• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
• /
• v.21 no.3
• /
• pp.242-247
• /
• 2005

In this study, we investigated the removal efficiencies of pollutants and permeate fluxes depending on chemistry of feed water, various molecular weight cut-offs (MWCOs) and materials of membrane, operating pressure. We used seven MWCO membranes of YC0.5, YM1, YM3, YM10, YM30, YM100 and PM30, humic acid solution and surface water as feed water, and examined variation in permeate flux. Results of TOC removal experiment demonstrate that MWCO lower 1,000daltons could remove humic acid effectively. As increasing solution pH and decreasing divalent cations ($Ca^{2+}$) concentration, TOC removal increased. But $UV_{254}$ removal efficiency increased with higher divalent cation concentration and solution pH. Membrane fouling increased with increasing electrolyte (NaCl), divalent cation concentration and decreasing solution pH. In spite of initial permeate flux of the hydrophobic membrane (PM30) was higher than that of the hydrophilic membrane (YM30), flux decline of PM30 was significant during operation. At higher operating pressure, compactness of the cake layer on the membrane surface increased, resulting in gradual increase in hydraulic resistance.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
• /
• v.27 no.7
• /
• pp.753-761
• /
• 2005

In this study, pretreatment of organic matters with $MIEX^{(R)}$ was evaluated using bench-scale experimental procedures on four organic matters to determine its effect on subsequent UF membrane filtration. For comparison, coagulation process was also used as a pretreatment of UF membrane filtration. Moreover, the membrane fouling potential was identified using different fractions and molecular weights of organic matters. From the removal property of MW organic matters by coagulation process for the sample water NOM and AOM, the removal efficiency of high MW organic matters were much higher than those of low MW organic matters. It was shown that the removal efficiency of high MW organic matter more than 10 kDa was lower than that of low MW organic matter for $MIEX^{(R)}$ process. For the change of permeate flux by the pretreatment process, $MIEX^{(R)}$+UF process showed high removal efficiency of organic matter as compared with coagulation-UF processes, but high reduction rate of permeate flux was presented through the reduction of removal efficiency of high MW organic matter. From sequential filtration test results in order to examine the effect of MW of organic matter on membrane fouling, it was found that the membrane foulant was occurred by high MW organic matter, and the DOC of organic matter less than 0.5 mg/L was working as the membrane foulant. In the case of sample water composed of low MW organic matter less than 10 kDa, since the low MW organic matter less than 10 kDa has high removal efficiency by $MIEX^{(R)}$, low reduction rate of permeate flux is obtained as compared with coagulation-UF processes. In summary, it is required to conduct the research on physical/chemical characteristic of original water before pretreatment process of membrane process is selected, and a pertinent pre-treatment process should be employed based on the physical/chemical characteristic of original water.

• Membrane and Water Treatment
• /
• v.11 no.3
• /
• pp.179-187
• /
• 2020

Electrodialysis has been applied for treatment of industrial wastewater including metal electroplating. The wastewater from metal plating industries contains high concentrations of inorganics such as copper, nickel, and sodium. The ions in the feed were separated due to the electrical forces in the electrodialysis. The concentrate compartment is exposed to the elevated concentrations of the ions and yielded inorganic precipitations on the cation exchange membranes. The presence of organic matter in the metal plating wastewater affects complex interfacial reactions, which determines characteristics of inorganic scale fouling. The wastewater from a metal plating industry in practice was collected and the inorganic and organic compositions of the wastewater were analyzed. The performance of electrodialysis of the raw wastewater was evaluated and the effects of adjusting pH of the raw water were also measured. The integrated processes with neutralization and electrodialysis showed great removal of heavy metals sufficient to discharge to aquatic ecosystem. The organic matter in the raw water was also reduced by the neutralization, which might enhance removal performance and alleviate organic fouling in the integrated system.

