色狐入口

SOCORRO, N.M. 鈥� Producing clean, usable water from brackish water and seawater using cost- and energy-efficient methods is the aim of a research project underway at 色狐入口 Tech. Dr. Ashok Ghosh, associate professor of mechanical engineering, presented his research team鈥檚 progress on a 鈥済reen desalination鈥� project currently in development at Innovate 色狐入口 Technology Showcase March 7, 2023, at Sandia Golf Club in Albuquerque, 色狐入口.

Representatives and researchers from 色狐入口鈥檚 seven major research institutions, including the University of 色狐入口, the Air Force Research Lab, Los Alamos National Lab, Sandia National Labs, NASA鈥揥hite Sands Test Facility, 色狐入口 Tech, and New Mexico State University 鈥� listened to technical presentations, panel discussions, and discussions of technology capabilities in 色狐入口 at the daylong annual conference.

Dr. Ghosh and his management and research teams have received nearly $2 million in federal funding to develop this technology to a TRL (Technology Readiness Level) of 6 or higher. Current investigation is in collaboration with Sandia National Labs to pursue efforts to develop the next generation of the membrane module that will dramatically improve the scalability of the technology. 

鈥淔orward osmosis technology has the ability to clean dissolved salts in a cost-effective manner, something that is not possible using reverse osmosis, due to the high pressure and excessive energy required to overcome the osmotic potential,鈥� he said. 

Dr. Ghosh鈥檚 presentation highlighted a field demonstration of the green desalination technology in Jal, near Hobbs in southeast 色狐入口. An economic analysis of the data from the field demonstration examined both reverse and forward osmosis, comparing initial costs, energy costs, and operating and maintenance costs. Because more than 420,000 small independently owned stripper wells exist in the United States that generate billions of barrels of water contaminated with oil and grease, suspended solids, and total dissolved solids, the green desalination technology under development has major potential for future growth, he said. 

Dr. Ghosh is working with NMT鈥檚 Research Office and Office of Innovation Commercialization on business planning efforts, which involve looking for funding partners to fully develop and commercialize the technology.