Lecture 10: Post-treatment for membrane processes, Exercise (pretreatment
process selection for groundwater, surface water, and seawater)
Slide 123:
Hello everybody and welcome to this presentation. In the previous lecture, we
discussed the pretreatment for the membranes that is very important to protect
the membrane and increase the membrane life.
In this section, we continue this section with the second part as post-treatment and
in the end, we have an important exercise.
Slide 124:
Some important post-treatment processes in membranes such as disinfection,
corrosion control, and removal of dissolved gases and volatile compounds that I'm
going to discuss each of which in the next slides.
Slide 125:
Disinfection:
Disinfection is the process of killing or inactivating harmful and objectionable
bacteria, cysts, and other microorganisms by various agents such as chemicals,
heat, ultraviolet light, ultrasonic waves, radiation, Ozonation, and so on.
What is the difference between disinfection and sterilization?
Disinfection and sterilization are both decontamination processes. While
disinfection is the process of eliminating or reducing harmful microorganisms from
inanimate objects and surfaces, sterilization is the process of killing all
microorganisms. That is the main difference between sterilizing and disinfecting.
When does disinfection make sense?
Microbiological quality of the permeate/filtrate is usually excellent after RO, NF,
UF, MF
However, due to a damaged membrane (Broken fiber) or contamination during
operation microbes can pass through.
Generally, two methods of disinfection are used:
Physical methods such as:
Heating to boiling
Incineration
Irradiation with X-rays or UV rays
and chemical methods such as:
Chlorination
Ozonation
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Corrosion control:
In the United States, utilities spend over $19 billion per year combating corrosion
problems in drinking water distribution systems (Bell and Aranda, 2005). To avoid
similar problems in waterworks or reclaimed water systems, methods for
identification, control, and management of corrosion issues are needed,
particularly in situations where water temperatures and pressures can fluctuate.
Corrosion results from physicochemical reactions between a metal and its
environment that lead to changes in the properties of the metal (ISO, 1999). In
some cases, electrochemical reactions can act to initiate oxidation and dissolution
of metals from piping and other materials that contact the reclaimed water.
In general, corrosion can only occur in the presence of a corrosion cell consisting of
four elements: (1) anode, (2) cathode, (3) electrolyte, and (4) a conductor
connecting the cathode with the anode, as illustrated on this figure.
Water Quality Considerations:
A comparison of water quality variables that influence corrosion is given in this
Table.
Water quality and hydraulic factors influence the potential for corrosion to occur
in industrial vessels and conveyance structures. For example, pH changes have
been correlated to increases in corrosion rates (Stumm, 1956). Corrosion rapidly
increases with decreasing pH less than pH 5.0 (increasing acid concentration). High
levels of alkalinity (over 150 mg/L as CaCO3) have been observed to cause
increased corrosion of lead, copper, and zinc (Vik et al., 1996). Neutral salts such as
chloride and sulfate can act to increase corrosion rates, particularly at low oxygen
concentrations (Clement et al., 2002). Dissolved oxygen can induce and promote
corrosion reactions, particularly under elevated temperatures and pressures.
In addition to chemical water quality, microorganisms in reclaimed water may
directly or indirectly impact corrosion through the development of biofilms on
wetted surfaces of pipelines, condensers, and process tanks. Microbial activity
within biofilms produces acid-forming gases such as carbon dioxide and hydrogen
sulfide that can lead to localized corrosion (Adams et al., 1980).
Slide 127:
Corrosion control is usually not required for UF/MF systems. RO/NF permeates,
lack of Ca and alkalinity but the acidic pH.
Some of the post-treatments to control corrosion such as:
Release of carbon dioxide in a digassifier (e.g. deacidification).
Addition of caustic, sodium (bi)carbonate to increase alkalinity and pH. But scaling
potential has to be considered.
Addition of corrosion inhibitor.
Addition of CaCl to increase Ca.
Addition of lime to increase Ca, alk. and pH (but turbidity).
Combination of these processes.
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Removal of dissolved gases and volatile compounds:
We have also discussed it in the pretreatment. Dissolved gases have to be removed
from water due to corrosion, tast and odour problems.
Hydrogen sulphide (H2S) is a dissolved gas that gives water a characteristic “rotten
egg” taste and odour. It corrodes piping, creates odours in the house and turns
water black. H2S can cause odour problems at a concentration level as low as 0.05
mg/L in well water.
There are several techniques for removing H2S from water including
Chlorination and filtration
Manganese greensand iron filter
Aeration
Alternative systems (Other oxidizing agents besides chlorine can be added to the
water to oxidize H2S).
