Chapter 16 - Industrial wastewater treatment by membrane process

Abstract

The membrane separation is an emerging technology for water and wastewater treatment in many industrial applications. Membranes may suffer quick fouling leading to lower separation efficiency and higher operating cost. Membrane-based hybrid processes can be implemented to overcome the membrane limitation%s and improve the process outcome. The hybrid process is developed by combining the membrane process with well-developed wastewater treatment techniques like reverse osmosis, membrane bioreactor, ceramic ultrafiltration membrane, and activated carbon/membrane. In this chapter, the membrane-based hybrid processes are discussed in detail focusing on the basic principles and applications within industrial wastewater treatment. The industrial importance of the membrane-based hybrid processes originates from the necessity of more durable industrial wastewater treatment processes. The development of novel membrane-based hybrid processes is important to improve the produced water and reduce energy requirements. The historical development of the membrane-based hybrid processes is presented using several examples. Different hybrid processes are discussed and compared.