Abstract
Geothermal energy has emerged as one of the cleanest and most environmentally benign forms of energy. However, there are multiple factors that prevent geothermal power plants reaching their full potential. Amongst them, silica precipitation or scaling has been identified as one of the most common problems. Economic removal of the silica prior to energy recovery or before reinjection of the spent water has long been sought, but without great success. The collaborator company, Geo 40, has recently developed a method that is economic and separates the silica as a colloidal dispersion. This is now in commercial operation in New Zealand. The aqueous dispersion has a number of well-established direct applications. It may also be converted into high added value dry products, especially high-surface area amorphous silica, for use in many fields such as catalysis, cosmetics, biosensors, paints, pharmaceuticals, water treatment, and air purification[1]. This Eco-Innovation Project aims to develop a new and economic synthesis of mesoporous silica having desirable physical and chemical properties for commercial use from colloidal silica recovered from geothermal power plant. Different techniques such as freeze thawing, tray drying, spray drying are being investigated for the purpose of transforming colloidal silica to amorphous mesoporous silica. Additionally, the effect of different parameters such as pH, concentration, temperature and duration on the size, shape and porosity of the recovered material are being investigated. The techniques will be compared and parameters that are needed in order to obtain mesoporous silica with optimal properties will be outlined.
References
1. H.Nishihara, R. Mukai, D.Yamashita, Ordered Macroporous Silica by Ice Templating, 17, 2005, 683-689.
Speaker's Bio
Ahsen Senturk is an MRes student in the Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Chester.