Review
Engineering, Environmental
Chengxin Niu, Xuesong Li, Ruobin Dai, Zhiwei Wang
Summary: This article presents a review of the application of artificial intelligence algorithms for predicting membrane fouling. By using techniques such as artificial neural networks and fuzzy logic, more accurate predictions and control of membrane fouling can be achieved. Future research should focus on optimizing AI techniques for more precise prediction of membrane fouling and optimization of membrane-based processes.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Boyuan Deng, Yang Deng, Min Liu, Ying Chen, Qinglian Wu, Hongguang Guo
Summary: In this work, machine learning was used to quantitatively describe nonlinear ultrafiltration membrane fouling behaviors. Direct observation data was used for modeling and analysis, simplifying the prediction process and reducing its cost. Two distinct prediction models were established: one for long-term study and prediction using existing data, and the other for short-term prediction based on a tree model. The study demonstrates the feasibility and interpretability of machine learning-based approaches in understanding membrane fouling.
SEPARATION AND PURIFICATION TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence
Mostafa Gandomi, Ali R. Kashani, Ali Farhadi, Mohsen Akhani, Amir H. Gandomi
Summary: This study developed models for ground motion prediction equations using hybrid evolutionary computation techniques based on genetic programming, which were verified through comprehensive comparisons with existing methods. The proposed models showed simplicity, directness, and competitive accuracy with complex models in the literature.
APPLIED SOFT COMPUTING
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
David J. Kovacs, Zhong Li, Brian W. Baetz, Youngseck Hong, Sylvain Donnaz, Xiaokun Zhao, Pengxiao Zhou, Huihuang Ding, Qirong Dong
Summary: In this study, machine learning techniques were used to build models that can predict transmembrane pressure (TMP) at different stages of the membrane bioreactors (MBRs) production cycle. The models provide reliable predictions, with the random forest (RF) model showing the highest accuracy. These models can be valuable tools for decision support in wastewater treatment plants, leading to cost reduction.
JOURNAL OF MEMBRANE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Weilong Song, Dong Xu, Xuan Yang, Jian Li, Pin Zhao, Xinhua Wang, How Yong Ng
Summary: Zwitterionic surface engineering was employed to improve the antifouling ability of hollow-fiber membranes. A flow-through coating method using zwitterionic organosilica material was used to introduce zwitterions onto the membrane, which was then incorporated into a membrane bioreactor (MBR) to demonstrate enhanced fouling control. The zwitterion-coated membrane showed superior fouling resistance in the MBR, with improved critical flux, extended fouling cycle, and higher resistance to key foulants such as extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) and soluble microbial polymer (SMP). The interfacial free energy analysis revealed that zwitterions altered the interfacial interaction between the membrane and the fouling substances, leading to elevated energy barrier for foulants attachment.
JOURNAL OF MEMBRANE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Nguyen Duc Viet, Am Jang
Summary: This study developed artificial intelligence-based models for early prediction of OMBR system performance, showing excellent performance in predicting water flux, membrane fouling, and TOC removal. Strong predictions were also obtained for nutrient rejections, indicating the models' effectiveness in optimizing OMBR systems.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Junqiang Yao, Zhiyue Wu, Yuan Liu, Xiaoyu Zheng, Haibo Zhang, Renjie Dong, Wei Qiao
Summary: This study used a backpropagation neural network model to predict the membrane filtration performance in a submerged system and applied a genetic algorithm to optimize the simulation process. The results showed that artificial neural networks can be a useful tool for predicting AnMBR.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Min Tang, Kofi S. S. Christie, Deyin Hou, Chunli Ding, Xiaolin Jia, Jun Wang
Summary: A facile breath figures templating (BFT) method was used to develop a composite membrane for robust anti-oil-fouling membrane distillation. By controlling the concentration of cellulose acetate and template agent, as well as exposure to different environments, the morphology and performance of the membrane could be systematically studied and improved. The fabricated PTFE-9CA composite membrane showed great potential in resisting oil-fouling and maintaining high salt rejection during MD testing.
JOURNAL OF MEMBRANE SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Sung Ju Im, Viet Duc Nguyen, Am Jang
Summary: This study aims to develop an AI-based model for early control and decision-making in the forward osmosis (FO) membrane system. The results show that the artificial neural networks model is extremely suitable for predicting water flux, membrane fouling, and removal efficiencies. Organic matters, sodium ion, and calcium ion concentrations play a vital role in all predictions. The best model architecture suggests optimal hidden layers (2-4 layers) and neurons (10-15 neurons).
