“Closed circuit desalination with novel scaling control system”, Total funding to Mines: $150,000. 08/2020-12/2021 Funding source: Bureau of Reclamation. Co-Principal Investigator at Mines. Project PI: Johan Vanneste (Mines).
“Comprehensive and dynamic roadmap for low technology readiness level desalination technologies”, Total funding to Mines: $255,629. 07/2020-07/2021. Funding source: DOE/NAWI/Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Principal Investigator at Mines. Project co-PI: Sridhar Seetharaman (Mines).
“Foundational control methods for water treatment systems”, Total funding to Mines: $204,085. 07/2020-07/2021. Funding source: DOE/NAWI/Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Principal Investigator at Mines. Researchers involved: Aurora Waclawski.
“Direct potable reuse (DPR) demonstration”, Total funding: $650,000 ($255,629 to Mines). 02/2020-03/2021. Funding source: Colorado Water Conservation Board / Colorado Springs Utilities. Principal Investigator at Mines. Project co-PI: Chris Bellona and James Rosenblum (Mines).
“Remediation of AFFF-impacted fire suppression systems using conventional and closed-circuit desalination nanofiltration”, Total funding to Mines: $600,000. 08/2020-09/2022. Funding source: DOD/ESTCP. Co-Principal Investigator at Mines. Project PI: Chris Bellona (Mines).
“Pilot testing of renewable-energy powered desalination systems in the Navajo Nation for small and rural communities”, Total funding to Mines: $320,000. 10/2019-09/2022. Funding source: Bureau of Reclamation. Principal Investigator at Mines. Project co-PI: Johan Vanneste (Mines). Researchers involved: Cheyenne Footracer (MS)
“Modernizing Water and Wastewater Treatment through Data Science Education and Research (MoWa2TER)” Total funding: $1,177,000 ($360,000 to Mines). 01/2020-12/2022. Funding source: the National Science Foundation. co-Principal Investigator at Mines. Project PI: Amanda Hering (Baylor U). Researchers involved: Doug Nychka (Mines), Kate Newhart (PhD)
“Energy Where it Matters: Delivering Heat to the Membrane/Water Interface for Enhanced Thermal Desalination” Total funding: $2,000,000 ($700,000 to Mines). 12/2018-12/2021. Funding source: Department of Energy. Principal Investigator at Mines. Project co-PIs: Nils Tilton (Mines, ME). Researchers involved: Brett Van Houghton (PhD)
“The National Center for Sustainable Water, Energy, Education, and Technology (WE2ST) – Water Technology Hub” Total funding: $1,700,000. 06/2018-12/2021. Funding source: The Zoma Foundation, Mines Foundation, Mines -Office of VPRTT. Principal Investigator.
“Self-Correcting Energy-Efficient Water Reclamation Systems for Tailored Water Reuse at Decentralized Facilities.” Total funding: $960,000. 09/2016-08/2019. Funding source: the National Science Foundation. Principal Investigator. Project co-PIs: Amanda Hering (Baylor U), Tracy Camp (Mines). Researchers involved: Kate Newhart (PhD candidate).
“Engineering Research Center for re-inventing America’s urban water infrastructure.” Total of ~$4M per year. 2011-2021. National Science Foundation. Project PI: Richard Luthy (Stanford). Multi project Co-PIs at Stanford, UC Berkley, NM State University, and CSM. Researchers involved: Rudy Maltos (PhD), Kate Newhart (PhD), Ryan Holloway (PhD), Dotti Ramey (PhD), Jason Coontz (MS RA), Mengistu Geza (Res. Assistant Prof.), Victoria Billings (UG RA), Rebecca Erickson (UG RA), Curtis Weller (UG RA), and 5 more summer REUs.
Past Projects
“Membrane Distillation for Desalination of Impaired Water using Geothermal Energy.” Total funding: $3,452,000 ($1,107,000 to Mines). 10/2015-09/2018. Funding source: US Department of Energy/Geothermal Office. Principal Investigator at Mines. Project PI: Craig Turchi (NREL). Researchers involved: Johan Vanneste (Postdoc), Emily Gustafson (MS students).
“Low Enthalpy Geothermal Desalination.” Total funding: $250,000($165,529 to Mines). 11/2013-09/2015. US Department of Energy/NREL. Principal Investigator at Mines. Project PIs: Michael Hillesheim and Craig Turchi (NREL). Researchers involved: Mengistu Geza (Res. Assistant Prof.), Johan Vanneste (Postdoc), and Bethany Yaffe (Res. Assistant).
“Power Generation from Waste Heat with Closed-Loop Membrane-Based System.” Total funding: $2,648,074 ($1,045,440 to Mines). 04/2013-01/2016. US Department of Energy/ARPA-E. Principal Investigator at Mines. Project PI: Menachem Elimelech (Yale U). Researchers involved: Kerri Hickenbottom (PhD candidate), Johan Vanneste (Postdoc), and Katie Schumacher (UG RA).
“Advancing a Web-based Tool for Unconventional Natural Gas Development with Focus on Flowback and Produced Water Characterization, Treatment and Beneficial Use.” $286,366. 06/2013-05/2015. US Department of Energy/Research Partnership to Secure Energy for America (RPSEA). Co-Principal Investigator. Project PIs: Dr. Pei Xu (NMSU), Mengistu Geza (Mines).
