Modeling of Organic Fouling in an Ultrafiltration Cell Using Different Three-Dimensional Printed Turbulence Promoters

Abstract

Designing turbulence promoters with optimal geometry and using them for ultrafiltration systems has been a key challenge in mitigating membrane fouling. In this study, six different turbulence promoters were created using three-dimensional printing technology and applied in dead-end ultrafiltration. Three-dimensional-printed (3DP) turbulence promoter configurations were integrated into a classical batch ultrafiltration cell. The effects of these configurations and the stirring speeds on the permeate filtration flux, organic rejections, and membrane resistances were investigated. The fouling control efficiency of the 3DP promoters was evaluated using two polyethersulfone membranes in a stirred ultrafiltration cell with model dairy wastewater. The Hermia and resistance-in-series models were studied to further investigate the membrane fouling mechanism. Of the Hermia models, the cake layer model best described the fouling in this membrane filtration system. It can be concluded that the 3DP turbulence promoters, combined with intense mechanical stirring, show great promise in terms of permeate flux enhancement and membrane fouling mitigation. Using a well-designed 3DP turbulence promoter improves the hydrodynamic flow conditions on the surface of the stirred membrane separation cells based on computational fluid dynamics modeling. Therefore, the factors effecting the fabrication of 3DP turbulence promoters are important, and further research should be devoted to revealing them.

Investigation of Different Pre-Treatment Techniques and 3D Printed Turbulence Promoter to Mitigate Membrane Fouling in Dairy Wastewater Module

“…The best previously selected design of a single 3DP turbulence promoter was used, based on our previous work, as shown in Figure 1 [32]. The feed spacers were manufactured from polylactic acid (PLA) due to its superior properties compared to acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), as supported by the literature [37][38][39].…”

“…Three-dimensionally printed (3DP) turbulence promoter integration has become a promising technology for mitigating membrane fouling and enhancing filtration parameters in the membrane separation module [32,33]. In this study, we investigate the efficiency of ultrafiltration after applying chemical and physical pre-treatment, including coagulation and flocculation as chemical methods, MF and ultrasonic as physical pre-treatment methods, and 3DP turbulence promoter as a promising physical method, as part of a multi-stage dairy wastewater treatment.…”

Electrodialysis with Irregular Membrane Spacers: Which is the Right Choice?

“…Fluid streamlines move continuously in a curved path to combat solution eddies, applying tremendous pressure and friction to the nearby membranes and surfaces. This results in increasing wall shear stress and in mixing, which decrease concentration polarization and plugging (or fouling) development factors in the boundary domain adjacent to the membrane wall [23][24][25]. According to Storck and Hutin [22], the concentration depletion intensified when membrane spacers were introduced to reactors.…”

“…Another possible drawback is the quality and durability of the printed devices 85. A third possible drawback is the environmental impact of 3D printing 86, 87. However, Tsai et al.…”

Mitigating Membrane Fouling in Dairy Wastewater Treatment System: Assessing the Effects of Integrated 3DP Turbulence Promoter

“…Specific energy demand, permeate flux, membrane rejection, and the effect of integrating 3DP turbulence promoters on changing the membrane surface's hydrodynamic conditions and shear rate, were mesured in this study. This study builds on our previous study (Kertész et al 2023), where six types of 3DP turbulence promoters were tested, and 3DP turbulence promoter number 3 achieved the best results with the 150 kDa molecular weight cut-off (MWCO) membrane based on the results of permeate fluxes, membrane rejections and resistances; hence, it was adopted for this study's experiments. Integrating 3DP turbulence promoters into dairy wastewater treatment membrane separation devices' modules could result in a promising area of research that can lead to the developing of more efficient and sustainable solutions for dairy wastewater treatment and even for water desalination.…”