title: Technical feasibility study of a low-cost hybrid PAC-UF system for wastewater reclamation and reuse: a focus on feedwater production for low-pressure boilers.
abstract: This study has applied the concept of the hybrid PAC-UF process in the treatment of the final effluent of the palm oil industry for reuse as feedwater for low-pressure boilers. In a bench-scale set-up, a low-cost empty fruit bunch-based powdered activated carbon (PAC) was employed for upstream adsorption of biotreated palm oil mill effluent (BPOME) with the process conditions: 60 g/L dose of PAC, 68 min of mixing time and 200 rpm of mixing speed, to reduce the feedwater strength, alleviate probable fouling of the membranes and thus improve the process flux (productivity). Three polyethersulfone ultrafiltration membranes of molecular weight cut-off (MWCO) of 1, 5 and 10 kDa were investigated in a cross-flow filtration mode, and under constant transmembrane pressures of 40, 80, and 120 kPa. The permeate qualities of the hybrid processes were evaluated, and it was found that the integrated process with the 1 kDa MWCO UF membrane yielded the best water quality that falls within the US EPA reuse standard for boiler-feed and cooling water. It was also observed that the permeate quality is fit for extended reuse as process water in the cement, petroleum and coal industries. In addition, the hybrid system's operation consumed 37.13 Wh m-3of energy at the highest applied pressure of 120 kPa, which is far lesser than the typical energy requirement range (0.8-1.0 kWh m-3) for such wastewater reclamation.
authors: NRF-DST Chair: Sustainable Process Engineering, School of Chemical and Metallurgical Engineering, University of the Witwatersrand, 1 Jan Smuts Avenue, Braamfontein 2000, Johannesburg, South Africa. mutiu.amosa@wits.ac.za.
authors: Mutiu Kolade
authors: MK
authors: Amosa
authors: Bioenvironmental Engineering Research Centre (BERC), Department of Biotechnology Engineering, Kulliyyah of Engineering, International Islamic University Malaysia, Jalan Gombak, 53100, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors: Mohammed Saedi
authors: MS
authors: Jami
authors: Bioenvironmental Engineering Research Centre (BERC), Department of Biotechnology Engineering, Kulliyyah of Engineering, International Islamic University Malaysia, Jalan Gombak, 53100, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors: Ma'an Fahmi R
authors: MF
authors: Alkhatib
authors: NRF-DST Chair: Sustainable Process Engineering, School of Chemical and Metallurgical Engineering, University of the Witwatersrand, 1 Jan Smuts Avenue, Braamfontein 2000, Johannesburg, South Africa.
authors: Thokozani
authors: T
authors: Majozi
mesh_terms: D000327:Adsorption; D002606:Charcoal; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D008970:Molecular Weight; D011108:Polymers; D011312:Pressure; D013450:Sulfones; D014462:Ultrafiltration; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid; D062065:Wastewater; D018508:Water Purification / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D060753:Water Quality
chemical_list: D002606:Charcoal; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D011108:Polymers; D013450:Sulfones; D062065:Wastewater; C022840:polyether sulfone
keywords: Boiler-feed; Flux decline; Industrial wastewater; Process water; Reclamation and reuse; UF membranes; Upstream adsorption