The membrane fouling phenomenon,reflected with various fouling characterization in the membrane bioreactor(MBR)process,is so complicated to distinguish.This paper proposes a multivariable identification model(MIM)base...The membrane fouling phenomenon,reflected with various fouling characterization in the membrane bioreactor(MBR)process,is so complicated to distinguish.This paper proposes a multivariable identification model(MIM)based on a compacted cascade neural network to identify membrane fouling accurately.Firstly,a multivariable model is proposed to calculate multiple indicators of membrane fouling using a cascade neural network,which could avoid the interference of the overlap inputs.Secondly,an unsupervised pretraining algorithm was developed with periodic information of membrane fouling to obtain the compact structure of MIM.Thirdly,a hierarchical learning algorithm was proposed to update the parameters of MIM for improving the identification accuracy online.Finally,the proposed model was tested in real plants to evaluate its efficiency and effectiveness.Experimental results have verified the benefits of the proposed method.展开更多
[Objective] The aim was to study the influence factors of membrane fouling in A/O-MBR system,so as to control membrane fouling better,prolong the service life of membrane,further reduce the cost of water treatment and...[Objective] The aim was to study the influence factors of membrane fouling in A/O-MBR system,so as to control membrane fouling better,prolong the service life of membrane,further reduce the cost of water treatment and promote the popularization of membrane bioreactor(MBR) effectively.[Method] Based on small A/O-MBR device,an orthogonal test with three factors(including aeration intensity,pump-stop ratio and mixed liquor suspended solid) and three levels was designed to optimize three parameters,and the effects of factors on membrane fouling and their mechanisms were studied through single-factor analysis.[Result] The order of operation parameters affecting membrane fouling in A/O-MBR was aeration intensity>pump-stop ratio>mixed liquor suspended solid(MLSS),and the optimum operating parameters were composed of 1.6 m3/h of aeration intensity,4 500 mg/L of MLSS and 9:2 of pump-stop ratio.With the increase of running time,soluble microbial product(SMP) and extracellular polymeric substance(EPS) accumulated gradually in the reactor,and EPS accumulated more rapidly than SMP;meanwhile,membrane fouling was accelerated.Therefore,EPS was the priority factor for membrane fouling compared with SMP.In addition,membrane fouling was accelerated gradually with the increase of protein content in EPS,while the variation of polysaccharides content in EPS had no obvious effect on membrane fouling,so protein content in EPS was the main factor for membrane fouling.[Conclusion] The study could provide theoretical references for the choice of parameters,operation and running in practical engineering.展开更多
Pretreatments of influents using bimetallic catalytic biofilter(BC-biofilter)can help reduce transmembrane pressures.For ultrafiltration membranes coupled with a conventional biofilter pretreatment,the cake layer resi...Pretreatments of influents using bimetallic catalytic biofilter(BC-biofilter)can help reduce transmembrane pressures.For ultrafiltration membranes coupled with a conventional biofilter pretreatment,the cake layer resistance accounts for 25.0%of the total resistance.However,for those coupled with BC-biofilter pretreatment,the cake layer resistance accounts only for 12.5%of the total resistance.Confocal laser scanning microscopy is employed to determine the porosity of cake layer.It is found that ultrafiltration membranes with BC-biofilter pretreatment show a cake layer porosity of up to 0.56 or greater,whereas those with a conventional biofilter pretreatment exhibit a cake layer porosity of only 0.36.This is because micro-flocculation occurs in the effluents of BC-biofilter.The flocs generated through flocculation deposit on membrane surfaces to create highly porous cake layer.Moreover,catalytic reduction can increase the zeta potentials of the biofilter effluents.This makes the deposition of colloidal particles and flocs on membrane surfaces difficult under electrostatic repulsion.Simultaneously,micro-flocculation after BC-biofilter pretreatment can remove colloidal particles with particle sizes of200–350 nm in water.This can effectively prevent the blockage of ultrafiltration membrane pores.Furthermore,compared to conventional biofilter,BC-biofilter pretreatment can more effectively reduce the number of colloidal particles and the van der Waals forces of ultrafiltration membranes.They can also change the action directions of electric double layers and thereby mitigate ultrafiltration membrane fouling.展开更多
Chlorine is usually applied in the urban water treatment process to deactivate pathogens and prevent waterborne diseases.As a pre-treatment,it remains unclear whether chlorinated water can effectively alleviate membra...Chlorine is usually applied in the urban water treatment process to deactivate pathogens and prevent waterborne diseases.As a pre-treatment,it remains unclear whether chlorinated water can effectively alleviate membrane fouling during ultrafiltration(UF).In this study,tap water was investigated for its effect on biofilm formation and biofouling in a gravity-driven membrane(GDM)filtration system.For comparison,biofilm/biofouling with untreated surface(lake)water was studied in parallel.It was found that more severe membrane fouling occurred with the filtration of tap water than lake water,and larger quantities of polysaccharide and extracellular DNA(eDNA)were present in the tap-water biofilm than in the lake-water biofilm.The tap-water biofilm had a densely compact morphology.In contrast,a porous,spider-like structure was observed for the lake-water biofilm,which was assumed to be associated with the bacteria in the biofilm.This hypothesis was verified by 16S ribosomal RNA(rRNA)sequencing,which demonstrated that Xanthobacter was the dominant taxon in the tap-water biofilm.Additionally,membrane hydrophobicity/hydrophilicity played a minor role in affecting the membrane fouling properties and microbial community.This study revealed the significant role of chlorine-resistant bacteria in biofouling formation and provides a deeper understanding of membrane fouling,which can potentially aid in searching for effective ways of controlling membrane fouling.展开更多
Recovery of alginate extracted from aerobic granular sludge(AGS)has given rise to a novel research direction.However,these extracted alginate solutions have a water content of nearly 100%.Alternately,ultrafiltration(U...Recovery of alginate extracted from aerobic granular sludge(AGS)has given rise to a novel research direction.However,these extracted alginate solutions have a water content of nearly 100%.Alternately,ultrafiltration(UF)is generally used for concentration of polymers.Furthermore,the introduction of multivalent metal ions into alginate may provide a promising method for the development of novel nanomaterials.In this study,membrane fouling mitigation by multivalent metal ions,both individually and in combination,and properties of recycled materials were investigated for UF recovery of sodium alginate(SA).The filtration resistance showed a significantly negative correlation with the concentration of metal ions,arranged in the order of Mg^2+<Ca^2+<Fe^3+<Al^3+(filtration resistance mitigation),and the moisture content of recycled filter cake showed a marked decrease.For Ca^2+,Mg^2+,Fe^3+,and Ca^2++Fe^3+,the filtration resistances were almost the same when the total charge concentration was less than 5 mmol·L^–1.However,when the total charge concentration was greater than 5 mmol·L^–1,membrane fouling mitigation increased significantly in the presence of Ca^2+or Fe^3+and remained constant for Mg^2+with the increase of total charge concentration.The filtration resistance mitigation was arranged in the order of Fe^3+>Fe^3++Ca^2+>Ca^2+>Mg^2+.Three mechanisms were proposed in the presence of Fe^3+,such as the decrease of SA concentration,change in p H,and production of hydroxide iron colloids from hydrolysis.The properties of recycled materials(filter cake)were investigated via optical microscope observation,dynamic light scattering,Fourier transform infrared,X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy(XPS),and scanning electron microscopy.The results provide further insight into UF recoveries of alginate extracted from AGS.展开更多
