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Young AH, Hotz N, Hawkins BT, Kabala ZJ. Inducing Deep Sweeps and Vortex Ejections on Patterned Membrane Surfaces to Mitigate Surface Fouling. MEMBRANES 2024; 14:21. [PMID: 38248711 PMCID: PMC10818955 DOI: 10.3390/membranes14010021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2023] [Revised: 01/08/2024] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 01/23/2024]
Abstract
Patterned membrane surfaces offer a hydrodynamic approach to mitigating concentration polarization and subsequent surface fouling. However, when subjected to steady crossflow conditions, surface patterns promote particle accumulation in the recirculation zones of cavity-like spaces. In order to resolve this issue, we numerically subject a two-dimensional, patterned membrane surface to a rapidly pulsed crossflow. When combined with cavity-like spaces, such as the valleys of membrane surface patterns, a rapidly pulsed flow generates mixing mechanisms (i.e., the deep sweep and the vortex ejection) and disrupts recirculation zones. In only four pulses, we demonstrate the ability of these mechanisms to remove over half of the particles trapped in recirculation zones via massless particle tracking studies (i.e., numerical integration of the simulated velocity field). The results of this work suggest that when combined with a rapidly pulsed inlet flow, patterned membrane surfaces can not only alleviate concentration polarization and the surface fouling that follows but also reduce the need for traditional cleaning methods that require operational downtime and often involve the use of abrasive chemical agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- August H. Young
- Duke Center for WaSH-AID, Durham, NC 27701, USA;
- Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA;
| | - Nico Hotz
- Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA;
| | - Brian T. Hawkins
- Duke Center for WaSH-AID, Durham, NC 27701, USA;
- Electrical and Computer Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Zbigniew J. Kabala
- Civil and Environmental Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA;
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2
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Wang Q, Lin W, Chou S, Dai P, Huang X. Patterned membranes for improving hydrodynamic properties and mitigating membrane fouling in water treatment: A review. WATER RESEARCH 2023; 236:119943. [PMID: 37054608 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2023.119943] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2023] [Revised: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 04/04/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Membrane technologies have been widely applied in water treatment over the past few decades. However, membrane fouling remains a hinderance for the widespread use of membrane processes because it decreases effluent quality and increases operating costs. To mitigate membrane fouling, researchers have been exploring effective anti-fouling strategies. Recently, patterned membranes are gaining attention as a novel non-chemical membrane modification for membrane fouling control. In this paper, we review the research on patterned membranes used in water treatment over the past 20 years. In general, patterned membranes show superior anti-fouling performances, which mainly results from two aspects: hydrodynamic effects and interaction effects. Due to the introduction of diversified topographies onto the membrane surface, patterned membranes yield dramatic improvements on hydrodynamic properties, e.g., shear stress, velocity field and local turbulence, restraining concentration polarization and foulants' deposition on the membrane surface. Besides, the membrane-foulant and foulant-foulant interactions play an important role in the mitigation of membrane fouling. Due to the existence of surface patterns, the hydrodynamic boundary layer is destroyed and the interaction force as well as the contact area between foulants and surface are decreased, which contributes to the fouling suppression. However, there are still some limitations in the research and application of patterned membranes. Future research is suggested to focus on the development of patterned membranes appropriate for different water treatment scenarios, the insights into the interaction forces affected by surface patterns, and the pilot-scale and long-term studies to verify the anti-fouling performances of patterned membranes in practical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiao Wang
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Weichen Lin
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China.
| | - Shuren Chou
- Beijing OriginWater Membrane Technology Co., Ltd, Beijing 101407, China
| | - Pan Dai
- Beijing OriginWater Membrane Technology Co., Ltd, Beijing 101407, China
| | - Xia Huang
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China; Research and Application Center for Membrane Technology, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China.
