• Journal of the Korean Solar Energy Society
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.91-98
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• 2013

In this study, we have carried out development and performance evaluation of optimized MEMS(Multi-Effect-Multi-Stage) fresh water generator with $7m^2/day$ for solar thermal desalination system. The developed MEMS was composed of high temperature part and low temperature part. This arrangement has the advantage of increasing the availability of solar thermal energy. The MEMS consists of 2 steam generators, 5 evaporators, and 1 condenser. Tubes of heat exchanger used for steam generators, evaporators and condenser were manufactured by corrugated tubes. The performance of the MEMS was tested through in-door experiments, using an electric heater as heat source. The experimental conditions for each parameters were $20^{\circ}C$ for sea water inlet temperature to condenser, $8.16m^2$ /hour sea water inlet volume flow rate, $70^{\circ}C$ for hot water inlet temperature to generator of high temperature part, 3.6 4.8, 6.0 $m^2/hour$ for hot water inlet volume flow rate. As a result, The developed MEMS was required about 85 kW heating source to produce $7m^2/day$ of fresh water. It was analyzed that the performance ratio of MEMS was about 2.6.

• Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.474-484
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• 2018

The cleaning efficiency of reverse osmosis (RO) membranes inevitably fouled by organic foulants depends upon both chemical (type of cleaning agent, concentration of cleaning solution) and physical (cleaning time, flowrate, temperature) parameters. In attempting to determine the optimal procedures for chemical cleaning organic-fouled RO membranes, the design of experiments concept was employed to evaluate key factors and to predict the flux recovery rate (FRR) after chemical cleaning. From experimental results and based on the predicted FRR of cleaning obtained using the Central Composite Design of Minitab 17, a modified regression model equation was established to explain the chemical cleaning efficiency; the resultant regression coefficient ($R^2$) and adjusted $R^2$ were 83.95% and 76.82%, respectively. Then, using the optimized conditions of chemical cleaning derived from the response optimizer tool (cleaning with 0.68 wt% disodium ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid for 20 min at $20^{\circ}C$ with a flowrate of 409 mL/min), a flux recovery of 86.6% was expected. Overall, the results obtained by these experiments confirmed that the equation was adequate for predicting the chemical cleaning efficiency with regards to organic membrane fouling.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.472-478
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• 2019

A stable desalination method of the hardness substance such as $Ca^{2+}$ by controlling the total charge (TC) supplied to the membrane capacitive deionization (MCDI) cell was studied. The adsorption (1.5 V) and desorption (0.0 V) were repeated 30 times while varying the TC in the adsorption process. The concentration and pH of effluent, adsorption and desorption amounts, current densities and cell potentials were analyzed in the desalination process. The maximum allowable charge (MAC) of the carbon electrode used in MCDI cell was measured to be 46 C/g. As a result of operation at TC (40 C/g) below the MAC value, electrode reactions did not occur, resulted in the stable desalination characteristics for a long-term operation. When operating at TCs (50, 60 C/g) above the MAC value, however, the concentration and pH of effluent varied greatly. Also, the scale was formed on the electrode surface due to electrode reactions, and the electric resistance of the cell gradually increased. It was thus concluded that it is possible to remove stably the hardness substance without any electrode reactions by controlling the charge supplied to MCDI cell during the adsorption process.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.143-149
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• 2022

Membrane distillation (MD) has emerged as a sustainable desalination technology to solve the water and energy problems faced by the modern society. In particular, the surface wetting properties of the membrane have been recognized as a key parameter to determine the performance of the MD system. In this study, a novel surface modification technique was developed to induce a Janus-type hydrophilic/hydrophobic layer on the membrane surface. The hydrophilic layer was created on a porous PVDF membrane by vapor phase polymerization of the pyrrole monomer, forming a thin coating of polypyrrole on the membrane walls. A rigid polymeric coating layer was created without compromising the membrane porosity. The hydrophilic coating was then followed by the in-situ growth of siloxane nanoparticles, where the condensation of organosilane provided quick loading of hydrophobic layers on the membrane surface. The composite layers of dual coatings allowed systematic control of the surface wettability of porous membranes. By the virtue of the photothermal property of the hydrophilic polypyrrole layer, the desalination performance of the coated membrane was tested in a solar MD system. The wetting properties of the dual-layer were further evaluated in a direct-contact MD module, exploring the potential of the Janus membrane structure for effective and low-energy desalination.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.60 no.4
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• pp.525-534
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• 2022

In this study, we investigated the applicability and optimal operating strategy of a closed-loop pressure retarded membrane distillation (PRMD) for brackish water desalination. For effective operation with net power generation, high temperature of heat source over 90 ℃ and feed flow rate at 0.6 kg/s are recommended. At 3 g/L of feed concentration, the average permeate flux and net energy density showed 8.04 kg/m²/hr and 2.56 W/m², respectively. The average permeate flux and net energy density were almost constant in the range of feed concentration from 1 to 3 g/L. Compared to the case with seawater feed, the PRMD with brackish water feed showed higher average permeate flux and net energy density. Thus, PRMD application using brackish water feed can be more effective than that using seawater feed in terms of power generation.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.33 no.5
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• pp.257-268
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• 2023

