Chemical Engineering October 2016 - 11

Control biofouling with I2-vapor disinfection
A
patented technology for infusing
bubbles of elemental iodine into
fluid or air can reduce microbial
counts and potentially eliminate
surface biofilms. Originally developed to remove
biofilms from water lines in the dental
industry, the technology is being used as a
method for preventing biofouling on heatexchanger
surfaces.
Developed by I2 Air Fluid Innovation Inc.,
Huntington Station, N.Y., (www.i2airfluidinnovation.com),
the technology uses compressed
air to strip iodine vapor from iodinecoated
resin beads. The process generates
nanoscale bubbles with elemental iodine at
the surface in a liquid layer. When the bubbles
come into contact with microbes, the
I2 oxidizes amino acids in the cell wall of the
microbe, killing it.
CMS-5328 Productivity CE Oct2016-V2.pdf 1 8/15/16 2:56 PM
" Among the advantages of this technology
over other disinfectant methods are
that it is not affected as greatly by organic
matter in the water and works in a wider
variety of water conditions, " explains Michael
Radicone, founder of I2 Air Fluid Innovation.
" University test results indicate
drastic (log 7) and rapid (less than 90 s)
microbial reductions " says Radicone.
Douglas Call, a researcher at Washington
State University who has tested the
I2 vapor technology, says it " performs exceptionally
well against free-floating and
biofilm-associated bacteria, and appears
applicable for a range of activities, including
drinking water treatment and reducing
bacterial contamination in wastewater. "
The technology has been licensed to
Heat Transfer Research Inc. (HTRI; Navasota,
Tex.; www.htri.net) for use on heat
exchangers, and is being tested in a number
of other applications involving biofouling
and biofilms. The I2 infusion technology
is housed in an 18  18-in. device that
can be mounted onto a heat exchanger,
where it requires 7-8 g/mo of elemental iodine.
A cartridge can be switched out easily
when more iodine is required, Radicone
says. Using I2 Vapor Infusion can reduce
the need for biocides and reduce fluid
residues and chemical and storage costs,
while also decreasing heat-exchanger
maintenance requirements.
wafers
are
of
targeted
thickness at only the most
vulnerable points to prevent
breakage.
NEW COATING
A new spray-on, superhydrophobic
material
has been developed by
scientists from Australian
National University (ANU;
Canberra; www.anu.edu.
au), led by professor Antonio
Tricoli. The material
could be used to waterproof
mobile phones,
prevent ice from forming
in aircraft or protect boat
hulls against corrosion.
Up to now, applications
of highly water-repellent
surfaces have been limited
by the poor mechanical
and chemical stability
of the fine hierarchical textures
required.
The ANU scientists have
created the new coating
by combining two poly(Continues
on p. 12)
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OCTOBER 2016
11
http://www.anu.edu http://www.i2airfluidin http://www.novation.com http://www.htri.net http://www.chemstations.com/usability7 http://WWW.CHEMENGONLINE.COM http://adlinks.chemengonline.com/61500-05
Chemical Engineering October 2016

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Chemical Engineering October 2016