Ultrafiltration(UF)has been increasingly implemented in drinking water treatment plants;however,algae and their secretions can cause severe membrane fouling and pose great challenges to UF in practice.In this study,a ...Ultrafiltration(UF)has been increasingly implemented in drinking water treatment plants;however,algae and their secretions can cause severe membrane fouling and pose great challenges to UF in practice.In this study,a simple and practical chemically enhanced backwashing(CEB)process was developed to address such issues using various cleaning reagents,including sodium hypochlorite(NaClO),sodium chloride(NaCl),sodium hydroxide(NaOH),sodium citrate,and their combinations.The results indicate that the type of chemical played a fundamental role in alleviating the hydraulically irreversible membrane fouling(HIMF),with NaClO as the best-performing reagent,followed by NaCl.Furthermore,a CEB process using a combination of NaClO with NaCl,NaOH,or sodium citrate delivered little improvement in the alleviation of membrane fouling compared with NaClO alone.The optimized dosage and dosing frequency of NaClO were 10 mg·L^(-1) two times per day.Long-term pilot-scale and full-scale experiments further verified the feasibility of the CEB process in relieving algae-derived membrane fouling.Compared with the conventional hydraulic backwashing without chemical involvement,the CEB process can effectively remove the organic foulants including biopolymers,humic substances,and proteinlike substances by means of oxidization,thereby weakening the cohesive forces between the organic foulants and the membrane surface.Therefore,the CEB process can efficiently alleviate the algae-related membrane fouling with lower chemical consumption,and is proposed as an alternative to control membrane fouling in treating the algae-containing surface water.展开更多
The membrane fouling characteristics of high concentration powdered activated carbon-microfiltration (HCPAC-MF) integrated process are studied by comparing them with those of direct microfitration system using the par...The membrane fouling characteristics of high concentration powdered activated carbon-microfiltration (HCPAC-MF) integrated process are studied by comparing them with those of direct microfitration system using the particle counter,scanning electron microscope (SEM) and atomic force microscope (AFM). The results indicate that the specific flux of HCPAC-MF is 3 times better than that of the direct filtration process after the system is stabilized. The addition of HCPAC changes the particle distribution of raw water and influences the structure of surface fouling layer. The PAC with irregular shapes aggregating on the membrane surface makes the cake layer structure loose and increases the roughness of membrane surface,and this decreases the thickness of hydrodynamic boundary layer and the membrane resistance. After the physical cleaning,the membrane surface and pores are clean without any fouling matters aggregation,which illustrates that the cake layer of PAC can be formed quickly in this HCPAC environment and prevent the occurrence of irreversible fouling.展开更多
Nanocarbon-based conductive membranes, especially carbon nanotube (CNT)-based membranes, have tremendous potential for wastewater treatment and water purification because of their excellent water permeability and sele...Nanocarbon-based conductive membranes, especially carbon nanotube (CNT)-based membranes, have tremendous potential for wastewater treatment and water purification because of their excellent water permeability and selectivity, as well as their electrochemically enhanced performance (e.g., improved antifouling ability). However, it remains challenging to prepare CNT membranes with high structural stability and high electrical conductivity. In this study, a highly electroconductive and structurally stable polyphenylene/CNT (PP/CNT) composite membrane was prepared by electropolymerizing biphenyl on a CNT hollow fiber membrane. The PP/CNT membrane showed 3.4 and 5.0 times higher electrical conductivity than pure CNT and poly(vinyl alcohol)/CNT (PVA/CNT) membranes, respectively. The structural stability of the membrane was superior to that of the pure CNT membrane and comparable to that of the PVA/CNT membrane. The membrane fouling was significantly alleviated under an electrical assistance of −2.0 V, with a flux loss of only 11.7% after 5 h filtration of humic acid, which is significantly lower than those of PP/CNT membranes without electro-assistance (56.8%) and commercial polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membranes (64.1%). Additionally, the rejection of negatively charged pollutants (humic acid and sodium alginate) was improved by the enhanced electrostatic repulsion. After four consecutive filtration-cleaning cycle tests, the flux recovery rate after backwashing reached 97.2%, which was much higher than those of electricity-free PP/CNT membranes (67.0%) and commercial PVDF membranes (61.1%). This study offers insights into the preparation of stable conductive membranes for membrane fouling control in potential water treatment applications.展开更多
Membrane technology is widely regarded as one of the most promising technologies for wastewater treatment and reclamation in the 21st century. However, membrane fouling significantly limits its applicability and produ...Membrane technology is widely regarded as one of the most promising technologies for wastewater treatment and reclamation in the 21st century. However, membrane fouling significantly limits its applicability and productivity. In recent decades, research on the membrane fouling has been one of the hottest spots in the field of membrane technology. In particular, recent advances in thermodynamics have substantially widened people’s perspectives on the intrinsic mechanisms of membrane fouling. Formulation of fouling mitigation strategies and fabrication of anti-fouling membranes have both benefited substantially from those studies. In the present review, a summary of the recent results on the thermodynamic mechanisms associated with the critical adhesion and filtration processes during membrane fouling is provided. Firstly, the importance of thermodynamics in membrane fouling is comprehensively assessed. Secondly, the quantitative methods and general factors involved in thermodynamic fouling mechanisms are critically reviewed. Based on the aforementioned information, a brief discussion is presented on the potential applications of thermodynamic fouling mechanisms for membrane fouling control. Finally, prospects for further research on thermodynamic mechanisms underlying membrane fouling are presented. Overall, the present review offers comprehensive and in-depth information on the thermodynamic mechanisms associated with complex fouling behaviors, which will further facilitate research and development in membrane technology.展开更多
Energy uncoupling is often used for sludge reduction because it is easy to operate and does not require a significant amount of extra equipments(i.e.no additional tank required).However,over time the supernatant extra...Energy uncoupling is often used for sludge reduction because it is easy to operate and does not require a significant amount of extra equipments(i.e.no additional tank required).However,over time the supernatant extracted using this method can deteriorate,ultimately requiring further treatment.The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of using a low-pressure ultrafiltration membrane process for sludge water recovery after the sludge had undergone an energy uncoupling treatment(using 3,3’,4’,5-tetrachlorosalicylanilide(TCS)).Energy uncoupling was found to break apart sludge floe by reducing extracellular polymeric substances(EPS)and adenosine triphosphate(ATP)content.Analysis of supernatant indicated that when energy uncoupling and membrane filtration were coapplied and the TCS dosage was below 30 mg/L,there was no significant deterioration in organic component removal.However,ammonia and phosphate concentrations were found to increase as the concentration of TCS added increased.Additionally,due to low sludge concentrations and EPS contents,addition of 30-60 mg/L TCS during sludge reduction increased the permeate flux(two times higher than the control)and decreased the hydraulic reversible and cake layer resistances.In contrast,high dosage of TCS aggravated membrane fouling by forming compact fouling layers.In general,this study found that the co-application of energy uncoupling and membrane filtration processes represents an effective alternative method for simultaneous sludge reduction and sludge supernatant recovery.展开更多
