Abstract
A metal membrane and a polyethersulfone (PES) membrane were compared in this study. The surface morphology, inherent resistance, and critical flux of the membranes were first investigated. The two membranes were then placed in an activated sludge reactor to treat municipal sewage. The two membranes showed similar removal efficiencies of chemical oxygen demand (COD), ammonia, and total nitrogen (TN). The average effluent COD removal efficiencies, effluent ammonia, and effluent TN removal efficiencies were approximately 94.00%, 0.19 mg/L, and 28.22%, respectively. The metal membrane showed lower inherent membrane resistance of 0.27 × 1011 m−1, higher critical flux of 0.7 m3/(m2 d), higher anti-fouling ability, and slower transmembrane pressure increasing rate compared with the PES membrane. The main fouling mechanism of the metal membrane was cake formation, whereas that of the PES membrane was pore blocking. The metal membrane was easy to recover after fouling. The results of the study suggest that the metal membrane can be potentially applied in a membrane bioreactor.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
