POTSDAM -- Dr. Taeyoung Kim, an Assistant Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at Clarkson University, along with his collaborator, Dr. Soryong Chae, Associate Professor of Chemical and Environmental Engineering at the University of Cincinnati have received a $250,000 award from the Department of the Interior for their research project titled, “Low Energy and High Water Recovery Desalination of Brackish Groundwater Using a Compact and Redox-Driven Electrochemical System”.

Drs. Kim and Chae’s goal for the project is to develop an electrochemical separation process driven by a redox couple, called redox flow desalination (RFD), for low energy (< 0.5 kWh/m3) and high water recovery (> 80%) desalination of brackish groundwater (BGW) at a practical productivity range (~ 45 L/m2/hr).

The team will use the funds to use actual groundwater sources, pretreatment, andmultiple cell pairs for long-term operation. The work will reduce energy consumption and lower the cost of desalination and develop novel approaches or processes to desalinate water in a way that reduced primary energy use because the use of a compact and modular desalination system will achieve low energy desalination at high water recovery as well as minimized pretreatment costs. The development of cost-effective and energy-efficient technologies to transform brackish groundwater into high-quality water offers a sustainable avenue for future water supply.