Separation of Boron from Geothermal Waters with Membrane System

Abstract

This study presents the separation and recovery of boron from geothermal waters with a polymeric membrane system and suggests a transport mechanism. The optimum relative parameters of the transport were examined. The recovery value of boron was 60.46% by using polymeric membrane system from prepared aquatic solution to the acceptor phase. The membrane’s capacity and selectivity of the transport process were examined. Kinetics values were calculated for each transport parameter. The optimum kinetic values were 1.4785 × 10−6 (s−1), 7.3273 × 10−8 (m/s), 13.5691 × 10−8 (mol/m2.s), 5.8174 × 10−12 (m2/s) for constant rate, permeability coefficient, flux, and diffusion coefficient, respectively. Boron was transported selectively and successfully from geothermal waters in the presence of other metal cations with 59.85% recovery value. This study indicates the application of real samples in polymeric membrane systems, which are very practical, economic, and easy to use for large-scale applications. The chemical and physical properties of polymer inclusion membranes (PIMs) offer the opportunity to be specially designed for specific applications.

Keywords

• boron
• polymeric membrane system
• transport mechanism
• geothermal water
• separation