PROJECT: Effective membrane cleaning using CO2 gas for circular economy
- Duration: Ongoing
- Description: Development of effective membrane cleaning technology based on dissolved CO2 solution.
- Related Publications:
H. Alnajjar, A. Tabatabai, A. Alpatova, T. Leiknes, N. Ghaffour, Organic fouling control in reverse osmosis (RO) by effective membrane cleaning using saturated CO2 solution, Separation and Purification Technology, 264 (2021) 118410.
M.A. Al-Ghamdi, A. Alpatova, A. Alhadidi, N. Ghaffour, Pulsating CO2 nucleation radically improves the efficiency of membrane backwash, Desalination 520 (2021) 115331.
A. Alpatova, A. Qamar, M. Al-Ghamdi, J.G. Lee, N. Ghaffour, Effective membrane backwash with carbon dioxide under severe fouling and operation conditions, Journal of Membrane Science 611 (2020) 118290.
Kim, Y., Li, S. & Ghaffour, N. Evaluation of different cleaning strategies for different types of forward osmosis membrane fouling and scaling. Journal of Membrane Science 596, 117731 (2020).
M.A. Al-Ghamdi, A. Al-Hadidi, N. Ghaffour, Membrane backwash cleaning using CO2 nucleation, Water Research 165 (2019) 114985.
PROJECT: Fouling and scaling control in desalination systems
- Duration: Ongoing
- Description: Development, assessment and implementation of effective fouling control strategies that can improve sustainability of desalination systems.
- Related Publications:
N. A. Amin, H. Elcik, A. Alpatova, G. Gonzalez-Gil, B. Blankert, N. Farhat, J. S. Vrouwenvelder, and N. Ghaffour, Selected Physical and Chemical Cleanings Remove Biofilm in Seawater Membrane Distillation without Causing Pore Wetting, npj Clean Water, 6 (2023).
H. Elcik, A. Alpatova, G. Gonzalez-Gil, B. Blankert, N. Farhat, N. A. Amin, J. S. Vrouwenvelder, and N. Ghaffour, Elucidating Biofouling over Thermal and Spatial Gradients in Seawater Membrane Distillation in Hot Climatic Conditions, Water Res., 223, 118983 (2022).
A. Alpatova, A. Qamar, M. Alhaddad, S. Kerdi, H. S. Son, N. Amin, and N. Ghaffour,.In Situ Conductive Spacers for Early Pore Wetting Detection and Performance Enhancement in Membrane Distillation, Sep. Purif. Technol., 294, 121162 (2022).
M. Mustakeem, A. Qamar A. Alpatova, and N. Ghaffour, Dead-End Membrane Distillation with Localized Interfacial Heating for Sustainable and Energy-Efficient Desalination, Water Res., 189, 116584 (2021).
PROJECT: Development of desalination technologies for the removal of boron and other micropollutants from seawater and brines
- Duration: Ongoing
- Description: To develop fit-to-purpose desalination systems to reduce the concentration of boron and other micropollutants of concern from the process streams with different salinity levels.
- Related publications:
A. Alpatova, A. Alsaadi, and N. Ghaffour, Boron Evaporation in Thermally-Driven Seawater Desalination: Effect of Temperature and Operating Conditions, J. Hazard. Mat., 351, 224-231 (2018).
ABOUT KAUST
King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) is a prestigious graduate research university located on the shores of the Red Sea in Thuwal, Saudi Arabia. Established in 2009, KAUST is named after the late King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and is renowned for its focus on cutting-edge scientific research and interdisciplinary collaboration. The university offers master's and doctoral programs in fields such as applied mathematics, computer science, engineering, environmental science, biological and biochemical sciences, and materials science. KAUST boasts state-of-the-art facilities and attracts top-tier faculty and researchers from around the world. It emphasizes innovation, entrepreneurship, and sustainability in its research endeavors, contributing significantly to the advancement of knowledge and addressing global challenges.
