Vibration of membrane modules for low pressure membrane process

• Main Author: Tan, Li Lian.
• Other Authors: Law Wing-Keung, Adrian
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2012
• Subjects: DRNTU::Engineering::Environmental engineering::Water treatment
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/49189
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

Vibrating process in submerged membrane system has the potential to overcome limitations such as fouling potentiality and high energy consumption. However, vibration mechanism is not widely understood and especially so in the filtration process of yeast solution. The main aim of this project study is to investigate the efficiency of vibration in the filtration process of yeast suspension. Different amplitudes and frequencies, degree of tightness of membrane fibers were operating parameters used in the filtration system in the laboratory. With unwashed yeasts, increment in amplitudes had a better fouling control than increment in frequencies. With washed yeast, however with increment in frequency, the fouling rate was better reduced. Without the presence of potential fouling agents, washed yeasts fouling rates were reduced significantly coupled with an increase in frequency. Vibration effectiveness in bentonite, unwashed and washed yeast solutions was proven to be achievable with increase in frequency and amplitude. However, more run tests will have to be conducted for yeast suspension. Experiments conducted to investigate the supporting frame for membrane fibers, which was suspected to introduce turbulence into the feed solution and enhance the hydrodynamic condition, had shown that the frame had negligible effect. It is evident that the vibration technique with optimize frequency and amplitude can reduce fouling rates in both organic and inorganic solutions. However, further understanding of fouling mechanism in organic solutions has to be studied for its full applicability in vibration membrane system.