Recycling of spent filter backwash water using coagulation-assisted membrane filtration: effects of submicrometre particles on membrane flux

2010 ◽  
Vol 61 (8) ◽  
pp. 1923-1929 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chihpin Huang ◽  
Jr-Lin Lin ◽  
C. L. Wu ◽  
C. P. Chu
Keyword(s):  
Particle Size ◽  
Fractal Dimension ◽  
Zeta Potential ◽  
Pore Size ◽  
Membrane Fouling ◽  
Membrane Filtration ◽  
Membrane Surface ◽  
Treatment Plant ◽  
Membrane Flux ◽  
Filter Backwash Water

Membrane separation technology has been widely used for recycling of spent filter backwash water (SFBW) in water treatment plant. Membrane filtration performance is subject to characteristics of the particles in the SFBW. A bench-scale microfiltration (MF) coupled with pre-coagulation was set up to evaluate the recovery efficiency of SFBW. Effect of particle size distribution and zeta potential of the coagulated SFBW on the membrane filtration as well as the coagulation strategies were investigated. Pore clogging was more severe on the membrane with 1.0 μm pore size than on the membrane with 0.5 μm pore size due to the fact that submicrometre particles are dominant and their diameters are exactly closed to the pore size of the MF membrane. Pre-settling induced more severe irreversible fouling because only the submicrometre particles in the water become predominant after settling, resulting in the occurrence of more acute pore blocking of membrane. By contrast, pre-coagulation mitigates membrane fouling and improves membrane flux via enlarging particle size on membrane surface. The variations of zeta potential in response to coagulant dosing as well as fractal dimension were also compared with the performance of the subsequent filtration. The result showed that pre-coagulation induced by charge neutralization at the optimum dosage where the zeta potential is around zero leads to the optimal performance of the subsequent membrane filtration for SFBW recycling. At such condition, the fractal dimension of coagulated flocs reached minimum.

Effects of Backwashing on the Characteristics of Sand Filtration Effluents: Organic and Microbial Analyses

2013 ◽  
Vol 353-356 ◽  
pp. 2921-2925
Author(s):  
Jian Li Lin ◽  
Chih Ming Kao ◽  
Jen Jeng Chen ◽  
Shao Wei Liao ◽  
Chung Yi Chung ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Particle Size ◽  
Zeta Potential ◽  
Water Samples ◽  
Membrane Filtration ◽  
Treatment Plant ◽  
Head Loss ◽  
Sand Particle ◽  
Sand Filtration ◽  
Sand Filter ◽  
Continuous Increase

In this study, the head loss, turbidity, particle size, and zeta potential were monitored from the effluent of the sand filtration system after backwashing located in Cheng-Ching Lake (CCL) Water Treatment Plant. Moreover, the non-purgeable dissolved organic matter (NPDOC) and excitation emission fluorescent matrix (EEFM) were measured for the collected water samples with or without the pretreatment process. Results indicate that the turbidity of the influent dropped to 0.06 NTU and remained stable after flowing through the sand filter during the 4-hr operation period. However, a continuous increase of the head loss and sand particle size for the sand filter was observed. This phenomenon was opposite with the absolute value of zeta potential. The water samples were collected from the effluent of the sand filter and were treated by a 0.2 μm membrane filter. Thus, higher NPDOC values of sample without pretreatment were observed in comparison with sample with treatment. Results indicate that the sand filter was able to remove NPDOC, and bacteria might proliferate among the sand filter in rapid filtration. Results from the EEFM analyses show that effluents without membrane filtration pretreatment contained a higher percentage of aromatic protein. Compared to the water samples without pretreatment, more humic-like substance was found in the effluent. This reveals that microbial products or bacteria were detached from the fillers after the backwashing process.

