Effect of Cross-flow Velocity on the Critical Flux of Ceramic Membrane Filtration as a Pre-treatment for Seawater Desalination

doi:10.1016/S1004-9541(13)60470-X

Abstract

Abstract: Pre-treatment, which supplies a stable, high-quality feed for reverse osmosis (RO) membranes, is a critical step for successful operation in a seawater reverse osmosis plant. In this study, ceramic membrane systems were employed as pre-treatment for seawater desalination. A laboratory experiment was performed to investigate the effect of the cross-flow velocity on the critical flux and consequently to optimize the permeate flux. Then a pilot test was performed to investigate the long-term performance. The result shows that there is no significant effect of the cross-flow velocity on the critical flux when the cross-flow velocity varies in laminar flow region only or in turbulent flow region only, but the effect is distinct when the cross-flow velocity varies in the transition region. The membrane fouling is slight at the permeate flux of 150 L穖^-2穐^-1 and the system is stable, producing a high-quality feed (the turbidity and silt density index are less than 0.1 NTU and 3.0, respectively) for RO to run for 2922.4 h without chemical cleaning. Thus the ceramic membranes are suitable to filtrate seawater as the pre-treatment for RO.

Key words: ceramic membrane, seawater desalination, pre-treatment, critical flux

摘要： Pre-treatment, which supplies a stable, high-quality feed for reverse osmosis (RO) membranes, is a critical step for successful operation in a seawater reverse osmosis plant. In this study, ceramic membrane systems were employed as pre-treatment for seawater desalination. A laboratory experiment was performed to investigate the effect of the cross-flow velocity on the critical flux and consequently to optimize the permeate flux. Then a pilot test was performed to investigate the long-term performance. The result shows that there is no significant effect of the cross-flow velocity on the critical flux when the cross-flow velocity varies in laminar flow region only or in turbulent flow region only, but the effect is distinct when the cross-flow velocity varies in the transition region. The membrane fouling is slight at the permeate flux of 150 L穖^-2穐^-1 and the system is stable, producing a high-quality feed (the turbidity and silt density index are less than 0.1 NTU and 3.0, respectively) for RO to run for 2922.4 h without chemical cleaning. Thus the ceramic membranes are suitable to filtrate seawater as the pre-treatment for RO.

关键词: ceramic membrane, seawater desalination, pre-treatment, critical flux

CUI Zhaoliang, PENG Wenbo, FAN Yiqun, XING Weihong, XU Nanping . Effect of Cross-flow Velocity on the Critical Flux of Ceramic Membrane Filtration as a Pre-treatment for Seawater Desalination[J]. Chin.J.Chem.Eng., 2013, 21(4): 341-347.

崔朝亮, 彭文博, 范益群, 邢卫红, 徐南平. Effect of Cross-flow Velocity on the Critical Flux of Ceramic Membrane Filtration as a Pre-treatment for Seawater Desalination[J]. Chinese Journal of Chemical Engineering, 2013, 21(4): 341-347.

References

1 Vörösmarty, C.J., McIntyre, P.B., Gessner, M.O., Dudgeon, D., Prusevich, A., Green, P., Glidden, S., Bunn, S.E., Sullivan, C.A., Liermann, C.R., “Global threats to human water security and river biodiversity”, Nature, 467, 555-561 (2010).

2 Jiang, Y., “China’s water scarcity”, Journal of Environmental Management, 90, 3185-3196 (2009).

3 Zhou, Y., Tol, R.S.J., “Implications of desalination for water resources in China-An economic perspective”, Desalination, 164, 225-240 (2004).

4 Khawaji, A.D., Kutubkhanah, I.K., Wie, J.M., “Advances in seawater desalination technologies”, Desalination, 221, 47-69 (2008).

5 Shannon, M.A., Bohn, P.W., Elimelech, M., Georgiadis, J.G., Mari as, B.J., Mayes, A.M., “Science and technology for water purification in the coming decades”, Nature, 452, 301-310 (2008).

6 Greenlee, L.F., Lawler, D.F., Freeman, B.D., Marrot, B., Moulin, P., “Reverse osmosis desalination: Water sources, technology, and today’s challenges”, Water Research, 43, 2317-2348 (2009).

7 Malaeb, L., Ayoub, G.M., “Reverse osmosis technology for water treatment: State of the art review”, Desalination, 267, 1-8 (2011).

8 Prihasto, N., Liu, Q.F., Kim, S.H., “Pre-treatment strategies for seawater desalination by reverse osmosis system”, Desalination, 249, 308-316 (2009).

