• Membrane Journal
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.453-462
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• 2014

Thin film composite (TFC) polyamide (PA) membranes were prepared on polyester (PET) nonwoven reinforced polysulfone supports for forward osmosis (FO) processes. PSF (polysulfone) supports were prepared via the phase inversion process from PSF casting solutions in dimethyl formamide (DMF) solvents (19 wt%) by using a PET nonwoven (thickness of $100{\mu}m$) as a mechanical reinforcing material for reverse osmosis (RO) membrane. The PSF support from 19 wt% of DMF/PSF casting solution showed sponge-like morphology and asymmetric internal structure. To reduce the internal concentration polarization in FO operation, thin ($20{\mu}m$ of thickness) nonwoven-supported PSF supports were prepared by using PSF/DMF casting solution (9~19 wt%). A desirable support structure with a highly porous sponge-like morphology were achieved from the thin nonwoven-supported PSF layer prepared with 9~12 wt% casting solution. A crosslinked aromatic polyamide layer was fabricated on top of each support to form a TFC PA membrane. The tested sample from 12 wt% of DMF/PSF casting solution presented outstanding FO performance, almost 5.5 times higher water flux (24.3 LMH) with low reverse salt flux (RDF, 1.5 GMH) compared to a thick nonwoven rainforced membrane (4.5 LMH of flux and 3.47 GMH of RSF). By reducing the thickness of the nonwoven and optimizing PSF concentration of casting solution, the morphology of the prepared membranes were changed from a dense structure to a porous sponge structure in the boundary area between nonwoven and PET support layer.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.301-305
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• 2013

This study aims to design a portable desalination device and discusses the feasibility of the device for overcoming a shortage of safe drinking water. A low-energy, self-supporting, and portable desalination device is designed based on forward osmosis (FO) using an ammonium bicarbonate solution. Experiments with various concentrations of ammonium bicarbonate solution and sodium chloride solution showed that the portable desalination device's performance such as volume and flow rate of desalting water and time required satisfied drinking water standards. The device performance is controlled by varying the concentration and temperature of the solution.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.281-290
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• 2016

Thin film composite (TFC) polyamide membranes were prepared on polysulfone (PSF) supports for forward osmosis (FO) applications. To understand the influence of polarity and porosity of support layer on the formation of polyamide structure and the final FO performance, clathochelate metal complex (MC) contained PSF supports were prepared via the phase inversion process from various PSF casting solutions containing 0.1-0.5 wt% of MC in dimethyl formamide (DMF) solvent (18 wt%). A crosslinked aromatic polyamide layer was then fabricated on top of each support to form a TFC membrane. For the porous PSF supports prepared with relatively low concentration casting solutions (12 wt%), the PET film was removed after phase inversion and crosslinked aromatic polyamide layer was then fabricated. The tested sample from PSF (18 wt%)/MC (0.5 wt%) casting solution presented outstanding FO performance, almost similar water flux (9.99 LMH) with lower reverse salt flux (RSF, 0.77 GMH) compared to commercial HTI FO membrane(10.97 LMH of flux and 2.2 GMH of RSF). By addition of MC in casting solution, the thickness of the active layer in FO membranes was reduced, however, the increased RSF value was obtained.

• 한국방재학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2010.02a
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• pp.102.1-102.1
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• 2010

대체수자원 중 막여과 기술에 대한 관심이 지속적으로 높아지고 있다. 하지만, 이러한 막여과 기술에는 fouling이 발생시 효율저감, flux저감, 소모에너지 증대 등 문제점이 발생한다. 이러한 fouling저감을 위해 막 표면특성분석을 통한 기초연구가 필요하다고 보고 이 연구를 진행하였다. AFM을 이용하여 CML입자와 막의 상호작용을 통해 초기 막오염 경향을 예측할 수 있다.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.279-284
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• 2015

As non-conventional oil resources such as shale gas have been widely developed, proper treatment of flowback and produced water is becoming important. However, application of conventional water treatment techniques is limited due to high concentration of pollutants such as oil and grease, organics, harmful chemicals, and inorganic ions. In this study, we examined the feasibility of using forward osmosis (FO) and air gap membrane distillation (AGMD) as novel treatment options for shale gas wastewater. Laboratory-scale FO and MD devices were fabricated and used for the experiments. Results showed that FO could be used to treat the synthetic wastewater. Using 5 M NaCl as the draw solution, the flux was approximately $6L/m^2-hr$ during the treatment of low range wastewater (TDS: 66,000 mg/L). Nevertheless, AGMD was more effective to treat high range wastewater (Total Dissolved Solid: 260,000 mg/L) than FO.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.391-400
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• 2016

