• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.51 no.2
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• pp.240-244
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• 2013

Although forward osmosis desalination technology has drawn substantial attention as a next-generation desalination method, the energy efficiency of its draw solution treatment process should be improved for its commercialization. When ammonium bicarbonate is used as the draw solute, the system consists of forward-osmosis membrane modules, draw solution separation and recovery processes. Mixed gases of ammonia and carbon dioxide generated during the draws solution separation, need to be recovered to re-concentrate ammonium bicarbonate solution, for continuous operation as well as for the economic feasibility. The diluted ammonium bicarbonate solution has been proposed as the absorbent for the draw solution regeneration. In this study, experiments are conducted to investigate performance and features of the absorption corresponding to absorbent concentration. It is concluded that ammonium bicarbonate solution can be used to recover the generated ammonia and carbon dioxide. The results will be applied to design and operation of pilot-scale forward-osmosis desalination system.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.108-115
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• 2016

This study is to evaluate the performance of draw solutions in the water reuse of sewage discharge water using fertilizer drawn forward osmosis. Feed water used in all experiments was the effluent from secondary sedimentation tank in activated sludge process. Considering osmotic pressure, solubility, and pH, $NH_4H_2PO_4$, KCl, $KNO_3$, $NH_4Cl$, $(NH_4)_2HPO_4$, $NH_4NO_3$, $NH_4HCO_3$, and $KHCO_3$ were screened from a comprehensive lists of fertilizer. Their performances were evaluated in terms of water permeate flux and reverse solute flux. KCl showed the highest average water flux followed by $NH_4Cl$, $NH_4NO_3$, $KNO_3$, $KHCO_3$, $NH_4HCO_3$, $NH_4H_2PO_4$, and $(NH_4)_2HPO_4$. Using KCl as draw solution, the average water permeate flux was 13.49 LMH. There was no big difference in osmotic pressure between the effluent from secondary sedimentation tank and deionized water. $NH_4H_2PO_4$ showed the lowest reverse solute flux followed by $NH_4Cl$, $(NH_4)_2HPO_4$, $KNO_3$, $NH_4HCO_3$, and $NH_4NO_3$. Using $NH_4H_2PO_4$ as draw solution, the reverse solute flux was $4.96{\times}10^{-3}mmol/m^2{\cdot}sec$.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.90-96
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• 2020

This paper aims to reuse sewage by a forward osmosis using a blended fertilizer as a draw solution. This work deals with the primary sedimentation basin influent, effluent, and secondary sedimentation basin effluent from J sewage treatment plant. The average permeate water flux was higher in the order of the blend of KCl and NH₄Cl > KCl and NH₄H₂PO₄ > KCl and (NH₄)₂HPO₄, and the reverse solute flux was lower in the order of the blend of KCl and NH₄H₂PO₄ < KCl and NH₄Cl < KCl and (NH₄)₂HPO₄. Regardless of the blended fertilizer, the permeate water flux of the effluent from the secondary sedimentation basin was the highest. The blended fertilizer of KCl and NH₄H₂PO₄ was found to be most useful for the reuse of sewage because it contains nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, which are the major components of a fertilizer, and has a low reverse solute flux. When the blend of KCl and NH₄H₂PO₄ was used as a draw solution, the average permeate water and reverse solute flux for the secondary sedimentation basin effluent were 12.14 L/㎡hr and 0.012 mol/㎡s, respectively.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.122-131
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• 2019

In order to reuse and concentrate the sewage, a forward osmosis using fertilizer as draw solution was applied. Sewage-1, which is the supernatant after settling for 30 minutes for the primary settling basin influent, and Sewage-2, which is the supernatant after settling for 30 minutes for the effluent, and Sewage-3, which is the filtrate filtered through a $1{\mu}m$ cartridge filter for the effluent were tested. Eight draw solutions of $NH_4H_2PO_4$, KCl, $KNO_3$, $NH_4Cl$, $(NH_4)_2HPO_4$, $NH_4NO_3$, $NH_4HCO_3$, and $KHCO_3$ were used in consideration of osmotic pressure, solubility and pH. In the case of Sewage-3, the permeate flux was almost similar to that of the discharge water of the sewage treatment plant, and was larger than that of Sewage-1 and Sewage-2. $NH_4H_2PO_4$ was the smallest, and $NH_4NO_3$ was the largest in the specific reverse solute flux. $NH_4H_2PO_4$ was found to be most useful for the reuse and concentration of sewage because it contains nitrogen and phosphorus, which are the major components of fertilizer, as well as low specific reverse solute flux. When $NH_4H_2PO_4$ was used as the draw solution, the concentration factor after 24 hours for Sewage-3 was 1.72.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.292-299
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• 2012

