Civil Engineering Departmental Seminar - Water-Energy Nexus and Advanced Technologies for Wastewater Resource Recovery

Water reuse and resource recovery present effective solutions to address water and resource scarcity. The rapid advancement of energy-driven technologies has the potential to revolutionize traditional approaches and drive development of low-carbon and sustainable circular economy of water-energy-resource. My research focuses on advanced electrochemical technologies and interfacial solar evaporation processes for water reuse and resource recovery, resulting in several innovative outcomes: (1) Novel electrochemical processes were developed to achieve “self-supplied” and “chemical-free” treatment approaches for water reuse; (2) The mechanisms and risks associated with byproduct formation during electrochemical oxidation were revealed and composite electrode materials were designed for successful byproduct control, ensuring safe water reuse; and (3) I conducted the first in-depth analysis of mineral scaling effects on interfacial solar evaporation and uncovered the fundamental science and mechanisms of multi-salt crystallization processes. These studies demonstrate the great potential of integrating energy-driven technologies into water systems, offering valuable insights for advancing the water-energy-resource nexus.