Membrane Backwash Performance Improvement-A Review

Abstract

To date, different models and parameters have been used to design membrane backwash system for different applications and in most cases this has led to improved performance of membrane system. However, some of these developed backwashing system are inefficient, due to poor modelling of relevant physical parameters and variables that affect backwash system. An efficient cleaning design of a membrane backwash system has proven to be a promising approach or technique in improving membrane performance for different applications. As such, it is important to study all the relevant models and parameters that can be used in designing a membrane backwash system to improve the overall performance of the membrane system for oil-water separation application. In this review study, a series of models are identified and their potential application to establish critical operating process during backwash. This report has three section, namely: Identification of critical backwash operating conditions that could potentially optimize backwash system, flux recovery models and lastly, fouling-based models. The purpose of this review is to identify relevant parameters and relevant models during backwash process. More consideration is based on demonstrating the effectiveness of high intensity of critical operating condition during backwash, which canforce the oil droplet blockage to be dislodged out of the membrane pores with ease. As result, reduction in backwash duration and improve the overall performance. This study concludes as follows; the identification of critical parameter, majority of the models are based on conservation principle which is a (collective of conservation mass, momentum and energy) governed by Navier-Stokes laws. Also, modelling the oil droplet dislodging phenomenon, much consideration should be based on the driving back-pressure and interfacial tension forces, to deform and push the oil droplet blockage out of the pores. Furthermore, developed critical pressure models on filtration phase do not directly consider the different fouling formation between oil and solid particles.