrichment of Cations via Bipolar Electrode Focusing journal August 2012
Bipolar Electrode Focusing: Simultaneous Concentration Enrichment and Separation in a Microfluidic Channel Containing a Bipolar Electrode journal November 2009
Bipolar Electrode Focusing: Faradaic Ion Concentration Polarization journal March 2011
Continuous-Flow Biomolecule and Cell Concentrator by Ion Concentration Polarization journal October 2011

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