• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
• /
• v.19 no.8
• /
• pp.105-114
• /
• 2018

Membrane fouling in EC-MBR (Electro-Coagulation aided Membrane Bio-Reactor) processes was evaluated according to the operating parameters, such as current density and contact time. In addition, the fouling mechanism was investigated. Compared to the control (i.e., no electro-coagulation), membrane fouling for filtration of the activated sludge suspension after electro-coagulation was reduced significantly. Membrane fouling was improved further when the contact time was doubled under a low current density of $2.5A/m^2$. On the other hand, membrane fouling was not mitigated further, as expected, even though the contact time was doubled from 12 to 24 hr. at a current density of $10A/m^2$. This indicates that the overall decrease in membrane fouling is a function of the product of the current density and contact time. The particle size of the activated sludge flocs after electro-coagulation was changed slightly, which means that the membrane fouling reduction was not attributed to a larger particle size resulting from electro-coagulation. The experimental confirmed that the dynamic membrane made from aluminum hydroxide, Al(OH)3, and/or aluminum phosphate, Al(PO4), which had been formed during the electro-coagulation, played a key role on the reduction of membrane fouling. The dynamic membrane prevents the particles in the feed solution from deposition to the membrane pores and cake layers. Dynamic membrane formation as a result of electro-coagulation plays a critical role in the mitigation of membrane fouling in EC-MBR.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
• /
• v.16 no.3
• /
• pp.2314-2320
• /
• 2015

MBR (Membrane Bio-Reactor) process is known to consume enormous energy to control membrane fouling. To solve this problem, electro-coagulation technique has been applied to MBR. A series of electro-coagulation was applied to activated sludge suspension under different current density condition. After the electro-coagulations, membrane filtration of the activated sludge suspensions was conducted to investigate the effect of electro-coagulation on the fouling. As current density increased 10 to 40A/m2, the total fouling resistance (Rc+Rf) decreased from 18 to 79%, showing that the electro-coagulation improved the membrane filtration efficiency. Both the organic concentration in bulk and the particles size distribution were not nearly changed before and after the electro-coagulation. The enhanced filtration efficiency might be due to the aluminum hydroxide generated from chemical precipitation, which can be acted as a dynamic membrane preventing a deposition of foulants on membrane surfaces.

• Resources Recycling
• /
• v.31 no.5
• /
• pp.3-19
• /
• 2022

Electro-membrane technology is a process for separating and purifying substances in aqueous solution by electric energy using an ion exchange membrane with selective permeability, such as electrodialysis (ED) and bipolar electrodialysis (BMED). Electro-membrane technology is attracting attention as an environmental friendly technology because it does not generate by-products during the process and the recovered base or acid can be reused during the process. In this paper, we investigate the principles of ED and BMED technologies and various characteristics and problems according to the cell configuration. In particular, by investigating and analyzing research cases related to the treatment of waste sodium sulfate (Na₂SO₄), which is generated in large amounts during the metal recovery process.

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
• /
• v.33 no.2
• /
• pp.111-119
• /
• 2019

Electro-coagulation process has been gained an attention recently because it could overcome the membrane fouling problems in MBR(Membrane bio-reactor). Effect of the key operational parameters in electro-coagulation, current density(${\rho}_i$) and contact time(t) on membrane fouling reduction was investigated in this study. A kinetic model for ${\rho}_i$ and t required to reduce the membrane fouling was suggested under different MLSS(mixed liquor suspended solids) concentration. Total 48 batch type experiments of electro-coagulations under different sets of current densities(2.5, 6, 12 and $24A/m^2$), contact times(0, 2, 6 and 12 hr) and MLSS concentration(4500, 6500 and 8500mg/L) were carried out. After each electro-coagulation under different conditions, a series of membrane filtration was performed to get information on how much of membrane fouling was reduced. The membrane fouling decreased as the ${\rho}_i$ and t increased but as MLSS decreased. Total fouling resistances, Rt (=Rc+Rf) were calculated and compared to those of the controls (Ro), which were obtained from the experiments without electro-coagulation. A kinetic approach for the fouling reduction rate (Rt/Ro) was carried out and three equations under different MLSS concentration were suggested: i) ${\rho}_i^{0.39}t=3.5$ (MLSS=4500 mg/L), ii) ${\rho}_i^{0.46}t=7.0$ (MLSS=6500 mg/L), iii) ${\rho}_i^{0.74}t=10.5$ (MLSS=8500 mg/L). These equations state that the product of ${\rho}_i$ and t needed to reduce the fouling in certain amounts (in this study, 10% of fouling reduction) is always constant.