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3
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Ilyas A, Vankelecom IFJ. Designing sustainable membrane-based water treatment via fouling control through membrane interface engineering and process developments. Adv Colloid Interface Sci 2023; 312:102834. [PMID: 36634445 DOI: 10.1016/j.cis.2023.102834] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2022] [Revised: 12/05/2022] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Membrane-based water treatment processes have been established as a powerful approach for clean water production. However, despite the significant advances made in terms of rejection and flux, provision of sustainable and energy-efficient water production is restricted by the inevitable issue of membrane fouling, known to be the major contributor to the elevated operating costs due to frequent chemical cleaning, increased transmembrane resistance, and deterioration of permeate flux. This review provides an overview of fouling control strategies in different membrane processes, such as microfiltration, ultrafiltration, membrane bioreactors, and desalination via reverse osmosis and forward osmosis. Insights into the recent advancements are discussed and efforts made in terms of membrane development, modules arrangement, process optimization, feed pretreatment, and fouling monitoring are highlighted to evaluate their overall impact in energy- and cost-effective water treatment. Major findings in four key aspects are presented, including membrane surface modification, modules design, process integration, and fouling monitoring. Among the above mentioned anti-fouling strategies, a large part of research has been focused on membrane surface modifications using a number of anti-fouling materials whereas much less research has been devoted to membrane module advancements and in-situ fouling monitoring and control. At the end, a critical analysis is provided for each anti-fouling strategy and a rationale framework is provided for design of efficient membranes and process for water treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayesha Ilyas
- Membrane Technology Group (MTG), Division cMACS, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, KU Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200F, Box 2454, 3001 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Ivo F J Vankelecom
- Membrane Technology Group (MTG), Division cMACS, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, KU Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200F, Box 2454, 3001 Leuven, Belgium.
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4
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Shang C, Xia J, Sun L, Lipscomb GG, Zhang S. Concentration polarization on surface patterned membranes. AIChE J 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/aic.17832] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Chuning Shang
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering National University of Singapore 4 Engineering Drive 4 Singapore Singapore
| | - Jianzhong Xia
- Institute for Advanced Study Shenzhen University Shenzhen China
| | - Lili Sun
- Department of Chemical Engineering The University of Toledo Toledo Ohio USA
| | - G. Glenn Lipscomb
- Department of Chemical Engineering The University of Toledo Toledo Ohio USA
| | - Sui Zhang
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering National University of Singapore 4 Engineering Drive 4 Singapore Singapore
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5
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Ward LM, Fickling BG, Weinman ST. Effect of Nanopatterning on Concentration Polarization during Nanofiltration. MEMBRANES 2021; 11:961. [PMID: 34940462 PMCID: PMC8707940 DOI: 10.3390/membranes11120961] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2021] [Revised: 11/30/2021] [Accepted: 12/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Membranes used for desalination still face challenges during operation. One of these challenges is the buildup of salt ions at the membrane surface. This is known as concentration polarization, and it has a negative effect on membrane water permeance and salt rejection. In an attempt to decrease concentration polarization, a line-and-groove nanopattern was applied to a nanofiltration (NF) membrane. Aqueous sodium sulfate (Na2SO4) solutions were used to test the rejection and permeance of both pristine and patterned membranes. It was found that the nanopatterns did not reduce but increased the concentration polarization at the membrane surface. Based on these studies, different pattern shapes and sizes should be investigated to gain a fundamental understanding of the influence of pattern size and shape on concentration polarization.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Steven T. Weinman
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487, USA; (L.M.W.); (B.G.F.)
