• Membrane and Water Treatment
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.193-207
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• 2016

Boron is one of the most problematic inorganic pollutants and is difficult to remove in water. Strict standards have been imposed for boron content in water because of their high toxicity at high concentrations. Technologies using membrane processes such as reverse osmosis (RO) and nanofiltration (NF) have increasingly been employed in many industrial sectors. In this work, removal of boron from model water solutions was investigated using polyamide reverse osmosis and nanofiltration membranes. RO-AG, RO-SG, NF-90 and NF-HL membranes were used to reduce the boron from model water at different operational conditions. To understand the boron separation properties a characterization of the four membranes was performed by determining the pure water permeability, surface charge and molecular weight cut-off. Thereafter, the effect of feed pressure, concentration, ionic strength, nature of ions in solution and pH on the rejection of boron were studied. The rejection of boron can reach up to 90% for the three membranes AG, SG and NF-90 at pH = 11. The Spiegler-Kedem model was applied to experimental results to determine the reflection coefficient of the membrane ${\sigma}$ and the solute permeability $P_s$.

• Proceedings of the Korean Radioactive Waste Society Conference
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• 2005.06a
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• pp.137-144
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• 2005

Silica in primary system combines with an alkali grammatical particle metal and forms the zeolite layer which is hindering the heat transfer on the surface of the cladding. Zeolite layer becomes the cause of the damage in this way. The problems of the NPP's primary system have been issued steadily by EPRI. Through a series of experiments of the laboratory scale, we confirmed the applicability of NF membrane for silica removal, as silica rejection rate of NF membrane is about $60\;{\sim}\;70\%$ and boron rejection rate is about $10\;{\sim}\;20\%$. We accomplished a site experiment about four NF membranes manufactured by FilmTec and Osmonics Inc. In experiment using 400L of SFP water, when operation pressure is $10kg_{f}/cm^2$, we confirmed that the silica rejection rate of NF90-2540 manufactured by FilmTec Inc. is about $98\%$, boron rejection rate is about $43\%$. The silica rejection rate of NF270-2540 is about $38\%$, boron rejection rate is about $3.5\%$. Afterward, through additional experiments, such as long term characteristic experiments, we are going to design a optimum NF membrane system for silica removal.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.96-104
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• 2018

With the rapid increase in seawater desalination, the importance of boron rejection is rising. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of hydrophilic compounds on surface modification to maximize water flux and increase boron rejection. First, polyamide active layer was fabricated by interfacial polymerization of polysulfone ultrafiltration membrane with M-phenylenediamine (MPD) and trimesoyl chloride (TMC) to obtain Control polyamide membrane. Next, D-gluconic acid (DGCA) and D-gluconic acid sodium salt (DGCA-Na) were synthesized with glutaraldehyde (GA) and hydrochloric acid (HCl) by modifying the surface of Control polyamide membrane. XPS analysis was carried out for the surface analysis of the synthesized membrane, and it was confirmed that the reaction of surface with DGCA and DGCA-Na compounds was performed. Also, FE-SEM and AFM analysis were performed for morphology measurement, and polyamide active layer formation and surface roughness were confirmed. In the case of water flux, the membrane fabricated by the surface modification had a value of 10 GFD or less. However, the boron rejection of the membranes synthesized with DGCA and DGCA-Na compounds were 94.38% and 94.64%, respectively, which were 12.03 %p and 12.29 %p larger than the Control polyamide membrane, respectively.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.657-662
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• 2012

This study was carried out to evaluate the removal rate of organic and inorganic matters from landfill leachate using pre-treatment process as coagulation and limonite adsorption, and membrane process as RO (reverse osmosis) and NF(nanofiltration). By adding limonite adsorption as pre-treatment process, about 40% of organic matters in leachate was removed through pre-treatment process and 74.7% of boron was removed after RO process without pH adjustment. The rejection rate of boron in RO process mainly depends on the pH and increased at pH value of 10. RO process was performed as two stage system adjusting pH condtion to 7 and 10 in second RO stage for boron removal. Most (>90%) of TOC, Cl- and inorganic matters as Ca was rejected in first RO stage, the residue was rejected in second RO and the rejection rate was above 97%. Considering economic efficiency of operation cost, NF substituted for the first RO and total removal rate of TOC was above 90%. Through RO system toxicity to Daphnia in leachate was removed completely.

• Membrane and Water Treatment
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.141-160
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• 2015

This study aims to investigate the impacts of chemical cleaning on the performance of a reverse osmosis membrane. Chemicals used for simulating membrane cleaning include a surfactant (sodium dodecyl sulfate, SDS), a chelating agent (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, EDTA), and two proprietary cleaning formulations namely MC3 and MC11. The impact of sequential exposure to multiple membrane cleaning solutions was also examined. Water permeability and the rejection of boron and sodium were investigated under various water fluxes, temperatures and feedwater pH. Changes in the membrane performance were systematically explained based on the changes in the charge density, hydrophobicity and chemical structure of the membrane surface. The experimental results show that membrane cleaning can significantly alter the hydrophobicity and water permeability of the membrane; however, its impacts on the rejections of boron and sodium are marginal. Although the presence of surfactant or chelating agent may cause decreases in the rejection, solution pH is the key factor responsible for the loss of membrane separation and changes in the surface properties. The impact of solution pH on the water permeability can be reversed by applying a subsequent cleaning with the opposite pH condition. Nevertheless, the impacts of solution pH on boron and sodium rejections are irreversible in most cases.