• Environmental Engineering Research
• /
• v.20 no.3
• /
• pp.223-229
• /
• 2015

The application of coagulation for feed water pretreatment prior to microfiltration (MF) process has been widely adopted to alleviate fouling due to particles and organic matters in feed water. However, the efficiency of coagulation pretreatment for MF is sensitive to its operation conditions such as pH and coagulant dose. Moreover, the optimum coagulation condition for MF process is different from that for rapid sand filtration in conventional drinking water treatment. In this study, the use of response surface methodology (RSM) was attempted to determine coagulation conditions optimized for pretreatment of MF. The center-united experimental design was used to quantify the effects of coagulant dose and pH on the control of fouling control as well as the removal organic matters. A MF membrane (SDI Samsung, Korea) made of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) was used for the filtration experiments. Poly aluminum chloride (PAC) was used as the coagulant and a series of jar tests were conducted under various conditions. The flux was $90L/m^2-h$ and the fouling rate were calculated in each condition. As a result of this study, an empirical model was derived to explore the optimized conditions for coagulant dose and pH for minimization of the fouling rate. This model also allowed the prediction of the efficiency of the coagulation efficiency. The experimental results were in good agreement with the predictions, suggesting that RSM has potential as a practical method for modeling the coagulation pretreatment for MF.

• Clean Technology
• /
• v.21 no.1
• /
• pp.45-52
• /
• 2015

We have introduced switching poles in the conventional electrolysis for the removal of ammonia in aquaculture wastewater to prevent the fouling on the electrode surface by the deposition of insoluble metallic compounds. We have also tried to locate the optimal period of switching poles considering the effect of the current loss during switching poles on the free chlorine generation. First, we have observed the decrease of free chlorine generation with the decrease of the period of switching poles due to the expected current loss, and this would lead to the decrease of ammonia removal efficiency. Meanwhile, the measurement of calcium and magnesium concentration in wastewater vs. the period of switching poles have demonstrated that a properly low level of fouling on the electrode surface could be retained with a period of switching poles of less than 60 sec by the decomposition of metallic compounds during switching poles. In a summary, we have optimized the period of switching poles to gain a high level of free chlorine generation and a high level of fouling prevention on the electrode at the same time.

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
• /
• v.23 no.4
• /
• pp.439-446
• /
• 2009

This study was performed to evaluate SND(simultaneous nitrification and denitrification)efficiency, nitrogen removal efficiency and filtration function of non-woven fabric by using submerging MBR packed with granular sulfur covered with non-woven fabric filter. Synthetic wastewater was used as influent wastewater. Concentration of $NH_4{^+}-N$ in influent was maintained about 40 mg/L and the experiment was performed in four phases according to the flow rate. Nitrogen loading rate divided four phases ranging from $0.04 kg\;NH_4{^+}-N/m^3-day$ to $0.16 kg\;NH_4{^+}-N/m^3-day$. As a result, the maximum $NH_4{^+}-N$ removal rate was accomplished at $0.142 kg\;NH_4{^+}-N/m^3-day$ in nitrogen loading of $0.147 kg\;NH_4{^+}-N/m^3-day$. Nitrification efficiency was higher than 95% in all phases. $NO_3{^-}-N$ loading rate was adjusted ranging from $0.22 kg\;NO_3{^-}-N/m^3-day$ to $0.89 kg\;NO_3{^-}-N/m^3-day$. The maximum $NO_3{^-}-N$ removal rate was accomplished up to $0.71 kg\;NO_3{^-}-N/m^3-day$ in $NO_3{^-}-N$ loading of $0.89 kg\;NO_3{^-}-N/m^3-day$. The maximum $NO_3{^-}-N$ removal efficiency was 95% in $NO_3{^-}-N$ loading of $0.22 kg\;NO_3{^-}-N/m^3-day$. T-N removal rate was 90% and concentration of T-N in effluent was 3.7 mg/L in T-N loading rate of $0.039 kg\;NO_3{^-}-N/m^3-day$. In this study, TMP in reactor with and without non-woven fabric filter were observed to define fouling of hollow-fiber membrane module. Reaching time to standard washing pressure(22 cm Hg) of two reactors were 29 days with non-woven fabric But the reactor without non-woven fabric reached standard washing pressure only after 4 days. Accordingly, non-woven fabric was demonstrated the superiority as a filtration ability. With high nitrogen removal rate and decreasing of fouling of membrane, MBR packed with granular sulfur covered with non-woven fabric filter submerging in activated sludge aeration tank can be used as an advanced treatment process.

