• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.30 no.5
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• pp.521-532
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• 2016

Seawater desalination market after global economic crisis has been stalled due to the market uncertainties and decreased demand in desalination. It is important to review the status of the market and to estimate the appropriate share of Forward osmosis-Reverse Osmosis (FO-RO) hybrid desalination technology by figuring out the outlook of the desalination market. Main part of the desalination market will still be MENA (Middle East and North Africa) in the near future due to the fast population increase and high dependency of fossil fuel in the region. The market for FO-RO hybrid technology, however, might be smaller than the conventional SWRO desalination market anyway because of aesthetic issues from using wastewater as raw water and higher costs associated with capex. Therefore, it is essential to improve FO membrane performance and system operation technologies in order to make the hybrid technology attractive compared to the conventional SWRO technology.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.75-82
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• 2018

Forward osmosis (FO) desalination system has been highlighted to improve the energy efficiency and drive down the carbon footprint of current reverse osmosis (RO) desalination technology. To improve the trade-off between water flux and salt rejection of thin film composite (TFC) desalination membrane, thin film nanocomposite membranes (TFN), in which nanomaterials as a filler are embeded within a polymeric matrix, are being explored to tailor the separation performance and add new functionality to membranes for water purification applications. The objective of this article is to develop a graphene nanocomposite membrane with high performance of water selective permeability (high water flux, high salt rejection, and low reverse solute diffusion) as a next-generation FO desalination membrane. For advances in fabrication of graphene oxide (GO) membranes, layer-by-layer (LBL) technique was used to control the desirable structure, alignment, and chemical functionality that can lead to ultrahigh-permeability membranes due to highly selective transport of water molecules. In this study, the GO nanocomposite membrane fabricated by LBL dip coating method showed high water flux ($J_w/{\Delta}{\pi}=2.51LMH/bar$), water selectivity ($J_w/J_s=8.3L/g$), and salt rejection (99.5%) as well as high stability in aqueous solution and under FO operation condition.

• Journal of Korea Water Resources Association
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• v.54 no.spc1
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• pp.1023-1035
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• 2021

The electricity cost of a desalination facility was also predicted and reviewed, which allowed the proposed model to be incorporated into the future design of such facilities. Input data from 2003 to 2014 of the Korea Hydrographic and Oceanographic Agency (KHOA) were used, and the structure of the model was determined using the trial and error method to analyze as well as hyperparameters such as salinity and seawater temperature. The future seawater quality was estimated by optimizing the prediction model based on machine learning. Results indicated that the seawater temperature would be similar to the existing pattern, and salinity showed a gradual decrease in the maximum value from the past measurement data. Therefore, it was reviewed that the electricity cost for seawater desalination decreased by approximately 0.80% and a process configuration was determined to be necessary. This study aimed at establishing a machine-learning-based prediction model to predict future water quality changes, reviewed the impact on the scale of seawater desalination facilities, and suggested alternatives.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.33 no.9
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• pp.677-685
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• 2011

The reverse osmosis membrane processes have several operational problems. Fouling by inorganic scale occurs on membrane surface due to increases in concentrations over solubility by retaining ions on feed side of the membrane. Inorganic scales could be controlled by antiscalants or acid addition. In this study, three antiscalants having different characteristics were selected and evaluated on efficiency of $CaCO_3$ scale control. The $CaCO_3$ scale was inhibited by the antiscalants : 0.4 mg/L for SHMP, 0.6 mg/L for Spectra Guard, and 3 mg/L for Flocon 150 N. Increasing concentration factors of simulated sea water resulted in increases in antiscalant doses for the scale control. The increases in doses were positively proportional to the concentrate factors used in this study. Spectra Guard, one of the polyacrylate type antiscalants, was the most effective to control $CaCO_3$ scale. The antiscalants with the different scale inhibition time and doses implied the different control mechanisms.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.16-34
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• 2021

