Wen Zhang, Ph.D., P.E., BCEE
Principal Investigator
Professor
Phone: (973) 596-5520
Fax: (973) 596-5790
Email: wen.zhang@njit.edu
Office Location: Colton Hall 211
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Professor William was also introduced to the electrified membrane technology by a Ph.D. student, Jianan Gao. Focusing on environmental management, Jianan highlighted the technology's role in revolutionizing water treatment, including contaminant removal and resource recovery, and potential in environmental conservation and sustainable resource management.
The Ph.D. student, Yihan Zhang, introduced his novel nanobubble-enabled foam fractionation process for odorous compounds removal in water to Professor William. This technology employed two distinct surfactants, namely SDS and CTAB. The concentration of residual odorous compounds in the water matrix was meticulously monitored using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Yihan also mentioned that in the future research he will apply this process on PFAS removal in water matrix. In addition, he also introduced another PFAS related project about washing PFAS out from contaminated soil. Professor William pointed out that the soil used in the column test should be uniformly sized so the washing process can be fluent and authentic.
The Ph.D student, Fangzhou, introduced his novel microwave catalytic technology for air disinfection to Professor William. This technology utilizes microwaves to penetrate air filtration module materials and catalyze localized surface reactions on catalysts. This process generates high-temperature hot spots and reactive radicals, effectively removing and inactivating airborne viruses and pathogens. Professor William commended Fangzhou's invention for its potential to revolutionize air purification methods, highlighting its efficiency and environmental benefits.
The Ph.D student, Guangyu Zhu, introduced his novel induction-heating-assisted membrane distillation to Professor William. This technology utilizes electromagnetic induction energy to locally heat membrane/liquid interface to power salty water vaporization and transportation in direct-contact membrane distillation (DCMD) processes. Electromagnetic induction enables contactless, fast, efficient and accurately controlled heating, It could exceed over 90% efficiency and heat losses to the ambient are reduced compared to convention electrical heating.
Our research group hosted a lab tour for Professor William Arnold
Dr. William Arnold, a distinguished Professor from University of Minnesota visited Dr. Zhang’s lab on October 30th. Our postdoc, Dr. Xue, introduced her research on nanobubble technology and its applications in agriculture to Professor William. The discussion delved into the development of nanobubble devices and their potential to revolutionize farming practices. Dr. Xue highlighted how these bubbles could optimize irrigation, nutrient delivery, and pathogen control in crops, significantly impacting yield and quality. Professor William expressed great interest in the implications of this research, emphasizing the importance of such innovations in addressing agricultural challenges. Their exchange marks a significant step towards exploring the potential of nanotechnology for sustainable farming practices.
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Wen's Research Group