 Make-up water preparation for power plants by environmental benign technologies THESIS TOPIC PROPOSAL Institute: Budapest University of Technology and Economics mechanical engineering Géza Pattantyús-Ábrahám Doctoral School of Mechanical Engineering Thesis supervisor: Edit Cséfalvay Location of studies (in Hungarian): BME Department of Energy Engineering Abbreviation of location of studies: EGR Description of the research topic: a.) Preliminaries: Previously we have overlooked the separation techniques that can be used for the selective separation of heavy metals from high-salt-containing process water. It was revealed that by electrodialysis, excellent water quality could be reached when comparing electrodialysis, nanofiltration and evaporation techniques. This experience can be further applied for power plant quality make-up water production. b.) Aim of research: The intensive pollution of the aquatic environment (such as the load of microplastics) requires an extended treatment of water during the preparation of make-up water for power plants. The aim of the work is to overlook the current state of make-up water preparation techniques at first, then work out a pollution removal method that can be implemented into the existing technology. c.) Tasks, main items, necessary time: Literature study on two directions: (i) actual state and development trends in selective separation of salts and pollutants in the marine environment, and (ii) application and maintaining processes of the separation techniques (1 semester). Design and management to carry out the needed test rig extensions that needed to improve separation technique and equipment in order to realize and test the applicability (1 semester). Planning and carrying out some appropriate experiments on the experimental facility; investigating and modelling the theoretical background of the observed synergy effects. Verification of the model by comparing the simulated results with measured data. (4 semesters) Comparing the results with those that available and published in the literature during the study period and writing the Ph.D. Thesis (1 semester). Publications throughout the research activities will be continuous. d.) Required equipment: We have a lab-scale evaporator, but in collaboration with the Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering we can use their pilot-scale evaporator, moreover their membrane test equipment. The maintenance of continuous operation (such as membranes, cleaning detergents, nitrogen gas) and the water analytics is provided by our department. e.) Expected scientific results: The above-mentioned experiments are subjects of publication, and our results can contribute to an improvement of make-up water treatment of power plants, moreover a pollution removal method will be worked out that can be implemented into the existing technology. f.) References: [1] Csilla Zsófia Torma, Edit Cséfalvay, Nanofiltration: a final step in industrial process water treatment, Periodica Polytechnica Chemical Engineering, 2018, 62/1 pp. 68-75, https://doi.org/10.3311/PPch.10640 (Q2) [2] Shaheen, R. ; Cséfalvay, E. The effect of pretreatment and the operating temperature on reverse osmosis in make-up water preparation, Water Resources and Industry 31 Paper: 100244 , 14 p. (2024) (Q1) [3] Reem Shaheen, Edit Cséfalvay, The role of coagulation and microfiltration in seawater pre-treatment, Periodica Polytechnica Chemical Engineering, 2022, online first, published online 2022-06-30, https://doi.org/10.3311/PPch.20025, (Q2) Required language skills: English Number of students who can be accepted: 1 Deadline for application: 2024-10-15 |