Major collaboration aims to improve energy efficient water desalination

A new collaboration between nine of Australia's leading universities and the CSIRO aims to dramatically increase the efficiency and reduce the financial and environmental costs of producing desalinated water.

Through the Water for a Healthy Country Flagship, and in partnership with nine universities, CSIRO has established the Advanced Membrane Technologies for Water Treatment Research Cluster.

The Membrane Cluster brings together some of Australia's leading scientists from a range of disciplines in a bid to place Australia at the forefront of novel membrane development to help advance water desalination as an alternative water supply and option for Australia.

Led by Professor Stephen Gray of Victoria University, the multi-disciplinary research team will carry out a comprehensive evaluation of existing membranes and develop new energy efficient membranes.

Other cluster partners include the University of NSW, Monash University, the University of Melbourne, RMIT, Curtin University of Technology, the University of Queensland, Deakin University and Murdoch University.

Professor Gray says many desalination and recycling programs rely on a process called reverse osmosis, where the water is forced through a semi-permeable membrane, removing salts and any other contaminants.

"These membranes need regular replacement and cleaning, but they also require a large amount of energy to force water through what are nano-sized pores.

"We aim to improve membrane design to increase their energy efficiency and reliability, thus reducing the financial and environmental costs of producing desalinated and recycled water.

"We also aim to improve membrane 'anti-fouling' properties - that is, the ability of the membrane to 'self-clean'. When contaminants are removed from water, some of them adhere to the surface. These contaminants build up on the surface, increasing the pressure and energy required. Chemicals are used to clean the membranes, but membrane surfaces that are less sticky would reduce the pressure and energy required and the frequency of cleaning."

The Cluster research will link with and inform related CSIRO research into membrane and carbon nanotube water filtration technologies.

Mr Alan Gregory, urban water research leader at CSIRO, says: "In combination with other research projects led by CSIRO, we aim to reduce by up to 50 per cent the amount of energy required to desalinate seawater using membranes. This same technology will have benefits for the treatment and recycling of wastewater."

"This also means we could potentially provide more secure water supplies while minimising greenhouse gas emissions."

Funding for the research was provided through the Flagship Collaboration Fund, designed to facilitate the involvement of the wider Australian research community in addressing the critical national challenges targeted by the National Research Flagships program led by CSIRO.

As part of the $A305 million over seven years provided by the Australian Government to the Flagships, $A97 million was specifically allocated to further enhance collaboration between CSIRO, Australian universities and other publicly funded research agencies.

Contact: Alan Gregory, Water for a Healthy Country Flagship

More about Advanced membrane technologies for water treatment research partnership.

Update Home

Message from the Director

Major collaboration aims to improve energy efficient water desalination

Water Research Alliance for South-East Queensland

Greenhouse gases cut WA rainfall

Climate impacts on water security investigated for regional NSW

New study predicts the impact of forests on water

Valuing Recreation in the Murray

Science challenges in the Great Barrier Reef catchment

WATER RESOURCES: Quenching Data Thirst the First Step to Water Security

New sensor technology advances Australia's water management

Publications

Conferences

About this email
 

Meet some scientists from the Water for a Healthy Country Flagship

Meet Dr Sébastien Lamontagne


 
Meet Manh Hoang
 

EARLIER UPDATES 

December 2006

April 2006

September 2005

April 2005

November 2004

The Water for a Healthy Country Flagship is a CSIRO initiative and part of the National Research Flagships program that aims to deliver scientific solutions to advance Australia's most important national objectives. One of the largest scientific initiatives ever mounted in Australia, it aligns closely with the Federal Government's National Research Priorities. The initiative brings together our national research resources to deliver breakthroughs in fields ranging from healthcare to light metals and the environment.

Please feel free to forward it to those in your organisation who would be interested in receiving future newsletters.

If you do not wish to receive this electronic newsletter from the Water for a Healthy Country Flagship, please reply to this message with the word "unsubscribe" in the subject line. Alternatively, please contact editor.healthycountry@csiro.au or telephone us on +61 2 6246 4565 to request the removal of your email address.

This E-Newsletter is a publication of CSIRO. It does not purport to be comprehensive or to render professional advice. All material in this publication is subject to copyright. For permission to reproduce any part or all of an article, please contact the editor.