• Membrane and Water Treatment
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• v.8 no.6
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• pp.553-562
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• 2017

In the present study, the water desalination across the penta-graphene has been explored by using molecular dynamics simulation. The penta-graphene, a new carbon allotrope, introduced theoretically in 2015. It was shown that this carbon nanostructure is slightly stiffer against buckling in comparison with the graphene nanoribbons. The effect of radius of curvature (ROC) of the membrane, pore size, and applied pressure, on water flow rate, and salt rejection is investigated. It is shown that salt rejection, and the shape of the oxygen density distribution inside the pore can be influenced by the ROC of membrane. Finally, it is shown that the ROC, and pore size of 2D membranes, play an important role in the salt rejection.

• Membrane and Water Treatment
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.49-57
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• 2020

The effect of Combined Sewer Overflow on the river system was investigated throughout three preliminary field tests and three main ones. As a result of the study, Combined Sewer Overflow did not affect water qualities on the main stream since the concentration of the main stream did not significantly changed during rainfall events although the water quality of tributaries has rapidly deteriorated due to the influence of the Combined Sewer Overflow during rainfall events. The main cause of the result is that the flow rate of the tributaries is considerably lower than that of the main stream, so that the tributaries with deteriorated water quality during rainfall events did not significantly affect the quality of the actual main stream. Therefore, the water quality of the Kumho River is more affected by the wastewater treatment facilities that discharges water continuously to the main stream than pollutants from non-point pollution sources during rainfall events. As a result, managements for discharges from wastewater treatment facilities should be strengthened in order to improve the water quality of the river.

• Membrane and Water Treatment
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.31-39
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• 2020

Anaerobic membrane bioreactor (AnMBR) treatment has been widely studied in recent years because of the potential for production of bio-energy from wastewater and energy-positive operation of wastewater treatment plants. Several AnMBR systems, including those that incorporate ceramic membranes, take advantage of enhanced water permeability and low membrane fouling potentials. Given that differences in the ceramic membranes may influence the results of AnMBR studies, relevant details are discussed in this review, which focuses on the profiles of common ceramic membranes used in AnMBR, treatment and filtration performances of different anaerobic ceramic membrane bioreactors (AnCMBRs), and the membrane fouling mitigation methods available for effective AnCMBRs operation. The aim of this review is to provide a comprehensive summary of AnCMBR performance, feed wastewater characteristics, operating conditions, and the methods available for effective fouling mitigation.

• Membrane and Water Treatment
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.121-136
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• 2011

A bench-scale test has recently been proposed as a predictive tool to minimize the scope of pilot-scale testing or to optimize the operation of full-scale membrane filtration systems. Consequently, a bench-scale testing unit was developed for this purpose and systematically evaluated in this study. This unit was capable of accommodating commercially available, low pressure, hollow fiber (LPHF) membranes with various configurations for testing under conditions comparable to real-world applications. Reproducibility of this unit in assessing membrane fouling and microbial removal efficiency of LPHF membranes was tested and statistically comparable results were obtained. This unit serves as a useful apparatus for academic researchers and utilities to evaluate the performance of LPHF membranes used for water treatment.

• Membrane and Water Treatment
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• v.3 no.4
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• pp.231-242
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• 2012

The performance of a nanofiltration membrane for treatment of a low-level radioactive liquid waste was investigated through static and dynamic tests. The liquid waste ("carbonated water") was obtained during conversion of $UF_6$ to $UO_2$. In the static tests membrane samples were immersed in the waste for 24, 48 or 72 h. The transport properties of the samples (hydraulic permeability, permeate flow, selectivity) were evaluated before and after immersion in the waste. In the dynamic tests the waste was permeated in a permeation flow front system under 0.5 MPa, to determine the selectivity of NF membranes to uranium. The surface layer of the membrane was characterized by zeta potential, field emission microscopy, atomic force spectroscopy and infrared spectroscopy. The static test showed that the pore size distribution of the selective layer was altered, but the membrane surface charge was not significantly changed. 99% of uranium was rejected after the dynamic tests.