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2022)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Yuchuan Meng, Qiao Zhong, Yujie Liu, Zhongsen Yan, Ying Liang, Haiqing Chang, Heng Liang, Radisav D. Vidic
Summary: This study aimed to find an effective cleaning method for organic fouling in membrane distillation (MD). The fouling characteristics of humic acid (HA), sodium alginate (SA), and bovine serum albumin (BSA) were investigated, along with the cleaning efficiency of different flushing methods. The results showed that the presence of calcium ions had a varying effect on fouling for different organics. NaOH flushing resulted in irreversible fouling, while DI water flushing showed good recovery for SA-induced fouling.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Situ Mu, Yuxiang Liu, Hongwei Zhang, Jie Wang
Summary: This study analyzed the properties of dissolved organic matter solutions with the addition of coagulants using UV-vis, synchronous fluorescence, and excitation-emission matrix spectroscopy. The results showed that the size of aggregates increased with the addition of coagulant and the binding sequence of coagulant to dissolved organic matter varied. The unified membrane fouling index was negatively correlated with coagulant concentrations, and slope ratio and specific fluorescence intensities had the most significant correlation to the fouling index.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Yifan Wang, Xing Zheng, Dongfei Li, Jiayu Tian, Hua Wu, Yaozhong Zhang
Summary: The adsorption behavior of sodium alginate, humic acid, and bovine serum albumin on PVDF membranes was investigated using quartz crystal microbalance and dissipation (QCM-D) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) detection. The adhesion force between organics and membrane affected the adsorption rate at the initial fouling stage, while the interaction force among the organic molecules was connected to the degree of irreversible fouling and the structure of the fouling layer. Under the same ionic strength conditions, calcium (Ca2+) enhanced organic fouling compared to sodium (Na+), which is consistent with the XDLVO theory. Bovine serum albumin (BSA) showed higher deposition in mass, adsorption rate, and irreversibility than the other two organics due to stronger interaction forces among BSA molecules and a denser fouling layer. The adsorption process followed a pseudo-second-order kinetic model for sodium alginate (SA) and BSA, while humic acid (HA) conformed to a pseudo-first order kinetic model.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Yaoke Shi, Zhiwen Wang, Xianjun Du, Bin Gong, Veeriah Jegatheesan, Izaz Ul Haq
Summary: Compared to traditional activated sludge processes, membrane bioreactors (MBRs) have many advantages, but membrane fouling remains a major obstacle to their wider application. There are some issues in predicting membrane fouling status, and there is still significant room for development in current techniques.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Fangchao Zhao, Xixi Han, Zhuang Shao, Zhichao Li, Zongxue Li, Dong Chen
Summary: This study suggests that the 0.1-μm membrane is more suitable for algae harvesting due to its highest reversible fouling and lowest irreversible fouling. Moreover, membranes with larger pore sizes are more likely to be fouled by low molecular weight organics.
JOURNAL OF MEMBRANE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Boda Li, Jun Ma, Wei Qiu, Wenqian Li, Bin Zhang, An Ding, Xu He
Summary: Preoxidation-ultrafiltration process is an effective method for removing Fe2+ and Mn(2+), but the presence of Fe2+, Mn2+, and organics in the feed can cause severe membrane fouling. This study proposes a novel FeOx+MnOx+H2O2 membrane cleaning method which achieves high membrane flux recovery and removal of membrane foulants within a short time. The outstanding performance of the system is mainly attributed to the catalytic decomposition of H2O2 to generate highly reactive radicals and abundant oxygen.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Arvin Sohrabi, Mousa Meratizaman, Shuli Liu
Summary: This paper simulates and discusses possible solutions to improve the economic and technical performances of a battery-less renewable energy-powered BWRO system under real climate conditions. The study finds that the photovoltaic-based system performs better in terms of specific energy consumption and unused energy ratio.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Chunlan Pan, Xiaoyin Hu, Vishal Goyal, Theyab R. Alsenani, Salem Alkhalaf, Tamim Alkhalifah, Fahad Alturise, Hamad Almujibah, H. Elhosiny Ali
Summary: This paper introduces a novel waste heat recovery method using the hot flue gas from a ship's engine to produce liquefied hydrogen while meeting the ship's air-conditioning requirement. A comprehensive feasibility assessment is conducted and an artificial neural network with a multiobjective grey wolf optimization method is used for optimization. The findings indicate the highest mean sensitivity index of the flash temperature and the best optimization scenario for exergy efficiency, CO2 emission reduction, and liquefied hydrogen cost.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Daniele Chinello, Jan Post, Louis C. P. M. de Smet
Summary: In this study, PVDF-based anion-exchange membranes were designed to selectively separate nitrate from chloride. Experimental data showed that increasing the concentration of PVDF enhanced nitrate transport but also increased the membrane electrical resistance. The selectivity of nitrate was found to be independent of the membrane thickness and mainly driven by the increased affinity between the anion and the membrane.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Umar Noor, Muhammad Fayyaz Farid, Ammara Sharif, Amna Saleem, Zubair Nabi, Muhammad Furqan Mughal, Kiran Abbas, Toheed Ahmed
Summary: Global water scarcity is increasing, and water desalination is an important solution. Multifunctional advanced materials, such as membrane materials and solar-driven desalination, play a crucial role in water desalination. Additionally, these materials can be used for water purification, wastewater treatment, and pollutant elimination.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Emrah Gumus
