US-20260125287-A1 - SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ION REMOVAL FROM WATER USING MAGNETIC PARTICLES

Abstract

The disclosed method and system use a reactor system which can remove ions from an aqueous fluid such as wastewater using magnetic particles such as those comprising magnetite.

Inventors

• Jerome Downey
• David Hutchins
• Teagan Leitzke

Assignees

• Montana Technological University

Dates

Publication Date

20260507

Application Date

20251106

Claims (14)

1. 1 . A method of processing an aqueous fluid comprising ions, the method comprising a) contacting the aqueous fluid with magnetic particles, thereby adsorbing ions to the magnetic particles; b) after the contacting step, capturing the magnetic particles from the aqueous fluid with an energized magnet; c) de-energizing the magnet, thereby releasing the magnetic particles; and d) diverting the released magnetic particles away from the aqueous fluid, thereby removing ions from the fluid.
2. 2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising, after the diverting step, desorbing ions from the magnetic particles.
3. 3 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising reconditioning the magnetic particles.
4. 4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the aqueous fluid is wastewater.
5. 5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the magnetic particles comprise a naturally occurring magnetic material, magnetite (Fe 3 O 4 ), a composite of magnetite, or a particle having a magnetic core.
6. 6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the magnet is an electromagnet, a direct-current (DC) magnet, or a commutator.
7. 7 . The method of claim 1 , which is a continuous-flow method wherein steps (a)-(d) are performed continuously along the length of a flow reactor.
8. 8 . The method of claim 1 , which is a batch, semi-batch, pipeline, or plug flow method.
9. 9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein one or more of steps (a)-(d) are performed in a stirred tank or continuous stirred tank.
10. 10 . A reactor system for processing an aqueous fluid comprising ions, comprising: a) a fluid inlet for introducing the aqueous fluid; b) at least one ion extraction zone configured to contact the aqueous fluid with magnetic particles, to thereby adsorb ions to the magnetic particles; c) at least one magnetic collection zone configured to capture the magnetic particles having adsorbed ions using a magnetic field energized by a magnet; d) at least one magnetic particle scavenging zone configured to release the magnetic particles from the magnet and divert the magnetic particles from the aqueous fluid, to thereby remove ions from the aqueous fluid; e) optionally, a desorbing zone configured to desorb ions from the magnetic particles and divert them away from the magnetic particles; f) optionally, a reconditioning zone configured to recondition the magnetic particles and re-introduce them into the aqueous fluid; and g) a fluid outlet for directing processed aqueous fluid out of the reactor system.
11. 11 . The system of claim 10 , wherein one or more zones are present along a continuous flow reactor, or present in a batch, semi-batch, pipeline, or plug flow reactor vessel.
12. 12 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the magnet is an electromagnet, a direct-current (DC) magnet, or a commutator, optionally contained within a housing of the reactor system.
13. 13 . The system of claim 10 , which comprises multiple magnetic collection zones arranged in a series.
14. 14 . The system of claim 10 , which comprises multiple magnetic collection zones arranged in parallel.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/717,353, filed Nov. 7, 2024, which is incorporated into this application by reference. STATEMENT OF GOVERNMENT SUPPORT Aspects of this disclosure were made with government support, including Department of Energy Grant No. DE-FG02-04ER86186 and U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Grant No. W911NF-22-2-0015. The government has certain rights in the invention. BACKGROUND Natural waters and anthropogenic wastewaters can contain trace levels of toxic materials, such as metals and nutrients. Metals exposure can occur due to natural phenomenon, such as erosion or volcanic eruptions, or anthropogenic activities, including industrial operations, electroplating, and mining. Nutrient contamination can be caused by anthropogenic sources, including food product processing and agricultural or storm water runoff, and geogenic sources. Humans, aquatic life, plant life, and the environment can be detrimentally affected by exposure to toxic materials, including cancer, organ damage, and eutrophication. Contaminated waters pose crucial threats to human health, aquatic and plant life, and the environment, leading to the need for an efficient and effective method for ion removal. Trace levels of high-value materials, including critical materials (CMs) and rare earth elements (REEs), can also be present in natural waters, hydrometallurgical leachates, and anthropogenic wastewaters. The growing demand for and importance of CMs and REEs has led to increased interest in extraction not only from traditional sources, but unconventional ones, including mine tailings, municipal sludges, electronic waste, and acid mine drainage. Challenges associated with high-value material recovery include low concentrations and recoveries, high energy requirements, excessive costs of operation and disposal of waste, and pollution. Sustainable, effective, and economic methods for high-value material recovery from traditional and unconventional sources are needed to minimize environmental impacts and maintain the supply chain of these materials. Researchers are utilizing conventional technologies and developing innovative technologies to address and facilitate ion removal and material recovery. These technologies include coagulation, sedimentation, high gradient magnetic separation, membrane bioreactor technologies, electro-adsorption, and reverse osmosis. Research involving new ion removal technologies have limited knowledge of large-scale use and continuous operation, mostly performing on the laboratory-scale. Conventional batch ion exchange systems typically utilize discontinuous batch mode operation, involve complex and expensive processes, are susceptible to fouling, and may have limitations in their ion adsorption capabilities. The current disclosure addresses these challenges by utilizing a reactor system that incorporates magnetic submicron-composite particles capable of effectively bonding with a wide range of ions in wastewater and is capable of continuous mode operation in some embodiments. SUMMARY In one embodiment, the disclosed method of processing an aqueous fluid comprising ions comprises contacting the aqueous fluid with magnetic particles, thereby adsorbing ions to the magnetic particles; after the contacting step, capturing the magnetic particles from the aqueous fluid with an energized magnet (e.g., an electromagnet); diverting the aqueous fluid away from the captured magnetic particles in some embodiments, thereby removing ions from the fluid; and de-energizing the magnet, thereby releasing the magnetic particles. In a further embodiment, ions can be desorbed from the magnetic particles and further processed. In another embodiment, the magnetic particles can be reconditioned and re-used, e.g., in a continuous reactor process in which magnetic particles can be re-introduced into ion-containing aqueous fluid entering the process. The disclosed reactor system can be used with the processing method. In one embodiment, the reactor system comprises: a fluid inlet for introducing ion-containing aqueous fluid; at least one ion extraction zone configured to allow contact of the aqueous fluid with magnetic particles, to thereby adsorb ions to the magnetic particles; at least one magnetic collection zone configured to capture the magnetic particles having adsorbed ions using a magnetic field energized by a magnet; a system to divert the magnetic particles from the aqueous fluid, and thereby remove ions from the aqueous fluid; and at least one magnetic particle scavenging zone and system configured to capture any breakthrough magnetic particles; optionally, a reconditioning zone configured to recondition the magnetic particles and re-introduce them into the aqueous fluid; and a fluid outlet for directing processed aqueous fluid out of the reactor system. In various embodiments, the reactor system can include one or more