Journal
JOURNAL OF MEMBRANE SCIENCE
Volume 471, Issue -, Pages 149-154Publisher
ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV
DOI: 10.1016/j.memsci.2014.08.017
Keywords
Membranes; Electrolysis; (Bio)fouling; Self-cleaning; MWCNT; Desalination
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Membrane fouling is the major problem during the practical application of membrane separation processes in industry and water treatment. Therefore a search for novel efficient methods of membrane cleaning is currently of crucial importance for membrane-based technologies. The paper describes a new method of membrane cleaning, which is based on periodic electrolysis using a novel electrically conductive membrane to remove/prevent membrane fouling. The membrane consists of a thin electrically conductive layer of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) deposited on the membrane's surface. The deposited MWCNTs allow the membrane to function as a cathode in an electrochemical system that includes the electrically conductive membrane, the salt water as an electrolyte and a stainless steel counter anode. The efficiency of the cleaning procedure in the flux recovery has been proved with typical bio- and inorganic membrane foulants such as CaCO3. and yeast suspensions. The cleaning mechanism during the electrolysis process is explained by the evolution of gases forming micro-bubbles at the membrane surface which remove the foulant material out from the membrane. The proposed method enables in situ membrane self-cleaning, thus providing a non-destructive, continuous and renewable approach for the mitigation of the different types of membrane fouling. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved,
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