The objective of this study is to develop a novel method for evaluating forward osmosis (FO) membrane performances using a non-pressurized FO system. Basic membrane performance parameters including water (A) and solute (B) permeability coefficients and unique parameter for FO membrane such as the support layer structural parameter (S) were determined in two FO modes (i.e., active layer faces feed solution (AL-FS) and active layer faces draw solution (AL-DS)). Futhermore, these parameters were compared with those determined in a pressurized reverse osmosis (RO) system. Theoretical water flux was calculated by employing these parameters to a model that accounts for the effects of both internal and external concentration polarization. Water flux from FO experiment was compared to theoretical water fluxes for assessing the reliability of those parameters determined in three different operation modes (i.e., AL-FS FO, AL-DS FO, and RO modes). It is demonstrated that FO membrane performance parameters can be accurately measured in non-pressurized FO mode. Specifically, membrane performance parameters determined in AL-DS FO mode most accurately predict FO water flux. This implies that the evaluation of FO membrane performances should be performed in non-pressurized FO mode, which can prevent membrane compaction and/or defect and more precisely reflect FO operation conditions.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.132-143
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• 2015

Water is an essential resource for humans, but fresh water becomes scarce due to population growth and contamination of limited resources. Membrane technology has been widely used for water treatment, and forward osmosis is a process which does not need high hydraulic pressure for the operation. However, there are needs for (1) development of novel draw solutes causing low internal concentration polarization and reverse salt flux for high water flux, and (2) development of economic recovery method of the draw solutes in the diluted draw solution. Previous researches on the draw solute include $NaHCO_3$ which can be regenerated by about $60^{\circ}C$ heating, sucrose which can make potable water without additional process, and magnetic nanoparticles which can be regenerated by external magnetic field. Using the principles of forward osmosis process, sea water desalination, wastewater treatment, refinement of proteins, energy generation using pressure retarded osmosis process, preparation of diluted fertilizer, and growing algae for biofuel can be conducted. This paper summarizes characteristics of ideal draw solutes, recovery method of the draw solutes, and various application examples.

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.357-361
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• 2018

Forward osmosis (FO) process has been attracting attention for its potential applications such as industrial wastewater treatment, wastewater reclamation and seawater desalination. Particularly, in terms of fouling reversibility and operating energy consumption, the FO process is assumed to be preferable to the reverse osmosis (RO) process. Despite these advantages, there is a difficulty in the empirical step due to the lack of separation and recovery techniques of the draw solution. Therefore, rather than using FO alone, recent developments of the FO process have adapted a hybrid system without draw solution separation/recovery systems, such as the FO-RO osmotic dilution system. In this study, we investigated the performance of the hollow fiber FO module according to various operating conditions. The change of permeate flow rate according to the flow rates of the draw and feed solutions in the process operation is a factor that increases the permeate flow rate, one of the performance factors in the positive osmosis process. Our results reveal that flow rates of draw and feed solutions affect the membrane performance, such as the water flux and the reverse solute flux. Moreover, use of hydraulic pressure on the feed side was shown to yield slightly higher flux than the case without applied pressure. Thus, optimizing the operating conditions is important in the hollow fiber FO system.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.535-543
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• 2002

Although the generic implementation of aqueous two-phase systems (ATPS) processes for the recovery of biological products has been exploited for several years, this has not resulted in a wide adoption of the technique. The main reasons involve the poor understanding of the mechanism governing phase formation and the behavior of solute partitioning in ATPS processes, the cost of phase forming polymers, and the necessary extended time to optimize the technique. In this review paper, some of the practical disadvantages attributed to ATPS are addressed. The practical approach exploited to design ATPS processes, the application to achieve process integration, the extended use for the recovery of high-value products, and the recent development of new low-cost ATPS, are discussed. It is proposed that the trend of the practical application of ATPS processes for the recovery of biological products will involve the purification of new high-value bioparticulate products with medical applications. Such a trend will give new impetus to the technique, and will draw attention from industries needing to develop new, and improve existing, commercial processes.