Micro-nanobubbles enhanced osmotically assisted reverse osmosis for high-salinity brine treatment: A multi-scale investigation into performance and mechanisms.

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: Micro-nanobubbles enhanced osmotically assisted reverse osmosis for high-salinity brine treatment: A multi-scale investigation into performance and mechanisms.
Authors: Du, Yawei1,2,3 (AUTHOR) sonicduyawei001@126.com, Cao, Qian1 (AUTHOR), Dai, Jiangbo1 (AUTHOR), Li, Yanping4 (AUTHOR), Liu, Jie1,2,3 (AUTHOR), Li, Jingde1,2,3 (AUTHOR), Ji, Zhiyong1,2,3 (AUTHOR) jizhiyong@hebut.edu.cn
Source: Chemical Engineering Science. Jun2026, Vol. 328, pN.PAG-N.PAG. 1p.
Subjects: Reverse osmosis, Microbubbles, Molecular dynamics, Nanofiltration, Mass transfer, Salt, Process optimization
Abstract: [Display omitted] • Osmotically assisted reverse osmosis enhanced by micro-nano bubbles is investigated; • Couple effects of MNBs with salinity, temperature, flow rate, pressure are numerical analyzed; • A maximum of 19.74% promotion ratio for water flux is achieved by MNBs; • Feasibility of MNBs-enhanced OARO process for high salinity brine at low pressure is explored. • Molecular dynamics simulation elucidates behavior and stability of nanobubble with temp., pressure and ions effects. Osmotically assisted reverse osmosis (OARO) presents an energy-efficient solution for high-salinity brine management, yet its practical application is significantly limited by concentration polarization. This study investigates a novel enhancement strategy using micro-nanobubbles (MNBs) in the OARO process. A comprehensive approach combining experimental membrane cell tests with a validated numerical model was employed to analyze the impact of key operating parameters on water flux and the promotion efficiency of MNBs. Results demonstrate that while the efficacy of feed-side MNBs diminishes markedly at elevated temperatures and applied pressure, draw-side MNBs sustain a significant performance improvement, enhancing water flux by up to 18.18% and reducing salt leakage by 21.3% as the feed temperature increases from 25 °C to 40 °C. Partial least squares analysis identified draw flow rate and applied pressure as the dominant factors governing system performance. Furthermore, the feasibility of employing a nanofiltration membrane for treating high-salinity brines containing multivalent ions under minimal pressure was successfully demonstrated. Complementing these macro-scale experiments, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations provided fundamental insights into nanobubble stability, revealing that a low-temperature, low-salinity, and low-pressure environment optimally preserves bubble integrity and maximizes OARO enhancement. This multi-scale study confirms the potential of MNBs for mitigating mass transfer limitations in OARO and establishes operational guidelines for maximizing process efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Chemical Engineering Science is the property of Pergamon Press - An Imprint of Elsevier Science and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Engineering Source
FullText Text:
  Availability: 0
Header DbId: egs
DbLabel: Engineering Source
An: 192437571
AccessLevel: 6
PubType: Academic Journal
PubTypeId: academicJournal
PreciseRelevancyScore: 0
IllustrationInfo
Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: Micro-nanobubbles enhanced osmotically assisted reverse osmosis for high-salinity brine treatment: A multi-scale investigation into performance and mechanisms.
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Du%2C+Yawei%22">Du, Yawei</searchLink><relatesTo>1,2,3</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> sonicduyawei001@126.com</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Cao%2C+Qian%22">Cao, Qian</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Dai%2C+Jiangbo%22">Dai, Jiangbo</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Li%2C+Yanping%22">Li, Yanping</searchLink><relatesTo>4</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Liu%2C+Jie%22">Liu, Jie</searchLink><relatesTo>1,2,3</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Li%2C+Jingde%22">Li, Jingde</searchLink><relatesTo>1,2,3</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Ji%2C+Zhiyong%22">Ji, Zhiyong</searchLink><relatesTo>1,2,3</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> jizhiyong@hebut.edu.cn</i>
– Name: TitleSource
  Label: Source
  Group: Src
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Chemical+Engineering+Science%22">Chemical Engineering Science</searchLink>. Jun2026, Vol. 328, pN.PAG-N.PAG. 1p.
– Name: Subject
  Label: Subjects
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Reverse+osmosis%22">Reverse osmosis</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Microbubbles%22">Microbubbles</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Molecular+dynamics%22">Molecular dynamics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Nanofiltration%22">Nanofiltration</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mass+transfer%22">Mass transfer</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Salt%22">Salt</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Process+optimization%22">Process optimization</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: [Display omitted] • Osmotically assisted reverse osmosis enhanced by micro-nano bubbles is investigated; • Couple effects of MNBs with salinity, temperature, flow rate, pressure are numerical analyzed; • A maximum of 19.74% promotion ratio for water flux is achieved by MNBs; • Feasibility of MNBs-enhanced OARO process for high salinity brine at low pressure is explored. • Molecular dynamics simulation elucidates behavior and stability of nanobubble with temp., pressure and ions effects. Osmotically assisted reverse osmosis (OARO) presents an energy-efficient solution for high-salinity brine management, yet its practical application is significantly limited by concentration polarization. This study investigates a novel enhancement strategy using micro-nanobubbles (MNBs) in the OARO process. A comprehensive approach combining experimental membrane cell tests with a validated numerical model was employed to analyze the impact of key operating parameters on water flux and the promotion efficiency of MNBs. Results demonstrate that while the efficacy of feed-side MNBs diminishes markedly at elevated temperatures and applied pressure, draw-side MNBs sustain a significant performance improvement, enhancing water flux by up to 18.18% and reducing salt leakage by 21.3% as the feed temperature increases from 25 °C to 40 °C. Partial least squares analysis identified draw flow rate and applied pressure as the dominant factors governing system performance. Furthermore, the feasibility of employing a nanofiltration membrane for treating high-salinity brines containing multivalent ions under minimal pressure was successfully demonstrated. Complementing these macro-scale experiments, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations provided fundamental insights into nanobubble stability, revealing that a low-temperature, low-salinity, and low-pressure environment optimally preserves bubble integrity and maximizes OARO enhancement. This multi-scale study confirms the potential of MNBs for mitigating mass transfer limitations in OARO and establishes operational guidelines for maximizing process efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
  Label:
  Group: Ab
  Data: <i>Copyright of Chemical Engineering Science is the property of Pergamon Press - An Imprint of Elsevier Science and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=egs&AN=192437571
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1016/j.ces.2026.123778
    Languages:
      – Code: eng
        Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 1
        StartPage: N.PAG
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Reverse osmosis
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Microbubbles
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Molecular dynamics
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Nanofiltration
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Mass transfer
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Salt
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Process optimization
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Micro-nanobubbles enhanced osmotically assisted reverse osmosis for high-salinity brine treatment: A multi-scale investigation into performance and mechanisms.
        Type: main
  BibRelationships:
    HasContributorRelationships:
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Du, Yawei
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Cao, Qian
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Dai, Jiangbo
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Li, Yanping
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Liu, Jie
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Li, Jingde
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Ji, Zhiyong
    IsPartOfRelationships:
      – BibEntity:
          Dates:
            – D: 15
              M: 06
              Text: Jun2026
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
          Identifiers:
            – Type: issn-print
              Value: 00092509
          Numbering:
            – Type: volume
              Value: 328
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: Chemical Engineering Science
              Type: main
ResultId 1