• Membrane and Water Treatment
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• v.3 no.4
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• pp.211-219
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• 2012

To enhance the efficiency of water treatment and reduce the extent of membrane fouling, the membrane separation process is frequently preceded by other physico-chemical processes. One of them might be ion exchange. The aim of this work was to compare the efficiency of natural organic matter removal achieved with various anion-exchange resins, and to verify their potential use in water treatment prior to the ultrafiltration process involving a ceramic membrane. The use of ion exchange prior to ceramic membrane ultrafiltration enhanced final water quality. The most effective was MIEX, which removed significant amounts of the VHA, SHA and CHA fractions. Separation of uncharged fractions was poor with all the resins examined. Water pretreatment involving an ion-exchange resin failed to reduce membrane fouling, which was higher than that observed in unpretreated water. This finding is to be attributed to the uncharged NOM fractions and small resin particles that persisted in the water.

• Membrane and Water Treatment
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.75-89
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• 2011

The predicting equations for mass transfer rate in cross-flow rectangular dialyzers with double flow and recycle, have been derived by mass balances. The recycling operation has two conflicting effects. One is the desirable effect of the increase in fluid velocity, resulting in an increased mass transfer coefficient. The other is the undesirable effect of the reduction in concentration difference due to remixing, resulting in decreased mass-transfer driving force. In contrast a single-pass device without recycling, considerable improvement in mass transfer is achieved if the cross-flow rectangular dialyzer of same size is operated with double pass and external recycling. It is concluded that recycle can enhance mass transfer, especially for larger reflux ratio.

• Membrane and Water Treatment
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.51-62
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• 2012

The permeate flux declination along an ultrafilter membrane is due mainly to the concentration-polarization resistance increment and the decline in transmembrane pressure. It was found in previous works that the concentration polarization resistance could be reduced in a ring-rod tubular membrane ultrafilter using the turbulent behavior. In the present study, the performance was further improved by properly and gradually decreasing the baffled-ring distance along the cross-flow channel coupled with properly adjusting the number of baffled rings. This theoretical analysis is based on the mass and momentum balances as well as the application of the resistance-in-series model. The correlation predictions are confirmed with the experimental results for dextran T500 aqueous solution ultrafiltration.

• Membrane and Water Treatment
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.233-243
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• 2018

In this manuscript, $35m^3/d$ NF unit was designed and applied for surface water treatment of the River Nile water. Intake of Embaba drinking water treatment plant was selected to install that unit at since; it has the lowest water quality index value through the examined 6 sites in greater Cairo area. The optimized operating conditions were feed and permeate flow, 40 and $7m^3/d$, feed pressure 2.68 bar and flux rate $37.7l/m^2h$. The permeate water was drinkable according to Egyptian Ministerial decree 458/2007 for the tested parameters (physic-chemical, heavy metals, organic, algal, bacteriological and parasitological). Single and double sand filters were used as pretreatment for NF membranes but continuous clogging for sand filters moved us to use UF membrane as pretreatment for NF membrane.

• Membrane and Water Treatment
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• v.11 no.5
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• pp.345-351
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• 2020

Eutrophication of surface waters is commonly caused by excessive inputs of nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus. Nakdong River basin was chosen as the study area to investigate the effect of point and non-point source pollution of nitrogen on eutrophication in water body. Non-point source inputs of nitrogen accounted for approximately 84% in the total nitrogen input of the upper Nakdong river watershed, which mainly consists of agricultural land and forests. However, point source inputs of nitrogen accounted for 58~85% in the total nitrogen input of the middle and lower watersheds, including urban area. Therefore, for watershed near urban area, control of point source inputs of nitrogen may be an optimal method to control eutrophication. In this respect, the enforcing reduction of nitrogen in the final effluent of wastewater treatment facilities is needed. On the other hand, to enact more stringent nitrogen regulations, the LOT (limit of technology) and environmental impact should be considered. In this study nitrogen data were analyzed to propose new nitrogen regulations.