Development of a novel non-powered water suction pump

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K19883
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Medium-sized Section 64:Environmental conservation measure and related fields
• Research Institution: Hosei University
• Principal Investigator: Mori Takamasa 法政大学, 生命科学部, 教授 (20345929)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 椿 淳一郎 公益財団法人名古屋産業科学研究所, 研究部, 上席研究員 (50109295)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-06-29 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 沈降濃縮層 / 浸透圧 / 吸水

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In order to develop a novel non-powered water suction pump by utilizing the osmotic pressure generated in the concentrated particles layer, the effect of slurry conditions on the water suction ability was systematically investigated. It was found that the largest water suction flux could be obtained when particles with the smallest primary particle size were dispersed well. In addition it was shown that the initial particle concentration of the slurry should be as large as possible for the large water suction flux.
Furthermore, it was demonstrated that the concentrated particles layer for alumina slurry could keep sucking water for almost 150 days even though the water suction flux became gradually small.

Free Research Field

化学工学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

従来の浸透圧ポンプは、吸水に伴い溶質濃度が低下するため、吸水を長期間継続することは難しかった。しかし本研究では微粒子の沈降濃縮層を利用することで、浸透圧の発生源である電気二重層の重なりを長期間維持し、吸水を持続できることを見出した点に学術的、工学的な意義を有する。本研究の成果を活かし、多段の吸水装置を開発することで、乾燥地帯での地下水の汲み上げによる緑化などへと応用が可能になると期待される。