Advanced Membrane Technologies for
Water Treatment Research Cluster
Water for a Healthy Country Flagship
Research that will develop the next generation of
membrane technologies to deliver a more energy
efficient and secure water supply
Need for Research Technologies for Water Treatment
Research Cluster. The Membrane Cluster
Increasing global concern over the brings together some of Australia’s
limited supply of fresh water from leading scientists and institutions from
conventional sources has increased a range of disciplines with the goal
the need to develop alternative water of placing Australia at the forefront
supplies, including the reuse and of novel membrane development.
recycling of wastewater and stormwater.
Desalination of saline water (brackish The research aims to improve membrane
water and seawater) is also considered design to dramatically increase
a potentially important component of efficiency, and reduce the financial
an integrated water supply approach, and environmental costs of producing
although one of the impediments to the desalinated and recycled water.
widespread adoption of desalination Research outcomes will improve the
is the amount of energy it requires. capacity to progress water desalination > Carbon nano-tube production by
and recycling as safe and alternative continuous catalyst injection process.
The Water for a Healthy Country water supply options for Australia.
Flagship, through partnerships with
Australia’s leading universities, has The Cluster brings together scientists
and institutions, ranging from polymer
established the Advanced Membrane from a diverse range of disciplines
chemistry and material science, computer
modellers, chemical and process
engineers and analytical chemistry.
Research delivered through the Cluster
will link with and inform existing
CSIRO research into carbon nano-
tube and membrane technologies.
Collaboration
The Advanced Membrane Technologies
for Water Treatment Research Cluster
research partners are CSIRO,
Victoria University, Curtin University
of Technology, Monash University,
Murdoch University, RMIT, The
University of Queensland, University
of Melbourne, University of New
South Wales and Deakin University.
The cluster is established through
> Through its Water for a Healthy Country Flagship CSIRO has participated CSIRO’s National Research Flagship
in the development of a new plastic membrane. This can separate carbon Collaboration Fund. The partnership
dioxide from natural gas a few hundred times faster than current plastic has received A$3.6 million from the
membranes and is used in equipment for testing water purification using hollow Flagship Collaboration Fund with
fibre membranes. This technology will help solve problems of small molecule partner contributions taking the
separation, which increases the energy efficiency of water purification. total investment to A$7.6 million.
Our research investment is Feedwater Characterisation N ational Membrane Database
being carried out by eight This project aims to develop innovative and Exergy Analysis
linked research projects, structural and surface characterisation This project aims to establish a national
technologies for organic and inorganic database containing fundamental
conducted across the country by
nano ltration and reverse osmosis information on a suite of membranes
Australia’s leading researchers: membranes. As small deviations in and surfaces, and further, to broadly
pore size and surface conditions apply the concept of exergy to the
can have a signi cant impact on performance of di erent membrane
Molecular Modelling –
separation and ltration, the project structures operating under di erent
Atomistic Simulation of will provide quantitative correlation processes conditions. Analysis of the
Membranes and their Fouling between the structure/surface and the thermodynamic targets for di erent
This project will improve our performance of membranes, which applications will allow us to identify the
understanding of membrane technology will subsequently be used for the new membranes and applications that o er
at its most basic level. With the aim of materials development and molecular the most promise for improving the
determining an atomistic understanding modelling. This research is led by Deakin ef ciency of desalination. This research is
of the interaction of both water and University and Murdoch University. led by University of New South Wales.
