Development of thin-film composite membrane for forward osmosis process

Forward osmosis (FO) is an emerging membrane separation technology. It is different from the well-studied pressure-driven membrane separation processes. The FO process is based on water transport under an osmotic pressure difference across a semi-permeable membrane. The distinct operating conditions lead to unique technical challenges during the exploitation of FO technology. According to a comprehensive literature investigation, one of the stringent barriers is lacking of effective FO membranes. The objectives of this research were to develop high performance FO membranes, and furthermore, to systematically study the mass transport and the governing mechanisms in FO process. Thin film composite (TFC) FO membranes with a tailored support structure were developed in this study. The membranes consisted of a highly porous substrate with finger-like pore structure, which was prepared via phase inversion, and a polyamide rejection layer synthesized by interfacial polymerization. The TFC FO membranes had small structural parameters due to the thin cross-section, low tortuosity, and high porosity of the substrates. The membrane rejection layers exhibited superior separation properties (higher water permeability and excellent selectivity) relative to commercial FO membranes. Under FO testing conditions, these membranes achieved high water flux while maintaining relatively low solute reverse diffusion. Comparison of the synthesized TFC FO membranes with commercial FO and reverse osmosis (RO) membranes revealed the critical importance of the substrate structure, with a straight finger-like pore structure preferred over a spongy pore structure to minimize internal concentration polarization (ICP), a unique and critical problem resulting in low water flux in the osmotically driven membrane processes. In addition, membranes with high water permeability and excellent selectivity are preferred to achieve both high FO water flux and low solute flux. The results proved that TFC membranes with a tailored porous substrate and rejection layer are promising for FO applications. In the study of polyamide rejection layer synthesis, the influence of monomer concentrations (i.e., m-phenylenediamine (MPD) and trimesoyl chloride (TMC) concentrations) on the membrane separation properties as well as the FO performance was systematically investigated. A strong trade-off between the water permeability and salt rejection of the membranes was observed, where reducing the MPD concentration or increasing the TMC concentration may result in a higher membrane permeability but a lower salt rejection. In FO tests, membranes with poor salt rejection had severe solute reverse diffusion, which enhanced the severity of ICP. It was found that the FO water flux was governed by both the membrane water permeability and solute rejection. For a membrane with higher water permeability but lower solute rejection, the reduced membrane frictional resistance was compensated simultaneously by the more severe solute-reverse-diffusion-induced ICP. The net effect on the FO water flux depends on the competition of these two opposing mechanisms. Under conditions where solute reverse diffusion may cause severe ICP (e.g., high draw solution concentration and high water flux level), membranes need to be optimized to achieve a high salt rejection even if this is at the expense of lower water permeability. In view of the importance of the water permeability and salt permeability on FO performance, a systematic comparison study of prevailing semi-permeable FO membranes with nanofiltration (NF)-like and RO-like separation properties in terms of flux performance and fouling behavior was conducted. Due to the crucial influence of solute reverse diffusion on FO water flux, the high-rejection RO-like FO membranes generally performed better than the NF-like counterparts in sodium chloride based FO tests. On the other hand, the high permeability of NF-like FO membranes could achieve higher water flux, when proper draw solutes were used to minimize draw solute leakage. Fouling tests suggested that the NF-like TFC FO membranes tended to be more fouling resistant due to their relatively smooth membrane surface. This work further elucidated the major mechanisms that govern the FO performance. These mechanisms were summarized as a frictional resistance loss mechanism (MR), solute-reverse-diffusion-induced ICP (MICP-Js), concentration of feed solutes (concentrative ICP or MICP-feed in the active-layer-facing-draw-solution orientation) and dilution of draw solutes (dilutive ICP or MICP-draw in the active-layer-facing-feed-solution orientation). These mechanisms are related to the properties of membrane, draw and feed solutions. This work led to a set of systematic criteria for the selection of FO membranes, draw solution and optimization of other operating conditions, of which the practicability was demonstrated in potential FO applications.

A novel thin film composite hollow fiber osmotic membrane with one-step prepared dual-layer substrate for sludge thickening

In order to ensure long-term sustainability of the reservoir, the gas industry in Qatar is faced with the challenge of reducing the volume of produced and process water (PPW) sent to disposal wells by 50% [1-3]. Recently, Qatargas initiated a project to recycle process water and thus, reduce disposal volumes using commercial advanced water treatment technologies [4]. One emerging technology, “osmotic concentration” (OC) has been identified that offers a low-energy alternative to conventional thermal or membrane volume reduction methods. Osmotic concentration is a membrane filtration process that mimics first step in a forward osmosis (FO) system. It requires a high salinity draw solution (DS) which passes on one side of a semi-permeable FO membrane while the feed passes on the other side. Water from the feed is drawn through the membrane, via natural osmosis, reducing the feed volume and increasing the volume of the draw solution. This paper summarizes the results of bench-scale volume reduction tests wit...

