Comparison of reverse osmosis membrane fouling characteristics in full-scale leachate treatment systems with chemical coagulation and microfiltration pre-treatments.
Fouling characteristics of reverse osmosis (RO) membrane with chemical coagulation and microfiltration (MF) pre-treatment were investigated at full-scale leachate treatment systems. In chemical coagulation pre-treatment, solid separation from stabilized leachate was performed by ferric chloride coagulation followed by sand filtration. Meanwhile, MF pre-treatment and the RO system utilized direct filtration using a 0.03 µm membrane without chemical addition. MF pre-treatment yielded better pollutant removals in terms of organics and nitrogen. The study on effect of pre-treatment on RO membrane fouling revealed that accumulated foulant on the RO membrane in MF pre-treatment was significantly lower than that of chemical coagulation. Nevertheless, NaOH cleaning of the fouled RO membrane after chemical coagulation pre-treatment could better recover its permeate flux, thus suggesting that the formation of a loose-structure cake layer by chemical coagulation pre-treatment could allow effective penetration of chemical cleaning and detachment of foulant layer from the membrane surface.
Department of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Kasetsart University, Bangkok 10900, Thailand E-mail: fengccc@ku.ac.th.
Weerapong
W
Rukapan
Department of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Kasetsart University, Bangkok 10900, Thailand E-mail: fengccc@ku.ac.th.
Benyapa
B
Khananthai
Department of Environmental Health, Faculty of Public and Environmental Health, Huachiew Chalermprakiat University, Samutprakarn 10540, Thailand.
Thirdpong
T
Srisukphun
Department of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Kasetsart University, Bangkok 10900, Thailand E-mail: fengccc@ku.ac.th.
Wilai
W
Chiemchaisri
Department of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Kasetsart University, Bangkok 10900, Thailand E-mail: fengccc@ku.ac.th.
Chart
C
Chiemchaisri
D057219:Biofouling; D002712:Chlorides; D005290:Ferric Compounds; D005374:Filtration / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D009584:Nitrogen; D009995:Osmosis; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000737:chemistry*
D002712:Chlorides; D005290:Ferric Compounds; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D009584:Nitrogen; C024555:ferric chloride