WPI receives $396K from NSF for water treatment study

Photo | Courtesy of Worcester Polytechnic Institute Xiaowei Teng, a professor at WPI, will partner with a professor at the University of Alabama to conduct the study, which will investigate the use of battery electrodes to selectively remove scale-forming-cations.

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By Eric Casey

Looking to find ways to address the build up of mineral deposits in water treatment systems, a Worcester Polytechnic Institute professor has been awarded $395,886 from the National Science Foundation to investigate the use of an electrochemical system to remove the root causes of mineral buildups.

Xiaowei Teng, a professor in WPI’s Department of Chemical Engineering, will partner with a professor at the University of Alabama to conduct the study, which will investigate the use of battery electrodes to selectively remove scale-forming-cations, which are ions causing mineral deposits to form. The goal of the study is to advance technology to enable low-cost, environmentally-friendly water purification systems.

“We want this system to be a cost-effective supplement to water treatment methods to address mineral buildup,” Teng said in a Thursday press release. “Since shutting down parts of water treatment facilities for scale removal is costly and time-consuming, this system seeks to prevent the accumulation of harmful minerals, reduce maintenance costs, and extend the operational lifespan of water treatment equipment.”

Teng expects this new technology will be more effective than current chemical-based methods. Electrochemical treatment systems could be used in municipal water treatment plants and data centers, which require large amounts of water for cooling purposes.

WPI's ability to attract federal research funding has grown significantly, with $71.6 million raised in fiscal 2024, an all-time record for the school.

Eric Casey is the managing editor at Worcester Business Journal, who primarily covers the manufacturing and real estate industries.