• Membrane and Water Treatment
• /
• v.14 no.4
• /
• pp.175-180
• /
• 2023

Mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) can be a promising alternative for the solution of dye removal from coloured effluents. Polymeric membranes are widely used due to their good film-forming ability, flexibility, separation properties, and cost. However, they have low mechanical, chemical, and thermal resistances. Moreover, the fouling of polymeric membranes is high because of their hydrophobic nature. Hence, there is an increasing interest in organic-inorganic hybrid membranes as a new-generation membrane material. It has been shown that carbon nanotubes have the potential to increase the material properties of polymers with their low density, high strength, hardness, and exceptional aspect ratio. In this work, carbon nanotubes blended MMMs were prepared and methyl orange removal efficiency of them was investigated. Compared to the bare membranes, MMMs showed not only increased hydrophilicity, water content, and pure water flux but also increased methyl orange rejection and flux recovery

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
• /
• v.17 no.3
• /
• pp.310-316
• /
• 2006

In this study, activated carbon in a powder form was used to remove dissolved ammonia which causes a fouling smell in water. Since the adsorption capacity of common powder activated carbon is not high enough, we prepared powder activated carbon deposited on an acid solution to enhance the adsorption capacity. The acid-impregnated activated carbon was applied on the surface of porous fibril support ($10{\sim}50{\mu}m$) by which adsorption and separation processes take place simultaneously by varying effective pressure. As the result, the ammonia removal efficiency is above 60% in the mixing process which is 10~15% higher than general powder activated carbon. From the result of an experiment on the pure permeable test of a dynamic membrane, its transmittance is 400~700 LMH (liter per hour), indicating that the prepared membrane works as a microfiltration membrane. Therefore, it is expected that the membrane prepared in this way would improve the efficiency of water treatment than conventional membranes.

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
• /
• v.24 no.5
• /
• pp.595-601
• /
• 2010

It is evident that Korea will continue its battle with water shortage and alternative program are being taken into action. One of the main actions is reusing 1,800 tons of effluent of 357 sewage treatment plant located nationwide. Therefore this study supplemented ozone oxidation methods that would increase the efficiency of organic oxidation and coagulation. Through this method, fouling will be controled sufficiently by preventing membrane process in the system for advanced sewage treatment. In this study, ozone-coagulation-microfiltration membrane were used. The final removal efficiency of the pretreated water from the result of the ozone-coagulation were 50% of CODcr, 38% of TP and 11% of TOC respectively. Water quality treatment has decreased about 80% for TP. Ozone-coagulation-microfiltration membrane maintains the high flux while decreasing the number of organic matter and the membrane fouling, and reducing the TP. As a result, in order to reuse the water from the sewage, the ozone-coagulation-microfiltration membrane type must be considered in order to achieve the best efficiency.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
• /
• v.26 no.2
• /
• pp.289-296
• /
• 2010

The purpose of this study is to evaluate various pre-treatment methods and proprieties of water quality for wastewater reuse using reverse osmosis (RO) processes. Secondary effluents were sampled from wastewater treatment plants and lab scale pre-treatments and RO filtration test were conducted systematically. Specifically, different types of pre-treatments, such as coagulation, microfiltration and ultrafiltration, were employed to evaluate the removal efficiency of particle and organic matters which may affect the membrane fouling rate. RO process was later added to eliminate trace amounts of remaining organic matters and salt from the raw water for wastewater reclamation. The permeate through the RO process satisfied water quality regulations for industrial water uses. The experimental results showed that the initial fouling tendency differed not only by the feed water properties but also by the membrane characteristics. Membrane fouling was greater for the membranes with large surface roughness, regardless of the hydrophobicity and zeta potentials. Thus both careful consideration of pre-treatment options and proper selection of RO membrane are of paramount importance for an efficient operation of wastewater treatment.