This is a very big deal.

[Diogenes]

This development is of extreme importance to the future of mankind.



http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/03/ ... 5720130313



This is a game changer.

[ladajo]

Yup. On many levels.

Looks like it is time for an investment review of LM. This sounds like a done deal. If they get the Fusion initiative off the ground as well...

[Diogenes]

Yup. On many levels.

Looks like it is time for an investment review of LM. This sounds like a done deal. If they get the Fusion initiative off the ground as well...

I was thinking of land purchases in arid parts of the country that happen to have good soil.

[hanelyp]

My impression is that filter would be useful for more general water purification, not just desalination.

[djolds1]

Yup. On many levels.

Looks like it is time for an investment review of LM. This sounds like a done deal. If they get the Fusion initiative off the ground as well...

LockMart may be trying to transition to being a GE analogue.

A most impressive development.

I was thinking of land purchases in arid parts of the country that happen to have good soil.

Think more desert locations with direct sea access - Western Mexico, Southern and Northern Africa, the Persian Gulf, etc.

[ladajo]

Just take a tour around the Med. Lots of land crying for irrigation. Although, the land is well used, it does not mean that with some water and effort it can not be recovered.

[KitemanSA]

Something sounds wrong with the claims. They imply 100 times the efficiency with this new membrane, but RO is already supposed to be more efficient than distillation, and distillaion is already way more than 1% efficient. Something doesn't compute.

[ladajo]

Science reporting by a non-science dude?

[Teahive]

Something sounds wrong with the claims. They imply 100 times the efficiency with this new membrane, but RO is already supposed to be more efficient than distillation, and distillaion is already way more than 1% efficient. Something doesn't compute.

I believe they mean efficiency as volume of filtered water per energy used, m³/J. Is there a theoretical maximum, i.e. 100% efficiency?

[williatw]

My impression is that filter would be useful for more general water purification, not just desalination.

I would think so, after all if reverse osmosis filtration (our current tech) can remove Sodium and Clorine ions disolved in aqueous solution then it can surely remove much larger bacteria for instance. Probably also a whole host of organic molecules, many of which are larger than Na or Cl ions in solution.

[KitemanSA]

Something sounds wrong with the claims. They imply 100 times the efficiency with this new membrane, but RO is already supposed to be more efficient than distillation, and distillaion is already way more than 1% efficient. Something doesn't compute.

I believe they mean efficiency as volume of filtered water per energy used, m³/J. Is there a theoretical maximum, i.e. 100% efficiency?

Yes.

A recent study on efficiency from Yale university concluded that the highest extractable work in constant-pressure PRO with a seawater draw solution and river water feed solution is 0.75 kWh/m3 while the free energy of mixing is 0.81 kWh/m3—a thermodynamic extraction efficiency of 91.1%.

[KitemanSA]

My impression is that filter would be useful for more general water purification, not just desalination.

I would think so, after all if reverse osmosis filtration (our current tech) can remove Sodium and Clorine ions disolved in aqueous solution then it can surely remove much larger bacteria for instance. Probably also a whole host of organic molecules, many of which are larger than Na or Cl ions in solution.

RO distillation of ethanol?

[kunkmiester]

Somewhere I heard that pretty much no matter where you go, if you drill deep enough, you get water. There are limits to getting fresh water out, but pretty much anywhere, you can get brackish water. Effective RO filters would mean an end to debates about aquifers.

[MSimon]

Something sounds wrong with the claims. They imply 100 times the efficiency with this new membrane, but RO is already supposed to be more efficient than distillation, and distillaion is already way more than 1% efficient. Something doesn't compute.

I believe they mean efficiency as volume of filtered water per energy used, m³/J. Is there a theoretical maximum, i.e. 100% efficiency?

The theoretical maximum efficiency is related to the Maxwell's Demon question.

[rjaypeters]

I am suspicious of any carbon-based membrane exposed to dirty water. Life just loves to eat carbon.

I think this technology is more mature and avoids the organic chemistry problem:

"Multi-Purpose Wonder Can Generate Hydrogen, Produce Clean Water and Even Provide Energy"

Quote:

"Mar. 23, 2013 — A new wonder material can generate hydrogen, produce clean water and even create energy.

Science fiction? Hardly, and there's more -- It can also desalinate water, be used as flexible water filtration membranes, help recover energy from desalination waste brine, be made into flexible solar cells and can also double the lifespan of lithium ion batteries. With its superior bacteria-killing capabilities, it can also be used to develop a new type of antibacterial bandage.

Scientists at Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in Singapore, led by Associate Professor Darren Sun have succeeded in developing a single, revolutionary nanomaterial that can do all the above and at very low cost compared to existing technology.

This breakthrough which has taken Prof Sun five years to develop is dubbed the Multi-use Titanium Dioxide (TiO2). It is formed by turning titanium dioxide crystals into patented nanofibres, which can then be easily fabricated into patented flexible filter membranes which include a combination of carbon, copper, zinc or tin, depending on the specific end product needed."

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/20 ... 094856.htm