The effects of Ca^(2+) on membrane fouling and trace organic compounds(TrOCs)removal in an electric field-assisted microfiltration system were investigated in the presence of Na^(+) alone for comparison.In the electri...The effects of Ca^(2+) on membrane fouling and trace organic compounds(TrOCs)removal in an electric field-assisted microfiltration system were investigated in the presence of Na^(+) alone for comparison.In the electric field,negatively charged bovine serum albumin(BSA)migrated towards the anode far away from the membrane surface,resulting in a 42.9%transmembrane pressure(TMP)reduction in the presence of Na^(+) at 1.5 V.In contrast,because of the stronger charge shielding of Ca^(2+),the electrophoretic migration of BSA was limited and led to a neglectable effect of the electric field(1.5 V)on membrane fouling.However,under 3 V applied voltage,the synergistic effects of electrochemical oxidation and bridging interaction between Ca^(2+) and BSA promoted the formation of denser settleable flocs and a thinner porous cake layer,which alleviated membrane fouling with a 64.5%decrease in TMP and nearly 100%BSA removal.The Tr OCs elimination increased with voltage and reached29.4%–80.4%at 3 V.The electric field could prolong the contact between Tr OCs and strong oxidants generated on the anode,which enhanced the Tr OCs removal.However,a stronger charge shielding ability of Ca^(2+) weakened the electric field force and thus lowered the Tr OCs removal.展开更多
The evolution of activated sludge settleability and its relationship to membrane fouling in a submerged mem-brane bioreactor were studied at a lab-scale equipment fed with synthetic wastewater.It was found that sludge...The evolution of activated sludge settleability and its relationship to membrane fouling in a submerged mem-brane bioreactor were studied at a lab-scale equipment fed with synthetic wastewater.It was found that sludge volume index(SVI)gradually increased and the sludge settleability was reduced,which was caused by the propagation of filamentous bacteria.With increasing SVI,the average increasing rate of trans-membrane pressure increased,the stable filtration period was shortened,and the two stages(smooth stage and accelerating stage)of the trans-membrane pressure were more obvious.At the same time,the increasing rate of trans-membrane pressure at the smooth stage decreased and the rate at the accelerating stage increased with SVI,respectively.The observation by using scanning electronic microscopes showed the cake layer with loose structure and large thickness formed on the membrane surface due to the appearance of filamentous bacteria and high SVI in sludge.Influence of the sludge settleability on the trans-membrane pressure was related to the structure and thickness of the cake layer on the membrane.展开更多
Application of ceramic membrane(CM)with outstanding characteristics,such as high flux and chemical-resistance,is inevitably restricted by membrane fouling.Coagulation was an economical and effective technology for mem...Application of ceramic membrane(CM)with outstanding characteristics,such as high flux and chemical-resistance,is inevitably restricted by membrane fouling.Coagulation was an economical and effective technology for membrane fouling control.This study investigated the filtration performance of ceramic membrane enhanced by the emerging titanium-based coagulant(polytitanium chloride,PTC).Particular attention was paid to the simulation of ceramic membrane fouling using four widely used mathematical models.Results show that filtration of the PTC-coagulated effluent using flat-sheet ceramic membrane achieved the removal of organic matter up to 78.0%.Permeate flux of ceramic membrane filtration reached 600 L/(m2$h),which was 10-fold higher than that observed with conventional polyaluminum chloride(PAC)case.For PTC,fouling of the ceramic membrane was attributed to the formation of cake layer,whereas for PAC,standard filtration/intermediate filtration(blocking of membrane pores)was also a key fouling mechanism.To sum up,cross-flow filtration with flat-sheet ceramic membranes could be significantly enhanced by titanium-based coagulation to produce both high-quality filtrate and high-permeation flux.展开更多
fouling online in an anaerobic membrane bioreac-tor(AMBR).Short-term running experiments were carried out under different operating conditions to explore feasible ultrasonic parameters.The experimental results indicat...fouling online in an anaerobic membrane bioreac-tor(AMBR).Short-term running experiments were carried out under different operating conditions to explore feasible ultrasonic parameters.The experimental results indicated that when the crossflow velocity was more than 1.0 m/s,mem-brane fouling could be controlled effectively only by hydro-dynamic methods without ultrasound.When ultrasound was applied,an ultrasonic power range of 60-150 W was suitable for the membrane fouling control in the experimental system.The experimental results showed that the membrane fouling was controlled so well that membrane filtration resistance(ΣR)could stay at 5×10^(11)m^(−1) for more than a week with the crossflow velocity of 0.75 m/s,which equaled the effect of crossflow velocity of more than 1.0 m/s without ultrasound.展开更多
Membrane distillation(MD)is a promising membrane separation technique used to treat industrial wastewater.When coupled with cheap heat sources,MD has significant economic advantages.Therefore,MD can be combined with s...Membrane distillation(MD)is a promising membrane separation technique used to treat industrial wastewater.When coupled with cheap heat sources,MD has significant economic advantages.Therefore,MD can be combined with solar energy to realize the large-scale and low-cost treatment of highly mineralized mine water in the western coalproducing region of China.In this study,highly mineralized mine water from the Ningdong area of China was subjected to vacuum MD(VMD)using polyvinylidene fluoride hollow-fiber membranes.The optimal operation parameters of VMD were determined by response surface optimization.Subsequently,the feasibility of VMD for treating highly mineralized mine water was explored.The fouling behavior observed during VMD was further investigated by scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy(SEM-EDS).Under the optimal parameters(pressure=-0.08 MPa,temperature=70℃,and feed flow rate=1.5 L/min),the maximum membrane flux was 8.85 kg/(m^(2) h),and the desalination rate was 99.7%.Membrane fouling could be divided into three stages:membrane wetting,crystallization,and fouling layer formation.Physical cleaning restored the flux and salt rejection rate to 94%and 97%of the initial values,respectively;however,the cleaning interval and cleaning efficiency decreased as the VMD run time increased.SEM-EDS analysis revealed that the reduction in flux was caused by the precipitation of CaCO_(3).The findings also demonstrated that the membrane wetting could be attributed to the formation of NaCl on the cross section and outer surface of the membrane.Overall,the results confirm the feasibility of MD for treating mine water and provide meaningful guidance for the industrial application of MD.展开更多
