• 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.

• Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.126-133
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• 2009

This study investigated the removal characteristics of various micro organic compounds by low-pressure nanofiltration membranes comprised of disinfection by products and pharmaceutically active compounds. The experimental removal of micro organic compounds by low-pressure nanofiltration membranes was compared with the transport model calculations, which consist of diffusion and convection terms including steric hindrance factor. The selected molecule from the disinfection byproducts and pharmaceutical active compounds showed a much lower removal than polysac-charides with a similar molecular size. However,the difference between model calculation and experimental removal of disinfection by-products and pharmaceutically active compounds could be corrected. The correlation of Ks with solute radius was further considered to clarity transport phenomena of micro organic solutes through nanofiltration membranes.

• Membrane and Water Treatment
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• v.6 no.6
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• pp.477-488
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• 2015

This study demonstrates that low pressure membranes are the ideal choice for industrial and/or municipal wastewater treatment by showing some promising experimental results, understanding different membrane filtration models, studying the potential of membrane bioreactors (MBRs), considering ceramic membranes fabrication and illustrating the role of nanotechnology in membranes. Cost study calculations are included to determine the treatment cost as well as the initial cost of various membrane types. Results showed that integrated membranes are preferred over MBR in case of average capacities. However, higher capacity situations are the most economical choice for MBR. It is shown that the least treatment cost in MBR was about $0.13/m^3$. However, the $0.13/m^3$ is the theoretical cost which is very small compared to the actual average MBR treatment cost of $0.5/m^3$.

• Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.109-120
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• 2016

Conventional treatment techniques cannot meet the stringent modern water quality regulations emanating from the need to provide high quality drinking water. Therefore, a number of studies have suggested low pressure membrane filtration as a worthwhile alternative. However, a major constraint to the extensive use of this technology in low and middle income countries is the high operating and maintenance costs caused by the inherent predisposition to membrane fouling. Notwithstanding, pretreatment of feed water using techniques such as coagulation, adsorption, oxidation and bio-filtration is believed to control fouling. In this review paper, the existing scientific knowledge on membrane fouling and pretreatment techniques for controlling fouling in low pressure membranes is analyzed with the aim of providing new and valuable insights into such techniques, as well as unveiling crucial issues noteworthy for further studies. Among the techniques reviewed, coagulation was observed to be the most cost-effective and will remain the most dominant in the coming years. Although oxidants and magnetic ion exchange resins can also control fouling, the propensity of oxidants to form health treating precursors and the high economic implications of magnetic ion exchange resins will hinder their adoption in developing countries.

• Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.29-34
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• 2011

The electric charge on a membrane was investigated by analyzing the experimental rejection of various monovalent and divalent ionic solutes. The characteristics of the separation of ionic solutes using various nanofiltration membranes were obtained from an experimental nanofiltration set-up, with a surface area of $40cm^2$ under the operational pressures between 0.25-0.3 MPa. The state of the membrane electric charge was observed using separation coefficients, i.e., the permeation ratio of monovalent to divalent ions. To confirm the state of the membrane charge observed via the separation coefficient, a calculation using the extended Nernst-Planck equation, coupled with the Donnan equilibrium, assuming different electric charge states of the membrane, was compared with the experimental rejection of ionic solutes. The examination of the characteristics of separation using three types of nanofiltration membranes showed that one of the membranes carried a negative/positive double charge density inside, while other two membranes carried either a positive or negative charge density.

• Korean Membrane Journal
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.13-19
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• 2008

Water softening is a very promising field for membranes and especially ultra low pressure membranes. Nanofiltration membranes based on pore-filling technology was prepared by using a new technique: the in-situ cross-linking. This route involves introducing a pre-formed polymer into the pores of a host membrane and then locking the polymer in the pores by in-situ cross-linking with an appropriate reagent. By this way, it is possible to make robust and competitive, pore-filled, anion-exchange membranes with excellent control over the properties of the incorporated gel without affecting the host membrane. In this paper, the possibilities of tuning such membranes for ultra low pressure water softening was examined by altering pore-filling chemistry (by changing cross-linking and aminating reagents). The results showed that tuning the chemistry of the pore-filling has important effects. In particularly, it had been shown that the correct selection of cross-linking reagent was not only essential to get pore-filled membranes but it could control their properties. Moreover, the aminating reagent could improve membrane performance. It was found that an increase in hydrophobicity could improve the Darcy permeability.