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Wang B, Zhao D. Polyamide layer sulfonation of a nanofiltration membrane to enhance perm‐selectivity via regulation of pore size and surface charge. POLYM ADVAN TECHNOL 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/pat.5409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Biao Wang
- College of Civil Engineering and Architecture Nanyang Normal University Nanyang China
| | - Dongsheng Zhao
- College of Civil Engineering and Architecture Nanyang Normal University Nanyang China
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Shang W, Li X, Liu W, Yue S, Li M, von Eiff D, Sun F, An AK. Effective suppression of concentration polarization by nanofiltration membrane surface pattern manipulation: Numerical modeling based on LIF visualization. J Memb Sci 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.memsci.2020.119021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
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8
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Shang C, Wang L, Xia J, Zhang S. Macropatterning of Microcrumpled Nanofiltration Membranes by Spacer Imprinting for Low-Scaling Desalination. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2020; 54:15527-15533. [PMID: 33166125 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.0c05779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Surface patterns provide a chemical-free approach to reduce fouling by mimicking nature and are yet limited by their complicated fabrication procedures. Here, we report readily scalable methods to create sub-micrometer- and millimeter-scale patterns on membrane surfaces for low-scaling desalination, with a focus on the antiscaling mechanism. Specifically, a robust polyethylene (PE) lithium battery separator prepared from melt casting and stretching has been used as the support for nanofiltration (NF), giving micrometer-scale crumples on the surface. Then, the PENF membrane is imprinted by a permeate spacer during tests, leading to millimeter-scale patterns. Two types of experiments are designed to give insights into the impact of surface structure on scaling in NF processes, including (1) comparisons of smooth surfaces and surfaces with nanometer-, micrometer-, and millimeter-scale features and (2) no-stirring dead-end tests and crossflow tests. It has been found that micrometer-scale patterns are resistant to scaling through both spatial and hydrodynamic effects, and millimeter-scale patterns are also effective in reducing scaling solely due to hydrodynamic effects. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation gives further explanations. In addition, organic and microbial fouling has been studied to give implications for future membrane engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chuning Shang
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, National University of Singapore, 4 Engineering Drive 4, Singapore 117585
| | - Li Wang
- Beijing OriginWater Technology Co., Ltd., Beijing 101407, China
| | - Jianzhong Xia
- Beijing OriginWater Technology Co., Ltd., Beijing 101407, China
- Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
| | - Sui Zhang
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, National University of Singapore, 4 Engineering Drive 4, Singapore 117585
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Micro-patterned membranes prepared via modified phase inversion: Effect of modified interface on water fluxes and organic fouling. J Colloid Interface Sci 2020; 585:490-504. [PMID: 33121759 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2020.10.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2020] [Revised: 10/06/2020] [Accepted: 10/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
The introduction of patterns on a membrane-solute interface has been suggested as an effective method to tackle the reduced flux and fouling issues. Herein, the effectiveness of using spray-modified non-solvent induced phase separation (s-NIPS) to create a variety of micrometer-level structured interfaces is now studied. Circular, triangular and rectangular patterns with different dimensions were successfully created on polyacrylonitrile membranes. The rectangular pattern height was varied from 500 to 1500 µm, which resulted in a proportional increase in clean water permeance from 590 ± 47 L m-2 h-1 bar-1 to 1345 ± 108 L m-2 h-1 bar-1 respectively. This coincided with some BSA rejection loss for the highest patterns, indicating the fragile nature of these tall features. No significant rejection losses were found for the smaller pattern heights (145-250 µm) as compared to flat membranes, while fluxes more than doubled still. The critical pressure was also increased substantially for patterned membranes and showed a proportionality with the pattern height. These experimental findings were correlated with the reduced foulant adhesion due to a shear-induced slip boundary layer at the membrane-solution interface. Computational fluid dynamics simulations further showed higher shear stress values due to flow constriction within the membrane's valley regions. These findings indicate the high potential of s-NIPS patterned membranes in long-term industrial applications by requiring less membrane area for a given application and reducing cleaning interventions.