Albumen wastewater was treated by Membrane Bio-reactor. Sludge bulking property of Membrane Bio-Reactor was investigated in this study through contrast research. When the sludge bulking appeared, the removal efficienc...Albumen wastewater was treated by Membrane Bio-reactor. Sludge bulking property of Membrane Bio-Reactor was investigated in this study through contrast research. When the sludge bulking appeared, the removal efficiency of COD in Membrane Bio-reactor increased slightly under the function of filamentous bacteria. However, the negative effects of the higher net water-head differential pressures,the higher block rate of membrane pore and the great quantity of filamentous bacteria at the externalsurface pres...展开更多
Membrane filtration is one of the effective approaches to harvest microalgae for industrial biofuel production.However,during the filtration process,microalgae cells and extracellular organic matter(EOM)will deposit o...Membrane filtration is one of the effective approaches to harvest microalgae for industrial biofuel production.However,during the filtration process,microalgae cells and extracellular organic matter(EOM)will deposit on the membrane surface leading to reversible membrane fouling that can be removed by physical methods.When hydrophobic EOM is adsorbed on the membrane surface or inside pores,it will build up a gel layer,causing irreversible membrane fouling.Irreversible fouling can only be removed using chemical methods that will decrease membrane lifespan and increase operational costs.Here,we introduce a versatile superhydrophilic membrane with photo-Fenton self-cleaning property,which can prevent the reversible fouling and remove the irreversible fouling.Tannic acid(TA)and 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane(APTES)were co-deposited on the polyvinylidene fluoride(PVDF)membrane via Schiff base and Michael addition reactions,andβ-FeOOH nanorods were inlaid on the membrane surface by in situ mineralization.The water contact angle of the modified membrane is reduced from 120°to 0°Under 60 min visible light,the hydroxyl radical(·OH)generated by the photo-Fenton reaction degraded the irreversible fouling that blocked membrane pores.The irreversible fouling rates of modified membrane was reduced from 39.57%to 3.26%,compared with the original membrane.Microalgae harvesting results illustrated that the membrane has a high flux recovery rate(FRR)of 98.2%,showed excellent passive antifouling and active antifouling performance.We believe this work will spark a novel platform for optimizing energy-efficient microalgae harvesting separation membrane modules.In addition,this method of anti-fouling filtration for microorganisms can be extended to the industrial production of various bioenergy sources and will have very promising practical applications.展开更多
As a high-flux operation mode of thin film composite-forward osmosis(TFC-FO)membrane,active layer facing draw solution(AL-DS)mode suffers from the severe membrane fouling tendency,which is not addressed well.Here,we i...As a high-flux operation mode of thin film composite-forward osmosis(TFC-FO)membrane,active layer facing draw solution(AL-DS)mode suffers from the severe membrane fouling tendency,which is not addressed well.Here,we introduced a photocatalyst(Anatase titanium dioxide,A-TiO_(2))onto the support layer of TFC-FO membrane via the bonding of polydopamine(PDA)and polytetrafluoroethylene(PTFE),and prepared two photocatalytic membranes,A-TiO_(2)/PDA@TFC and A-TiO_(2)/PTFE@TFC.Compared with the pristine TFC-FO membrane,both A-Ti O_(2)/PDA@TFC and A-TiO_(2)/PTFE@TFC had an improved water permeability(10.5 L m^(-2)h^(-1)and 9.5 L m^(-2)h^(-1),respectively)and reduced reverse Na Cl flux salt(0.8 g m^(-2)h^(-1)and 0.7 g m^(-2)h^(-1),respectively)in the AL-DS mode using 1 mol/L Na Cl as draw solution and pure water as feed solution.Moreover,in the 16 h fouling experiment using 200 ppm bovine serum albumin(BSA)solution as a representative pollutant,the flux decline rate of both photocatalytic membranes was dramatically alleviated from 39.7%and 21.7%in the darkness to 8.5%and 9.7%under UV irradiation,respectively,indicating a significant anti-fouling capacity of photocatalytic effect.In all,the presence of A-TiO_(2)endowed membrane with high permeability,high rejection efficiency and excellent anti-fouling capacity under UV spotlight.As bonding agent,PTFE provided the modified membrane with a high photocatalytic effect and high self-cleaning capacity,while PDA increased the membrane permeability and protected membrane against photocatalytic damage.This work provides a simple and feasible method to improve the anti-fouling capacity of TFC-FO membrane in AL-DS mode.展开更多
Gravity-driven membrane(GDM)systems have been well developed previously;however,impacts of driving(i.e.,transmembrane)pressure on their performance received little attention,which may infuence GDM performance.In this ...Gravity-driven membrane(GDM)systems have been well developed previously;however,impacts of driving(i.e.,transmembrane)pressure on their performance received little attention,which may infuence GDM performance.In this study,we evaluated 4 GDM systems via altering the transmembrane pressure from 50 mbar to 150 mbar with 2 groups,treating surface water in Beijing,China.Results showed that less driving pressure was more favorable.Specifically,compared to groups(150 mbar),groups under a pressure of 50 mbar were found to have greater normalized permeability and lower total resistance.During the whole operation period,the quality of effuents was gradually improved.For example,the removal efficiency of UV254was significantly improved;particularly,under low driving pressure,the removal efficiency of UV254in PES GDM system increased by 11.91%,as compared to the corresponding system under high driving pressure.This observation was consistent with the reduction on disinfection by-products(DBPs)formation potential;groups under 50 mbar achieved better DBPs potential control,indicating the advantages of lower driving pressure.Biofilms were analyzed and responsible for these differences,and distinct distributions of bacteria communities of two GDM systems under 50 and 150 mbar may be responsible for various humic-like substances removal efficiency.Overall,GDM systems under less pressure should be considered and expected to provide suggestions on the design of GDM systems in real applications.展开更多
Octanoic acid(OA) was selected to represent fatty acids in effluent organic matter(EOM). The effects of feed solution(FS) properties, membrane orientation and initial permeate flux on OA fouling in forward osmosis(FO)...Octanoic acid(OA) was selected to represent fatty acids in effluent organic matter(EOM). The effects of feed solution(FS) properties, membrane orientation and initial permeate flux on OA fouling in forward osmosis(FO) were investigated. The undissociated OA formed a cake layer quickly and caused the water flux to decline significantly in the initial 0.5 hr at unadjusted p H 3.56; while the fully dissociated OA behaved as an anionic surfactant and promoted the water permeation at an elevated p H of 9.00. Moreover, except at the initial stage, the sudden decline of water flux(meaning the occurrence of severe membrane fouling) occurred in two conditions: 1.0.5 mmol/L Ca2+, active layer facing draw solution(AL-DS) and 1.5 mol/L Na Cl(DS); 2. No Ca2+,active layer-facing FS(AL-FS) and 4 mol/L Na Cl(DS). This demonstrated that cake layer compaction or pore blocking occurred only when enough foulants were absorbed into the membrane surface, and the water permeation was high enough to compact the deposit inside the porous substrate. Furthermore, bovine serum albumin(BSA) was selected as a co-foulant.The water flux of both co-foulants was between the fluxes obtained separately for the two foulants at p H 3.56, and larger than the two values at p H 9.00. This manifested that, at p H 3.56,BSA alleviated the effect of the cake layer caused by OA, and OA enhanced BSA fouling simultaneously; while at p H 9.00, the mutual effects of OA and BSA eased the membrane fouling.展开更多
基金supports by National Key Research and Development Project(2018YFC1900800-5)National Natural Science Foundation of China(61890930-5,62021003,61903010 and 62103012)+1 种基金Beijing Outstanding Young Scientist Program(BJJWZYJH01201910005020)Beijing Natural Science Foundation(KZ202110005009 and 4214068).
