Effect of surface modification in preventing fouling of commercial SWRO membranes at the Eilat seawater desalination pilot plant

S. Belfer; J. Gilron; Y. Purinson; R. Fainshtain; N. Daltrophe; M. Priel; B. Tenzer; A. Toma

doi:10.1016/S0011-9164(01)00307-1

Effect of surface modification in preventing fouling of commercial SWRO membranes at the Eilat seawater desalination pilot plant

S. Belfer, J. Gilron, Y. Purinson, R. Fainshtain, N. Daltrophe, M. Priel, B. Tenzer, A. Toma

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

72 Scopus citations

Abstract

Flat sheet samples of SWRO membranes of the SWC2 type (Hydranautics) were surface modified with hydrophilic polymers formed by redox initiated grafting with vinyl monomers. These were mounted on specially designed stubs along with unmodified membranes and tested at the Mekorot seawater RO pilot plant located in Eilat. A spiral 2.5″ element of SWC2 was also modified and run at the pilot plant for 5 months. All samples were run at conditions designed to exacerbate fouling. In three different experiments of 1-3 months, the stubs with modification were shown to have less fouling as measured by relative flux decline. FTIR-ATR characterization showed that the modified membranes also had fewer organic deposits as compared to modified membranes. SEM and EDAX showed that on fouled deposits, iron and chromium were mixed with organic deposits. These are likely corrosion products from upstream in the test unit. The spiral wound element showed stable water flux for 3 months. When fouling did occur, it appeared to be bio-fouling and appeared to have developed in the dead space between the element and the stainless steel pressure housing and from there was carried into the element.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	169-176
Number of pages	8
Journal	Desalination
Volume	139
Issue number	1-3
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/S0011-9164(01)00307-1
State	Published - 20 Sep 2001

Keywords

Fouling
Membrane modification
Seawater RO

ASJC Scopus subject areas

General Chemistry
General Chemical Engineering
General Materials Science
Water Science and Technology
Mechanical Engineering

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1016/S0011-9164(01)00307-1

Cite this

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title = "Effect of surface modification in preventing fouling of commercial SWRO membranes at the Eilat seawater desalination pilot plant",

abstract = "Flat sheet samples of SWRO membranes of the SWC2 type (Hydranautics) were surface modified with hydrophilic polymers formed by redox initiated grafting with vinyl monomers. These were mounted on specially designed stubs along with unmodified membranes and tested at the Mekorot seawater RO pilot plant located in Eilat. A spiral 2.5″ element of SWC2 was also modified and run at the pilot plant for 5 months. All samples were run at conditions designed to exacerbate fouling. In three different experiments of 1-3 months, the stubs with modification were shown to have less fouling as measured by relative flux decline. FTIR-ATR characterization showed that the modified membranes also had fewer organic deposits as compared to modified membranes. SEM and EDAX showed that on fouled deposits, iron and chromium were mixed with organic deposits. These are likely corrosion products from upstream in the test unit. The spiral wound element showed stable water flux for 3 months. When fouling did occur, it appeared to be bio-fouling and appeared to have developed in the dead space between the element and the stainless steel pressure housing and from there was carried into the element.",

keywords = "Fouling, Membrane modification, Seawater RO",

author = "S. Belfer and J. Gilron and Y. Purinson and R. Fainshtain and N. Daltrophe and M. Priel and B. Tenzer and A. Toma",

note = "Funding Information: This work was supported by the Middle East Desalination Research Center (Contract 98-R-002) and by a grant from the Wolfson Charitable Foundation for desalination research. Dr. Mark WilfofHydranantics, Inc. supplied flat sheet and spiral element membrane samples and advised the authors on test methods.",

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T1 - Effect of surface modification in preventing fouling of commercial SWRO membranes at the Eilat seawater desalination pilot plant

AU - Belfer, S.

AU - Gilron, J.

AU - Purinson, Y.

AU - Fainshtain, R.

AU - Daltrophe, N.

AU - Priel, M.

AU - Tenzer, B.

AU - Toma, A.

N1 - Funding Information: This work was supported by the Middle East Desalination Research Center (Contract 98-R-002) and by a grant from the Wolfson Charitable Foundation for desalination research. Dr. Mark WilfofHydranantics, Inc. supplied flat sheet and spiral element membrane samples and advised the authors on test methods.

PY - 2001/9/20

Y1 - 2001/9/20

N2 - Flat sheet samples of SWRO membranes of the SWC2 type (Hydranautics) were surface modified with hydrophilic polymers formed by redox initiated grafting with vinyl monomers. These were mounted on specially designed stubs along with unmodified membranes and tested at the Mekorot seawater RO pilot plant located in Eilat. A spiral 2.5″ element of SWC2 was also modified and run at the pilot plant for 5 months. All samples were run at conditions designed to exacerbate fouling. In three different experiments of 1-3 months, the stubs with modification were shown to have less fouling as measured by relative flux decline. FTIR-ATR characterization showed that the modified membranes also had fewer organic deposits as compared to modified membranes. SEM and EDAX showed that on fouled deposits, iron and chromium were mixed with organic deposits. These are likely corrosion products from upstream in the test unit. The spiral wound element showed stable water flux for 3 months. When fouling did occur, it appeared to be bio-fouling and appeared to have developed in the dead space between the element and the stainless steel pressure housing and from there was carried into the element.

AB - Flat sheet samples of SWRO membranes of the SWC2 type (Hydranautics) were surface modified with hydrophilic polymers formed by redox initiated grafting with vinyl monomers. These were mounted on specially designed stubs along with unmodified membranes and tested at the Mekorot seawater RO pilot plant located in Eilat. A spiral 2.5″ element of SWC2 was also modified and run at the pilot plant for 5 months. All samples were run at conditions designed to exacerbate fouling. In three different experiments of 1-3 months, the stubs with modification were shown to have less fouling as measured by relative flux decline. FTIR-ATR characterization showed that the modified membranes also had fewer organic deposits as compared to modified membranes. SEM and EDAX showed that on fouled deposits, iron and chromium were mixed with organic deposits. These are likely corrosion products from upstream in the test unit. The spiral wound element showed stable water flux for 3 months. When fouling did occur, it appeared to be bio-fouling and appeared to have developed in the dead space between the element and the stainless steel pressure housing and from there was carried into the element.

KW - Fouling

KW - Membrane modification

KW - Seawater RO

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ER -

Effect of surface modification in preventing fouling of commercial SWRO membranes at the Eilat seawater desalination pilot plant

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

UN SDGs

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