• Membrane and Water Treatment
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.137-147
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• 2017

A water treatment utility in South Korea operates a large system of pressurized hollow fiber membrane (PHFM) modules. The optimal selection of membrane module for the full scale plant was critical issue and carried out using Risk-based Life Cycle Cost (RbLCC) analysis based on the historical data of operation and maintenance. The RbLCC analysis was used in the process of decision-making for replacing aged modules. The initial purchasing cost and the value at risk during operation were considered together. The failure of modules occurs stochastically depending on the physical deterioration with usage over time. The life span of module was used as a factor for the failure of Poisson's probability model, which was used to obtain the probability of failure during the operation. The RbLCC was calculated by combining the initial cost and the value at risk without its warranty term. Additionally, the properties of membrane were considered to select the optimum product. Results showed that the module's life span in the system was ten years (120 month) with safety factor. The optimum product was selected from six candidates membrane for a full scale water treatment facility. This method could be used to make the optimum and rational decision for the operation of membrane water purification facility.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.367-373
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• 2017

Pressurized membrane module systems, including hollow fiber type of Microfiltration (MF) and Ultrafiltration (UF) membranes are being increasingly used in drinking water treatment due to their high removal efficiency of pathogen. However, when fibers are damaged in pressurized membrane system, the pathogen will be able to penetrate the membrane. Therefore, it is essential to guarantee the regulatory requirements for water quality by an effective on-line or off-line condition integrity monitoring methods. Recently, pressure decay test (PDT) which is one of membrane integrity tests has been reflected to drinking water treatment plants using pressurized membrane module. In this paper, three different method were used to perform PDT and three different sensitivity values were analyzed through experiments. Three types of direct integrity test methods were applied to pressure feed side, filtrate side and bidirectional pressure decay test. The results of these experiments show that the sensitivity was increasing when the volume of pressurized gas was decreasing. The sensitivity is inversely proportional to the gas volume. Furthermore, it is desirable to increase pressure difference between feed side and permeate side in order to achieve higher sensitivity in the PDT by membrane damage.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.194-200
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• 2014

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the performance of newly developed Large Pore Micro-Filtration (LPMF) membrane in Lab size for the application of water treatment, and to find its problems with solutions. The out-to-inside filtration hollow fiber LPMF membrane of which average pore size was $5{\mu}m$ was used at this study and its material was the PET braid reinforced PVDF. Filtration tests were done through gravity with 30 cm water head difference or pressure below 1.5 bar, and the backwash was done instantaneously with the filtrate after pressurizing it to about 4 bar. The water flux of the LPMF membrane with 0.2 bar TMP (Trans Membrane Pressure) was 2 times higher than $0.4{\mu}m$ MF membrane with $0.05{\mu}m$ UF filtrate of the tap water and it was measured also with 20~30 cm water head difference which showed over 800 LMH at 30 cm water head difference. And Time-To-Filter (TTF) was performed by using $5{\mu}m$ filter paper to optimize coagulants and dosage which enhanced filtrate's turbidity and stabilized filtration flux. When the LPMF was operated with 30 cm gravity with very high dose of inorganic coagulants, the flux was maintained over 80 LMH with 93.5~99.5% turbidity removal. Especially, the filtration was maintained stably in the flux and about 97% of the recovery rate by instantaneous pressurized backwash with about 4 bar of the filtrate when the packing density was about 19%. But there was instability in filtration, since the TMP was continuously going up by inefficient backwash when the packing density was 43%.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.35 no.9
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• pp.624-629
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• 2013

The relation between performance maintenance conditions and those cost efficiency was studied to choose an optimum operating condition in the seawater desalination pretreatment system. A hollow fiber microfiltration module, which was developed with domestic technology, was tested with the various operating conditions such as chemically enhanced backwash cycles and design dosages of a cleaning chemical. Transmembrane pressure was measured to investigate membrane fouling status and cleaning degree. In addition, economic analysis was performed to compare water production costs by the operation condition. As a result, The operation mode III, chemically enhanced backwash at once a day with 100 mg/L of sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) was selected. The concurrent evaluation between membrane filtration performance and its economic analysis will be suitable to choose an efficient optimum condition.