9 Chua, K.T., Hawlader, M.N.A., Malek, A., “Pretreatment of seawater: Results of pilot trials in Singapore”, Desalination, 159, 225-243 (2003).

10 Yang, H.J., Kim, H.S., “Effect of coagulation on MF/UF for removal of particles as a pretreatment in seawater desalination”, Desalination, 247, 45-52 (2009).

11 Xu, J., Ruan, G.L., Gao, X.L., Pan, X.H., Su, B.W., Gao, C.J., “Pilot study of inside-out and outside-in hollow fiber UF modules as direct pretreatment of seawater at low temperature for reverse osmosis”, Desalination, 219, 179-189 (2008).

12 Li, K., Ceramic Membranes for Separation and Reaction, Wiley, London (2007).

13 Zhu, J., Fan, Y.Q., Xu, N.P., “Preparation and characterization of alumina membranes on capillary supports: effect of film-coating on crack-free membrane preparation”, Chin. J. Chem. Eng., 18, 377-383 (2010).

14 Feng, J., Fan, Y.Q., Qi, H., Xu, N.P., “Co-sintering synthesis of tubular bilayer α-alumina membrane”, Journal of Membrane Science, 288, 20-27 (2007).

15 Qiu, M.H., Fan, S., Cai, Y.Y., Fan, Y.Q., Xu, N.P., “Co-sintering synthesis of bi-layer titania ultrafiltration membranes with intermediate layer of sol-coated nanofibers”, Journal of Membrane Science, 365, 225-231 (2010).

16 Bottino, A., Capannelli, C., Del Borghi, A., Colombino, M., Conio, O., “Water treatment for drinking purpose: ceramic microfiltration application”, Desalination, 141, 75-79 (2001).

17 Matsushita, T., Matsui, Y., Shirasaki, N., Kato, Y., “Effect of membrane pore size, coagulation time, and coagulant dose on virus removal by a coagulation-ceramic microfiltration hybrid system”, Desalination, 178, 21-26 (2005).

18 Konieczny, K., Bodzek, M., Rajca, M., “A coagulation-MF system for water treatment using ceramic membranes”, Desalination, 198, 92-101 (2006).

19 Xu, J., Chang, C.Y., Gao, C.J., “Performance of a ceramic ultrafiltration membrane system in pretreatment to seawater desalination”, Separation and Purification Technology, 75, 165-173 (2010).

20 Cui, Z.L., Xing, W.H., Fan, Y.Q., Xu, N.P., “Pilot study on the ceramic membrane pre-treatment for seawater desalination with reverse osmosis in Tianjin Bohai Bay”, Desalination, 279, 190-194 (2011).

21 Bacchin, P., Aimar, P., Field, R.W., “Critical and sustainable fluxes: theory, experiments and applications”, Journal of Membrane Science, 281, 42-69 (2006).

22 Wu, D., Howell, J.A., Field, R.W., “Critical flux measurement for model colloids”, Journal of Membrane Science, 152, 89-98 (1999).

23 Bacchin, P., Aimar, P., Sanchez, V., “Model for colloidal fouling of membranes”, AIChE J., 41, 368-376 (1995).

24 Field, R.W., Wu, D., Howell, J.A., Gupta, B.B., “Critical flux concept for microfiltration fouling”, Journal of Membrane Science, 100, 259-272 (1995).

25 Howell, J.A., “Sub-critical flux operation of microfiltration”, Journal of Membrane Science, 107, 165-171 (1995).

26 Chiu, T.Y., James, A.E., “Critical flux determination of non-circular multi-channel ceramic membranes using TiO₂ suspensions”, Journal of Membrane Science, 254, 295-301 (2005).

27 Defrance, L., Jaffrin, M.Y., “Comparison between filtrations at fixed transmembrane pressure and fixed permeate flux: application to a membrane bioreactor used for wastewater treatment”, Journal of Membrane Science, 152, 203-210 (1999).

28 Mänttäri, M., Nyström, M., “Critical flux in NF of high molar mass polysaccharides and effluents from the paper industry”, Journal of Membrane Science, 170, 257-273 (2000).

29 Zhang, Y.P., Fane, A.G., Law, A.W.K., “Critical flux and particle deposition of fractal flocs during crossflow microfiltration”, Journal of Membrane Science, 353, 28-35 (2010).

30 Pearce, G.K., “UF/MF pre-treatment to RO in seawater and wastewater reuse applications: A comparation of energy costs”, Dealination, 222, 66-73 (2008).