• Proceedings of the Membrane Society of Korea Conference
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• 2001.10a
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• pp.39-50
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• 2001

The performance of membranes is governed their pore struture. Pore structures of porous materials can be determined by a number of techniques. However, The novel technique, capillary folw porometry has a number of advantages. In this technique, the sample is brought in contact with a liquid that fills the pores in the membrane spontaneously. Gas under pressure is used to force the liquid from the pores and increase gas flow. Gas flow rate measured as a function of gas pressure in wet and dry samples yield data on the largest pore size, the mean flow pore size, flow distribution and permeability. Pore characteristics of a number of membranes were measured using this technique. This technique did not require the use of any toxic material and the pressure employed was low. Capillary flow porometry is a suitable technique for measurement of the pore structure of many membranes.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 2006

In this study, five commercially available fouling resistant low-pressure RO membranes were investigated for the treatment of seasonally brackish surface water with high organic content (${\approx}24mg/L$). The membranes investigated are LFC-1 (Hydranautics), X20 (Trisep), BW30FR1 (FilmTec), SG (Osmonics), and BE-FR (Saehan). The results of surface characterization revealed that each of these membranes has one or two unique surface characteristics to minimize the adherence of the fouling materials to the membrane. Specifically, the LFC1 membrane features a neutral or low negative surface to minimize electrostatic interactions with charged foulants. The X20, on the other hand, shows a highly negatively charged surface, and thus, is expected to perform well with feed waters containing negatively charged organics and colloids. The BW30FR1 exhibits a relatively neutral and hydrophilic surface, which could be beneficial for lessening organic and/or biofouling. The SG membrane has a smooth surface that makes it quite resistant to fouling, particularly for colloidal deposition. Lastly, BE-FR membrane demonstrated a medium surface charge and a slightly higher hydrophobicity. In the pilot study, all of the four membranes experienced a gradual increase in MTC (water mass transfer coefficient or specific flux) over time, indicating no fouling occurred during the pilot study. The deterioration of permeate water quality such as TDS was also observed over time, suggesting that the integrity of the membranes was compromised by the monochloramine used for biofouling control.

• Macromolecular Research
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• v.16 no.7
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• pp.590-595
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• 2008

The pressure driven membrane process has been a breakthrough in the removal of pollutants from drinking water. These experiments examined the removal of chlorophenol compounds from water using low pressure membranes. The removal performance of the membranes was based primarily on size exclusion. Apart from size exclusion, the polarity and pKa of the compounds also influences the membrane performance. The molecular size and dipole moments of the respective molecules were calculated using a quantum chemical method. The rejection of pollutants also followed the same trend as salt rejection by the membranes.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.34-43
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• 1991

The relationships between affinity of membranes and optimum operation conditions were investigated in the pervaporation of water(1)/ethanol(2) mixture through cellulose acetate(CA) membranes having more affinity to water and silicone rubber(SR) membranes having more affinity to ethanol. CA and SR membranes were prepared and amount of sorption, sorption selectivity, pervaporation separation factor and pervaporation rate in both of membranes were determined and compared. The effects of downstream pressure were analyzed using Thompson diagram and the sorption and pervaporation characteristics with composition of feed and operation temperature were examined in terms of affinity, activity coefficient, plasticizing effect and activation energy of individual species. In the separation of water through CA membranes, high performance of both pervaporation separation factor (water to ethanol, $[\alpha^2_1]_{PV}$) and pervaporation rate was obtained in the conditions of low downstream pressure, middle range of feed concentration and high temperature. In the separation of ethanol through SR membranes, pervaporation separation factor(ethanol to water, $[\alpha^2_1]_{PV}$) increased with downstream pressure and decreased with concentration of ethanol in feed and operation temperature, while pervaporation rate showed opposite trends to those of ($[\alpha^2_1]_{PV}$).