Title: Flux patterns and membrane fouling propensity during desalination of seawater by forward osmosis

 

Journal: Water research

 

Authors: Zhen-Yu Li, Victor Yangali-Quintanilla, Rodrigo Valladares-Linares, Qingyu Li, Tong Zhan, Gary Amy*

 

Water Desalination and Reuse Center (WDRC), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia

 

Corresponding author: Gary Amy

 

Institute:

Water Desalination and Reuse Center (WDRC), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia

 

The original and creativity of paper: This paper aimed to examine flux pattern and membrane fouling propensity of FO with real seawater.

 

Summary:

-         According to the semi-batch mode of FO process, the major cause of flux decline was external concentration polarization, fouling related resistance, and fouling related concentrative concentration polarization.

-         After 18-30 hours of filtration, membrane surface was covered by scaling-liked foulant surrounded by biopolymeric substances.

-         Polymerization of dissolved silica is the main cause of membrane scaling; moreover the polymerized silica cluster facilitated the accumulation and deposition of NOM.

-         External concentration polarization and fouling can be reduced by applying high crossflow velocity while NOM foulant can be removed by water flushing.

 

 

Application& further study: The results obtained in this study provides the knowledge for developing a successful protocol of pretreatment and membrane cleaning during FO with seawater as the feed. Further study is required to understand the factor affecting the formation and composition of the fouling layer on membrane surface. Then fouling control method should be seveloped.

 

By Monruedee Moonkhum

Email: moon@gist.ac.kr