RO membrane cleaning using microbubbles at 6,800 m3/d wastewater RO plant in UAE

Abstract

AbstractIt is well known that any fouling of the membrane surface has a dramatic effect on energy consumption and plant efficiency; this is particularly true for waste water reverse osmosis (RO) plants due to the higher fouling rate. Such fouling can be very difficult to clean using commodity chemicals or even speciality chemicals. This paper explores the use of a novel cleaning process designed to increase the efficiency of membrane cleaning using microbubbles. The microbubbles were created by both a physical and chemical process, which circulate in the cleaning solution increasing turbulence at the membrane surface. These bubbles create shear forces which agitate and dislodge the foulant giving greater removal in a reduced time period. In order to demonstrate that there was no damage to the membrane surface or element using this cleaning method with microbubbles, we selected a number of 8″ membranes from the major membrane manufacturers and performed repeat cleans over a 12 month period. Membranes were ...