Research area: Environmental technologies
A range of advanced environmental technologies for treating water, soil and air-based pollutants are being developed with a focus on their sustainable performance. We strive not only for the energy efficiencies of these technologies but also by the durability of the materials used as well as their earth abundance (or renewability). Our emerging focus is on developing circular technologies for different wastes generated at various stages of the energy industries.
Advanced treatment technologies for waste and wastewater
The technologies developed range from a suite of electrochemistry-based methods to adsorption and ion-exchange techniques as well as chemical precipitation, polymer-based flocculation, and different advanced oxidation techniques. A strong contingent of researchers are developing suite of electrochemical methods include electrocoagulation, electrooxidation, electrosorption and capacitive deionization, as well as electroprecipitation and electrodeposition for separation of variety of organic and inorganic contaminants.
Faculty members: Anne Benneker, Edward Roberts, Josephine Hill, Maen Hussien, Milana Trifkovic, Nashaat Nassar, Qingye Lu, Sathish Ponnurangam
Air pollutant treatment technology
With increasing emphasis on natural gas-based alternatives as a solution for reducing CO2 emission, (fugitive) emissions of methane has emerged as critical concern. In this nascent area, our researchers have been developing methods for evaluation and testing of technologies for the reduction of methane emissions including methane slip, methane plume modelling, predictive emissions modelling using machine learning, and methane conversion solutions.
Faculty members: Ian Gates
Circular technologies
The current industrial economy model is linear, characterized by the sequential processes of extracting resources, manufacturing products, consuming, and then discarding the waste. Such a linear model, in addition to depleting critical resources, is highly damaging to the environment in many ways, causing climate change, environmental pollution, ecological fragmentation, and destruction. Hence, transitioning from the linear model to a circular one necessitates a shift in the focus of technology development toward waste avoidance, reuse, and recycling of waste products. Under this theme, we are developing various technologies that can convert diverse set of wastes from the energy industry into useful products. These include conversion of CO2 to high-value fuels and chemicals; conversion of asphaltene to carbon fiber, graphene, activated carbon, and quantum dots; Development of catalyst and adsorbent materials from petroleum coke (petcoke), a solid waste generated during bitumen upgrading; Direct extraction of vanadium and nickel from fly ash as well as rare earth elements from mine tailings and agricultural crop residue as well as lithium extraction from formation waters.
Faculty members: Anne Benneker, Edward Roberts, Josephine Hill, Milana Trifkovic, Nashaat Nassar, Sathish Ponnurangam
Remediation of contaminated soils and land reclamation
Remediation of salt and organics contaminated soils and reclamation of the land and water is a key issue for the energy industry for continued social license for their operations. The current technologies of dig and dump are neither cost-effective nor environmentally friendly. Our new low-cost in-situ remediation technique that uses electrokinetic (EK) method with closely spaced permeable electrodes is highly suited to treat high salinity contaminated clayey soil for simultaneous remediation of salts and organic contaminants. The major field-scale challenges such as the stability of electrodes under extreme pH conditions, maintaining fluid flow in the proximity of the electrodes, and controlling the process remotely are being tackled with support from industrial sponsors.
Faculty members: Anne Benneker, Edward Roberts, Sathish Ponnurangam, Hossein Hejazi
Expertise
Application of nanoparticles for heavy oil recovery and upgrading, wastewater treatment, cement-based materials and asphalt
(Electro)catalytic engineering
Electrochemical water treatment, including electrocoagulation, electrooxidation, electrochemical regeneration of adsorbents, capacitive deionization and electrokinetic remediation
Interfacial science and engineering