文摘The membrane fouling phenomenon,reflected with various fouling characterization in the membrane bioreactor(MBR)process,is so complicated to distinguish.This paper proposes a multivariable identification model(MIM)based on a compacted cascade neural network to identify membrane fouling accurately.Firstly,a multivariable model is proposed to calculate multiple indicators of membrane fouling using a cascade neural network,which could avoid the interference of the overlap inputs.Secondly,an unsupervised pretraining algorithm was developed with periodic information of membrane fouling to obtain the compact structure of MIM.Thirdly,a hierarchical learning algorithm was proposed to update the parameters of MIM for improving the identification accuracy online.Finally,the proposed model was tested in real plants to evaluate its efficiency and effectiveness.Experimental results have verified the benefits of the proposed method.
基金Supported by Science and Technology Key Project of Water Pollution Control and Management(2008ZX07314-003)
文摘[Objective] The aim was to study the influence factors of membrane fouling in A/O-MBR system,so as to control membrane fouling better,prolong the service life of membrane,further reduce the cost of water treatment and promote the popularization of membrane bioreactor(MBR) effectively.[Method] Based on small A/O-MBR device,an orthogonal test with three factors(including aeration intensity,pump-stop ratio and mixed liquor suspended solid) and three levels was designed to optimize three parameters,and the effects of factors on membrane fouling and their mechanisms were studied through single-factor analysis.[Result] The order of operation parameters affecting membrane fouling in A/O-MBR was aeration intensity>pump-stop ratio>mixed liquor suspended solid(MLSS),and the optimum operating parameters were composed of 1.6 m3/h of aeration intensity,4 500 mg/L of MLSS and 9:2 of pump-stop ratio.With the increase of running time,soluble microbial product(SMP) and extracellular polymeric substance(EPS) accumulated gradually in the reactor,and EPS accumulated more rapidly than SMP;meanwhile,membrane fouling was accelerated.Therefore,EPS was the priority factor for membrane fouling compared with SMP.In addition,membrane fouling was accelerated gradually with the increase of protein content in EPS,while the variation of polysaccharides content in EPS had no obvious effect on membrane fouling,so protein content in EPS was the main factor for membrane fouling.[Conclusion] The study could provide theoretical references for the choice of parameters,operation and running in practical engineering.
基金financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.51638011,No.51678410,No.51878448,No.51578374)National Program on Key Research Project[No.YS2017YFGH000386]+1 种基金Tianjin Science and Technology Plan Project[No.16PTGCCX00070]the support of Tianjin Education Council,the Key of Science and Technology Plan Project(No.2019ZD06)。
文摘Pretreatments of influents using bimetallic catalytic biofilter(BC-biofilter)can help reduce transmembrane pressures.For ultrafiltration membranes coupled with a conventional biofilter pretreatment,the cake layer resistance accounts for 25.0%of the total resistance.However,for those coupled with BC-biofilter pretreatment,the cake layer resistance accounts only for 12.5%of the total resistance.Confocal laser scanning microscopy is employed to determine the porosity of cake layer.It is found that ultrafiltration membranes with BC-biofilter pretreatment show a cake layer porosity of up to 0.56 or greater,whereas those with a conventional biofilter pretreatment exhibit a cake layer porosity of only 0.36.This is because micro-flocculation occurs in the effluents of BC-biofilter.The flocs generated through flocculation deposit on membrane surfaces to create highly porous cake layer.Moreover,catalytic reduction can increase the zeta potentials of the biofilter effluents.This makes the deposition of colloidal particles and flocs on membrane surfaces difficult under electrostatic repulsion.Simultaneously,micro-flocculation after BC-biofilter pretreatment can remove colloidal particles with particle sizes of200–350 nm in water.This can effectively prevent the blockage of ultrafiltration membrane pores.Furthermore,compared to conventional biofilter,BC-biofilter pretreatment can more effectively reduce the number of colloidal particles and the van der Waals forces of ultrafiltration membranes.They can also change the action directions of electric double layers and thereby mitigate ultrafiltration membrane fouling.
基金financially supported by the Key Research and Development Plan of the Ministry of Science and Technology,China(2019YFD1100104 and 2019YFC1906501)。
文摘Chlorine is usually applied in the urban water treatment process to deactivate pathogens and prevent waterborne diseases.As a pre-treatment,it remains unclear whether chlorinated water can effectively alleviate membrane fouling during ultrafiltration(UF).In this study,tap water was investigated for its effect on biofilm formation and biofouling in a gravity-driven membrane(GDM)filtration system.For comparison,biofilm/biofouling with untreated surface(lake)water was studied in parallel.It was found that more severe membrane fouling occurred with the filtration of tap water than lake water,and larger quantities of polysaccharide and extracellular DNA(eDNA)were present in the tap-water biofilm than in the lake-water biofilm.The tap-water biofilm had a densely compact morphology.In contrast,a porous,spider-like structure was observed for the lake-water biofilm,which was assumed to be associated with the bacteria in the biofilm.This hypothesis was verified by 16S ribosomal RNA(rRNA)sequencing,which demonstrated that Xanthobacter was the dominant taxon in the tap-water biofilm.Additionally,membrane hydrophobicity/hydrophilicity played a minor role in affecting the membrane fouling properties and microbial community.This study revealed the significant role of chlorine-resistant bacteria in biofouling formation and provides a deeper understanding of membrane fouling,which can potentially aid in searching for effective ways of controlling membrane fouling.
基金partially supported by the Beijing Outstanding Talents TrainingScience and Technology Programs of the Beijing Municipal Education Commission(SQKM201710016001)+1 种基金the BUCEA Post Graduate Innovation Projectthe Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Future Urban Design。
文摘Recovery of alginate extracted from aerobic granular sludge(AGS)has given rise to a novel research direction.However,these extracted alginate solutions have a water content of nearly 100%.Alternately,ultrafiltration(UF)is generally used for concentration of polymers.Furthermore,the introduction of multivalent metal ions into alginate may provide a promising method for the development of novel nanomaterials.In this study,membrane fouling mitigation by multivalent metal ions,both individually and in combination,and properties of recycled materials were investigated for UF recovery of sodium alginate(SA).The filtration resistance showed a significantly negative correlation with the concentration of metal ions,arranged in the order of Mg^2+<Ca^2+<Fe^3+<Al^3+(filtration resistance mitigation),and the moisture content of recycled filter cake showed a marked decrease.For Ca^2+,Mg^2+,Fe^3+,and Ca^2++Fe^3+,the filtration resistances were almost the same when the total charge concentration was less than 5 mmol·L^–1.However,when the total charge concentration was greater than 5 mmol·L^–1,membrane fouling mitigation increased significantly in the presence of Ca^2+or Fe^3+and remained constant for Mg^2+with the increase of total charge concentration.The filtration resistance mitigation was arranged in the order of Fe^3+>Fe^3++Ca^2+>Ca^2+>Mg^2+.Three mechanisms were proposed in the presence of Fe^3+,such as the decrease of SA concentration,change in p H,and production of hydroxide iron colloids from hydrolysis.The properties of recycled materials(filter cake)were investigated via optical microscope observation,dynamic light scattering,Fourier transform infrared,X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy(XPS),and scanning electron microscopy.The results provide further insight into UF recoveries of alginate extracted from AGS.
