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Al-Harby NF, El Batouti M, Elewa MM. A Comparative Analysis of Pervaporation and Membrane Distillation Techniques for Desalination Utilising the Sweeping Air Methodology with Novel and Economical Pervaporation Membranes. Polymers (Basel) 2023; 15:4237. [PMID: 37959917 PMCID: PMC10648555 DOI: 10.3390/polym15214237] [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: 09/14/2023] [Revised: 10/17/2023] [Accepted: 10/21/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023] Open
Abstract
This study used the sweeping air approach to conduct a comparative analysis of pervaporation (PV) and membrane distillation (MD) in the context of desalinating saline/hypersaline water. An experimental setup of the sweeping air arrangement was designed and built at a laboratory size to conduct the research. The desalination process using PV used innovatively designed cellulose acetate (CA) membranes specifically adapted for this purpose. Conversely, in the studies involving MD, hydrophobic polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) membranes were utilised. CA membranes were fabricated in our laboratory using the phase inversion approach. The physicochemical characteristics of the membranes were assessed using many methodologies, including FTIR spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), contact angle measurement, and water uptake analysis. This facilitated a more comprehensive comprehension of the impact of the alkaline treatment on these features. The variables that were examined included the kind of membrane, the pore size of the PTFE membrane, the composition of the casting solution of CA, the concentration of the feed solution, the temperature of the feed, and the temperature of the condenser cooling water. The morphologies of the membranes were examined using SEM. The study's findings indicated that the use of MD resulted in a greater flow and a remarkable percentage of salt rejection (% SR). Furthermore, it was observed that the flux was positively correlated with the feed temperature, while it exhibited an inverse relationship with the cooling water temperature. Moreover, it was observed that the impact of the pore size of the PTFE membrane on the desalination process was found to be minimal. The most optimal outcomes obtained were 13.35 kg/m2 h with a percentage salt rejection (% SR) of 99.86, and 17.96 kg/m2 h with a % SR of 99.83 at a temperature of 70 °C, while using MD and PV technologies, respectively. Furthermore, both methods demonstrated the capability to desalinate very salty solutions with a salinity level of up to 160 g/L, thereby yielding potable water in a single step.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nouf F. Al-Harby
- Department of Chemistry, College of Science, Qassim University, Buraidah 51452, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mervette El Batouti
- Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science, Alexandria University, Alexandria 21526, Egypt;
| | - Mahmoud M. Elewa
- Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport, Alexandria P.O. Box 1029, Egypt;
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Xiang J, Wang S, Chen N, Wen X, Tian G, Zhang L, Cheng P, Zhang J, Tang N. Study on Low Thermal-Conductivity of PVDF@SiAG/PET Membranes for Direct Contact Membrane Distillation Application. MEMBRANES 2023; 13:773. [PMID: 37755195 PMCID: PMC10535353 DOI: 10.3390/membranes13090773] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2023] [Revised: 08/04/2023] [Accepted: 08/24/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023]
Abstract
In order to enhance the separation performance and reduce the heat loss of transmembrane for membrane distillation, the thermal efficiency and hydrophobicity of the membrane distillation need to be simultaneously enhanced. In this work, a polyvinylidene difluoride/polyethylene glycol terephthalate (PVDF/PET) hydrophobic/hydrophilic membrane has been prepared by non-solvent phase induction method. Nanosized silica aerogel (SiAG) with high porosity has been added to the composite membranes. The modifying effects and operating conditions on permeate flux and thermal efficiency in direct contact membrane distillation (DCMD) are investigated. Furthermore, the latent heat of vaporization and the heat transfer across the membranes have been compared for SiAG addition, which indicates that the composite PVDF@SiAG/PET membranes demonstrate a great potential for distillation-separation application due to their high heat efficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Xiang
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Brine Chemical Engineering and Resource Eco-Utilization, College of Chemical Engineering and Material Science, Tianjin University of Science and Technology (TUST), 13th Avenue 29, TEDA, Tianjin 300457, China