Water supplies are decreasing in comparison to increasing clean water demands. Using nanofiltration is one of the most effective and economical methods to meet the need for clean water. Common methods for desalination are reverse osmosis and nanofiltration. However, pristine membranes lack the essential features which are, stability, economic efficiency, antibacterial and antifouling performances. To enhance the properties of the pristine membranes, graphene oxide (GO) is a promising and widely researched material for thin film composites (TFC) membrane due to their characteristics that help improve the hydrophilicity and anti-fouling properties. Modification of the membrane can be done on different layers. The thin film composite membranes are composed of three different layers, the top filtering active thin polyamide (PA) layer, supporting porous layer, and supporting fabric. Forward osmosis (FO) process is yet another energy efficient desalination process, but its efficiency is affected due to biofouling. Incorporation of GO enhance antibacterial properties leading to reduction of biofilm formation on the membrane surface. Pressure retarded osmosis (PRO) is an excellent process to generate clean energy from sea water and the biofouling of membrane is reduced by introduction of GO into the active layer of the TFC membrane. Different modifications on the membranes are being researched, each modification with its own advantages and disadvantages. In this review, modifications of nanofiltration membranes and their composites, characterization, and performances are discussed.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.41 no.5
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• pp.485-492
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• 2021

This study focused on safety aspects surrounding energy consumption in the seawater desalination process in the Daesan Industrial Complex located on the West Sea coast. The safety index for energy consumption was evaluated under different salinities and temperatures of the incoming seawater. Temperature and salinity input data for the 1997-2018 period were obtained from the Marine Environment Information System, and the power required for reverse osmosis (RO) was applied to the program as per the data provided by the RO membrane manufacturer (Q-Plus v3.0). Notably, reasonable energy consumption guidelines were proposed during the design of the desalination facilities; in this regard, the desalination process required approximately 2.10-2.90 kWh/m³ electrical power. Moreover, the energy safety based on 95 % was estimated to be 2.80 kWh/m³ when the desalination facility was operated.

• Prospectives of Industrial Chemistry
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.21-28
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• 2011

이온교환막을 이용한 전기적 탈염기술은 막모듈 내에 양이온교환막과 음이온교환막을 교대로 장착시키고 모듈의 양단 전극에 전압을 적용함으로써 물속에 용존되어 있는 양이온과 음이온들을 전기의 힘을 이용하여 선택적으로 투과시키는 원리를 기반으로 하는 청정공정 기술이다. 이온교환막 공정은 전통적으로 산/알칼리의 생산, 산업폐수의 중금속의 제거, 해수의 담수화, 반도체 산업의 초순수의 제조, 해수에서 식염의 제조, 발효산업의 유기산 및 아미노산의 회수 등 다양한 산업분야에서 응용되어 왔다. 최근에는 이러한 기존의 응용분야에서 벗어나 새롭게 응용분야가 넓어지고 있다. 이온교환막과 다공성 탄소전극을 결합한 막축전식 해수담수화기술, 해수와 담수의 염도차를 이용한 역전기투석식 해수발전 등의 새로운 선택분리기능 및 응용분야를 가진 이온교환막의 개발 및 공정에 관한 연구가 활발히 이루어지고 있다. 그러나 국내에서는 이온교환막이 아직 상용화되지 않고 있어 이온교환막을 이용한 응용연구가 활발하게 진행되지 못하고 있어 그 개발이 시급하다. 본 논문에서는 먼저 이온교환막을 이용한 전기투석식 탈염기술, 물분해 전기투석, 전기탈이온 공정에 관한 동향을 조사하였다. 아울러 미래의 이온교환막의 응용기술인 해수담수화기술로서 역삼투법과 경쟁하여 에너지를 낮게 소모할 것으로 예상되는 분리막을 이용한 막축전식 탈염기술과 무한한 신재생에너지원인 해수와 담수를 이용한 역전기투석 해수발전기술에 대해 기술의 원리들과 최근의 연구동향 등을 정리하였다.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Marine Environment & Energy
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.227-238
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• 2013