基金The authors acknowledge the financial support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China(51778170)State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment(2020DX04)+1 种基金Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities,China Postdoctoral Science Foundation(2019M651290)Heilongjiang Postdoctoral Science Foundation(LBH-Z19153).
文摘Ultrafiltration(UF)has been increasingly implemented in drinking water treatment plants;however,algae and their secretions can cause severe membrane fouling and pose great challenges to UF in practice.In this study,a simple and practical chemically enhanced backwashing(CEB)process was developed to address such issues using various cleaning reagents,including sodium hypochlorite(NaClO),sodium chloride(NaCl),sodium hydroxide(NaOH),sodium citrate,and their combinations.The results indicate that the type of chemical played a fundamental role in alleviating the hydraulically irreversible membrane fouling(HIMF),with NaClO as the best-performing reagent,followed by NaCl.Furthermore,a CEB process using a combination of NaClO with NaCl,NaOH,or sodium citrate delivered little improvement in the alleviation of membrane fouling compared with NaClO alone.The optimized dosage and dosing frequency of NaClO were 10 mg·L^(-1) two times per day.Long-term pilot-scale and full-scale experiments further verified the feasibility of the CEB process in relieving algae-derived membrane fouling.Compared with the conventional hydraulic backwashing without chemical involvement,the CEB process can effectively remove the organic foulants including biopolymers,humic substances,and proteinlike substances by means of oxidization,thereby weakening the cohesive forces between the organic foulants and the membrane surface.Therefore,the CEB process can efficiently alleviate the algae-related membrane fouling with lower chemical consumption,and is proposed as an alternative to control membrane fouling in treating the algae-containing surface water.
基金Sponsored by the National High Technology Research and Development Program of China (863 Programs)(Grant No.20060106Z3036)the National Nat-ural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 50778050)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (Grant No.B1020016)
文摘The membrane fouling characteristics of high concentration powdered activated carbon-microfiltration (HCPAC-MF) integrated process are studied by comparing them with those of direct microfitration system using the particle counter,scanning electron microscope (SEM) and atomic force microscope (AFM). The results indicate that the specific flux of HCPAC-MF is 3 times better than that of the direct filtration process after the system is stabilized. The addition of HCPAC changes the particle distribution of raw water and influences the structure of surface fouling layer. The PAC with irregular shapes aggregating on the membrane surface makes the cake layer structure loose and increases the roughness of membrane surface,and this decreases the thickness of hydrodynamic boundary layer and the membrane resistance. After the physical cleaning,the membrane surface and pores are clean without any fouling matters aggregation,which illustrates that the cake layer of PAC can be formed quickly in this HCPAC environment and prevent the occurrence of irreversible fouling.
基金supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China(No.2020YFA0211001)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.22106017)+1 种基金the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(DUT2022TA04)the Programme of Introducing Talents of Discipline to Universities(China)(No.B13012).
文摘Nanocarbon-based conductive membranes, especially carbon nanotube (CNT)-based membranes, have tremendous potential for wastewater treatment and water purification because of their excellent water permeability and selectivity, as well as their electrochemically enhanced performance (e.g., improved antifouling ability). However, it remains challenging to prepare CNT membranes with high structural stability and high electrical conductivity. In this study, a highly electroconductive and structurally stable polyphenylene/CNT (PP/CNT) composite membrane was prepared by electropolymerizing biphenyl on a CNT hollow fiber membrane. The PP/CNT membrane showed 3.4 and 5.0 times higher electrical conductivity than pure CNT and poly(vinyl alcohol)/CNT (PVA/CNT) membranes, respectively. The structural stability of the membrane was superior to that of the pure CNT membrane and comparable to that of the PVA/CNT membrane. The membrane fouling was significantly alleviated under an electrical assistance of −2.0 V, with a flux loss of only 11.7% after 5 h filtration of humic acid, which is significantly lower than those of PP/CNT membranes without electro-assistance (56.8%) and commercial polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membranes (64.1%). Additionally, the rejection of negatively charged pollutants (humic acid and sodium alginate) was improved by the enhanced electrostatic repulsion. After four consecutive filtration-cleaning cycle tests, the flux recovery rate after backwashing reached 97.2%, which was much higher than those of electricity-free PP/CNT membranes (67.0%) and commercial PVDF membranes (61.1%). This study offers insights into the preparation of stable conductive membranes for membrane fouling control in potential water treatment applications.
基金supported by the Key Research and Development Program of Zhejiang Province(No.2022C03069)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.51978628)+2 种基金the Natural Science Foundation of Zhejiang Province(No.LD21E080001)the Key Laboratory of Industrial Ecology and Environmental Engineering,China Ministry of Educationthe Open Fund Project of Key Laboratory of Watershed Surface Process and Ecological Security of Zhejiang Normal University(No.KF-2022-16).
文摘Membrane technology is widely regarded as one of the most promising technologies for wastewater treatment and reclamation in the 21st century. However, membrane fouling significantly limits its applicability and productivity. In recent decades, research on the membrane fouling has been one of the hottest spots in the field of membrane technology. In particular, recent advances in thermodynamics have substantially widened people’s perspectives on the intrinsic mechanisms of membrane fouling. Formulation of fouling mitigation strategies and fabrication of anti-fouling membranes have both benefited substantially from those studies. In the present review, a summary of the recent results on the thermodynamic mechanisms associated with the critical adhesion and filtration processes during membrane fouling is provided. Firstly, the importance of thermodynamics in membrane fouling is comprehensively assessed. Secondly, the quantitative methods and general factors involved in thermodynamic fouling mechanisms are critically reviewed. Based on the aforementioned information, a brief discussion is presented on the potential applications of thermodynamic fouling mechanisms for membrane fouling control. Finally, prospects for further research on thermodynamic mechanisms underlying membrane fouling are presented. Overall, the present review offers comprehensive and in-depth information on the thermodynamic mechanisms associated with complex fouling behaviors, which will further facilitate research and development in membrane technology.
基金This work was jointly supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.51608150)Open Project of State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment,Harbin Institute of Technology(No.ES201810-02)+2 种基金Natural Science Foundation of Heilongjiang Province(No.E2017042)China Postdoctoral Science Foundation Grant(Nos.2018T110303 and 2017M610210)Heilongjiang Province Postdoctoral Science Foundation Grant(LBH-TZ14 and LBHZ16070).
