Enhancing fouling mitigation of submerged flat-sheet membranes by vibrating 3D-spacers
Unsteady-state shear is acknowledged to be more energy-efficient in the mitigation of membrane fouling. In this study, we aimed to understand the effects of three dimensional (3D)-spacer configuration and their vibrating orientation on the extent of fouling mitigation in a submerged flat-sheet membr...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Other Authors: | |
| Format: | Journal Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
2021
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| Online Access: | https://hdl.handle.net/10356/150405 |
| _version_ | 1824456039480688640 |
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| author | Tan, Yong Zen Mao, Ziming Zhang, Yanjun Tan, Wen See Chong, Tzyy Haur Wu, Bing Chew, Jia Wei |
| author2 | School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering |
| author_facet | School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering Tan, Yong Zen Mao, Ziming Zhang, Yanjun Tan, Wen See Chong, Tzyy Haur Wu, Bing Chew, Jia Wei |
| author_sort | Tan, Yong Zen |
| collection | NTU |
| description | Unsteady-state shear is acknowledged to be more energy-efficient in the mitigation of membrane fouling. In this study, we aimed to understand the effects of three dimensional (3D)-spacer configuration and their vibrating orientation on the extent of fouling mitigation in a submerged flat-sheet membrane microfiltration (MF) system. Several types of 3D-spacers were designed and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) was used to simulate the shear and turbulence along the membrane surface induced by vibrating 3D-spacers. The designed 3D-spacers were produced by 3D printing technique and their fouling control efficiencies were experimentally examined in a submerged flat-sheet membrane MF system with bentonite and sodium alginate as model foulants. Both simulation and experimental results revealed that the wave-like spacer (groove direction vertical to spacer movement direction) could alleviate more membrane fouling than the other designed spacers (e.g., hill-like spacer, wave-like spacer with groove direction parallel to spacer movement direction), regardless of tested permeate fluxes. Furthermore, two types of wave-like spacers were designed based on CFD simulation, in which perforation were placed on the spacer in order to enhance shear rate and provide a path for the back transport of foulants into the bulk feed. The MF membrane tests showed that the presence of either big holes (2 mm diameter) or small holes (1 mm diameter) could not benefit to reduce membrane fouling at a lower permeate flux (20 L/m² h), but the presence of small holes significantly improved membrane performance at a higher permeate flux (40 and 60 L/m² h). |
| first_indexed | 2025-02-19T03:47:46Z |
| format | Journal Article |
| id | ntu-10356/150405 |
| institution | Nanyang Technological University |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2025-02-19T03:47:46Z |
| publishDate | 2021 |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | ntu-10356/1504052021-09-14T07:50:15Z Enhancing fouling mitigation of submerged flat-sheet membranes by vibrating 3D-spacers Tan, Yong Zen Mao, Ziming Zhang, Yanjun Tan, Wen See Chong, Tzyy Haur Wu, Bing Chew, Jia Wei School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering School of Civil and Environmental Engineering Interdisciplinary Graduate School (IGS) Singapore Membrane Technology Centre Nanyang Environment and Water Research Institute Singapore Centre for 3D Printing Engineering::Environmental engineering 3D Printing Computational Fluid Dynamic Simulation Unsteady-state shear is acknowledged to be more energy-efficient in the mitigation of membrane fouling. In this study, we aimed to understand the effects of three dimensional (3D)-spacer configuration and their vibrating orientation on the extent of fouling mitigation in a submerged flat-sheet membrane microfiltration (MF) system. Several types of 3D-spacers were designed and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) was used to simulate the shear and turbulence along the membrane surface induced by vibrating 3D-spacers. The designed 3D-spacers were produced by 3D printing technique and their fouling control efficiencies were experimentally examined in a submerged flat-sheet membrane MF system with bentonite and sodium alginate as model foulants. Both simulation and experimental results revealed that the wave-like spacer (groove direction vertical to spacer movement direction) could alleviate more membrane fouling than the other designed spacers (e.g., hill-like spacer, wave-like spacer with groove direction parallel to spacer movement direction), regardless of tested permeate fluxes. Furthermore, two types of wave-like spacers were designed based on CFD simulation, in which perforation were placed on the spacer in order to enhance shear rate and provide a path for the back transport of foulants into the bulk feed. The MF membrane tests showed that the presence of either big holes (2 mm diameter) or small holes (1 mm diameter) could not benefit to reduce membrane fouling at a lower permeate flux (20 L/m² h), but the presence of small holes significantly improved membrane performance at a higher permeate flux (40 and 60 L/m² h). Economic Development Board (EDB) Ministry of Education (MOE) We acknowledge funding from the Singapore Ministry of Education Academic Research Funds Tier 2 ( MOE2014-T2-2-074 ; ARC16/15 ) and Tier 1 ( 2015-T1-001-023 ; RG7/15), the GSK (GlaxoSmithKline) – EDB (Economic Development Board of Singapore) Trust Fund, and the Joint Singapore-Germany Research Project Fund ( SGP-PROG3-019 ). The Economic Development Board (EDB) of Singapore is acknowledged for funding the Singapore Membrane Technology Centre (SMTC), Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. 2021-07-19T05:59:38Z 2021-07-19T05:59:38Z 2019 Journal Article Tan, Y. Z., Mao, Z., Zhang, Y., Tan, W. S., Chong, T. H., Wu, B. & Chew, J. W. (2019). Enhancing fouling mitigation of submerged flat-sheet membranes by vibrating 3D-spacers. Separation and Purification Technology, 215, 70-80. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.seppur.2018.12.085 1383-5866 0000-0002-6603-1649 https://hdl.handle.net/10356/150405 10.1016/j.seppur.2018.12.085 2-s2.0-85059476364 215 70 80 en MOE2014-T2-2-074 ARC16/15 2015-T1-001-023 RG7/15 SGP-PROG3-019 Separation and Purification Technology © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. |
| spellingShingle | Engineering::Environmental engineering 3D Printing Computational Fluid Dynamic Simulation Tan, Yong Zen Mao, Ziming Zhang, Yanjun Tan, Wen See Chong, Tzyy Haur Wu, Bing Chew, Jia Wei Enhancing fouling mitigation of submerged flat-sheet membranes by vibrating 3D-spacers |
| title | Enhancing fouling mitigation of submerged flat-sheet membranes by vibrating 3D-spacers |
| title_full | Enhancing fouling mitigation of submerged flat-sheet membranes by vibrating 3D-spacers |
| title_fullStr | Enhancing fouling mitigation of submerged flat-sheet membranes by vibrating 3D-spacers |
| title_full_unstemmed | Enhancing fouling mitigation of submerged flat-sheet membranes by vibrating 3D-spacers |
| title_short | Enhancing fouling mitigation of submerged flat-sheet membranes by vibrating 3D-spacers |
| title_sort | enhancing fouling mitigation of submerged flat sheet membranes by vibrating 3d spacers |
| topic | Engineering::Environmental engineering 3D Printing Computational Fluid Dynamic Simulation |
| url | https://hdl.handle.net/10356/150405 |
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