• 한국방재학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2010.02a
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• pp.101.2-101.2
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• 2010

현재 forward osmosis(FO)에 대한 관심이 증가하고 있다. 하지만 FO에 대한 안정성 평가는 전무한 실정이다. 본 연구는 많은 연구로 안정성을 인정받고 있는 RO와 직접 비교를 통하여 FO의 붕소에 대한 안정성을 평가하였다.

• Membrane and Water Treatment
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.221-231
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• 2018

A new procedure to produce poly(vinylidene fluoride)/boron nitride hybrid membrane is presented for application in membrane distillation (MD) process. The influence of hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) incorporation on the performance of the polymeric membranes is studied through the present investigation. For this aim, h-BN nanopowders were successfully synthesized using the simple chemical vapor deposition (CVD) route and subsequent solvent treatments. The resulting h-BN nanosheets were blended with poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) solution. Then, the prepared composite solution was subjected to phase inversion process to obtain PVDF/h-BN hybrid membranes. Various examinations such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM), wettability, permeation flux, mechanical strength and liquid entry pressure (LEP) measurements are performed to evaluate the prepared membrane. Moreover, Air gap membrane distillation (AGMD) experiments were carried out to investigate the salt rejection performance and the durability of membranes. The results show that our hybrid PVDF/h-BN membrane presents higher water permeation flux (${\sim}18kg/m^2h$) compared to pristine PVDF membrane. In addition, the experimental data confirms that the prepared nanocomposite membrane is hydrophobic (water contact angle: ${\sim}103^{\circ}$), has a porous skin layer (>85%), as well competitive fouling resistance and operational durability. Furthermore, the total salt rejection efficiency was obtained for PVDF/h-BN membrane. The results prove that the novel PVDF/h-BN membrane can be easily synthesized and applied in MD process for salt rejection purposes.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Marine Environment & Energy
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.60-66
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• 2005

When external pressure higher than osmosis pressure is reversely derived into solution, its solvent is moved into the solution having lower concentration, which is called 'reverse osmosis'. We investigated the desalination application of deep ocean water using reverse osmosis pressure of $40-70\;kgf/cm^2$ We observed how to operational factor j like flow rate, water temperature and pressure have effect on efficiency of reverse osmosis membrane and salts rejection. Fluxes of reverse osmosis membrane are directly proportional to water temperature and pressure. However, salts rejection rates are positively correlated with pressure and inversely proportional to water temperature. Separation efficiencies of osmosis membrane for major elements such as $Mg^{2+},\;Ca^{+2},\;Na^+\;and\;K^+$ are as follows in a strong electrolysis solution like seawater; $Ca^{2+},\;Mg^{2+}>K^+>Na^+$. Rejection rates of $Mg^{2+}\;and\;Ca^{2+}$ that have high electric charges are over 99% and show positively correlation with water temperature. Rejection rates of $Na^+$ having low electric charge is observed to be 98%-99%, which rates is much lower than those of $2^+$ charged ions like $Ca^{2+}\;and\;Mg^{2+}$. Ion rejection rates of boron, B, are much low because boron is present il free state or gas phase in seawater. Boron concentration in desalination water is over criteria of Korean drinking water, 0.3 mg/L. However, we could satisfied with the criteria of drinking water under the operation condition like temperature $5^{\circ}C$ and pressure $70kgf/cm^2$, using the relationship that rejection rates of boron is proportional to pressure and is inversely proportional to water temperature

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.34-41
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• 2016

Using UF-SWRO hybrid process, pre-blending tests of seawater and brackish water were performed to investigate the effects on removal of boron and humic acid (HA). Feedwater pre-blending was set based on TDS concentration from 15,000 mg/L to 27,000 mg/L and analyzed for boron removal characteristics. Also organics rejection at same TDS concentration range was investigated by injecting HA. Boron concentration appeared to be high as TDS concentration was high ranging from 76.60% to 83.27%, but boron concentration in final produced water was increased up to 0.69 mg/L from 0.48 mg/L. In cases of HA tests at 10 mg/L, 22,500 mg/L TDS appeared to be higher removal rate of 17.59% than a very poor result of 8.43% in 27,000 mg/L. But high HA removal rate of 57.14% was obtained in produced water with 22,500 mg/L TDS containing 10 mg/L of HA and 27,000 mg/L TDS yielded lower boron removal rate of 54.49%. Meanwhile it was found that a relatively high flux and recovery rate were obtained following process when feedwater was injected with HA. It is considered that most of fouling substances were eliminated by binding between HA and $Ca^{2+}$. Thus, when desalination using UF-SWRO with respect to boron and HA, TDS concentration is determined to be advantageous as lower.

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.771-778
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• 2013

Gas hydrate (GH) process is a new desalination technology, where GH is a non- stoichiometric crystalline inclusion compounds formed by water and a number of gas molecules. Seawater GH is produced in a low temperature and a high pressure condition and they are separated from the concentrated seawater. The drawback of the GH process so far is that salt contents contained in its product does not meet the fresh water quality standard. This means that the GH process is not a standalone process for seawater desalination and it needs the help of other desalting process like reverse osmosis (RO). The objective of this study is to investigate the effect of GH process on energy saving for RO process in seawater desalination. The GH product water quality data, which were obtained from a literature, were used as input data for RO process simulation. The simulation results show that the energy saving effect by the GH process is in a range of 68 % to 81 %, which increases as the salt removal efficiency of the GH process increases. Boron (B) and total dissolved solids (TDS) concentrations of the final product of the hybrid process of GH and RO were also investigated through the RO process simulation to find relavant salt rejection efficiency of the GH process. In conclusion, the salt rejection efficiency of the GH process should exceed at least 78% in order to meet the product water quality standards and to increase the energy saving effect.