文摘Energy uncoupling is often used for sludge reduction because it is easy to operate and does not require a significant amount of extra equipments(i.e.no additional tank required).However,over time the supernatant extracted using this method can deteriorate,ultimately requiring further treatment.The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of using a low-pressure ultrafiltration membrane process for sludge water recovery after the sludge had undergone an energy uncoupling treatment(using 3,3’,4’,5-tetrachlorosalicylanilide(TCS)).Energy uncoupling was found to break apart sludge floe by reducing extracellular polymeric substances(EPS)and adenosine triphosphate(ATP)content.Analysis of supernatant indicated that when energy uncoupling and membrane filtration were coapplied and the TCS dosage was below 30 mg/L,there was no significant deterioration in organic component removal.However,ammonia and phosphate concentrations were found to increase as the concentration of TCS added increased.Additionally,due to low sludge concentrations and EPS contents,addition of 30-60 mg/L TCS during sludge reduction increased the permeate flux(two times higher than the control)and decreased the hydraulic reversible and cake layer resistances.In contrast,high dosage of TCS aggravated membrane fouling by forming compact fouling layers.In general,this study found that the co-application of energy uncoupling and membrane filtration processes represents an effective alternative method for simultaneous sludge reduction and sludge supernatant recovery.
基金supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China(No.2016YFC0401107)。
文摘The effects of Ca^(2+) on membrane fouling and trace organic compounds(TrOCs)removal in an electric field-assisted microfiltration system were investigated in the presence of Na^(+) alone for comparison.In the electric field,negatively charged bovine serum albumin(BSA)migrated towards the anode far away from the membrane surface,resulting in a 42.9%transmembrane pressure(TMP)reduction in the presence of Na^(+) at 1.5 V.In contrast,because of the stronger charge shielding of Ca^(2+),the electrophoretic migration of BSA was limited and led to a neglectable effect of the electric field(1.5 V)on membrane fouling.However,under 3 V applied voltage,the synergistic effects of electrochemical oxidation and bridging interaction between Ca^(2+) and BSA promoted the formation of denser settleable flocs and a thinner porous cake layer,which alleviated membrane fouling with a 64.5%decrease in TMP and nearly 100%BSA removal.The Tr OCs elimination increased with voltage and reached29.4%–80.4%at 3 V.The electric field could prolong the contact between Tr OCs and strong oxidants generated on the anode,which enhanced the Tr OCs removal.However,a stronger charge shielding ability of Ca^(2+) weakened the electric field force and thus lowered the Tr OCs removal.
基金This work was supported by the National High-Tech Research and Development(863)program of China(Grant No.2002AA601220).
文摘The evolution of activated sludge settleability and its relationship to membrane fouling in a submerged mem-brane bioreactor were studied at a lab-scale equipment fed with synthetic wastewater.It was found that sludge volume index(SVI)gradually increased and the sludge settleability was reduced,which was caused by the propagation of filamentous bacteria.With increasing SVI,the average increasing rate of trans-membrane pressure increased,the stable filtration period was shortened,and the two stages(smooth stage and accelerating stage)of the trans-membrane pressure were more obvious.At the same time,the increasing rate of trans-membrane pressure at the smooth stage decreased and the rate at the accelerating stage increased with SVI,respectively.The observation by using scanning electronic microscopes showed the cake layer with loose structure and large thickness formed on the membrane surface due to the appearance of filamentous bacteria and high SVI in sludge.Influence of the sludge settleability on the trans-membrane pressure was related to the structure and thickness of the cake layer on the membrane.
基金This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.51978311)Taishan Scholars Young Experts Program(China)(No.tsqn202103080)Shandong Provincial Natural Science Foundation,China(No.ZR2019BEE044).
文摘Application of ceramic membrane(CM)with outstanding characteristics,such as high flux and chemical-resistance,is inevitably restricted by membrane fouling.Coagulation was an economical and effective technology for membrane fouling control.This study investigated the filtration performance of ceramic membrane enhanced by the emerging titanium-based coagulant(polytitanium chloride,PTC).Particular attention was paid to the simulation of ceramic membrane fouling using four widely used mathematical models.Results show that filtration of the PTC-coagulated effluent using flat-sheet ceramic membrane achieved the removal of organic matter up to 78.0%.Permeate flux of ceramic membrane filtration reached 600 L/(m2$h),which was 10-fold higher than that observed with conventional polyaluminum chloride(PAC)case.For PTC,fouling of the ceramic membrane was attributed to the formation of cake layer,whereas for PAC,standard filtration/intermediate filtration(blocking of membrane pores)was also a key fouling mechanism.To sum up,cross-flow filtration with flat-sheet ceramic membranes could be significantly enhanced by titanium-based coagulation to produce both high-quality filtrate and high-permeation flux.
基金This work was supported by the National High-Tech Research and Development(863)Program of China(Grant No.2002AA601220)。
文摘fouling online in an anaerobic membrane bioreac-tor(AMBR).Short-term running experiments were carried out under different operating conditions to explore feasible ultrasonic parameters.The experimental results indicated that when the crossflow velocity was more than 1.0 m/s,mem-brane fouling could be controlled effectively only by hydro-dynamic methods without ultrasound.When ultrasound was applied,an ultrasonic power range of 60-150 W was suitable for the membrane fouling control in the experimental system.The experimental results showed that the membrane fouling was controlled so well that membrane filtration resistance(ΣR)could stay at 5×10^(11)m^(−1) for more than a week with the crossflow velocity of 0.75 m/s,which equaled the effect of crossflow velocity of more than 1.0 m/s without ultrasound.
基金This research was supported by the Open Fund Project of the State Key Laboratory of Water Resources Protection and Utilization in Coal Mining(GJNY-18-73.13).
文摘Membrane distillation(MD)is a promising membrane separation technique used to treat industrial wastewater.When coupled with cheap heat sources,MD has significant economic advantages.Therefore,MD can be combined with solar energy to realize the large-scale and low-cost treatment of highly mineralized mine water in the western coalproducing region of China.In this study,highly mineralized mine water from the Ningdong area of China was subjected to vacuum MD(VMD)using polyvinylidene fluoride hollow-fiber membranes.The optimal operation parameters of VMD were determined by response surface optimization.Subsequently,the feasibility of VMD for treating highly mineralized mine water was explored.The fouling behavior observed during VMD was further investigated by scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy(SEM-EDS).Under the optimal parameters(pressure=-0.08 MPa,temperature=70℃,and feed flow rate=1.5 L/min),the maximum membrane flux was 8.85 kg/(m^(2) h),and the desalination rate was 99.7%.Membrane fouling could be divided into three stages:membrane wetting,crystallization,and fouling layer formation.Physical cleaning restored the flux and salt rejection rate to 94%and 97%of the initial values,respectively;however,the cleaning interval and cleaning efficiency decreased as the VMD run time increased.SEM-EDS analysis revealed that the reduction in flux was caused by the precipitation of CaCO_(3).The findings also demonstrated that the membrane wetting could be attributed to the formation of NaCl on the cross section and outer surface of the membrane.Overall,the results confirm the feasibility of MD for treating mine water and provide meaningful guidance for the industrial application of MD.