“Routes to Sustainability for Natural Gas Development and Water and Air Resources in the Rocky Mountain Region.” Total funding: $11,999,328 ($1,400,390 to Mines). 10/2012-09/2018. National Science Foundation. Principal Investigator at Mines. Project PI: Joseph Ryan (CU Boulder). Researchers involved: Stephanie Riley (PhD student), Victoria Billings (MS RA), Julia Regnery (Res. Assistant Prof.), Jean Oliveira (UG RA), Dan Freedman (MS RA, graduated), and Bethany Yaffe (MS RA, graduated).
“Investigation of Mass and Heat Transport and Sustainability of the Novel Thermally Driven Membrane Distillation Crystallization Process.” $222,782. 09/2012-08/2015. National Science Foundation. Principal Investigator. Researchers involved: John Bush (PhD candidate), Evon Harmon (UG RA).
“Novel Engineered Osmosis Technology: A Comprehensive Approach to the Treatment and Reuse of Produced Water and Drilling Wastewater.” $1,323,805. 06/2012-06/2015. US Department of Energy/Research Partnership to Secure Energy for America (RPSEA). Principal Investigator. Co-PIs: Dr. Pei Xu (CSM), Ed Beaudry (HTI), and Nathan Hutchings (BCS). Researchers involved: Bryan Coday (PhD candidate), Nohemi Almaraz (UG RA), and Mengistu Geza (Res. Assistant Prof.).
“Mineral Recovery with Direct Contact Membrane Distillation and Forward Osmosis.” $102,831. 10/2010-06/2013. Compass Minerals. Principal Investigator. Co-PIs: Gerard Martins (CSM). Researchers involved: Kerri Hickenbottom (MS RA), John Bush (PhD RA), and Andre Furtado (UG RA).
“Assessment of Osmotic Mechanisms Pairing Desalination Concentrate and Wastewater Treatment.” $120,000 ($45,000 to CSM). 01/2009-08/2010. Texas Water Development Board. Principal Investigator at CSM. Project PI: Robert Huehmer (CH2M Hill). Researchers involved: Nathan Hancock (PhD candidate), Sean Ogungbenle (MS RA), and Andrew Wait (MS RA).
“A Novel Hybrid Forward Osmosis Process for Drinking Water Augmentation using Impaired Water and Saline Water Sources.” $100,000. 09/2007-12/2008. Water Research Foundation (formerly AwwaRF). Project #4150. Principal Investigator. Co-PIs: Prof. Jörg Drewes (CSM). Researchers involved: Carl Lundin (MS RA) and Nathan Hancock (MS RA).
“Assessment of Hybrid Sequencing Batch Reactor – Membrane Bioreactor Process for Treatment and Reuse of Domestic Wastewater in Small Communities.” 420,000. 3/2007-12/2013. Aqua-Aerobic Systems, Inc. Principal Investigator. Co-PIs: Prof. Jörg Drewes. Researchers involved: David Vuono (MS RA), Jochen Henkel (Postdoc), and Ana Prieto (Postdoc).
“A Novel Hybrid Membrane Desalination Process with Minimal Pretreatment and Concentrate.” $500,000. 04/2007-12/2012. California Department of Water Resources. Principal Investigator. Co-PIs: Prof. Amy Childress (UNR) and Prof. Menachem Elimelech (Yale University). Researchers involved: Nathan Hancock (PhD candidate) and Xanthe Meyer (MS RA).
“Zero-Liquid Discharge Systems for the Recovery of Cooling Tower Water in Geothermal Power Plants.” $200,356 ($65,064 to CSM). 10/2006-05/2009. US Department of Energy/National Renewable Energy Laboratory. Principal Investigator at CSM. Project PI: Prof. Amy Childress (UNR). Researchers involved: Nathan Walker (MS RA).
“CO-RADS: Colorado Radionuclide Abatement and Disposal Strategy Engineering and Waste Disposal Evaluations.” $ 898,945 ($130,481 to CSM). 11/2007-03/2009. State of Colorado. Co-Principal Investigator at CSM (in practice, Dr. Cath managed the project while the CSM PI was on sabbatical). Project PI: Jason Kerstiens (Malcolm Pirnie). Project PI at CSM: Prof. Jörg Drewes. Researchers involved: Justin Nielsen (MS RA).
“An Integrated Framework for Treatment and Management of Produced Water.” $3,892,000 ($1,560,393 to CSM). 09/2008-03/2011. US Department of Energy/Research Partnership to Secure Energy for America (RPSEA). Co-Principal Investigator. Project PI: Prof. Jörg Drewes. Researchers involved: Nathan Hancock (PhD candidate) and Xanthe Meyer (MS RA).
“Guidelines for Implementation of Seawater and Brackish Water Desalination Facilities.” $958,052 ($136,000 to CSM). 07/2008-09/2010. Water Research Foundation (formerly AwwaRF). Project #4078. Co- Principal Investigator. Project PI: Bob Raucher (Stratus Consulting Inc.) Project PI at CSM: Dr. Pei Xu. Other Co-PIs at CSM: Dr. Prof. Jörg Drewes.
“Critical Assessment of Implementing Desalination Technologies.” $268,846. 11/2006-06/2009. Water Research Foundation (formerly AwwaRF). Project #4006. Co-Principal Investigator. Project PI: Dr. Pei Xu (CSM). Other Co-PIs: Prof. Jörg Drewes (CSM) and Prof. Andrea Schäfer (University of Edinburgh, UK).