In this work, novel thin film composite (TFC) forward osmosis (FO) membranes are developed via interfacial polymerization on the polysulfone (PS) substrate, using TEOS as the a sol-gel reagent to form hydrophilic interlayer polymer between PS and polyamide (PA). The PS substrate was cast on a very thin polyester nonwoven to reduce membrane resistance. With the incorporation of TEOS (tetraethoxy silane) polymer in the interface between PS and PA, the formed TFC FO membrane exhibits better hydrophilicity and improved water flux, and therefore superior membrane performance. By changing the polymerization sequence of PA interfacial polymerization and TEOS sol-gel condensation, the surface properties and performance of FO membranes are changed significantly. The permeability of FO membranes were estimated using the bench-scale FO test equipment. The distribution of the polysiloxane on composite membrane and morphology are also studied with FE-SEM and EDAX. The PS_PA_TEOS membrane showed highly enhanced water flux (79.2 LMH) but reverse salt flux (RSF) value (7.10 GMH) also increased. However, the flux of PS_TEOS_PA membrane increased moderately (54.1 LMH) without increasing RSF value (1.60 GMH) compare with PS_PA membrane.

• Membrane and Water Treatment
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• v.8 no.5
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• pp.411-421
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• 2017

Forward osmosis (FO) is an emerging technology which can possibly make the desalination process more cost and energy efficient. One of the major factors impeding its growth is the lack of an appropriate draw solute. The present study deals with the identification of potential draw solutes, and rank them. The comparison was carried out among ten draw solutes on the basis of four main parameters namely; water flux, reverse salt diffusion, flux recovery and cost. Each draw solute was given three 24 hour runs; corresponding to three different concentrations; and their flux and reverse salt diffusion values were calculated. A fresh membrane was used every time except for the fourth time which was the flux recovery experiment conducted for the lowest concentration and the change of flux and reverse salt diffusion values from the initial run was noted. The organic solutes inspected were urea and tartaric acid which showed appreciable values in other parameters viz. reverse salt diffusion, flux recovery and cost although they generated a lower flux. They ranked 5th and 8th respectively. All the experimented draw solutes were ranked based on their values corresponding to each of the four main parameters chosen for comparison and Ammonium sulfate was found to be the best draw solute.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.193-198
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• 2013

In general, boron recovery of 40-90% could be achieved by Reverse Osmosis (RO) membranes in neutral pH condition. As an emerging technology, Forward Osmosis (FO) membrane has attracted growing interest in wastewater treatment and desalination. The objective of this study is to evaluate the possibility of the boron removal in radioactive liquid waste by FO. In this study, the performance of FO was investigated to remove boron in the simulated liquid waste as the factors such as pH, osmotic pressure, ionic strength of solution, etc. The pH of feed solution is a major operating parameter which strongly influences to the permeation of boron and more than 80% of boron content can be separated when conducted at pH values less than 7. The water flux is not influenced but the boron flux and permeation rate tends to decrease in the low salt concentration of 1,000 mg/L. The boron flux increases linearly, but the permeation ratio of reducing boron is nearly constant even with changes in the draw solution concentration.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.286-295
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• 2018

A novel multi-valent salt based on polyethyleneimine having molecular weight of 800 (PEI 800) has been synthesized and characterized as forward osmosis draws solute. A reaction intermediate was synthesized by the neutralization reaction of polyethyleneimine and methyl acrylate, and was hydrolyzed with potassium hydroxide to synthesize a water soluble carboxylic acid (potassium salt) polyethyleneimine. NMR spectrometry, viscometry measurements and osmometry measurements was performed to characterize the draw solute. Forward osmosis experiments were done to know whether the solute could be used as a draw solute or not. The result shows comparable water flux and lower reverse salt flux compared with NaCl as a draw solute. We have also demonstrated recycling of the draw solute in the FO-NF integrated process.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.52 no.3
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• pp.328-334
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• 2014

This study examined the effect of concentration polarization on permeate flux in forward osmosis (FO) membrane process for saline and sucrose solution. The reduction in permeate flux during the FO membrane process is largely due to the formation of concentration polarization on membrane surfaces. The flux reduction due to internal concentration polarization formed on the porous support layer was larger than that due to the external concentration polarization on the active membrane surface. Water permeate flux through the FO membrane increased nonlinearly with the increase in osmotic pressure. The water permeability coefficient was $1.8081{\times}10^{-7}m/s{\cdot}atm$ for draw solution on active layer (DS-AL) mode and $1.0957{\times}10^{-7}m/s{\cdot}atm$ for draw solution on support layer (DS-SL) mode in NaCl solution system. The corresponding membrane resistance was $5.5306{\times}10^6$ and $9.1266{\times}10^6s{\cdot}atm/m$, respectively. With respect to the sucrose solution, the permeate flux for DS-AL mode was 1.33~1.90 times higher than that for DS-SL mode. The corresponding variation in the permeation flux (J) due to osmotic pressure (${\pi}$) would be expressed as $J=-0.0177+0.4506{\pi}-0.0032{\pi}^2$ for the forward and $J=0.0948+0.3292{\pi}-0.0037{\pi}^2$ for the latter.