Water Desalination and Reuse Center
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Bench Scale Laboratory

Bench Scale Laboratory
​​The high-hat laboratory is equipped with a full range of utilities and services to operate large- and small-scale experimental and pilot units for desalination and wastewater treatment research projects. The laboratory has fresh sea water supply to operate the desalination units. There are also supplies of pressurized air, nitrogen, and chilled water. A 480V and 240V electric service bus runs the entire length of the laboratory.  A wide range of experimental setups and pilot units are currently under operation in the lab, including low-pressure pre-filtration units, high-pressure desalination units, novel desalination technologies and wastewater treatment units.

Facilities

  • Reverse Osmosis Testing Unit Brand: Simatec,
    Model: Custom made
    Reverse Osmosis Testing Unit Reverse Osmosis Testing Unit is running sea water through membranes with high pressure up to 50 bars and allows researchers to conduct RO flat sheet membranes experimental studies in different operating conditions.
  • Membrane Bio-Reactors
    Membrane Bio-Reactors The research on Membrane Bio-Reactors (MBRs) is being conducted using microalgae-bacteria symbiosis to create a dual-purpose system for wastewater treatment and biomass cultivation. Microalgae can be further processed to create high-value chemicals, animal/human nutrition, biofuels, etc.
  • Distillation Bench Scale Set-Up for Seawater/Brine Desalination Brand: Custom made,
    Model: Custom made
    Distillation Bench Scale Set-Up for Seawater/Brine Desalination The membrane distillation (MD) bench is a sustainable, scalable and stand-alone seawater/brine desalination process utilizing a temperature gradient.
  • Ultra Filtration Set-up Brand: Convergence,
    Model: Various
    Ultra Filtration Set-up The Convergence Ultrafiltration/ Nanofiltration pilot / lab scale systems for nanofiltration, ultrafiltration and microfiltrationare ideal for quick studies on membrane performance. The systems are suited for fouling experiments, permeability tests, cleaning and backwash efficiency tests and more.
  • Autoclavable Completely Stirred Bioreactor Brand: Applikon,
    Model: 2 Liter
    Autoclavable Completely Stirred Bioreactor With a built-in ez-control system, this stirred bioreactor can be used for anaerobic, anoxic and aerobic microbial cultivation and/or wastewater treatment in both batch and continuous modes.
  • Membrane Fouling Simulator (MFS) Brand: Global Membrains B.V.,
    Model: Custom made
    Membrane Fouling Simulator (MFS) The membrane fouling simulator (MFS) consists of a gear pump, flow meter, pressure sensor, temperature sensor, flow cell and substrate dosing pump.
  • Anaerobic ammonium oxidation (ANAMMOX) Bio-Reactors Brand: BioFlo®/CelliGen™ 115,
    Model: New Brunswick
    Anaerobic ammonium oxidation (ANAMMOX) Bio-Reactors Anaerobic ammonium oxidation conducted in New Brunswick bioreactor system to study the biological wastewater treatment.
  • Membrane Fouling Simulators
    Membrane Fouling Simulators The membrane fouling simulators (MFS) are developed to quickly evaluate biofouling growth in reverse osmosis systems. It consists of a small cell with a RO membrane and spacer. The system measures the pressure drop profile over time, which will increase due to biofouling.
  • Osmo Inspector Brand: Convergence,
    Model: Minos
    Osmo Inspector This membrane fouling simulator was developed to quickly evaluate biofouling growth in reverse osmosis systems. It consists of a small cell with a reverse osmosis membrane and spacer.