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Three-component adsorption modeling to evaluate and improve integrated sorption-membrane processes.
Lance C Schideman1, Benito J Mariñas, Vernon L Snoeyink
1Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering and Center of Advanced Materials for the Purification of Water with Systems, University of Illinois, 205 N. Mathews Ave., Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA.
Environmental Science & Technology
|October 24, 2007
Summary
Integrated sorption-membrane processes improve contaminant removal. A novel upflow adsorption-ultrafiltration configuration significantly reduces adsorbent use and enhances sustainability compared to existing methods.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Engineering
- Water Treatment Technologies
- Adsorption Science
Background:
- Integrated sorption-membrane (ISM) processes combine adsorbents and membranes for cost-effective contaminant removal.
- Existing ISM configurations like powdered activated carbon-ultrafiltration (PAC-UF) and adsorptive floc blanket reactor-ultrafiltration (FBR-UF) face tradeoffs between adsorption and membrane performance.
- Natural organic matter causes competitive effects, including direct site competition and pore blockage, impacting ISM performance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate and compare the performance of different ISM configurations, including a novel upflow adsorption-ultrafiltration (UA-UF) design.
- To evaluate the tradeoffs between adsorption and membrane performance in contemporary and novel ISM processes.
- To assess potential improvements in carbon usage rates (CURs), membrane performance, and sustainability.
Main Methods:
- Utilized state-of-the-art adsorption models to simulate competitive effects of natural organic matter.
- Compared powdered activated carbon-ultrafiltration (PAC-UF), adsorptive floc blanket reactor-ultrafiltration (FBR-UF), and upflow adsorption-ultrafiltration (UA-UF) configurations.
- Quantitatively analyzed performance metrics such as carbon usage rates and membrane hydraulic performance.
Main Results:
- Simulations revealed that PAC-UF with modified backwashing can reduce CURs by 75% but may impair membrane performance.
- FBR-UF achieved 92% CUR reduction and improved membrane performance but increased process size tenfold.
- The novel UA-UF configuration demonstrated a 96% CUR reduction compared to PAC-UF, with modest size increase and enhanced membrane pretreatment.
Conclusions:
- The upflow adsorption-ultrafiltration (UA-UF) configuration offers significant advantages over existing ISM processes.
- UA-UF effectively reduces adsorbent consumption and improves sustainability by minimizing residuals.
- This novel configuration presents a promising solution for enhanced dissolved contaminant removal in water treatment.
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