TY - JOUR
T1 - Ultrafiltration (UF) and biological oxygen-dosed activated carbon (BODAC) filtration to prevent fouling of reversed osmosis (RO) membranes
T2 - A mass balance analysis
AU - Ribeiro Pinela, Sara
AU - Larasati, Amanda
AU - Meulepas, Roel J.W.
AU - Gagliano, Maria Cristina
AU - Kleerebezem, Robbert
AU - Bruning, Harry
AU - Rijnaarts, Huub H.M.
PY - 2024/1
Y1 - 2024/1
N2 - (Bio)fouling is the most common problem in membrane processes used in water production. It is also a reported unavoidable problem, with mitigation strategies being frequently ineffective in addressing this problem. An ultrapure water plant (UPW) in Emmen (The Netherlands), fed with secondary effluent, comprises the following subsequent treatment steps: ultrafiltration (UF), biological oxygen-dosed activated carbon (BODAC) filtration and reverse osmosis (RO). The BODAC filters were designed to prevent fouling in RO membranes, and for ten years, they have been operated without significant fouling issues. The present work aims to provide insight into the role of the full-scale UF + BODAC in fouling prevention, by conducting a mass balance (MB) analysis to assess the removal/release of common fouling precursors. Positive MB results were noticed for particulate organic compounds, iron (Fe) and manganese (Mn) meaning their constant removal in the UF + BODAC. The UF + BODAC was shown to be an effective nitrification system, effectively converting all the ammonium and nitrite to nitrate. In conclusion, the combined removal of organics, Fe, and Mn species and nitrification by UF + BODAC is most likely an important factor in downstream fouling prevention, making this system an attractive process for fouling prevention. Nevertheless, further investigations to discover the mechanisms involved are needed.
AB - (Bio)fouling is the most common problem in membrane processes used in water production. It is also a reported unavoidable problem, with mitigation strategies being frequently ineffective in addressing this problem. An ultrapure water plant (UPW) in Emmen (The Netherlands), fed with secondary effluent, comprises the following subsequent treatment steps: ultrafiltration (UF), biological oxygen-dosed activated carbon (BODAC) filtration and reverse osmosis (RO). The BODAC filters were designed to prevent fouling in RO membranes, and for ten years, they have been operated without significant fouling issues. The present work aims to provide insight into the role of the full-scale UF + BODAC in fouling prevention, by conducting a mass balance (MB) analysis to assess the removal/release of common fouling precursors. Positive MB results were noticed for particulate organic compounds, iron (Fe) and manganese (Mn) meaning their constant removal in the UF + BODAC. The UF + BODAC was shown to be an effective nitrification system, effectively converting all the ammonium and nitrite to nitrate. In conclusion, the combined removal of organics, Fe, and Mn species and nitrification by UF + BODAC is most likely an important factor in downstream fouling prevention, making this system an attractive process for fouling prevention. Nevertheless, further investigations to discover the mechanisms involved are needed.
KW - Biological oxygen-dosed activated carbon
KW - Fouling precursors
KW - Fouling prevention
KW - Mass balance
KW - Ultrafiltration
U2 - 10.1016/j.jwpe.2023.104648
DO - 10.1016/j.jwpe.2023.104648
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85179037741
SN - 2214-7144
VL - 57
JO - Journal of Water Process Engineering
JF - Journal of Water Process Engineering
M1 - 104648
ER -