The removal of the CO2 is also the same as we have already discussed in the
previous lecture. CO2 can be removed mechanically and chemically.
Slide 129:
Exercise:
Selection of pretreatment and post-treatment for membrane process
Slide 130:
Exercise 1 (Pretreatment and post-treatment process selection):
For the purpose of drinking water production, three types of water sources with a
given composition have shown that they have to be treated with the membrane.
1. Which problem(s) do you expect on the membrane(s) as a consequence of the
feed water composition?
2. Select the suitable pretreatment and post-treatment for prevention or
minimization of these problems and chain the process.
3. Explain your reason for each selected process.
Let’s look at the water sources.
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The first water source is Groundwater with a high amount of Hardness, carbon
dioxide, iron, sulfate, and conductivity
An intermediate amount of: NOM, turbidity, micropollutants
And Low microbes
The second water source is Surface water with a high amount of Particles,
microbes, high and low molecular organics (NOM)
Low: salts
The third water source is Sea water with a high amount of Hardness, salt, oxygen,
and microbes
And with an intermediate amount of particles, and colloidal organics
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To answer the first question, you should look at the composition that what
problems will be taken place for the membrane in the presence of this substance.
Total Hardness and temporary hardness in reaction with CO2 produce calcite as
you see in this equilibrium and calcite builds-up scale problem on the membrane
surface.
Iron after oxidation, deposit on the membrane surface. Sulfide and conductivity
cannot make a problem for MF and UF because according to this figure, ions pass
through the membrane filtration. But they are removed using NF and RO.
NOM and turbidity cause organic and colloidal fouling but due to the low
concentration of microns, there is no biofouling potential.
The second question asked you to select a suitable pretreatment and post-
treatment for prevention or minimization of these problems and explain your
reasons.
In the selection of pretreatments, you must consider priorities.
For this water source, at first, I selected aeration to remove CO2 and to oxidase
iron. Oxidized iron can be removed using media filtration. NOM and turbidity can
be removed using coagulation/flocculation and sedimentation processes. In this
regard, with adding coagulant before the aeration, flocs can be formed and trapped
by flocculant in the flocculation reactor, and then can be settled in the
sedimentation tank.
As an option, Potassium permanganate is used as a regeneration chemical to
remove iron and hydrogen sulfide.
As we have already discussed, the selection of a membrane to remove hardness
depends on the concentration. If the concentration is high you must use NF as a
pretreatment for RO or some alternatives such as ion exchange but in low
concentration, it can be removed using RO directly. In this case, due to a high
concentration of hardness, NF selected as a pretreatment, and sulfate and
conductivity can be removed using RO.
Before NF, antiscalant applied for prevention of scaling. Biocides also can deter,
render harmless, and kill living organisms. They are used to control and kill harmful
and unwanted organisms such as bacteria, algae, insects, and rodents. Disinfection
also applied as post-treatment in this chain.
Slide 133:
It has to notice that, while the most common problem with groundwater is mineral
ions such as calcium, magnesium, carbonate, bicarbonate, nitrate, iron, and so on,
in surface water NOM, colloids, and microorganisms are the most common
problems.
In this surface water compositions, you have a high concentration of particles and
microbes which cause particulate fouling and biofouling respectively. NOM also
causes organic fouling.
As pretreatment, conventional processes such as Coagulation/Flocculation and
Sedimentation are applied to remove particles. Microorganisms can be removed
using MF and UF.
Ozonation and biofiltration as post-treatment for MF/UF can be applied for the
removal of molecular organics.
Slide 134:
In this seawater composition, there is a high concentration of Hardness, salt,
oxygen, and microbes as well as an intermediate amount of particles, and colloidal
organics.
Problems on the membrane surface include scaling, organic fouling, and biofouling.
Removal of suspended particles and oxidized ions as multivalent ions can be
accomplished in these modules. GAC removes organics but to increases its
efficiency, sand filtration is required. Microorganisms can be removed using UF.
Salts such as sodium chloride as monovalent ions can be removed only using RO.
Slide 135:
Exercise 2:
In this table, seawater compositions have presented.
1. Determine the compounds that have scale potential respectively.
(use the Periodic table of scaling compounds)
2. Recommend the pretreatments, suitable membrane(s), and post-treatments
based on the presented compositions for drinking water application.
3. Determine the limitation of these ions in order to drinking water production
according to the WHO standards. https://www.who.int/
