Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 7, 2026

Engineering Biological-Based Vascular Grafts Using a Pulsatile Bioreactor
Published on: June 14, 2011
Impacts of morphology on fouling propensity in a membrane bioreactor based on thermodynamic analyses
Xiang Cai1, Genying Yu1, Huachang Hong1
1College of Geography and Environmental Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua 321004, China.
Abstract:
Impacts of morphologies of both membrane and foulant on interaction energies related with adhesive fouling in a membrane bioreactor (MBR) were explored by thermodynamic analyses. Interaction energies in three possible interaction scenarios regarding different membrane and foulant morphologies under conditions in this study were quantified according to the thermodynamic methods. It was interestingly found that, strength of total interaction between soluble microbial products (SMPs) and rough membrane was over 20,000 times of that between sludge flocs and rough membrane under same conditions, indicating the extremely higher adhesion ability of SMPs than the large particulate foulants. This result plausibly explained the high fouling propensity of SMPs over sludge flocs. As compared with smooth surfaces, rough surfaces of both membrane and sludge flocs significantly reduced total interaction strength, alleviating adhesive fouling caused by the sludge flocs. Reduce in fractal dimension (Df) of membrane increased adhesive fouling caused by the SMPs, but alleviated adhesive fouling caused by the sludge flocs. These findings gave important implications to better understand and control membrane fouling in MBRs.
Related Concept Videos
Third Law of Thermodynamics
Second Law of Thermodynamics
Second Law of Thermodynamics
First Law of Thermodynamics
First Law of Thermodynamics
Statements of the Second Law of Thermodynamics