[1]	Yingxiang Ni, Can Yuan, Shilong Li, Jian Lu, Lei Yan, Wei Gu, Weihong Xing, Wenheng Jing. Temperature-induced hydrophobicity transition of MXene membrane for directly preparing W/O emulsions [J]. Chinese Journal of Chemical Engineering, 2023, 55(3): 59-62.
[2]	Tianyu Zhang, Qian Wang, Wei Luan, Xue Li, Xianfu Chen, Dong Ding, Zhichao Shen, Minghui Qiu, Zhaoliang Cui, Yiqun Fan. Zwitterionic monolayer grafted ceramic membrane with an antifouling performance for the efficient oil-water separation [J]. Chinese Journal of Chemical Engineering, 2022, 42(2): 227-235.
[3]	Rongzong Li, Zhaoyang Li, Qian Jiang, Zhaoxiang Zhong, Ming Zhou, Weihong Xing. Acid precipitation coupled membrane-dispersion advanced oxidation process (MAOP) to treat crystallization mother liquor of pulp wastewater [J]. Chinese Journal of Chemical Engineering, 2020, 28(7): 1911-1917.
[4]	Yujia Tong, Lukuan Huang, Weixing Li. CFD simulation of flow field and resistance in a 19-core tandem ceramic membrane module [J]. Chinese Journal of Chemical Engineering, 2020, 28(3): 625-635.
[5]	Fanglu Yuan, Lele Cui, Peipei Ding, Wenheng Jing. Chlorine-free emission disposal of spent acid etchant in a three-compartment ceramic membrane reactor [J]. Chinese Journal of Chemical Engineering, 2020, 28(1): 271-278.
[6]	Tao Yang, Fen Liu, Houfeng Xiong, Qiyong Yang, Fushan Chen, Changchao Zhan. Fouling process and anti-fouling mechanisms of dynamic membrane assisted by photocatalytic oxidation under sub-critical fluxes [J]. Chinese Journal of Chemical Engineering, 2019, 27(8): 1798-1806.
[7]	Xingyin Gao, Minghui Qiu, Kaiyun Fu, Peng Xu, Xiangli Kong, Xianfu Chen, Yiqun Fan. Feasibility analysis of SO₂ absorption using a hydrophilic ceramic membrane contactor [J]. Chin.J.Chem.Eng., 2018, 26(10): 2139-2147.
[8]	Yanhui Yang, Qianqian Liu, Haizhi Wang, Fusheng Ding, Guoshan Jin, Chunxi Li, Hong Meng. Superhydrophobic modification of ceramic membranes for vacuum membrane distillation [J]. , 2017, 25(10): 1395-1401.
[9]	Yanhui Yang, Qianqian Liu, Haizhi Wang, Fusheng Ding, Guoshan Jin, Chunxi Li, Hong Meng. Superhydrophobic modification of ceramic membranes for vacuum membrane distillation [J]. , 2017, 25(10): 1395-1401.
[10]	Dieling Zhao, Shucheng Chen, Chun Xian Guo, Qipeng Zhao, Xianmao Lu. Multi-functional forward osmosis draw solutes for seawater desalination [J]. Chin.J.Chem.Eng., 2016, 24(1): 23-30.
[11]	Wei Xu, Lijing Gao, Feng Jiang, Guomin Xiao. In situ synthesis and characterization of Ca–Mg–Al hydrotalcite on ceramic membrane for biodiesel production [J]. Chin.J.Chem.Eng., 2015, 23(6): 1035-1040.
[12]	Guizhi Zhu, Qian Jiang, Hong Qi, Nanping Xu. Effect of sol size on nanofiltration performance of a sol-gel derived microporous zirconia membrane [J]. Chin.J.Chem.Eng., 2015, 23(1): 31-41.
[13]	Hong Jiang, Fei She, Yan Du, Rizhi Chen, Weihong Xing. One-step Continuous Phenol Synthesis Technology via Selective Hydroxylation of Benzene over Ultrafine TS-1 in a Submerged Ceramic Membrane Reactor [J]. , 2014, 22(11/12): 1199-1207.
[14]	ZHANG Huiqin, ZHONG Zhaoxiang, LI Weixing, XING Weihong, JIN Wanqin. River Water Purification via a Coagulation-Porous Ceramic Membrane Hybrid Process [J]. Chin.J.Chem.Eng., 2014, 22(1): 113-119.
[15]	JIANG Hong, MENG Lie, CHEN Rizhi, JIN Wanqin, XING Weihong, XU Nanping. Progress on Porous Ceramic Membrane Reactors for Heterogeneous Catalysis over Ultrafine and Nano-sized Catalysts [J]. Chin.J.Chem.Eng., 2013, 21(2): 205-215.