Photoresponsive polymer coated optical fibers for water treatment
AssigneesArizona Board of Regents on behalf of Arizona State University, Board of Regents, The University of Texas System
InventorsPaul K. Westerhoff, Shahnawaz Sinha, Juan Noveron
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Abstract
A photoreactor including a reservoir configured to hold water, the reservoir defining an inlet and an outlet, and a multiplicity of optical fiber assemblies positioned in the reservoir. Each optical fiber assembly includes one or more optical fibers coated with a composition comprising a photoresponsive polymer and a light source optically coupled to the one or more optical fibers. The photoresponsive polymer undergoes a change from an initial state to an irradiated state when irradiated with light from the light source, and photoresponsive polymer in the irradiated state is adapted to bind an ion from the water.
Claims20
A photoreactor comprising:
- a reservoir configured to hold water, the reservoir defining an inlet and an outlet;
- and
- a multiplicity of optical fiber assemblies positioned in the reservoir, wherein each optical fiber assembly comprises:
- one or more optical fibers coated with a composition comprising a photoresponsive polymer;
- and
- a light source optically coupled to the one or more optical fibers;
- wherein the photoresponsive polymer is configured to undergo a change from an initial state to an irradiated state when irradiated with light from the light source, and the photoresponsive polymer in the irradiated state is adapted to bind an ion from the water.
A photoreactor system comprising:
- a first photoreactor and a second photoreactor, wherein each photoreactor comprises:
- a reservoir configured to hold water, the reservoir defining an inlet and an outlet;
- and
- a multiplicity of optical fiber assemblies positioned in the reservoir, wherein each optical fiber assembly comprises:
- one or more optical fibers coated with a composition comprising a photoresponsive polymer;
- and
- a light source optically coupled to the one or more optical fibers;
- wherein the photoresponsive polymer is configured to undergo a change from an initial state to an irradiated state when irradiated with light from the light source, and the photoresponsive polymer in the irradiated state is adapted to bind an ion from the water;
- an inlet conduit fluidly coupled to the first photoreactor and the second photoreactor, wherein the inlet conduit is configured to provide untreated water to the first photoreactor and the second photoreactor;
- and
- a first outlet conduit and a second outlet conduit fluidly coupled to the first photoreactor and the second photoreactor, wherein the first outlet conduit is configured to remove treated water from the first photoreactor and the second photoreactor, and the second outlet conduit is configured to remove contaminants from the first photoreactor and the second photoreactor.
A method of treating water to remove ions, the method comprising:
- providing water to be treated to a photoreactor comprising a light source coupled to an optical fiber, wherein the water comprises ions and the optical fiber is coated with a photoresponsive polymer;
- operating the light source to provide light to the optical fiber, thereby irradiating the photoresponsive polymer such that the photoresponsive polymer undergoes a change from an initial state to an irradiated state;
- binding ions in the water with the photoresponsive polymer in the irradiated state;
- and
- altering the photoresponsive polymer to release the bound ions, wherein altering the photoresponsive polymer comprises ceasing or altering irradiation with the light source.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.