基金Supported by 863 program ( No. 2002aa601310 )Harbin Municipal Science and Technology Commission (No.0014211038).
文摘Albumen wastewater was treated by Membrane Bio-reactor. Sludge bulking property of Membrane Bio-Reactor was investigated in this study through contrast research. When the sludge bulking appeared, the removal efficiency of COD in Membrane Bio-reactor increased slightly under the function of filamentous bacteria. However, the negative effects of the higher net water-head differential pressures,the higher block rate of membrane pore and the great quantity of filamentous bacteria at the externalsurface pres...
基金supported by the Fujian Provincial Science and Technology Cooperation Project(No.20210002)National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.31870994).
文摘Membrane filtration is one of the effective approaches to harvest microalgae for industrial biofuel production.However,during the filtration process,microalgae cells and extracellular organic matter(EOM)will deposit on the membrane surface leading to reversible membrane fouling that can be removed by physical methods.When hydrophobic EOM is adsorbed on the membrane surface or inside pores,it will build up a gel layer,causing irreversible membrane fouling.Irreversible fouling can only be removed using chemical methods that will decrease membrane lifespan and increase operational costs.Here,we introduce a versatile superhydrophilic membrane with photo-Fenton self-cleaning property,which can prevent the reversible fouling and remove the irreversible fouling.Tannic acid(TA)and 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane(APTES)were co-deposited on the polyvinylidene fluoride(PVDF)membrane via Schiff base and Michael addition reactions,andβ-FeOOH nanorods were inlaid on the membrane surface by in situ mineralization.The water contact angle of the modified membrane is reduced from 120°to 0°Under 60 min visible light,the hydroxyl radical(·OH)generated by the photo-Fenton reaction degraded the irreversible fouling that blocked membrane pores.The irreversible fouling rates of modified membrane was reduced from 39.57%to 3.26%,compared with the original membrane.Microalgae harvesting results illustrated that the membrane has a high flux recovery rate(FRR)of 98.2%,showed excellent passive antifouling and active antifouling performance.We believe this work will spark a novel platform for optimizing energy-efficient microalgae harvesting separation membrane modules.In addition,this method of anti-fouling filtration for microorganisms can be extended to the industrial production of various bioenergy sources and will have very promising practical applications.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.52100089 and 51978312)the Six Major Talent Peaks of Jiangsu Province(No.2018-JNHB-014)Youth Fund of Basic Research Program of Jiangnan University(No.JUSRP121058)。
文摘As a high-flux operation mode of thin film composite-forward osmosis(TFC-FO)membrane,active layer facing draw solution(AL-DS)mode suffers from the severe membrane fouling tendency,which is not addressed well.Here,we introduced a photocatalyst(Anatase titanium dioxide,A-TiO_(2))onto the support layer of TFC-FO membrane via the bonding of polydopamine(PDA)and polytetrafluoroethylene(PTFE),and prepared two photocatalytic membranes,A-TiO_(2)/PDA@TFC and A-TiO_(2)/PTFE@TFC.Compared with the pristine TFC-FO membrane,both A-Ti O_(2)/PDA@TFC and A-TiO_(2)/PTFE@TFC had an improved water permeability(10.5 L m^(-2)h^(-1)and 9.5 L m^(-2)h^(-1),respectively)and reduced reverse Na Cl flux salt(0.8 g m^(-2)h^(-1)and 0.7 g m^(-2)h^(-1),respectively)in the AL-DS mode using 1 mol/L Na Cl as draw solution and pure water as feed solution.Moreover,in the 16 h fouling experiment using 200 ppm bovine serum albumin(BSA)solution as a representative pollutant,the flux decline rate of both photocatalytic membranes was dramatically alleviated from 39.7%and 21.7%in the darkness to 8.5%and 9.7%under UV irradiation,respectively,indicating a significant anti-fouling capacity of photocatalytic effect.In all,the presence of A-TiO_(2)endowed membrane with high permeability,high rejection efficiency and excellent anti-fouling capacity under UV spotlight.As bonding agent,PTFE provided the modified membrane with a high photocatalytic effect and high self-cleaning capacity,while PDA increased the membrane permeability and protected membrane against photocatalytic damage.This work provides a simple and feasible method to improve the anti-fouling capacity of TFC-FO membrane in AL-DS mode.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No.52200026)。
文摘Gravity-driven membrane(GDM)systems have been well developed previously;however,impacts of driving(i.e.,transmembrane)pressure on their performance received little attention,which may infuence GDM performance.In this study,we evaluated 4 GDM systems via altering the transmembrane pressure from 50 mbar to 150 mbar with 2 groups,treating surface water in Beijing,China.Results showed that less driving pressure was more favorable.Specifically,compared to groups(150 mbar),groups under a pressure of 50 mbar were found to have greater normalized permeability and lower total resistance.During the whole operation period,the quality of effuents was gradually improved.For example,the removal efficiency of UV254was significantly improved;particularly,under low driving pressure,the removal efficiency of UV254in PES GDM system increased by 11.91%,as compared to the corresponding system under high driving pressure.This observation was consistent with the reduction on disinfection by-products(DBPs)formation potential;groups under 50 mbar achieved better DBPs potential control,indicating the advantages of lower driving pressure.Biofilms were analyzed and responsible for these differences,and distinct distributions of bacteria communities of two GDM systems under 50 and 150 mbar may be responsible for various humic-like substances removal efficiency.Overall,GDM systems under less pressure should be considered and expected to provide suggestions on the design of GDM systems in real applications.
文摘Octanoic acid(OA) was selected to represent fatty acids in effluent organic matter(EOM). The effects of feed solution(FS) properties, membrane orientation and initial permeate flux on OA fouling in forward osmosis(FO) were investigated. The undissociated OA formed a cake layer quickly and caused the water flux to decline significantly in the initial 0.5 hr at unadjusted p H 3.56; while the fully dissociated OA behaved as an anionic surfactant and promoted the water permeation at an elevated p H of 9.00. Moreover, except at the initial stage, the sudden decline of water flux(meaning the occurrence of severe membrane fouling) occurred in two conditions: 1.0.5 mmol/L Ca2+, active layer facing draw solution(AL-DS) and 1.5 mol/L Na Cl(DS); 2. No Ca2+,active layer-facing FS(AL-FS) and 4 mol/L Na Cl(DS). This demonstrated that cake layer compaction or pore blocking occurred only when enough foulants were absorbed into the membrane surface, and the water permeation was high enough to compact the deposit inside the porous substrate. Furthermore, bovine serum albumin(BSA) was selected as a co-foulant.The water flux of both co-foulants was between the fluxes obtained separately for the two foulants at p H 3.56, and larger than the two values at p H 9.00. This manifested that, at p H 3.56,BSA alleviated the effect of the cake layer caused by OA, and OA enhanced BSA fouling simultaneously; while at p H 9.00, the mutual effects of OA and BSA eased the membrane fouling.