dissolve species with the surfaces of LIN GXUE K O N G GREG LESLIE
membranes, these insights into the lingxue.kong@deakin.edu.au g.leslie@unsw.edu.au
atomic scale detail of membrane
processes will be fed back into the RO B T REN GRO VE
design and modi cation of membrane R.Trengove@murdoch.edu.au N ew Membrane Materials
materials for improved performance and – Biomimetics
to decreased fouling. This research is Performance Testing This project aims to apply the designs
led by Curtin University of Technology. found in nature to new innovations in
This project aims to characterise
JULIAN G ALE the elements and mechanisms that membrane technology. Using micro uidic
j.gale@curtin.edu.au cause membrane fouling, rst by ow visualisation methods coupled with
laboratory-testing to provide baseline numerical models, we will examine the
role of pore architecture in the ltration
Molecular Modelling – Transport data for existing membrane materials
and an experimental database, along mechanism of selected species of the
and Separation in Membranes unicellular phytoplankton diatom, as well
with the development of a range of
This project aims to improve our standard experimental protocols. We as other biological structural membrane
understanding of the processes that go will be examining the adhesion of lters. By investigation of the role of the
on at the molecular and mesoscopic organic compounds on membrane pore structure in separation and ltration,
levels of membranes. By developing a surfaces, and their interaction with the project aims to develop methods
suite of computer simulation programs other organic compounds. We will to mimic the diatom pore structure in
based on existing molecular dynamics be testing newly developed chlorine- manufactured membranes. This research
and smoothed particle hydrodynamics resistant membranes and membrane is led by University of New South Wales.
programs, we intend to model distillation membranes, as well as GAR Y R OSEN GART EN
transport and separation processes providing assessment of new membrane g.rosengarten@unsw.edu.au
occurring in membranes, and improve materials developed by our other
our understanding of the relationships Research Cluster projects. This research
between the microscopic characteristics is led by University of Melbourne.
of membranes and their performance.
SAN DRA KEN TISH
This research is led by RMIT.
sandraek@unimelb.edu.au
PET ER D AIVIS
ST EPHEN G RA Y
peter.daivis@rmit.edu.au
Stephen.Gray@vu.edu.au
> The structure of the diatom, a
unicellular phytoplankton, gives
our researchers insight into unique
and ef cient membrane design.
> Scanning electron microscope images of a coscinodiscus diatom. Researchers are investigating the role of the pore
structure in separation and filtration to develop methods to mimc the diatom pore structure in manufactured membranes.
new Membrane Materials – Desalination Technology
Multifunctional RO Membranes
A number of different technologies are employed across the globe
This project looks to develop the next to turn seawater or brackish water into a potable water supply.
generation of membranes utilising
new functional materials incorporated
Distillation-based Processes
into polymer membrane materials to
improve their salt selectivity, flux and based on water evaporation
anti-fouling properties. New functional
materials will be developed based on • Multistage flash distillation involves heating saline water
zeolites, a class of crystalline oxides that to high temperatures and passing it though vessels of
have been widely studied as molecular decreasing pressures to produce (fresh) water vapour.
sieves in the processes of separation and • Multi-effect distillation operates at lower temperatures but
adsorption for their ability to distinguish uses the same principles as multistage flash distillation.
molecules based on their sizes and
• Vapour compression distillation where the heat for evaporating water comes
shapes. These new functional materials
from the compression of vapour, rather than the direct exchange of heat.
will deliver significant improvements
in the salt rejection, flux and thermal based on water crystallisation
stability of polymer membranes. This
research is led by Monash University. • Freezing processes are based on the natural phenomenon that ice crystals
are constituted of pure water only, even when formed from a salt solution.
HuAnTInG WAnG
huanting.wang@eng.monash.edu.au • Hydrate processes exploit a bond between water molecules and
certain chemical compounds such as CaSO4 or organic gasses
(e.g. methane) to recover fresh water from saline solution.
new Membrane Materials –
Inorganic-Organic
nanocomposite electrodialysis Membrane-based Processes
Membranes for High • Reverse osmosis (RO) is a pressure driven process which forces
Performance Desalination saline water through a membrane, leaving salts behind.
