[Enhanced Mitigation of Membrane Fouling by Regulations on Floc Morphology in Electrocoagulation]

In this study, the electro chemical parameters were regulated to control the floc morphology in order to mitigate membrane fouling. The main effects of current density, initial pH and conductivity on the floc characteristics and flux were studied, and the mechanisms of interaction between flocs with different morphology structures and ultrafiltration membranes were analyzed. The results showed that the key to mitigate the membrane fouling by electrocoagulation was to form a loose and porous cake layer on the membrane surface. The electrocoagulation-ultrafiltration (EC-UF) technology could not only effectively mitigate the membrane fouling, but also greatly enhance the water quality of the effluent. By increasing the current density and keeping water quality conditions at neutral pH, the EC-UF technology could maintain a higher flux. Under conditions of j=20 A·m^-2, initial pH=7 and initial conductivity=1000 μS·cm^-1, the removal rate of humic acid (HA) was 97%, and the normalized specific flux of J/J₀ was 81%.