Summary: With growing global concerns about climate change and environmental impacts, the use of nuclear energy in naval vessels offers a cleaner and more efficient solution to reduce emissions and address water and energy supply challenges. This study explores a novel system that combines a nuclear-driven supercritical carbon dioxide power cycle with reverse osmosis cogeneration to meet the water and electricity demands in maritime operations, enhancing the sustainability, efficiency, and self-sufficiency of naval vessels. The results indicate that the system has the potential to be a viable and effective solution for naval operations.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Dao Thi Thanh Huyen, Saikat Sinha Ray, Young -Nam Kwon
Summary: This study focuses on the modification of a commercially available polyamide thin-film composite membrane with a zwitterionic material to enhance its fouling resistance. The modified membrane shows improved salt rejection and reduced permeability compared to the pristine membrane. Fouling tests demonstrate that the modified membrane has a lower fouling ratio and higher recovery ratio. The enhanced antifouling characteristics are attributed to the improved hydrophilicity resulting from the zwitterionic brushes and the salting-in effect.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Niklas Koeller, Lukas Mankertz, Selina Finger, Christian J. Linnartz, Matthias Wessling
Summary: This study presents a methodology to scale up Flow-electrode Capacitive Deionization (FCDI) technology from lab-scale to pilot-scale systems. By increasing membrane area and using a stacking approach, the FCDI modules were successfully scaled up and achieved a salt transfer rate comparable to lab-scale systems. This provides a foundation for future assessments of energy demand and economics.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Mona Gulied, Sifani Zavahir, Tasneem Elmakki, Hyunwoong Park, Guillermo Hijos Gago, Ho Kyong Shon, Dong Suk Han
Summary: This study introduces a novel hybrid system that combines direct contact membrane distillation (DCMD) and electrically switched ion exchange (ESIX) to facilitate seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) brine enrichment and selective lithium recovery.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Zhiqiang Zhang, Ruifeng Deng, Jiao Zhang, Lu She, Guangfeng Wei, Renyong Jia, Pengyu Xiang, Siqing Xia
Summary: A transmembrane electro-chemisorption system with authigenic acid and base was developed for enhancing ammonia recovery from strong ammonia wastewater. The system efficiently transformed ammonium into free ammonia, which was then adsorbed and recovered through transmembrane chemisorption. This system yielded pure (NH4)2SO4 product and produced valuable byproducts of pure hydrogen and oxygen. Higher applied voltage resulted in better ammonia recovery.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Alena Popova, Sandrine Boivin, Takuji Shintani, Takahiro Fujioka
Summary: This study aimed to produce a high-integrity RO membrane by forming a polyamide skin layer on a TE support layer, in order to enhance the integrity of the membrane and improve the microbiological safety of potable water reuse.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Sanjana Yagnambhatt, Saber Khanmohammadi, Jonathan Maisonneuve
Summary: This study investigates the concept of using heat to enhance reverse osmosis (RO) desalination. The effect of temperature on water permeate flux, specific energy, permeate quality, and applied operating pressures is evaluated using an analytical model. The results suggest that under specific conditions, the tradeoff between savings in mechanical pump work and thermal energy input in thermally-enhanced RO can be favorable, leading to overall energy savings.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Jiangju Si, Chenrui Xue, Shun Li, Linchao Yang, Weiwei Li, Jie Yang, Jihong Lan, Ningbo Sun
Summary: To meet the huge demand for lithium resources, there is an urgent need to develop a new efficient technology for lithium recovery from salt-lake brines. In this study, a selective membrane capacitive deionization system is reported, which achieves high lithium recovery capacity and rate through the use of materials with efficient intercalated pseudo-capacitance and a high specific area porous carbon. The use of a modified thin-coated membrane allows for selective Li+ recovery, and adjusting the concentrations of Li+ and Mg2+ in the feed solution enables higher Li+/Mg2+ selectivity.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Mohamed R. Salem, R. Y. Sakr, Ghazy M. R. Assassa, Omar A. Aly
Summary: This research proposes a new method of using wasted thermal energies as an additional heating source for solar still distillation units (SSDUs) to increase productivity and reduce pollution and global warming. By testing two SSDUs, the study shows that heating airflow can raise temperatures, enhance freshwater production, and improve system thermal efficiency.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Qimeng Sun, Miao Sun, Linyan Yang, Yuan Gao, Xinghai Zhou, Lihua Lyu, Chunyan Wei
Summary: This study presents an innovative design and fabrication of a fabric-based conical roll (FCR) evaporator, which enables low-temperature evaporation and achieves high evaporation efficiency with excellent thermal management ability. The evaporator has demonstrated advanced light-harvesting capability and can produce freshwater that meets drinking water standards, showing great potential for applications in desalination and sewage treatment.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Yidong Zhang, Wangfang Deng, Meiyan Wu, Chao Liu, Guang Yu, Qiu Cui, Pedram Fatehi, Chunlin Xu, Bin Li
Summary: In this study, a novel polydopamine-functionalized lignin-containing pulp foam evaporator with high-efficiency desalination and multi-contaminant adsorption capabilities was designed. The foam evaporator showed excellent light absorption, water absorption, thermal conductivity, and chelation abilities, allowing for solar evaporation and contaminant adsorption synergistically. It also exhibited potential applications in metal ion concentration and contaminated seawater treatments, and demonstrated superior biodegradability compared to poly-styrene foam. This foam material holds promise for developing multifunctional photo-thermal systems for solar-driven water purification.