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Alternative tests for evaluating NF fouling
Author(s) -
DiGiano Francis A.,
Arweiler Sabine,
Riddick J. Arthur
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
journal ‐ american water works association
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.466
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1551-8833
pISSN - 0003-150X
DOI - 10.1002/j.1551-8833.2000.tb08821.x
Subject(s) - fouling , membrane , membrane fouling , flux (metallurgy) , water treatment , chromatography , filtration (mathematics) , chemistry , pilot plant , pulp and paper industry , environmental science , environmental engineering , waste management , materials science , engineering , metallurgy , mathematics , biochemistry , statistics
Two alternative batch tests use a smaller sample and simpler experimental setup. The batch recycle membrane test (BaReMT) and batch internal recycle membrane test (BaIReMT) were developed as simpler alternatives to the rapid bench‐scale membrane test (RBSMT) currently recommended by the Information Collection Rule for evaluating membrane treatment. All three methods were tested on a small (155‐cm 2 [26‐sq‐in.]) flat sheet of membrane. Both the BaReMT and BaIReMT require a far smaller batch volume of water sample than does the RBSMT. The patterns of flux decline and recovery were similar in the BaReMT and RBSMT that used water treatment plant samples from Durham and Fayetteville, N.C. The fouling tendencies of water treatment plant samples from Durham, Fayetteville, and Raleigh, N.C. were similar. Although the mass of natural organic matter on the membrane was small, its estimated concentration in the foulant layer was large. Scanning electron and atomic force micrographs showed that not all foulants were removed from the membrane surface despite extensive cleaning. Only repeated cycles of cleaning can demonstrate the long‐term effect of the remaining foulants on flux recovery.