HomeMy WebLinkAbout1995-03-07; Municipal Water District; 272; Experimental Desalination Process DevelopmentCARLSBAD M - IICIPAL WATER DISTRICT - -SENDA BILL
AB # - TITLE: REPORT ON EXPERIMENTAL DESALINATION
MTG . 03/07/95 PROCESS DEVELOPMENT AT LAWRENCE
DEPT CMWD LIVERMORE NATIONAL LABORATORY . CITY MGRii@
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
This is an informational item and no recommendation is needed.
ITEM EXPLANATION:
A recent newspaper article on sea water desalination presented a new process called
capacitive deionization (CDI). This process holds promise of inexpensive desalination of sea
water, extraction of harmful contaminants from wastewater, and other applications. This new
process has been successfully demonstrated at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.
Board member Ramona Finnila arranged a meeting with Mr. Richard Van Konynenburg,
PHd. to observe this new process at the laboratory. Board President Lewis, Board member
Finnila, Mr. Patchett and Mr. Greaney met with Mr. Van Konynenburg, Mr. Joseph Farmer,
Ph.D. and Mr. Charles Pomernacki to observe the bench scale operation of the process.
Board member Finnila will be making a short presentation on this meeting and showing
short film that discusses the patented process that utilizes a special material known as
carbon aerogel.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Since this is an informational agenda item, there is no action required and therefore no fiscal
impact.
EXHIBITS:
1. Press release from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
Graphic of Desalting Electrode
blic AB” Office g Save ISOURCE) FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 20.1994
WO& (do) 422-9919 m-94-12-19
LABORATORY DEIO-TXON TECHNOLOGY MAY HERALD u)W COST SEA WATER DESALINATZON AND WASTE WATER TREATMENT
LIVERMORE, Calif. -A process which holds the promise of inexpensive
desdlination of sea water and extraction of harmful contaminants from waste
water, as well as other applications, has been successfully demonstrated at
lawrence Ldvermore National Laboratory.
Known as capacitive deionization (CM). the patented process will consume
considerably less energy per unit of water purified than does conventional
evaporation technology, according to inventor Joe Fax&i (see accqmpiinying
charts).
The CD1 process is relatively simple. Water containing salt, heavy metals or
e& radioactive isotopes is pumped through a series of electrochemical cells. An
electric potential is then applied across the electrodes. which attra.ct the negatively
and positively charged ions. In the case of sea water, sodium ma+) and chloride
(Cl-).
A special material known as carbon aerogel, developed at Liver&ore by Rick
Pekala. is used to make the electrodes. The exceptionally high surface area of
aerogel &lows it to absorb large quantities of ions. Efnuent water from the
electrochemical cells is thereby purified. The trapped ions can be released into a
relatively small stream of “rinse” water compromising one percent or less of the
volume of the product water.
Potential applications of CD1 are numerous:
- DesaIination of sea water for residential, commercial md +grlcdM
purposes - the energy efficiency of the process makes it a contender for treating
sea water .for use in the southwestern United States and other ocean-bordering
arid regions around the world.
- Deionization (puxifieation) of waste water - treatment of boiler water in
nuclear and fossil fuel plants; removal of low-level radioactive wasfe and other
ham&l compounds in holding tanks throughout the Department of Energy
nuclear complex in the United States and its counterparts in Russia; recycling of
agticu&ural waste water containing pesticides and other toxic compounds.
l Electrically driven water softeners for home use.
6 High-purity water production for semiconductor processing.
- more -
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EXHIBIT 2
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