Enhanced double-skinned FO membranes with inner dense layer for wastewater treatment and macromolecule recycle using Sucrose as draw solute

Sustainable management of saline oily wastewater via forward osmosis using aquaporin membrane

Produced water treatment using forward osmosis membranes: Evaluation of extended-time performance and fouling

ABSTRACTIn this study, we fabricated a nanofibrous composite (NFC) membrane as a substrate to produce forward osmosis (FO) membranes, and we also assessed the use of liquid fertilizer as a draw solution for the FO process in order to produce agricultural irrigation water. Commercial cellulose triacetate (CTA) and thin-film composite (TFC) FO membranes were included in this study. Under FO tests, the NFC, CTA, and TFC membranes achieved initial osmotic water flux values of 35.31, 6.85, and 3.31 L/m2·h and final osmotic water flux values of 12.62, 6.31, and 3.85 L/m2 h, respectively. The reason for the high osmotic water flux of the NFC membrane is because its nanofiber layer has low tortuosity, high porosity, and a low thickness, resulting in a reduction in the internal concentration polarization phenomenon. When liquid fertilizer was used as the draw solution, the water flux values in the FO experiments for the NFC, CTA, and TFC membranes were 15.54, 5.46, and 2.54 L/m2 h. Finally, our results revealed that the FO process using liquid fertilizer as a draw solution can be applied to produce agricultural irrigation water from brackish water and the newly fabricated NFC membrane can be applied to the FO process.

This dissertation studies the feasibility and efficiency of utilizing forward osmosis membrane technology to treat heavy metal contaminated water. Arsenic is selected to be the target heavy metal. The evaluation of forward osmosis(FO)process efficiency is based on two important membrane parameters, which are water flux and rejection rate. Water flux is the indicator of production rate or treatment efficiency in quantity aspect. Rejection rate represents the product water quality in terms of the percentage of target heavy metal rejected by the membrane. The major objective of this dissertation is to find optimal draw solution and membrane type to achieve maximum arsenic removal efficiency (rejection rate), at the same time, maintain high water flux.
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\nSeveral sub-projects with individual experiment are derived from the main objective to test out the performance of different membranes and draw solutions. The relationship between draw solution concentration and water flux is analyzed as well. Cellulose triacetate (CTA) membrane and thin film composite (TFC) membrane as two types of commonly available polymer membrane are used for the experiments. In total, four types of inorganic and organic solutes are included in the comparison of draw solution performance. Lab-scale FO system and one unit of membrane module are adopted for conducting the experiments.
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\nThe result shows that using sodium chloride as draw solution and TFC membrane yields the largest flux. For the aspect of rejection rate, both CTA membrane and TFC membrane can reach almost 100% treatment efficiency. The rejection rates obtained in this study fall in the range of 96.7% to 99.9%. The results of this study proved that forward osmosis membrane process has the potential of industrial application in treating heavy metal contaminated water such as industrial wastewater and landfill leachate.

The present work aims to study forward osmosis process using different kinds of draw solutions and membranes. Three types of draw solutions (sodium chloride, sodium formate, and sodium acetate) were used in forward osmosis process to evaluate their effectiveness with respect to water flux and reverse salt flux. Experiments conducted in a laboratory-scale forward osmosis (FO) unit in cross flow flat sheet membrane cell. Three types of membranes (Thin film composite (TFC), Cellulose acetate (CA), and Cellulose triacetate (CTA)) were used to determine the water flux under osmotic pressure as a driving force. The effect of temperature, draw solution concentration, feed and draw solution flow rate, and membrane types, were studied with respect to water flux. The results showed an increase in water flux with increasing feed temperature and draw solution concentrations In addition, the flux increased with increasing feed flow rate while the flux was inversely proportional with the draw solution flow rate. The results showed that reverse osmosis membranes (TFC and CA) are not suitable for using in FO process due to the relatively obtained low water flux when compared with the flux obtained by forward osmosis membrane (CTA). NaCl draw solution gave higher water flux than other draw solutions and at the same time, revealed higher reverse salt flux.