The purpose of this study is to develop a process technology to produce high hardness drinking water which meet drinking water standard, remaining useful minerals like magnesium and calcium in the seawater desalination process while removing the sulfate ions and chloride ions. Seawater have been separated the concentrated seawater and desalted seawater by passing on Reverse Osmosis membrane (RO). Using Nano-filtration membrane (NF), We were prepared primary mineral concentrated water that sodium chloride were not removed. By the operation of electro-dialysis (ED) having ion exchange membrane, we were prepared concentrated mineral water (Mineral enriched desalted water) which the sodium chloride is removed. We have produced the high hardness water to meet the drinking water quality standards by diluting the mineral enriched desalted water with deionized water by RO. Reverse osmosis membranes (RO) can separate dissolved material and freshwater from seawater (deep seawater). The desalination water throughout the second reverse osmosis membrane was completely removed dissolved substances, which dissolved components was removed more than 99.9%, its the hardness concentration was 1 mg/L or less and its chloride concentration was 2.3 mg/L. Since the nano-filtration membrane pore size is $10^{-9}$ m, 50% of magnesium ions and calcium ions can not pass through the nano-filtration membrane, while more than 95% of sodium ions and chloride ions can pass through NF membrane. Nano-filtration membrane could be separated salt components like sodium ion and chloride ions and hardness ingredients like magnesium ions and calcium ions, but their separation was not perfect. Electric dialysis membrane system can be separated single charged ions (like sodium and chloride ions) and double charged ions (like magnesium and calcium ions) depending on its electrical conductivity. Above electrical conductivity 20mS/cm, hardness components (like magnesium and calcium ions) did not removed, on the other hand salt ingredients like sodium and chloride ions was removed continuously. Thus, we were able to concentrate hardness components (like magnesium and calcium ions) using nano-filtration membrane, also could be separated salts ingredients from the hardness concentration water using electrical dialysis membrane system. Finally, we were able to produce a highly concentrated mineral water removed chloride ions, which hardness concentration was 12,600 mg/L and chloride concentration was 2,446 mg/L. By diluting 10 times these high mineral water with secondary RO (Reverse Osmosis) desalination water, we could produce high mineral water suitable for drinking water standards, which chloride concentration was 244 mg/L at the same time hardness concentration 1,260 mg/L. Using the linked process with reverse osmosis (RO)/nano filteration (NF)/electric dialysis (ED), it could be concentrated hardness components like magnesium ions and calcium ions while at the same time removing salt ingredients like chloride ions and sodium ion without heating seawater. Thus, using only membrane as RO, NF and ED without heating seawater, it was possible to produce drinking water containing high hardness suitable for drinking water standard while reducing the energy required to evaporation.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.351-364
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• 2016

In recent decades, many researchers have tried to improve desalination performances of polyamide (PA) thin-film composite membranes (TFCs) by incorporating nanomaterials into a selective PA layer. This review focuses on PA-based nanocomposite membranes with high performances for energy-effective desalination in reverse osmosis. Carbon based nanomaterial (e.g., graphene oxide (GO), carbon nanotubes (CNT)) and/or other nanoparticles (e.g., zeolite, silica and etc.,) were applied to overcome the trade-off correlation between water permeability and salt rejection of current polymeric desalination membranes. Here, this brief review will discuss current studies of PA-based nanocomposite membranes with enhanced separation characteristics and provide the future research direction to achieve further improved desalination performances.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.111-123
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• 2020

Growing industrialization and climate change lead to the huge demand for clean drinking water. Desalination of sea water by membrane separation process is one of the alternative and economically viable methods to fulfil the demand for water. In the membrane separation process, the presence of 2D materials enhances the performance of membrane by facilitating the water permeation, salt rejection, flux rate, and selectivity compared to the traditional reverse osmosis thin-film-composite membranes. In this review, composite membranes with different kinds of 2D materials are discussed on the basis of materials synthesis, characterization and desalination process.