One of the most emission-heavy processes in the chemical industry is being reimagined with the help of artificial intelligence and other cutting-edge technology. There's hope that these innovations will greatly reduce this crucial industry's environmental impact.
Separating and purifying chemical mixtures uses a ton of energy. Doing so for molecule mixtures that are closely related is even more energy-draining. This is one of the reasons chemical industry emissions have gone up 6% since 2013 in the United States.
Now there is a hypothetical answer to this emission-heavy problem: nanofiltration membranes.
These energy-efficient tools are capable of separating particles as small as or smaller than one nanometer from a liquid. The only issue is that finding the right membrane for a given mixture can take a very long time and costs a whole lot of money.
Fortunately, there may now be a remedy to this obstacle thanks to a team of researchers at Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST). They've developed an AI tool that can predict which membranes would be most efficient in the creation of a specific chemical mixture.
Combining this AI tool with mechanistic models, they can determine the most energy-efficient, cost-effective method of chemical separation. Not only that, but this technique can work far faster than previous methods.
"Our novel hybrid modeling approach enables us to evaluate millions of potential separation options, to identify the most suitable and energy-efficient technology for any given chemical separation task," team member Gergo Ignacz said. "This will allow industry to make better-informed decisions that significantly reduce operating costs, energy consumption, and carbon emissions."
The research team found that energy use and emission production can be dropped by 40% on average for all industrial separations by using this tool. Emissions from pharmaceutical purification in particular can potentially be dropped by a whopping 90%.
This amazing development isn't the only instance of AI being used to address environmental issues. Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology recently used an AI-assisted model to create a method for reducing driving-related pollution. A recent study published in the Journal of Molecular Liquids displays an AI model's potential to revolutionize nuclear power and the energy sector in general.
|
Should the government continue to give tax incentives for energy-efficient home upgrades? Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. |
Absolutely 💯 As AI technology progresses, it should only prove more and more equipped to fast-track solutions to these planet-wide problems. While there is much work still to be done, these developments should offer some hope for a brighter future.
TCD Picks » Upway Spotlight
💡Upway makes it easy to find discounts of up to 60% on premium e-bike brands
Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the latest innovations improving our lives and shaping our future, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Cool Picks
