A study on microfluidic desalination using short-chain fatty acid by directional solvent extraction in a serpentine micromixer

Hayder A. Abdulbari and Fiona W. M. Ling and S. Y. Chin and Alvin H. H. Teo (2025) A study on microfluidic desalination using short-chain fatty acid by directional solvent extraction in a serpentine micromixer. Chemical Engineering Communications, 212. pp. 1173-1184. ISSN 0098-6445

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Abstract

Water shortage is an imminent issue in the foreseeable future while thermal desalination techniques are energy intensive. This study investigates a membrane-less low temperature technique known as directional solvent extraction (DSE) desalination in a serpentine microchannel at 45, 50, 55, 60 and 65 °C. Two lower fatty acids, heptanoic acid (HeptA) and nonanoic acid (NonA) were used as the solvents to recover water from a 35000 ppm total dissolved solids (TDS) seawater at 2, 3, 4 and 5 organic to aqueous flowrate ratios (O: aq). Custom-made polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) – glass microfluidic device is fabricated via direct writing lithography with depth and length of 100 µm and 161 mm respectively while the width is varied from 400 - 800 µm. Droplets were generated during the extraction process to maximize diffusion by using a 90° T-junction where the organic solvent is the continuous phase and seawater is the dispersed phase. A maximum product water yield, Yw of 4 % v/v and 1.9 % v/v is achieved by HeptA and NonA respectively. The product water recovered from HeptA and NonA has salinity as low as 0.01% and 0.08%, respectively. The HeptA system produces water containing higher solvent residuals than the NonA system. HeptA is a better solvent as it can extract approximately two times more water than NonA under the same operating conditions. Both solvents are reusable.

Item Type:	Article
Keyword:	Microfluidics, Solvent extraction, Desalination, Droplet generation, Fatty acid, Micromixer
Subjects:	Q Science > QP Physiology > QP1-(981) Physiology > QP501-801 Animal biochemistry T Technology > TJ Mechanical engineering and machinery > TJ1-1570 Mechanical engineering and machinery > TJ836-927 Hydraulic machinery
Department:	FACULTY > Faculty of Engineering
Depositing User:	JUNAINE JASNI -
Date Deposited:	31 Oct 2025 14:48
Last Modified:	04 Nov 2025 14:30
URI:	https://eprints.ums.edu.my/id/eprint/45524

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