Coagulation/flocculation/ultrafiltration for natural organic matter removal in drinking water production

2004 ◽  
Vol 4 (5-6) ◽  
pp. 215-222 ◽  
Author(s):  
A.R. Costa ◽  
M.N. de Pinho
Keyword(s):  
Drinking Water ◽  
Organic Matter ◽  
Natural Organic Matter ◽  
Membrane Fouling ◽  
Membrane Filtration ◽  
Membrane Surface ◽  
Water Production ◽  
Cellulose Acetate Membranes ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Drinking Water Production

Membrane fouling by natural organic matter (NOM), namely by humic substances (HS), is a major problem in water treatment for drinking water production using membrane processes. Membrane fouling is dependent on membrane morphology like pore size and on water characteristics namely NOM nature. This work addresses the evaluation of the efficiency of ultrafiltration (UF) and Coagulation/Flocculation/UF performance in terms of permeation fluxes and HS removal, of the water from Tagus River (Valada). The operation of coagulation with chitosan was evaluated as a pretreatment for minimization of membrane fouling. UF experiments were carried out in flat cells of 13.2×10−4 m2 of membrane surface area and at transmembrane pressures from 1 to 4 bar. Five cellulose acetate membranes were laboratory made to cover a wide range of molecular weight cut-off (MWCO): 2,300, 11,000, 28,000, 60,000 and 75,000 Da. Severe fouling is observed for the membranes with the highest cut-off. In the permeation experiments of raw water, coagulation prior to membrane filtration led to a significant improvement of the permeation performance of the membranes with the highest MWCO due to the particles and colloidal matter removal.

Particle count and size alteration for membrane fouling reduction in non-conventional water filtration

2004 ◽  
Vol 50 (12) ◽  
pp. 273-278 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Adin
Keyword(s):  
Activated Sludge ◽  
Ferric Chloride ◽  
Membrane Fouling ◽  
Membrane Filtration ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Iron Chloride ◽  
Particle Count ◽  
Membrane Flux ◽  
Total Particle ◽  
Stirred Cell

If coagulation is not completely successful and produces aggregates which are too small, fouling may increase. In some cases, a deep-bed filter could perhaps provide a solution. The paper examines these effects using experimental results for different waters. Activated sludge effluents, stormy seawater containing microalgae and spent filter backwash water (SFBW) were coagulated by alum or ferric chloride. Sand filtration tests were carried out. Tests were performed in a membrane filtration stirred cell, filtration pilot plant equipped with SDI analyzer (seawater) and pilot UF plant (SFBW). For activated sludge effluent, alum residual ratio curves of turbidity and total particle count (TPC) followed one another. With ferric chloride, low coagulant dosage showed negative turbidity removal. Contact granular filtration reduced membrane fouling intensity. Increasing the dose resulted in higher improvement in membrane flux. For seawater, a filter run period under storm conditions reached 35 hours with satisfactory filtrate quality. An iron chloride dose of 0.3 mg/l during normal conditions and 0.5 mg/l for stormy condition should be injected, mixed well before the filters, while maintaining 10 m/hr filtration rate and pH 6.8 value. For SFBW, alum flocculation pretreatment of SFBW was effective in reducing turbidity, TPC, viruses and protozoa. SFBW settling prior to flocculation did not enhance turbidity and TPC removal. The largest remaining particle fraction after alum flocculation was 3-10 μm in size, both Cryptosporidium and Giardia are found in this size range. Coagulation enhanced the removal of small size particles, a positive impact on reducing membrane fouling potential.

Organic colloids and their influence on low-pressure membrane filtration

2004 ◽  
Vol 50 (12) ◽  
pp. 311-316 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Laabs ◽  
G. Amy ◽  
M. Jekel
Keyword(s):  
Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Glass Fiber ◽  
Membrane Filtration ◽  
Membrane Surface ◽  
Treatment Plant ◽  
Low Pressure ◽  
Colloidal Solutions ◽  
Cake Layer ◽  
Stirred Cell ◽  
Macromolecular Component

Wastewater treatment by low-pressure membrane filtration (MF and UF) is affected to a large extent by macromolecules and colloids. In order to investigate the influence of organic colloids on the membrane filtration process, colloids were isolated from a wastewater treatment plant effluent using a rotaryevaporation pre-concentration step followed by dialysis. Stirred cell tests were carried out using redissolved colloids, with and without additional glass fiber filtration. After constant pressure membrane filtration of 190 L/m2, the initial flux had declined by 50% for colloids > 6-8 kD (glass fiber filtered) with a hydrophilic MF membrane and for colloids >12-14 kD (glass fiber filtered) with a hydrophobic MF membrane. For the non-filtered colloidal solutions, the flux decline was even steeper with the flux being below 10% of the initial flux after 190 L/m2 were passed through the membranes. As with larger particles, colloids form a filtration cake layer on top of the membrane surface when used as isolates without prior filtration. This filtration cake is easily removed during backwashing. However, polysaccharides as a macromolecular component of the colloid isolate cause severe fouling by the formation of a gel layer on the membrane surface that is difficult to remove completely.

