Hydrophobic membrane development for membrane distillation application

• Main Author: Kuah, Hui Mun Ke Huiwen.
• Other Authors: Wang Rong
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2011
• Subjects: DRNTU::Engineering::Environmental engineering
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/44927
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

This report documents the author’s Final Year Project (FYP) experiences with Singapore Membrane Technology Centre (SMTC) and explores some of the theoretical and practical aspects in membrane distillation. The effect of the dope polymer compositions and spinning conditions on the morphologies and permeation traits of the resulting hollow fibre will also be explored in this report. Membrane distillation (MD) emerges as an alternative affordable technology for desalination of seawater. However, most conventional hydrophobic membranes exhibit relatively low water permeation. Composite hydrophobic-hydrophilic hollow fibre membrane thus appears to be a promising alternative due to its higher membrane water permeation. In this report, the primary focus will be on the development of the hydrophilic substrate (support layer) of the composite membrane; which will later be applied to the surface hydrophobic layer in future work.