Manufacture of Layered-type MF Ceramic Membrane for Advanced Wastewater Treatment and its Fouling Control using Modularized Mechanical Scraper

Abstract

In this study, a novel layered-type microfiltration (MF) ceramic membrane for advanced wastewater treatment was fabricated; composed of the support, buffer layer, and active layer. The buffer and active layers allow for the easy formation of the active layer on the support and selective permeation of the ceramic membrane, respectively. The average pore sizes of the support, buffer layer, and active layer were 2,677, 773.3, and 33.1 nm, respectively. The diameters of the active layer pores were <0.1 μm. The ceramic membrane performance and mechanical scraping effects on the membrane permeability improvement were evaluated. Mixed liquor suspended solids (MLSS) were used for the feed of an enhanced ceramic membrane filtration system, by combining the fabricated membranes and devised scrapers. The average flux recovery by scraping was 54% of the clean water flux; maintained by scraping despite the high turbidity feed. The permeation concluded within 0.2 h during scrape-off. This was not recovered despite scraping because the internal membrane pores became blocked due to the material turbidity and could not be separated at the surface of the ceramic membrane.