Fouling Control
Even though membrane fouling is an inevitable phenomenon during membrane filtration, it can be minimised by strategies such as cleaning, appropriate membrane selection and choice of operating conditions.
Membranes can be cleaned physically, biologically or chemically. Physical cleaning includes sponges, water jets or backflushing using a permeate. Biological cleaning uses biocides to remove all viable microorganisms, whereas chemical cleaning involves the use of acids and bases to remove foulants and impurities.
Another strategy to minimise membrane fouling is the use of the appropriate membrane for a specific operation. The nature of the feed water must first be known; then a membrane that is less prone to fouling with that solution is chosen. For aqueous filtration, a hydrophilic membrane is preferred.
Operating conditions during membrane filtration are also vital, as they may affect fouling conditions during filtration. For instance, crossflow filtration is always preferred to dead end filtration, because turbulence generated during the filtration entails a thinner deposit layer and therefore minimises fouling.
Read more about this topic: Membrane Fouling
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