Recent Developments in Forward Osmosis Processes

400 Pages·2017·15.483 MB·English

by  Rodrigo Valladares Linares, Zhenyu Li, Menachem Elimelech, Gary Amy, Hans Vrouwenvelder

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Recent Developments in n
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Editors: Rodrigo Valladares Linares, Zhenyu Li, lo
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Menachem Elimelech, Gary Amy and Hans Vrouwenvelder m
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Forward osmosis (FO) is an emerging membrane technology with a range t
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treatment and recovery). F in Forward
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Recent Developments in Forward Osmosis Processes provides an overview w
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Commercial technology, hybrid FO systems for both desalination and water Osmosis
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recovery applications have shown to have higher capital cost compared to s
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conventional technologies. Nevertheless, due to the demonstrated lower o
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operational costs of hybrid FO systems, the unit cost for each m3 of fresh water is Processes

produced with the FO system are lower than conventional desalination/water P
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recovery technologies (i.e. ultrafiltration/reverse osmosis (RO) systems). o
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There are key benefits of using FO hybrid systems compared to RO: s
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• chemical storage and feed systems may be reduced for capital, s
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ISBN: 9781780408118 (Paperback)
Edited by Rodrigo Valladares Linares, Zhenyu Li,
ISBN: 9781780408125 (eBook)
Menachem Elimelech, Gary Amy and Hans Vrouwenvelder
Recent Developments in
Forward Osmosis Processes