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10
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Heparinized thin-film composite membranes with sub-micron ridge structure for efficient hemodialysis. J Memb Sci 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.memsci.2019.117706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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11
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Koupaei AM, Nazaripoor H, Sadrzadeh M. Electrohydrodynamic Patterning of Polyethersulfone Membranes. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2019; 35:12139-12149. [PMID: 31419149 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.9b01948] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Microstructuring the surface of membranes is recognized as one of the effective strategies to mitigate the fouling phenomenon. Over the years, significant efforts have been undertaken to develop new techniques for altering the membrane surface topography at the micro- and nanoscale. However, all the previously suggested approaches suffer from some serious drawbacks that impede their widespread implementations, including cost, time, and cumbersomeness. In this study, we show that the electrohydrodynamic (EHD) patterning process can be successfully adopted to form surface patterns on polyethersulfone (PES) microfiltration membranes. The linear stability analysis and nonlinear numerical simulation are performed to theoretically predict the size of the created raised columnar structure (often called pillars). In contrast to the conventional EHD patterning process, the developed method works at room temperature and nonsolvent-induced phase separation is used to solidify the formed structures. An array of pillars was formed on the membrane surface, whose height and width were found to be as low as 31 ± 5 and 98 ± 12 μm, respectively. It is demonstrated that fabricating surface-patterned PES membranes does not require sophisticated facilities and precise control of process condition using this simple moldless method.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali Malekpour Koupaei
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, 10-367 Donadeo Innovation Center for Engineering, Advanced Water Research Lab (AWRL) , University of Alberta , Edmonton , Alberta T6G 1H9 , Canada
| | - Hadi Nazaripoor
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, 10-367 Donadeo Innovation Center for Engineering, Advanced Water Research Lab (AWRL) , University of Alberta , Edmonton , Alberta T6G 1H9 , Canada
| | - Mohtada Sadrzadeh
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, 10-367 Donadeo Innovation Center for Engineering, Advanced Water Research Lab (AWRL) , University of Alberta , Edmonton , Alberta T6G 1H9 , Canada
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12
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Lau WJ, Lai GS, Li J, Gray S, Hu Y, Misdan N, Goh PS, Matsuura T, Azelee IW, Ismail AF. Development of microporous substrates of polyamide thin film composite membranes for pressure-driven and osmotically-driven membrane processes: A review. J IND ENG CHEM 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jiec.2019.05.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
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13
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Weinman ST, Fierce EM, Husson SM. Nanopatterning commercial nanofiltration and reverse osmosis membranes. Sep Purif Technol 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.seppur.2018.09.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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14
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Yücel H, Çulfaz-Emecen PZ. Helical hollow fibers via rope coiling: Effect of spinning conditions on geometry and membrane morphology. J Memb Sci 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.memsci.2018.04.048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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15
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Heinz O, Aghajani M, Greenberg AR, Ding Y. Surface-patterning of polymeric membranes: fabrication and performance. Curr Opin Chem Eng 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.coche.2018.01.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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16
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Hutfles J, Chapman W, Pellegrino J. Roll‐to‐roll nanoimprint lithography of ultrafiltration membrane. J Appl Polym Sci 2017. [DOI: 10.1002/app.45993] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Jacob Hutfles
- Department of Mechanical EngineeringUniversity of Colorado‐BoulderBoulder Colorado80309
| | - Wesley Chapman
- Department of Mechanical EngineeringUniversity of Colorado‐BoulderBoulder Colorado80309
| | - John Pellegrino
- Department of Mechanical EngineeringUniversity of Colorado‐BoulderBoulder Colorado80309
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17
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Xie M, Luo W, Gray SR. Surface pattern by nanoimprint for membrane fouling mitigation: Design, performance and mechanisms. WATER RESEARCH 2017; 124:238-243. [PMID: 28763639 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2017.07.057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2017] [Revised: 07/06/2017] [Accepted: 07/23/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Imparting water treatment membrane with surface pattern by nanoimprint offered a novel approach to fouling resistance. We employed nanoimprint to fabricate line-shape nanostructure on membrane distillation (MD) membrane surface. Patterned MD membrane exhibited strong antifouling property to Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA) protein during MD separation. Water flux decline and protein deposition were substantially minimized on the patterned MD membrane in comparison with the pristine one. Such lower fouling propensity on the patterned MD membrane was mainly driven by the weak hydrophobic interaction between BSA protein and patterned MD membrane surface. Weaker adhesion force mapping of the patterned MD membrane was quantified. Representative force-distance curve of pristine MD membrane showed a strong attractive depletion force comparing with that of patterned one. The simple, chemical-free, and scalable nanofabrication approach enables varying designs on membrane surface for special membrane properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming Xie
- Institute for Sustainability and Innovation, College of Engineering and Science, Victoria University, PO Box 14428, Melbourne, Victoria, 8001, Australia.
| | - Wenhai Luo
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Farmland Soil Pollution Prevention and Remediation, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Stephen R Gray
- Institute for Sustainability and Innovation, College of Engineering and Science, Victoria University, PO Box 14428, Melbourne, Victoria, 8001, Australia
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