Madimetsa Matau

Investigating the Feasibility of Using a Novel Composite Material as a Material of Construction in the EFC Application of Industrial Brines

Qualifications

2022 BSc Chemical Engineering (University of Cape Town)

Project Description

Eutectic Freeze Crystallization is a technology with huge potential for the treatment of complex, hypersaline brines from various industrial operations. During this process, brines are cooled until sub eutectic conditions are reached, where both ice and salt crystallize from the solution. However, the industrial implementation of this technology in South Africa has not been successful so far due to several technical challenges. This includes ice scaling, which is the formation of an ice layer on heat transfer surfaces. It has been demonstrated that novel polymer composite materials (low surface energy and smooth surface) can resist ice scaling in the EFC. However, these new composite materials have not been used for EFC applications of typical South African industrial brines. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to investigate the feasibility of using a novel composite material (PP-GR) to delay the formation of ice scaling in South African industrial brines.