Episode 35, 16 MIN 46 SEC , MP3 FORMAT
With No Grain Of Salt - Water Desalination Explained
"To pull water out of a salt solution requires some fundamental energy that no amount of engineering will ever overcome." - Assoc Prof Sandra Kentish
 Assoc Prof Sandra Kentish Sandra Kentish is Associate Professor at the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering. Sandra's research interests focus on separations technology. In the area of membrane separations, she is interested in dairy membrane operations, desalination and in both polymeric and nanoporous carbon membranes for gas separation. |
USEFUL LINKS
Publications
- N. D. Lawrence, S. E. Kentish, A.J. O’Connor, A.R. Barber, G.W. Stevens, Microfiltration of Skim Milk Using Polymeric Membranes for Casein Concentrate Manufacture, accepted for Separation & Purification Technology, August 2007
- J. Franco, D. deMontigny, S. Kentish, J. Perera, G. Stevens, A study of the mass transfer of CO2 through different membrane materials in the membrane gas absorption process, accepted for Separation Science and Technology, October 2007.
- X. Duthie, S. Kentish, C. Powell, K. Nagai, G. Qiao, G. Stevens, Operating Temperature Effects on the Plasticization of Polyimide Gas Separation Membranes, J. Membrane Science, (2007) 294 40–49
Honours / Awards
- Caltex Teaching Award (2007)
- Edward Brown Award for Teaching Excellence (2007)
- Universitas 21 Fellowship (2005)
CREDITS
Host: Dr Shane Huntington
Producers: Kelvin Param, Eric Van Bemmel and Dr Shane Huntington
Audio Engineer: Craig McArthur
Theme Music performed by Sergio Ercole. Mr Ercole is represented by the Musicians' Agency, Faculty of Music
Voiceover: Paul Richiardi
Series Creators: Eric van Bemmel and Kelvin Param
Melbourne University Up Close is brought to you by the Marketing and Communications Division in association with Asia Institute
Producers: Kelvin Param, Eric Van Bemmel and Dr Shane Huntington
Audio Engineer: Craig McArthur
Theme Music performed by Sergio Ercole. Mr Ercole is represented by the Musicians' Agency, Faculty of Music
Voiceover: Paul Richiardi
Series Creators: Eric van Bemmel and Kelvin Param
Melbourne University Up Close is brought to you by the Marketing and Communications Division in association with Asia Institute
© The University of Melbourne, 2008. All Rights Reserved.
ABOUT UP CLOSE
Melbourne University Up Close is a fortnightly audio talk show of research, personalities and cultural offerings at the University of Melbourne. Up Close is created and produced by Eric van Bemmel and Kelvin Param.
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YOUR HOST Shane Huntington
Dr Shane Huntington is our host for episodes on the Sciences, Heatlh Sciences, and Engineering.
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De-Salination of Canal or Aqua Duct systems
Is it possible to cover a Salt or Sea water Canal System with a Clear Plastic that helps to extract water as a result of the Normal evaporation process on a Sunny day
Sloping as in a Solar Hot Water system with the run-off going into a side channel going into a cooling Dam.
The Canal running NE SW.
Water Desalination
Dear Professor Sandra Kentish, University of Melbourne,
Really Exciting Article - congratulations! to Professor Sandra Kentish:
In about October 2006, ABC TV New Inventors featured a device [small scale] which had been developed in Africa [Zimbabwe] by an Australian. This was essentially a kettle with a lid shaped on the underside to receive condensed steam. The device seemed to be put out into the sun, for I don't know how long at a time. A few litres of brackish water [or presumably sea water] was said to be admitted to the device and the condensed water somehow drained from the underside of the lid and stored.
Has it occurred to your colleagues to [in consultation with that inventor] develop the idea to a large scale? I picked this up from the ABC web site [ie I missed the direct TV presentation] and have been amazed that I have seen or heard no report of the idea being worked on further.
I imagine large numbers of such 'kettles' being put on 'stilts' off shore from, say, Portland. Associated with these 'kettles' would be large numbers of wind mills to generate the electricity to
(1) pump in the seawater and
(2) pump the desal water to storage on land.
The brine would need to be widely dispersed over the sea - I certainly have not solved that one.
Why out at sea? Not so far out as the route of the sailing ships in the 1800's. The wind turbine [windmills] could serve to recall the grandeur of the sailing ships and so reduce risk of opposition from those opposed to wind turbines.
I am not associated with any commercial interests.
I have spent many years of my working life in fields of irrigation, drainage, water supply, sewerage, etc when little thought was given to the limit to the total of water available.
Peter Young, BCE (Melbourne)
Desalination vs. Recycling
http://www.cleanocean.org/index_general.asp?menuid=040.090.020