Recent Developments in
Forward Osmosis Processes
Edited by
Rodrigo Valladares Linares, Zhenyu Li,
Menachem Elimelech, Gary Amy and
Hans Vrouwenvelder
Published by IWA Publishing
Alliance House
12 Caxton Street
London SW1H 0QS, UK
Telephone: [phone]
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Email: [email protected]
Web: www.iwapublishing.com
First published 2017
© 2017 IWA Publishing
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The information provided and the opinions given in this publication are not necessarily those
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British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
ISBN 9781780408118 (Paperback)
ISBN 9781780408125 (eBook)
Cover image: Ana Mabel López Villanueva
Contents
Additional Image credits..........................................xiii
List of Contributors.............................................. xv
Preface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .xvii
Summary.......................................................xix
Part 1: Introduction ....................................... 1
Chapter 1.1
Population distribution and water scarcity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
1.1.1 Osmotic Membrane Processes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
1.1.2 Forward Osmosis (FO) ....................................... 6
1.1.3 FO System for Wastewater Recovery and Seawater Desalination ........ 8
1.1.4 Concentration Polarization in FO Membranes ..................... 9
1.1.5 FO Membrane Fouling ...................................... 10
1.1.6 Energy Demand in Desalination and Water Treatment Processes ....... 11
1.1.7 Scope and Outline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
1.1.8 References ............................................... 13
Part 2: Water Recovery ................................... 17
Chapter 2.1
The management of urban runoff in coastal regions . . . . . 19
2.1.1 Introduction .............................................. 19
2.1.2 Materials and Methods ...................................... 22
2.1.2.1 Synthetic urban runoff and seawater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
2.1.2.2 FO membrane and simulated osmotic detention pond ....... 22
2.1.2.3 Analytical methods .................................. 24
2.1.3 Results and Discussion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
2.1.3.1 Effects of feed water condition on flux patterns ............ 25
vi Recent Developments in Forward Osmosis Processes
2.1.3.2 Salt leakage and NOM fouling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
2.1.3.3 Rejection of trace metals and nutrients .................. 29
2.1.3.4 Environmental and economic implications ................ 31
2.1.4 Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
2.1.5 References ............................................... 33
Chapter 2.2
Water harvesting from municipal wastewater . . . . . . . . . . . 37
2.2.1 Introduction .............................................. 37
2.2.2 Experimental . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
2.2.2.1 Feed water and draw solution .......................... 39
2.2.2.2 FO membrane and experimental set-up .................. 40
2.2.2.3 Analytical methods .................................. 40
2.2.3 Results and Discussion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
2.2.3.1 Flux patterns ....................................... 41
2.2.3.2 Salt leakage and retention of nutrients and trace metals ..... 42
2.2.3.3 Fouling characterization and osmotic backwash . . . . . . . . . . . 46
2.2.4 Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
2.2.5 References ............................................... 48
Chapter 2.3
Indirect desalination of seawater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
2.3.1 Introduction .............................................. 53
2.3.2 Materials, Methods and Experimental .......................... 54
2.3.2.1 Membranes and equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
2.3.2.2 Draw solution and feed water .......................... 55
2.3.2.3 Experimental protocol ................................ 55
2.3.3 Theoretical Background ..................................... 56
2.3.4 Results and Discussion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
2.3.4.1 Feed water and draw solution characterization . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
2.3.4.2 Long-term forward osmosis experiments ................. 60
2.3.5 Energy, Cost and Water Reuse Considerations ................... 63
2.3.5.1 Comparison of energy use ............................ 63
2.3.5.2 Cost analysis ...................................... 64
2.3.5.3 Alternative water reuse of diluted draw solutions ........... 66
2.3.6 Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
2.3.7 References ............................................... 67
Part 3: Fouling .......................................... 69
Chapter 3.1
Fouling propensity during desalination of seawater . . . . . 71
3.1.1 Introduction .............................................. 71
3.1.2 Materials and Methods ...................................... 73
3.1.2.1 Feed and draw solution .............................. 73
3.1.2.2 Forward osmosis set-up and fouling tests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
3.1.2.3 Analytical methods .................................. 76
Contents vii
3.1.3 Results and Discussion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
3.1.3.1 Flux patterns during FO .............................. 76
3.1.3.2 Identification of major foulants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
3.1.3.3 Salt and foulant rejection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
3.1.4 Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
3.1.5 References ............................................... 87
Chapter 3.2
NOM and TEP fouling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
3.2.1 Introduction .............................................. 91
3.2.2 Experimental . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
3.2.2.1 FO membranes and cell configuration ................... 92
3.2.2.2 Water samples . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
3.2.2.3 FO membrane fouling procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
3.2.2.4 NOM characterization ................................ 95
3.2.2.5 FO membrane cleaning .............................. 96
3.2.3 Results and Discussion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
3.2.3.1 FO membrane process ............................... 97
3.2.3.2 Fouling of the active layer of FO membrane ............... 98
3.2.3.3 Fouling of the support layer of FO membrane . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
3.2.3.4 Cleaning of the FO membrane – active layer ............. 103
3.2.3.5 Cleaning of the FO membrane – support layer . . . . . . . . . . . 104
3.2.4 Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
3.2.5 References .............................................. 105
Chapter 3.3
Draw solute induced calcium carbonate scaling . . . . . . . 107
3.3.1 Introduction ............................................. 107
3.3.2 Materials and Methods ..................................... 108
3.3.2.1 FS, DS and FO set-up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
3.3.2.2 FO membrane, and the measurement of intrinsic
permeability and separation properties ................. 109
3.3.2.3 Experimental protocol for FO testing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
3.3.2.4 Analytical methods ................................. 110
3.3.3 Results and Discussion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
3.3.3.1 Characterization of FO membrane ..................... 110
3.3.3.2 Water and reverse solute flux ......................... 112
3.3.3.3 Characterization of scaling in seawater desalination
using NH /CO FO process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
3 2
3.3.3.4 Reversibility of scaling and recovery of permeate
water flux by hydraulic flushing ........................ 117
3.3.3.5 Mechanism of scaling formation in seawater desalination
using NH /CO FO process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
3 2
3.3.4 Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
3.3.5 References .............................................. 122
viii Recent Developments in Forward Osmosis Processes
Chapter 3.4
Impact of spacer thickness on biofouling in forward
osmosis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
3.4.1 Introduction ............................................. 125
3.4.2 Materials and Methods ..................................... 126
3.4.2.1 Membrane, spacers and cell configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
3.4.2.2 Water sources ..................................... 127
3.4.2.3 Biofilm formation ................................... 129
3.4.2.4 Analytical methods ................................. 129
3.4.3 Results ................................................. 130
3.4.3.1 Effect of spacer thickness on performance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
3.4.3.2 Effect of spacer thickness on biomass accumulation . . . . . . 132
3.4.3.3 Effect of spacer thickness on fouling localization .......... 134
3.4.3.4 Effect of spacer thickness on fouling composition ......... 134
3.4.4 Discussion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
3.4.4.1 Thickest spacer provides the best performance . . . . . . . . . . 136
3.4.4.2 FO and RO show similar biofouling patterns ............. 137
3.4.4.3 Future studies ..................................... 138
3.4.5 Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138
3.4.6 References .............................................. 139
Chapter 3.5
Effect of cleaning methods to remove organic fouling
3.5.1 Introduction ............................................. 143
3.5.2 Materials and Methods ..................................... 143
3.5.3 Results ................................................. 145
3.5.4 Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
3.5.5 References .............................................. 147
Part 4: Rejection of Pollutants ............................ 149
Chapter 4.1
Rejection of micropollutants by FO membranes . . . . . . . 151
4.1.1 Introduction ............................................. 151
4.1.2 Materials and Methods ..................................... 152
4.1.2.1 FO membrane ..................................... 152
4.1.2.2 RO membrane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
4.1.2.3 Source waters ..................................... 153
4.1.2.4 Experimental setup and procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
4.1.2.5 Micropollutants stock preparation and analyses . . . . . . . . . . 154
4.1.2.6 FO membrane characterization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156
4.1.3 Results and Discussion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156
4.1.3.1 Zeta potential and contact angle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156
4.1.3.2 Rejection of micropollutants by FO ..................... 157
Contents ix
4.1.4 Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
4.1.5 References .............................................. 162
Chapter 4.2
Rejection of boron . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
4.2.1 Introduction ............................................. 165
4.2.2 Materials and Methods ..................................... 166
4.2.2.1 FO Membranes .................................... 166
4.2.2.2 Experimental setup and procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
4.2.3 Results and Discussion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
4.2.3.1 Membrane characterization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168
4.2.3.2 Membrane performance ............................. 169
4.2.3.3 Boron flux . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
4.2.4 Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173
4.2.5 References .............................................. 173
Part 5: Draw Solution and Membranes ..................... 175
Chapter 5.1
Draw solution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
5.1.1 Introduction ............................................. 177
5.1.2 Fundamentals of FO Processes .............................. 179
5.1.3 Ideal Draw Solution for the FO Process ........................ 182
5.1.4 Literature Review About Draw Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
5.1.4.1 Commercially available compounds
as draw solutes .................................... 184
5.1.4.2 Synthetic materials as draw solutes .................... 195
5.1.5 Applications of Typical Draw Solutions in Integrated
FO Processes ............................................ 198
5.1.5.1 Seawater desalination . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
5.1.5.2 Wastewater reclamation ............................. 200
5.1.5.3 Protein enrichment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
5.1.5.4 Power regeneration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
5.1.6 Challenges and Prospects for the Future ....................... 203
5.1.7 Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
5.1.8 Nomenclature ............................................ 205
5.1.8.1 Greek symbols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
5.1.9 References .............................................. 206
Chapter 5.2
Cellulose acetate membrane: minimized internal
concentration polarization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
5.2.1 Introduction ............................................. 215