Lecture 11

Water pollution control by membrane based

technologies

MEMBRANE
Membrane can be described as a thin layer of material that is capable of separating materials
as a function of their physical and chemical properties when a driving force is applied across the
membranes. Physically membrane could be solid or liquid.
In membrane separation processes, the influent to the membrane module is known as the
feed stream (also known as the feed water), the liquid that passes through the semipermeable
membrane is known as permeate (also known as the product stream or permeating stream) and
the liquid containing the retained constituents is known as the concentrate also known as retained
phase.
MEMBRANE PROCESS CLASSIFICATION
Membrane processes can be classified in a number of different ways [1]:

The type of material from which the membrane is made

The nature of the driving force

The separation mechanism

The nominal size of the separation achieved

Table 3.11.1. General characteristics of membrane processes [2]

Membrane

Driving

Method of

Operating

Typical

Permeate

Range of

process

force

separation

structure

operatin

descriptio

application

(pore size)

g range,

m
Microfiltration

Hydrostatic

Sieving

Macropores

0.08 -

Water +

Sterile

pressure

mechanism

(>50 nm)

2.0

dissolved

filtration

solutes

clarification

difference
Ultrafiltration

Hydrostatic

Sieving

Mesopores

0.005

Water +

Separation of

pressure

mechanism

(2 -50 nm)

0.2

small

macromolecu

molecules

lar solutions

difference
Nanofiltration

Hydrostatic

Sieving

Micropores

0.001

Water +

Removal of

pressure

mechanism +

(<2 nm)

0.01

very small

small

difference

solution/diffu

molecules,

molecules,

sion

ionic

small

solutes

harness,
viruses

Reverse

Hydrostatic

Solution

Dense (<2

0.0001

Water +

Separation of

osmosis

pressure

diffusion

nm)

0.001

small

salts and

difference

mechanism +

molecules

microsolutes

exclusion

from
solutions

Dialysis

Concentrati

Diffusion in

Mesopores

on gradient

convection

(2 -50 nm)

free layer

Water +

Separation of

ionic

salts and

solutes

microsolutes
from
macromolecu
lar
solutions

Electrodialysis

Electrical

Electrical

Micropores

potential

charge of

(<2 nm)

gradient

particle and

Desalting of
ionic solution

size

Table 3.11.2. Advantages & disadvantages of membrane technologies [1, 3, 4].

Advantages

Disadvantages

Microfiltration and ultrafiltration

Can reduce the amount of treatment
chemicals
Smaller space requirements

Uses more electricity; high-pressure

systems can be energy-intensive
May need pretreatment to prevent

(footprint); membrane equipment

fouling; pretreatment facilities

requires 50 to 80 percent less space

increase space needs and overall costs

than conventional plants

Reduced labour requirements; can be
automated easily
New membrane design allows use of

May require residuals handling and

disposal of concentrate
Require replacement of membranes

lower pressures; system cost may be

about every 3 to 5 years

competitive with conventional

wastewater-treatment processes
Remove protozoan cysts, oocysts, and

Scale formation can be a serious

helminth ova; may also remove

problem. Scale-forming potential

limited amounts of bacteria and

difficult to predict without field

viruses

testing
Flux rate (the rate of feedwater flow
through the membrane) gradually
declines over time. Recovery rates
may be considerably less than 100
percent
Lack of a reliable low-cost method of
monitoring performance

Reverse osmosis
Can remove dissolved constituents

Works best on ground water or low

solids surface water or pretreated
wastewater effluent

Can disinfect treated water

Lack of a reliable low-cost method of

monitoring performance

Can remove NDMA and other related

organic compounds
Can remove natural organic matter (a
disinfection by-product precursor)

May require residuals handling and

disposal of concentrate
Expensive compared to conventional
treatment

and inorganic matter

MEMBRANE MATERIALS & CONFIGURATIONS

Membranes can be made from a number of different organic and inorganic materials. The
membranes used for wastewater treatment are typically organic. The principle types of
membranes used include polypropylene, cellulose acetate, aromatic polyamides, and thinfilm composite (TFC).

Membranes used for the treatment of water and wastewater typically consist of a thin skin
having a thickness of about 0.20 to 0.25 m supported by a more porous structure of
about 100 m in thickness.

Term module is used to describe a complete unit comprised of the membranes, the
pressure support structure for the membranes, the feed inlet and outlet permeate and
retentate ports, and an overall support structure.

The principle types of membrane modules used for wastewater treatment are 1) tubular,
2) spiral wound, 3) hollw fibre,4) flat.

Table 3.11.3. Comparison of different membrane configurations [5]

Membrane

Suspended

Control of

Cleaning

Packing

Cost for

geometry

solids

fouling

easiness

density

unit of

tolerance
Tubular

Good

volume
Excellent

Excellent

Low-

Medium-

medium

high

Spiral-wound

Low

Limited

Medium

High

Low

Hollow fibre

Scant (good)

Scant (good)

Scant (good)

Excellent

High (low)

Medium

Good

Medium

Medium

Medium-low

(external feed)

Flat

MEMBRANE FOULING
Membranes can be seen as sieves retaining part of the feed. As a consequence, deposits
of the retained material will accumulate at the feed side of the membrane. In time this might
hamper the selectivity and productivity of the separation process. This process is called fouling.
koros et al gave the definition of fouling as The process resulting in loss of performance of a
membrane due to deposition of suspended or dissolved substances on its external surfaces, at its
pore openings, or within its pores. Membrane fouling is an important consideration in the

design and operation of membrane systems as it affects pretreatment needs, cleaning

requirements, operating conditions, cost, and performance [6].
Three approaches are used to control membrane fouling:
1) Pretreatment of the feed water: pretreatment is used to reduce the TSS and bacterial
content of the feed water
2) Membrane backflushing: to eliminate the accumulated material from the membrane
surface with water and/or air.
3) Chemical cleaning of the membranes: Chemical treatment is used to remove
constituents that are not removed during conventional backwashing. Chemical
precipitates can be removed by altering the chemistry of the feed water and by
chemical treatment.

REFERENCES
[1]

Medaware, Development of Tools and Guidelines for the Promotion of the Sustainable
Urban Wastewater Treatment and Reuse in the Agricultural Production in the
Mediterranean Countries. Task 4: Urban Wastewater Treatment Technologies, Part I.
European

Commission:

Euro-Mediterranean

Partnership,

ME8/AIDCO/2001/0515/59341-P033, December 2004.

(http://www.uest.gr/medaware/reports/report_4.2.doc).
[2]

Environmental Engineers Hand Book, CRC Press LLC, 2000 Corporate Blvd., N.W.,
Boca Raton, FL 33431.

[3]

EPRI Community Environmental Centre. Membrane technologies for

water and

wastewater treatment, http://infohouse.p2ric.org/ref/09/08972.pdf

[4]

Metcalf & Eddy, Wastewater Engineering, 4th edition.

[5]

Bottino, A., Capannelli, G., Comite, A., Ferrari, F., Firpo, R., Venzano, SMembrane
technologies for water treatment and agroindustrial sectors. Comptes rendus Chimie,
2009, 12 (8), 882 888.

[6]

Pandey, S. R., Jegatheesan, V., Baskaran, K., Shu, L. Fouling in reverse osmosis (RO)
membrane in water recovery from secondary effluent: a review. Reviews in
Environmental Science and Bio/Technology, 2012, 11(2), 125-145.