This project will be using nanotechnology • IMS (integrated membrane systems): continuous microfiltration (CMF)
to develop a new suite of membranes or UF (ultrafiltration) in combination with RO and NF (nanofiltration).
for electrodialysis (ED) technology, which
may lead to breakthrough technologies Electrodialysis
in cost-effective and high efficient water
• With electrodialysis, an electric current moves salts selectively
recovery systems. By incorporating
through a membrane, leaving fresh water behind.
oxide nanoparticles into ion-conducting
polymers to form new nanocomposites,
the project is expected to enhance the With membrane-based processes and electrodialysis, membranes are
chemical stability of composite materials used as the filter that will let pure water flow through, while catching
and reduce the fouling tendencies of suspended solids and other substances. Desalination is an energy-intensive
membranes, allowing ED technologies to technology, and a major contributor to this energy demand arises from
compete as an efficient and cost-effective the fouling of membrane surfaces which reduces the flow of water.
means of water generation. This research The work of the Advanced Membrane Technologies for Water Treatment
is led by University of Queensland. Research Cluster will deliver the next generation of membrane
MAx lu technology for use in desalination, leading to improvements in efficiency
maxlu@uq.edu.au and a reduction of energy needs and environmental footprint.
Advanced Membrane This research will place Australia at Carbon nano-tube Membranes
the forefront of novel membrane
Technology for development, and will contribute to
Separation membranes based on carbon
Water Treatment the achievement of several national
nano-tubes (CNTs) have significant
potential for water purification.
research priorities in Environmentally
A Water for a Healthy Membranes, based upon aligned CNT
Sustainable Australia; (water – a critical
Country Research Project forests, have been shown to provide near
resource) and in Frontier Technologies
Access to clean water is critical for frictionless water flow though the nano-
for Building and Transforming Industry;
Australia’s social and economic growth. tubes. This project seeks to establish
(breakthrough science, frontier
The need to develop alternative a technology platform for CNT-based
technologies and advanced materials).
water supplies is an urgent and membranes and a benchmark that relates
In order to develop new membranes for the performance of CSIRO-made CNT
fundamental issue for the nation.
low energy desalination, our Membrane membranes to conventional ones.
The Water for a Healthy Country Technology research area is pursuing
Flagship is working to ensure the security research in the following project areas:
of Australia’s water resources through
the development of breakthrough
Advanced Pre-treatment
technology to deliver efficient, low energy
Coalgulants and Membrane
desalination processes. The processes
and technologies developed will also
Surface Coatings
have application in other areas such as This project aims to reduce the impact For further information on Advanced
recycling of wastewater and stormwater. of fouling on membrane systems. Membrane Technologies for Water Treatment
Desalination is an energy-intensive Research Cluster:
The research and innovation provided by
technology, and a major contributor Stephen Gray
the Advanced Membrane Technologies for
to this energy demand arises from Cluster Leader
Water Treatment Research Cluster projects,
the fouling of membrane surfaces Victoria University
along with science partnerships with world- Phone: +61 9919 8097
which reduces the flow of water.
leading institutions in the membrane field, Email: Stephen.Gray@vu.edu.au
including the University of Texas (Austin)
and CSIR India, will deliver the science Membrane Technology for For more information on CSIRO’s urban
water research:
base for the Water for a Healthy Country Industrial Water Reuse
VRU 2009 • SM090227_WfHC_AdvancedMembraneClusterFactsheet.indd
Flagship project Advanced Membrane Alan Gregory
One of the critical challenges facing
Technology for Water Treatment. Theme Leader, Urban Water
membranes for water purification Water for a Healthy Country Flagship
This research aims to develop is the stability of flux (chemical and Phone: +61 2 9490 5486
hybrid nanoporous materials, and fouling resistance). This project Email: Alan.Gregory@csiro.au
Web: www.csiro.au/healthycountry/
carbon nano-tube based separation aims to understand and develop
membranes for desalination and water technologies resistant to desalination
purification. The technologies are and wastewater treatment membrane
based on CSIRO developed materials fouling. Application of these new
(polyimide production, novel polymeric technologies for industrial water
materials with controlled porosity remediation will be fostered through
and carbon nano-tube production). strong industry collaboration.
Web: www.csiro.au/flagships