• Membrane Journal
• /
• v.12 no.4
• /
• pp.216-225
• /
• 2002

Experimental study on the crossflow electro-microfi1tation of simulated oil emulsion waste water was carried out with polypropylene microfiltration membrane to evaluate the applicability of electrofiltration process in the treatment of oily waste water generated from many industries including nuclear field. The effects of electric field strength transmembrane pressure, crossflow velocity, and oil emulsion concentration on the permeate flux were investigated. In electro-microfiltration process using the external electric field, significant enhancement of permeate flux was achieved by diminishing membrane fouling and it was shown that considerable permeate flux can be maintained for long-term operation compared with conventional membrane filtration process without an electric field.

• ETRI Journal
• /
• v.29 no.6
• /
• pp.817-819
• /
• 2007

A low-stress organic polymer membrane is proposed as a deformable mirror that can be incorporated into a cellular phone camera to achieve auto focusing without motor-type moving parts. It is demonstrated that our fabricated device has an optical power of 20 diopters and can switch focus in 14 ms. The surface roughness of the organic membrane is measured around 15 nm, less than ${\lambda}$/20 of the visible light. With curve fitting, we found that the actuated membrane is almost parabolic in shape, which leads to less aberration than spherical surfaces. It is suitable for reflective-optics systems.

• Membrane Journal
• /
• v.33 no.6
• /
• pp.315-324
• /
• 2023

Ion-exchange membrane (IEM), is a key component that determines the performance of the electro-membrane processes. In this review, the latest research trends in improving the performance of IEMs used in various electro-membrane processes through modification using carbon-based and metal-based nanomaterials are investigated. The nanomaterials can be introduced into IEMs through various methods. In particular, carbon-based nanomaterials can strengthen their interaction with polymer chains by introducing additional functional groups through chemical modification. Through this, not only can the ion conductivity of IEM be improved, but also the permselectivity can be improved through the sieving effect through the layered structure. Meanwhile, metal-based nanomaterials can improve permselectivity through sieving properties using the difference in hydration radius between target ions and excluded ions within a membrane by using the property of having a layered or porous structure. In addition, depending on the characteristics of the binder used, ion conductivity can be improved through interaction between nanomaterials and binders. From this review, it can be seen that the properties of IEMs can be effectively controlled using carbon-based and metal-based nanomaterials and that research on this is important to greatly improve the performance of the electro-membrane process.

• Proceedings of the Membrane Society of Korea Conference
• /
• 2000.04b
• /
• pp.133-144
• /
• 2000

• Macromolecular Research
• /
• v.17 no.7
• /
• pp.533-537
• /
• 2009

This paper introduces a modified electro spinning system for biomedical wound-healing applications. The conventional electrospinning process requires a grounded electrode on which highly charged electro spun ultrafine fibers are deposited. Biomedical wound-healing membranes, however, require a very low charge and a low level of remnant solvent on the electrospun membrane, which the conventional process cannot provide. An electrohydrodynamic process complemented with field-controllable electrodes (an auxiliary electrode and guiding electrodes) and an air blowing system was used to produce a membrane, with a considerably reduced charge and low remnant solvent concentration compared to one fabricated using the conventional method. The membrane had a small average pore size (102 nm) and high porosity (85.1%) for prevention of bacterial contamination. In vivo tests on rats showed that these directly electro spun fibrous membranes produced using the modified electro spinning process supported the good healing of skin bums.

• Proceedings of the Membrane Society of Korea Conference
• /
• 2001.05a
• /
• pp.104-107
• /
• 2001