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With an estimated investment of R$ 6 million, the project aims to develop an innovative experimental reactor focused on improving efficiency in the oil industry while simultaneously contributing to environmental preservation.
Professor Regina Peralta Moreira, from the Energy and Environment Laboratory at UFSC, will lead this bold project, expected to last three years. “The great idea here is to unify technologies that, although known, have never been applied together in equipment of this size,” emphasizes the professor.
Anyone who thinks that oil is just oil is greatly mistaken. Along with the “black gold” comes chemically complex water, a true ‘pain in the neck’ for the environment. The challenge is to treat it in a way that it can be discarded or reused safely and sustainably. “Improving this process is crucial, not only for the industry but for the health of our planet,” says Regina.
The Solution of the Future: Electroxidation and Much More
The secret of the project lies in a term that may sound complicated, but whose goal is very simple: to clean up. Electroxidation is a technique that basically “zeros out” the contaminants from the produced water. “We are talking about an approach that combines electrooxidation with other processes like flotation and membrane separation,” details Regina, excited about the novelty of the idea.
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Scientists discover that tires are releasing invisible microplastics into city air, raising concerns about what we breathe every day.
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Scientists have discovered a hidden underwater “portal” beneath the largest glacier in East Antarctica, capable of carrying warm water to the ice base; Totten drains a colossal basin with the potential to raise sea levels by more than 3.5 meters.
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For the first time in history, scientists are observing the Pacific crust tearing on the ocean floor and revealing the birth of an underwater tectonic division.
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The largest telescope in Hawaii targets the Crystal Ball Nebula 1,500 light-years from Earth and captures the light that left a dying star at the same time Charlemagne was founding the Holy Roman Empire: the cosmic sculpture was shaped by a pair of stars that dance every 9 years.
Regina’s team is optimistic about the results of this partnership between Petrobras and academia. “If everything goes as planned, we will increase the capacity to process oil and gas and, on top of that, alleviate the environmental impact,” highlights the professor.
The first phase will be laboratory-based, followed by testing on Petrobras platforms. “The goal here is to propose compact, efficient systems with a cost-benefit ratio worth pursuing,” summarizes Regina.
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