• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.152-158
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• 2015

This paper investigated the membrane fouling potential at the state of passive adsorption which is no permeation with the test modules on COD (Chemical oxygen demand) loading rates, examined the recovery rate and resistance on membrane fouling by three cleaning manners of hydrophobic membrane in a bioreactor. The results showed that high COD loading led to the increase of extra-cellular polymeric substances and filtration resistance. The permeability resistance from 1st day to 63rd day was getting increased, however, the value of permeability resistance after 63th day during the operation period was almost same level at three COD loading rates, it was due that the biomass adhesion on membrane surface at the state of passive adsorption reached to the critical state. Also, the final recovery rates after three cleaning manners were 78%, 72% and 69% at the COD loading concentrations of 250 mg/L, 500 mg/L and 750 mg/L respectively, and then recovery rate by physical cleaning at Run 2 and Run 3 was decreased after 40th day, it proved that biomass cake, which is not easily removed, was formed on the membrane surface because of high COD loading rate and EPS concentration.

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

• Membrane and Water Treatment
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.1-14
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• 2014

A pilot-scale hybrid membrane bioreactor (HMBR) for real municipal wastewater treatment was developed by adding biofilm carriers into a conventional membrane bioreactor, distribution and dynamic changes of the extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) and their roles in membrane fouling were investigated. The results showed that the concentrations of loosely bond EPS (LB-EPS) and tightly bond EPS (TB-EPS) in activated sludge, carrier biofilm and sludge cake layer have been increased significantly with the running time of HMBR, during operation of the HMBR, EPS demonstrated positive correlations with membrane fouling. Compared to TB-EPS, LB-EPS showed more significant correlations with sludge physical properties and specific resistance to filtration (SRF) in HMBR, and thus demonstrated that LP-EPS have a stronger potential of fouling than TB-EPS. It was also found that a lower organic loading in HMBR could result a significant increase in EPS concentration, which would in turn influence membrane fouling in HMBR. This critical investigation would contribute towards a better understanding of the behavior, composition and fouling potential of EPS in HMBR operation.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.13-21
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• 2011

This study investigated the fouling behavior of $Al_2O_3$ colloids on polyethylene microfiltration membrane. To examine the effect of operation variation on fouling, operating pressure was increased from 0.49 to 1.96 bar along with time elapses and then was reduced to 0.49 bar reversely. A hysteresis behavior was observed in the membrane permeate flux over pressure, revealing different fluxes at the same pressure according to the pressure control type, increasing and decreasing. Permeate resistance and its rate of increase was higher in the decreasing pressure cycle than in the increasing pressure cycle. At the initial period of filtration, fouling mechanism for the both cycles was governed by the cake filtration. The degree of fouling was higher in the decreasing pressure cycle compared with in the increasing pressure cycle.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.65-72
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• 2003

This study was focused on the investigation of filtration characteristics of membrane-coupled fermentor system for dissolved organics recovery from liquid organic sludge. On the filterability of MF over the range of $0.1{\sim}5 {\mu}m,$ the magnitude of total membrane resistance ($R_t$) is ranged as follows in the order; $0.1 {\mu}m>0.2{\mu}m>0.5 >1{\mu}m>2{\mu}m>5{\mu}m$. The cake layer resistance ($R_c$) occupied about 68~88% of total resistance with fermented sludge. Permeation flux decline was mainly attributed to the $R_c$, which was formed by a strong deposition from physico-chemical interactions of solids on membrane surface. Higher suspended solids (SS) concentration of suspension caused lower permeation flux. However, there was not a proportion relation beyond a certain SS concentration. The cross-flow velocity on the membrane surface was faster, which resulted in the higher permeation flux and also more efficient with low trans membrane pressure (TMP) in viewpoint of energy efficiency. The appropriate pH of suspension was over the range of 5.0~6.0 for dissolved organics recovery as well as the permeation flux. It is possible f3r bacteria to be separated perfectly with $0.1{\mu}m\; and \;0.2{\mu}m$ membrane pore size. Based on experimental results, most appropriate membrane pore size for the recovery is believed to around $1{\mu}m$.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.34 no.10
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• pp.651-655
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• 2012

This study aimed to investigate the effect of an inorganic conditioner composed of natural inorganic materials on the dewaterbility of sewage sludge and compare the performance with those of conventional organic polymeric conditioners. A dosage of 2.0 mg inorganic conditioner/g sludge TS decreased time to filter test (TTF), specific resistance to filtration (SRF), water content of dewatered sludge cake, turbidity from 146 to 41 sec, from $8.3{\times}10^{14}$ to $2.4{\times}10^{14}$ m/kg, from 82.1 to 77.1%, from 112 to 61.1 NTU, respectively, which was compatible to the conventional cation organic polymer. An inorganic conditioner would be used in sewage sludge treatment as a suitable alternative conditioner. Regression analysis showed a strong relationship among TTF, SRF, and water content.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.323-329
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• 2000