scholarly journals Stochastic modelling of membrane filtration

2017 ◽  
Vol 473 (2200) ◽  
pp. 20160948 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. U. Krupp ◽  
I. M. Griffiths ◽  
C. P. Please
Keyword(s):  
Membrane Fouling ◽  
Membrane Filtration ◽  
Membrane Surface ◽  
Stochastic Modelling ◽  
Stochastic Simulations ◽  
Central Feature ◽  
Arrival Times ◽  
Pore Networks ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Conductivity Function

Membrane fouling during particle filtration occurs through a variety of mechanisms, including internal pore clogging by contaminants, coverage of pore entrances and deposition on the membrane surface. In this paper, we present an efficient method for modelling the behaviour of a filter, which accounts for different retention mechanisms, particle sizes and membrane geometries. The membrane is assumed to be composed of a series of, possibly interconnected, pores. The central feature is a conductivity function , which describes the blockage of each individual pore as particles arrive, which is coupled with a mechanism to account for the stochastic nature of the arrival times of particles at the pore. The result is a system of ordinary differential equations based on the pore-level interactions. We demonstrate how our model can accurately describe a wide range of filtration scenarios. Specifically, we consider a case where blocking via multiple mechanisms can occur simultaneously, which have previously required the study through individual models; the filtration of a combination of small and large particles by a track-etched membrane and particle separation using interconnected pore networks. The model is significantly faster than comparable stochastic simulations for small networks, enabling its use as a tool for efficient future simulations.

scholarly journals A novel In-situ Enzymatic Cleaning Method for Reducing Membrane Fouling in Membrane Bioreactors (MBRs)

2016 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 1 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. R. Bilad ◽  
M. Baten ◽  
A. Pollet ◽  
C. Courtin ◽  
J. Wouters ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Membrane Fouling ◽  
High Performance ◽  
Membrane Filtration ◽  
Membrane Surface ◽  
Anion Exchange Chromatography ◽  
Magnetic Activity ◽  
Exchange Chromatography ◽  
Membrane Bioreactors ◽  
Cleaning Method

A novel in-situ enzymatic cleaning method was developed for fouling control in membrane bioreactors (MBRs). It is achieved by bringing the required enzymes near the membrane surface by pulling the enzymes to a magnetic membrane (MM) surface by means of magnetic forces, exactly where the cleaning is required. To achieve this, the enzyme was coupled to a magnetic nanoparticle (MNP) and the membrane it self was loaded with MNP. The magnetic activity was turned by means of an external permanent magnet. The effectiveness of concept was tested in a submerged membrane filtration using the model enzyme-substrate of Bacillus subitilis xylanase-arabinoxylan. The MM had almost similar properties compared to the unloaded ones, except for its well distributed MNPs. The enzyme was stable during coupling conditions and the presence of coupling could be detected using a high-performance anion-exchange chromatography (HPAEC) analysis and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The system facilitated an in-situ enzymatic cleaning and could be effectively applied for control fouling in membrane bioreactors (MBRs).

A New Retention Method for Sub-10 nm Liquid Filtration Using Fluorescent CdSe QDs

2012 ◽  
Vol 195 ◽  
pp. 217-220
Author(s):  
Su Wen Liu ◽  
Hai Zheng Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Pore Size ◽  
Membrane Filtration ◽  
Membrane Surface ◽  
Universal Method ◽  
Cdse Qds ◽  
Lithographic Patterning ◽  
Membrane Performance ◽  
Chemical Structures ◽  
Critical Defect ◽  
Critical Defect Size

As advances are made in the lithographic patterning process and critical defect size continues to shrink, new filters are required to remove particles in the sub-10 nm size range. Membrane filtration separates unwanted particles from a fluid by retaining particles on the membrane surface and pores, in much the same manner as a sieve. One key parameter of membrane performance is pore size, usually expressed as pore diameter. However, for nanofiltration, especially for the membranes whose pore size measures under 30 nm, manufacturers may use different methods to rate the membranes pore. Considering the different chemical structures of membranes, the vast combination of materials, and the methods of manufacturing, it is highly unlikely that a universal method can be used for all combinations.