Hybrid membrane system for desalination and wastewater treatment : Integrating forward osmosis and low pressure reverse osmosis

The research aims to apply the novel forward osmosis (FO) process to recover pure waterfrom contaminated water. Phenol was used as organic substance in the feed solution, while sodiumchloride salt was used as draw solution. Membranes used in the FO process is the cellulosetriacetate (CTA) and polyamide (thin film composite (TFC)) membrane. Reverse osmosis processwas used to treatment the draw solution, the exterior from the forward osmosis process. In the FOprocess the active layer of the membrane faces the feed solution and the porous support layer facesthe draw solution and this will show the effect of dilutive internal concentration polarization andconcentrative external concentration polarization.In the FO process was a run-time for five hours, and the concentration of phenol 100 and1000 mg/l, and for the NaCl the concentration was 10000 and 30000 mg/l. It was found thatrecovery percent increases with increasing time, while water flux through membrane decreases withincreasing time. Also, it was found that recovery and water flux increases with increasing drawsolution concentration, on the contrary, water flux and the percentage of recovery decreases withincreasing the concentration of phenol (feed solution). Increase in draw solute (NaCl) concentrationhas more effect on the water flux in FO process compared with increase in the concentration ofphenol. Outlet phenol concentration increases with time, while the outlet salt concentrationdecreases with increasing the time. The results showed that the cellulose triacetate membrane gavethe highest recovery ratio from the thin film composite membrane. The highest recovery wasreached in five hours is 51.33%, while using CTA membrane recovery rate increase, by 23%compared with TFC membrane. The value of the resistance to solute diffusion within the membraneporous support layer is 36.83 h/m. Reverse osmosis is perfect method for removal of dissolved saltsfrom water, thus its suitable process for reducing the content of NaCl in draw solution; therefore thesodium chloride rejection percentage was 91.6 – 96 % for polyamide membrane (TFC). Within twohours of work of the reverse osmosis system the recovery percentage of pure water is 58%.

Sublayer structure and reflection coefficient and their effects on concentration polarization and membrane performance in FO processes

We have demonstrated in this work the prospect of dual-layer polybenzimidazole-polyethersulfone (PBI-PES) nanofiltration (NF) hollow fiber membranes in the forward osmosis (FO) process for water production: The state-of-the-art for dual-layer membrane fabrication via coextrusion technology could produce the resultant membrane consisting of an ultrathin selective skin, fully porous water channels underneath, and a microporous sponge-like support structure. Together with its sharp pore size distribution and self-charged PBI selective membrane surface, the dual-layer hollow fiber forward osmosis membrane can achieve a water flux as high as 33.8 L x m(-2) x hr(-1) and a salt flux less than 1.0 g x m(-2) x hr(-1) at room temperature of 23 degrees C using 5 M MgCl2 as the draw solution. A comprehensive literature review of previous efforts on identifying suitable membranes and appropriate draw solutions in the FO process for water production and seawater desalination have also been conducted. It shows that the water fluxes of the dual-layer hollow fiber FO membrane developed in this work utilizing MgCl2 as the draw solutions generally surpasses those FO processes utilizing RO membranes and is comparable to most FO processes using commercial FO membrane and employing other salts or sugar instead of MgCl2 as the draw solutions.

The research aims to use a new technology for industrial water concentrating that contains poisonous metals and recovery quantities from pure water. Therefore, the technology investigated is the forward osmosis process (FO). It is a new process that use membranes available commercial and this process distinguishes by its low cost compared to other process. Sodium chloride (NaCl) was used as draw solution to extract water from poisonous metals solution. The driving force in the FO process is provided by a different in osmotic pressure (concentration) across the membrane between the draw and poisonous metals solution sides. Experimental work was divided into three parts. The first part includes operating the forward osmosis process using TFC membrane as flat sheet for NaCl. The operating parameters studied were: draw solutions concentration (10 – 95 g/l), draw solution flow rate (12-36 I/h), temperature of draw solution (30 and 40°C), feed solution concentration (10 -210 mg/l), feed solution flow rate (10 -50 l/h), temperature of feed solution (30 and 40°C) and Pressure (0.4 bar). The second part includes operating the forward osmosis process using CTA membrane as flat sheet for NaCl. The operating parameters studied were: draw solution concentration (15 – 95 g/l), feed solution concentration (10-210 mg/l). Constant temperature was maintained at 30°C. The last part includes operating the reverse osmosis process using TFC membrane as spiral wound module in order to separate NaCl salt from draw solution and obtain on pure water so as to usefully in different uses and also obtain on solution of NaCl concentrate which was recirculated to forward osmosis process. It is then used as draw solution. The operating parameter studied was: feed solution flow rate (15-55 l/h). The experimental results show that the water flux increases with increasing draw solution concentration, feed solution flow rate, temperature of draw solution and decreases with increasing feed solution concentration, draw solution flow rate and temperature of feed solution. The experiments also show that CTA membrane gives higher water flux than TFC membrane for forward osmosis operation.

New insights into the interaction between surface-charged membranes and positively-charged draw solutes in the forward osmosis process