Vibration of membrane modules for low pressure membrane process

• Main Author: Foo, Grace Hui Bin.
• 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/10356/49448
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

The most common fouling mitigation method used in submerged membrane bioreactor (SMBR) is through the use of aeration technology which involves providing bubbles in the SMBR system that will have a shearing efTect on the surface of the membrane. This mitigation method at present has a limitation on the shearing effect on the membrane surface. In this project, the effects of an alternative mitigation method by of applying vibration to hollow fiber membrane were stu.died. Bentonite was chosen as the feed solution to be tested at different frequenc/- and amplitudens ttre fouling rate was found to be decreased with increasing frequencies and amplitudes. Single and curLain fiber configurations were studied with the latter being tested in two positions: horizontal and vertical. It was found that the position of the membrane placed in the horizontal position have at least 98% fouling reduction as compared to vertical position. The results for different length fibers showed that the longer fiber made lower fouling rate maybe due to the potential movement in the reactor. Fibers with a little looseness tend to make better performance because of the additional movement by the looseness which can further reduce membrane fouling. At the same time, it is believed that the movement on the surface of the water might hayd certain effect on the fouling control. It is evident from the findings that vibration as a mitigation method is effective in fouling control and more studies are needed to look at the shearing effects on the membrane surface using PIV technique.