I-Corps: Plasma-Based High Throughput Water Purification

Regents Of The University Of Michigan - Ann Arbor, Ann Arbor MI

Investigators

Abstract

Current domestic water treatment systems simply filter and disinfect water and are not specifically designed to address new and emerging contaminants that stand as a potential public health concern. These contaminants include pharmaceuticals, personal care products, industrial oils and dyes, pesticides and herbicides, endocrine disruptors, bacteria, protozoa, viruses and chlorine resistant microbes. The objective of this project is to develop and market a water purification unit that uses plasma to rid water of organic contaminants. The plasma?water interaction produces agents that decompose these contaminants via a process call mineralization into carbon dioxide, water and inorganic salts. The novel attribute of the device under development is that it is scalable, accommodating a range of applications from single use and point of use to in-line water finishing as an integrated module in a water treatment plant. Of particular interest is the use of this technology in underdeveloped countries where water treatment infrastructure is lacking. In general, the water treatment industry is large, encompassing four major sectors ranging from wastewater treatment to municipal drinking water. All sectors have identified the need for advanced water treatment methods and the plasma purifier can potentially satisfy their needs. Along with product development, this effort aims to identify the most appropriate market for direct application and ultimately to commercialize the product for use in the water treatment sector. This project aims to commercialize a novel, plasma-based water treatment method. The application of such a technology encompasses nearly all aspects of water use ranging from domestic drinking water to post treatment of industrial reject water. The approach utilizes advanced oxidation to decompose organic toxins as well as oxidize metal contaminants while addressing inadequacies in current water treatment technology. Though plasma-based water treatment has been investigated in the past, its widespread application has remained an elusive goal. This is due largely to the difficulty in scaling up the approach since water's dielectric properties strongly deter electrical breakdown. However, this approach separates the input feed water into dielectric streams capable of interstitial breakdown. This so-called packed bed discharge arrangement is the key enabling physics for this innovation. Upon application of a voltage pulse, one can achieve breakdown between the streams thereby producing a surface plasma. The surface plasma reacts on the high surface area to volume ratio streams generating radicals that subsequently treat the core water. This approach, therefore, allows for high throughput via multiple water streams and the possibility of once through treatment. The approach can be used as an inline module for water finishing or post treatment applications as well as direct treatment, point-of-use applications. The commercial potential for this technology is high in that it addresses the needs of at least four sectors: 1) municipal drinking water 2) waste water processing 3) industrial runoff and 4) point of use purification for mobile units or underdeveloped regions without water treatment infrastructure. Each of these sectors has a stake in the implementation of advance water treatment methods, not so much as an upgrade but as a necessity to address this emerging contamination problem. In an attempt to satisfy real market needs, the general plan for commercializing this technology is essentially three-fold: 1) customer discovery, 2) market evaluation and 3) development of a strategic partner to market and sell the product. Customer discovery is a key aspect of the I-Corps program. This stage of commercialization is critical in that it identifies concretely the actual customer of the technology beyond any preconceived notions regarding the market. This discovery process also will allow us to educate the potential venders and customers of the attributes of the technology as well as identify desirable attributes of the technology as perceived by the community but not necessarily obvious to us at the moment. In parallel with these efforts, we will refine the apparatus to an advanced engineering model. This aspect is important in that it allows one the ability to make an honest assessment of system cost, construction, energy consumption, and overall capability.