Particle size analysis as a tool for performance measurements in high rate effluent filtration

2001 ◽  
Vol 43 (10) ◽  
pp. 303-311 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. H. J. M. van der Graaf ◽  
J. de Koning ◽  
J. Tang
Keyword(s):  
Particle Size ◽  
Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Membrane Filtration ◽  
Suspended Solids ◽  
Wastewater Treatment Plants ◽  
Treatment Plant ◽  
Size Analysis ◽  
Particle Removal ◽  
Deep Bed Filtration ◽  
Filter Performance

In the Netherlands almost all wastewater treatment plants have been redesigned and adapted in order to remove nitrogen, phosphorus and suspended solids to a very low level. The improved effluent quality leads to a growing interest in the reuse of effluent of the modernised wastewater treatment plants. This again results in investigations on filtration techniques as deep bed filtration and membrane filtration. At the wastewater treatment plant Ede research was done on deep bed filtration in order to develop relations between particle removal and filter performance and to explore ways of optimization. The results of the experiments are rather typical for effluent of modern Dutch wastewater treatment plants. The very low concentrations of suspended solids and precipitable substances result in poor flocculating properties. From turbidity measurements it may be concluded that the best results were obtained with a dosage of flocculant. However, the particle size measurements indicated the opposite. Suspended solids calculations, based on the particle volume distributions, showed a better removal without a dosage of flocculant. From this it is concluded that a dosage of coagulant (Fe3+ or Al3+) has an adverse effect on the removal efficiencies even at low dosages (1 mg/l).

The fouling characterization and control in the high concentration PAC membrane bioreactor HCPAC-MBR

2005 ◽  
Vol 51 (6-7) ◽  
pp. 77-84 ◽  
Author(s):  
G.T. Seo ◽  
S.W. Jang ◽  
S.H. Lee ◽  
C.H. Yoon
Keyword(s):  
Membrane Fouling ◽  
Membrane Filtration ◽  
Treatment Plant ◽  
Water Treatment Plant ◽  
Pilot Scale ◽  
High Concentration ◽  
Nakdong River Basin ◽  
Cake Layer ◽  
Experimental Apparatus ◽  
Operation Period

This study focuses on the experimental investigation to identify the effect of PAC at high concentrations on the fouling of membranes. A pilot-scale experimental apparatus was installed at a water treatment plant located downstream of Nakdong river basin, Korea. Effluent of rapid sand filter was used as influent of the system, which consists of PAC bio-reactor, submerged membrane module (hollow fiber with pore size 0.1 μm) and air supply facility. PAC was dosed at 40 g/L initially and it was not replaced during the operation period. Suction type filtration was carried out at intervals of 12 min. suction and 3 min. idling. At the initial flux 0.36 m/d, the system could be operated stably for around 90 days at target trans-membrane pressure (TMP) of 40 kPa. Among total resistance of membrane filtration, cake and gel layer resistance, Rc+Rg, was the dominant fraction (more than 90% of the total) to increase the filtration pressure, which means that the filtration resistance could be controlled by the PAC cake layer and then irreversible membrane fouling could be prevented. Three minutes air backwashing every 3 days could extend the operation period to 127 days. Organics were analyzed in terms of molecular weight structure. The influent of the system consists of 15.0% and 74.4% of hydrophobic and hydrophilic natural organic matter (NOM), respectively. Hydrophobic and hydrophilic (electrostatic) interaction was the main factor on fouling of the membrane in the reactor. Hydrophobic fraction decreased slightly in the effluent, which means hydrophobic NOM removal in the reactor by adsorption. Organics accumulated in the membrane were extracted for analysis after a certain period of operation. The fraction of hydrophobic and hydrophilic organics was 41.4% and 38.9%, respectively. On the basis of the experimental results, the hydrophobic organics were the major materials causing the fouling of the membrane, which should be changed to other types of material.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document