The coupling of an activated sludge reactor with a membrane unit, i.e., Membrane Coupled Activated Sludge (MCAS) system offers several advantages over conventional process. But the major hurdle in the extensive use of this process is the continuous reduction of permeation flux caused by membrane fouling. The aim of this study is to investigate membrane fouling characteristics in the MCAS process. During crossflow ultrafiltration(CFUF) of activated sludge, floc size decreased abruptly at the beginning of operation and thereafter decreased continuously and gradually. The floc size changed from 100~200 to $6{\sim}8{\mu}m$ depending on recirculation velocity. This floc breakage played a key role in rapid increase of $R_c$(cake layer resistance), which led to flux decline. The floc breakage stimulated biomass to release EPS(Extracellular Polymeric Substance) which has been known to be one of the major membrane foul-ants. The amounts of EPS before and after CFUF were 266 and 405(VS mg/MLSS g), respectively. The rise up of EPS concentration was another factor affecting flux decline in MCAS system.

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.131-140
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• 2008

The application of magnetic ion exchange resin($MIEX^{(R)}$) is effective for natural organic matter(NOM) removal and for control of the formation of disinfection byproducts(DBPs). NOM removal is also enhanced by adding $MIEX^{(R)}$ with coagulant such as polyaluminium chloride(PACl) in conventional drinking water treatment systems. In the application of $MIEX^{(R)}$, it is important to understand changes of NOM characteristics such as hydrophobicity and molecular weight distributions with $MIEX^{(R)}$ or $MIEX^{(R)}$+coagulant treatment.To observe characteristics of NOM by treatment with $MIEX^{(R)}$ or $MIEX^{(R)}$+coagulant, four major drinking water sources were employed. Results showed that the addition of $MIEX^{(R)}$ to coagulation significantly reduced the amount of coagulant required for the optimum removal of dissolved organic matter(DOC) and turbidity in the all four waters. The DOC removal was also increased approximately 20%, compared to coagulant treatment alone. The process with $MIEX^{(R)}$ and coagulant showed that complementary removal of hydrophobic and hydrophilic fraction of DOC. The combined processes preferentially removed the fractions of intermediate (3,000-10,000 Da) and low (< 500 Da) molecular weight. The microfiltration test showed that membrane cake resistance was decreased for waters with flocs from $MIEX^{(R)}$+coagulant. A porous layer was formed to $MIEX^{(R)}$ on the membrane surface and the layer consequently inhibited settling of coagulant flocs, which could act on a foulant.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.30 no.8
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• pp.775-780
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• 2008

Sludge conditioning is widely used to improve aggregation and dewaterability of waste sludge in sludge treatment processes. The study aims to examine quantitative correlations between coagulant dosage and sludge cake dewaterability using three kinds of coagulants, such as an aluminum sulfate, a ferric chloride, and a poly aluminum chloride(PAC). When an aluminum sulfate, a ferric chloride, and a PAC were injected with 0.79$\sim$1.19 mmol/g, 0.61$\sim$1.25 mmol/g TSS, and 0.21$\sim$0.39 mmol/g TSS, respectively, specific resistances to filtration of the sludge were decreased at 95.0% or more. This study shows that the correlation between coagulant dosage per g sludge(D) and normalized specific resistance to filtration(R) could be expressed by the exponential functions.

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.479-488
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• 2011

Nanofiltration was performed with polyaluminium chloride solutions at different pH conditions to understand effects of inorganic compounds on aluminum hydrolysis products, i.e., three distinctive groups of aluminum species: polymeric Al at low pH; $Al(OH)_3$ at neutral pH; and ${Al(OH)_4}^-$ at high pH. The PACl solution was prepared to be approximately 4.0mM and adjusted to the designated pH. The influence of inorganic compounds on Al species fouling was investigated with 4.9mM $CaCl_2$ and 3.5mM $MgSO_4$ because $Ca^{2+}$, $Mg^{2+}$, $Cl^-$, ${SO_4}^{2-}$ are the most common inorganics in the drinking water. NF membrane fouling was measured by flux decline rate. The impact of $CaCl_2$ was not significant on the individual Al hydrolysis products fouling. However, the flux decline rate was drastically changed in the presence of $MgSO_4$. The concentration of particulate matters was considerably increased possibly due to interaction between Al species and ${SO_4}^{2-}$ where $MgSO_4$ was introduced. The particulates were accumulated on the membrane and enhanced the hydraulic resistance of the cake layer. In addition, conductivity removal of the membrane was decreased when Al-hydroxide was dominant due to reduction of membrane surface charge. The rejection of $Ca^{2+}$and $Mg^{2+}$ were considerably different, which implys that composition of inorganics paly a role on conductivity removal.