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Design of Dead-end Membrane Module with Increased Permeate Flux by Natural Convection Instability Flow

자연대류 불안정 흐름에 의해 투과량을 증가시킨 전량여과 막모듈의 설계

  • Kim, Gi-Jun (Department of Engineering Chemistry, Chungbuk National University) ;
  • Youm, Kyung-Ho (Department of Engineering Chemistry, Chungbuk National University)
  • 김기준 (충북대학교 공과대학 공업화학과) ;
  • 염경호 (충북대학교 공과대학 공업화학과)
  • Received : 2019.06.05
  • Accepted : 2019.06.18
  • Published : 2019.06.30

Abstract

The permeate flux increments of a natural convection instability flow (NCIF) caused by the change of inclined angles ($0{\sim}180^{\circ}$) to gravity of the commercial membrane module were tested in the dead-end membrane filtration of BSA protein solution. The NCIF are more generated as the inclined angle increased from $0^{\circ}$ to $180^{\circ}$, and the occurred NCIF enhances permeate flux. However, the commercial module can only generate NCIF by completely removing the air gap in module. Since the custom design module designed in this study is permeated in a crossward direction ($90^{\circ}$), NCIF is always generated even if there is the air gap in module. The results of membrane filtration of BSA and dextran solutions using a custom design module showed that the flux in the crossward direction is increased to about 3.8 times for BSA solution and 1.8 times for dextran solution after two hours of operation due to the occurrence of NCIF. Also, NCIF generation is continued during 20 hours filtration of BSA solution, increasing the permeate flux to about 7.5 times. Since the custom design module with a permeation in the crossward direction and NCIF is always generated within the module, so it is possible to expect an increase in permeate flux due to the suppression of fouling formation, and thus to be utilized as a superb dead-end membrane module.

BSA 단백질 용액의 전량 막여과에서 상용(commercial) 막모듈의 경사각 변화에 따라 발생된 자연대류 불안정 흐름(NCIF)의 투과 플럭스 증가 효과를 측정한 결과, 막모듈의 경사각이 $0^{\circ}$에서 $180^{\circ}$로 증가하면 NCIF 발생이 커져 플럭스가 증가하였다. 그러나 상용 막모듈은 모듈 내에 존재하는 공기층을 완전히 제거해야 NCIF를 발생시킬 수 있다. 본 연구에서 설계 제작된 custom design 막모듈은 crossward 방향($90^{\circ}$)으로 막투과가 이루어져 모듈 상부에 공기층이 존재하더라도 항상 NCIF가 발생된다. Custom design 막모듈에서 BSA와 dextran 용액의 막여과 실험을 수행한 결과, NCIF의 발생으로 2시간 조작 시 BSA 용액의 경우 약 3.8배, dextran 용액의 경우 약 1.8배까지 투과 플럭스가 증가하였다. 또한 BSA 용액을 대상으로 한 20시간의 조작에서도 NCIF의 발생이 지속되어 플럭스가 약 7.5배까지 증가하였다. 본 연구에서 설계된 막모듈은 항상 NCIF가 발생되므로 막오염 형성 억제에 따른 투과 플럭스 증가를 기대할 수 있어 전량여과 막모듈로서의 활용성이 있음을 확인하였다.

Keywords

References

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