Membrane capacitive deionization (MCDI) is a variation of the conventional CDI process that can improve desalination efficiency by employing an ion-exchange membrane (IEM) together with a porous carbon electrode. The IEM is a key component that greatly affects the performance of MCDI. In this study, we attempted to derive the optimal fabricating factors for IEMs that can significantly improve the desalination efficiency of MCDI. For this purpose, pore-filled IEMs (PFIEMs) were then fabricated by filling the pores of the PE porous support film with monomers and carrying out in-situ photopolymerization. As a result of the experiment, the prepared PFIEMs showed excellent electrochemical properties that can be applied to various desalination and energy conversion processes. In addition, through the correlation analysis between MCDI performance and membrane characteristic parameters, it was found that controlling the degree of crosslinking of the membranes and maximizing permselectivity within a sufficiently low level of membrane electrical resistance are the most desirable membrane fabricating condition for improving MCDI performance.

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.811-823
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• 2009

Seawater desalination process using a reverse osmosis (RO) membrane has been considered as one of the most promising technologies in solving the water scarcity problems in many arid regions around the world. To protect RO membrane in the process, a thorough understanding of the pretreatment process is particularly needed. Seawater organic matters (SWOMs) may form a gel layer on the membrane surface, which will increase a concentration polarization. As the SWOMs can be utilized as a substrate, membrane biofouling will be progressed on the RO membrane surface, resulting in the flux decline and increase of trans-membrane pressure drop and salt passage. In the middle of disinfection, an optimal chlorine dosage and neutralizer (sodium bisulfite, SBS) should be practiced to prevent oxidizing the surface of RO membranes. Additional fundamental research including novel non-susceptible biofouling membranes would be necessary to provide a guide line for the proper pretreatment process.

• Journal of Power System Engineering
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.5-9
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• 2012

Novel mechanisms for Energy Recovery Devices are proposed to diminish the pressure loss in the high-pressure reverse-osmosis system. In the beginning, the state-of-the-art in the design of Energy Recovery Devices is reviewed and the features of each model are investigated. The direct-coupled axial piston pump(APP) and axial piston motor(APM) showed 39% energy recovery at operating pressure of reverse osmosis desalination systems, 60 bar. Meanwhile, the developed PM2D model, in which APM pistons are arranged parallel to those of APP, is more compact and showed higher efficiency in a preliminary test. Loss-reduction mechanisms employing rod piston and double raw valve port are additionally proposed to enhance the efficiency and durability of the device.

• Membrane and Water Treatment
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.159-173
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• 2011

The air gap membrane distillation (AGMD) process was applied for water desalination. The main objective of the present work was to study the heat and mass transfer mechanism of the process. The experiments were performed on a flat sheet module using aqueous NaCl solutions as a feed. The membrane employed was hydrophobic PTFE of pore size 0.22 ${\mu}m$. A mathematical model is proposed to evaluate the membrane mass transfer coefficient, thermal boundary layers' heat transfer coefficients, membrane / liquid interface temperatures and the temperature polarization coefficients. The mass transfer model was validated by the experimentally and fitted well with the combined Knudsen and molecular diffusion mechanism. The mass transfer coefficient increased with an increase in feed bulk temperature. The experimental parameters such as, feed temperature, 313 to 333 K, feed velocity, 0.8 to 1.8 m/s (turbulent flow region) were analyzed. The permeation fluxes increased with feed temperature and velocity. The effect of feed bulk temperature on the boundary layers' heat transfer coefficients was shown and fairly discussed. The temperature polarization coefficient increased with feed velocity and decreased with temperature. The values obtained were 0.56 to 0.82, indicating the effective heat transfer of the system. The fouling was observed during the 90 h experimental run in the application of natural ground water and seawater. The time dependent fouling resistance can be added in the total transport resistance.

• Membrane and Water Treatment
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.147-158
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• 2011

Membrane distillation process was used for desalination of hot (333 K) geothermal water, which was applied in the plant producing heating water. The investigated water contained 120 g salts/$dm^3$, mainly NaCl. The mineral composition was studied using an ion chromatography method. The obtained rejection of solutes was closed to 100%, but the small amounts of $NH_3$ also diffused through the membrane together with water vapour. However, the composition of obtained distillate allowed to use it as a makeup water in the heating water system. The geothermal water under study was concentrated from 120 to 286 g NaCl/$dm^3$. This increase in the solution concentration caused the permeate flux decline by a 10-20%. The geothermal water contained sulphates, which was subjected to two-fold concentration to achieve the concentration 2.4-2.6 g $SO{_4}{^{2-}}/dm^3$ and the sulphates then crystallized in the form of calcium sulphate. As a results, an intensive membranes scaling and the permeate flux decline was observed. The XRD analysis indicated that beside the gypsum also the NaCl crystallites were deposited on the membrane surfaces. The fresh geothermal water dissolved the mixed $CaSO_4$ and NaCl deposit from the membrane surface. This property can be utilized for self-cleaning of MD modules. Using a batch feeding of MD installation, the concentration of geothermal water was carried out over 800 h, without significant performance losses.