- State Key Laboratory of Biobased Fiber Manufacturing Technology, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, 13th Avenue 29, TEDA, Tianjin 300457, China
| | - Sitong Wang
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Brine Chemical Engineering and Resource Eco-Utilization, College of Chemical Engineering and Material Science, Tianjin University of Science and Technology (TUST), 13th Avenue 29, TEDA, Tianjin 300457, China
| | - Nailin Chen
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Brine Chemical Engineering and Resource Eco-Utilization, College of Chemical Engineering and Material Science, Tianjin University of Science and Technology (TUST), 13th Avenue 29, TEDA, Tianjin 300457, China
| | - Xintao Wen
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Brine Chemical Engineering and Resource Eco-Utilization, College of Chemical Engineering and Material Science, Tianjin University of Science and Technology (TUST), 13th Avenue 29, TEDA, Tianjin 300457, China
| | - Guiying Tian
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Brine Chemical Engineering and Resource Eco-Utilization, College of Chemical Engineering and Material Science, Tianjin University of Science and Technology (TUST), 13th Avenue 29, TEDA, Tianjin 300457, China
- State Key Laboratory of Biobased Fiber Manufacturing Technology, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, 13th Avenue 29, TEDA, Tianjin 300457, China
| | - Lei Zhang
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Brine Chemical Engineering and Resource Eco-Utilization, College of Chemical Engineering and Material Science, Tianjin University of Science and Technology (TUST), 13th Avenue 29, TEDA, Tianjin 300457, China
- State Key Laboratory of Biobased Fiber Manufacturing Technology, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, 13th Avenue 29, TEDA, Tianjin 300457, China
| | - Penggao Cheng
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Brine Chemical Engineering and Resource Eco-Utilization, College of Chemical Engineering and Material Science, Tianjin University of Science and Technology (TUST), 13th Avenue 29, TEDA, Tianjin 300457, China
- State Key Laboratory of Biobased Fiber Manufacturing Technology, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, 13th Avenue 29, TEDA, Tianjin 300457, China
| | - Jianping Zhang
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Brine Chemical Engineering and Resource Eco-Utilization, College of Chemical Engineering and Material Science, Tianjin University of Science and Technology (TUST), 13th Avenue 29, TEDA, Tianjin 300457, China
- State Key Laboratory of Biobased Fiber Manufacturing Technology, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, 13th Avenue 29, TEDA, Tianjin 300457, China
| | - Na Tang
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Brine Chemical Engineering and Resource Eco-Utilization, College of Chemical Engineering and Material Science, Tianjin University of Science and Technology (TUST), 13th Avenue 29, TEDA, Tianjin 300457, China
- State Key Laboratory of Biobased Fiber Manufacturing Technology, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, 13th Avenue 29, TEDA, Tianjin 300457, China
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Albiladi A, Gzara L, Organji H, Alkayal NS, Figoli A. Electrospun Poly (Vinylidene Fluoride-Co-Hexafluoropropylene) Nanofiber Membranes for Brine Treatment via Membrane Distillation. Polymers (Basel) 2023; 15:2706. [PMID: 37376352 DOI: 10.3390/polym15122706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2023] [Revised: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 06/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The major challenge for membrane distillation (MD) is the membrane wetting resistance induced by pollutants in the feed solution. The proposed solution for this issue was to fabricate membranes with hydrophobic properties. Hydrophobic electrospun poly (vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) (PVDF-HFP) nanofiber membranes were produced for brine treatment using the direct-contact membrane distillation (DCMD) technique. These nanofiber membranes were prepared from three different polymeric solution compositions to study the effect of solvent composition on the electrospinning process. Furthermore, the effect of the polymer concentration was investigated by preparing polymeric solutions with three different polymer percentages: 6, 8, and 10%. All of the nanofiber membranes obtained from electrospinning were post-treated at varying temperatures. The effects of thickness, porosity, pore size, and liquid entry pressure (LEP) were studied. The hydrophobicity was determined using contact angle measurements, which were investigated using optical contact angle goniometry. The crystallinity and thermal properties were studied using DSC and XRD, while the functional groups were studied using FTIR. The morphological study was performed with AMF and described the roughness of nanofiber membranes. Finally, all of the nanofiber membranes had enough of a hydrophobic nature to be used in DCMD. A PVDF membrane filter disc and all nanofiber membranes were applied in DCMD to treat brine water. The resulting water flux and permeate water quality were compared, and it was discovered that all of the produced nanofiber membranes showed good behavior with varying water flux, but the salt rejection was greater than 90%. A membrane prepared from DMF/acetone 5-5 with 10% PVDF-HFP provided the perfect performance, with an average water flux of 44 kg.m-2.h-1 and salt rejection of 99.8%.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amjad Albiladi
- Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
| | - Lassaad Gzara
- Center of Excellence in Desalination Technology, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
| | - Hussam Organji
- Center of Excellence in Desalination Technology, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
| | - Nazeeha S Alkayal
- Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
| | - Alberto Figoli
- Institute on Membrane Technology (ITM-CNR), Via P. Bucci 17c, 87036 Rende, CS, Italy
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Effect of Teflon-Coated PVDF Membrane on the Performance of a Solar-Powered Direct Contact Membrane Distillation System. SUSTAINABILITY 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/su14116895] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/07/2022]
Abstract
The present study dealt with the generation of freshwater through the direct contact membrane distillation (DCMD) technique, powered by an evacuated tube solar collector (ETSC). The major objective of the present work was to determine the optimum conditions of fluid flow rate and temperature for maximum freshwater productivity across both the feed and permeate sides of the membrane module. A flat hydrophobic membrane composed of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) coated with Teflon was utilized for the DCMD process. The rate of freshwater production was examined with the variation in the feed/permeate flow rates (from 3 to 7 LPM) and feed temperature (from 45 °C to 75 °C) for a constant permeate-side temperature of 30 °C. The experimental results indicated that a maximum freshwater productivity of 45.18 kg/m2h was achievable from the proposed system during its operation with a high solar heated inlet feed temperature of 75 °C and mass flow rates of 7 LPM across both sides of the membrane. Further, a detailed assessment of the performance parameters indicated that the present solar-powered DCMD system exhibited a maximum evaporative efficiency of about 80% and temperature polarization coefficient (TPC) of 0.62 respectively.
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Electrospun Nanostructured Membrane Engineering Using Reverse Osmosis Recycled Modules: Membrane Distillation Application. NANOMATERIALS 2021; 11:nano11061601. [PMID: 34207075 PMCID: PMC8235693 DOI: 10.3390/nano11061601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2021] [Revised: 06/03/2021] [Accepted: 06/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
As a consequence of the increase in reverse osmosis (RO) desalination plants, the number of discarded RO modules for 2020 was estimated to be 14.8 million annually. Currently, these discarded modules are disposed of in nearby landfills generating high volumes of waste. In order to extend their useful life, in this research study, we propose recycling and reusing the internal components of the discarded RO modules, membranes and spacers, in membrane engineering for membrane distillation (MD) technology. After passive cleaning with a sodium hypochlorite aqueous solution, these recycled components were reused as support for polyvinylidene fluoride nanofibrous membranes prepared by electrospinning technique. The prepared membranes were characterized by different techniques and, finally, tested in desalination of high saline solutions (brines) by direct contact membrane distillation (DCMD). The effect of the electrospinning time, which is the same as the thickness of the nanofibrous layer, was studied in order to optimize the permeate flux together with the salt rejection factor and to obtain robust membranes with stable DCMD desalination performance. When the recycled RO membrane or the permeate spacer were used as supports with 60 min electrospinning time, good permeate fluxes were achieved, 43.2 and 18.1 kg m−2 h−1, respectively; with very high salt rejection factors, greater than 99.99%. These results are reasonably competitive compared to other supported and unsupported MD nanofibrous membranes. In contrast, when using the feed spacer as support, inhomogeneous structures were observed on the electrospun nanofibrous layer due to the special characteristics of this spacer resulting in low salt rejection factors and mechanical properties of the electrospun nanofibrous membrane.
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