Year II: Resistant Electromagnet Propulsion for Petroleum Removal Employing Biocompatible Magnetorheological Fluid in Oil Spill Applications

Overview

Crude oil spills destroy shorelines, imbalance ecosystems, and have detrimental economic impacts. Though damage from these spills has been established in literature, there is limited research on non-visible crude oil separation methods. This research investigated propulsive electromagnetic technology to regulate the removal of non-surface crude oil in oceans using Magnetorheological Fluid (MRF). A novel prototype was developed to investigate separation methods in this study. The system connected an oil/water solution to an electromagnetic field (EMF) separation tube. A propulsive effect was evident when EMF coils were discharged, resulting in the separation of oil and water. A specialized MRF containing Fe3O4 microspheres in Oleic Acid was synthesized in this study. The viscoelastic fluid exhibited super lipophilicity and hydrophobicity. The MRF was added to the petroleum/water solution for magnetic properties in EMF removal. The results indicated that the EMF system was most effective at 14 minutes, removing 88.5% of the oil. There was not a significant relation between the type of water used in the experiment (Sea, distilled). The MRF was most effective at high concentrations (1:4) in a distilled water environment ~ 92.8% of the oil was removed. This research has several applications in pollution control, including polyatomic hydrocarbons, micro plastics, and organic pharmaceutical removal. The system can be implemented on the shoreline with a connection tube or at deep sea with a buoy collection mechanism. A deep learning model based on fluorescence imaging is being investigated to quantify pollution levels for targeted use of the system. The device successfully met engineering goals by introducing a novel method of oil spill removal using electromagnetics.

Awards (1)

• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration - NOAA: Taking the Pulse of the Planet First Award

Competition history

• ISEF 2024 Environmental Engineering · Entry ENEV080 · Los Angeles, California, United States

Resources

• ISEF abstract page ↗

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