Biofouling control in seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) systems using silicon carbide membranes

Sina Nejati¹ Seyed Ahmad Mirbagheri² Mojtaba Fazeli³

1) Khajeh Nasir University of Technology Email:
2) Khajeh Nasir University of Technology Email:
3) Department of Water and Wastewater Engineering, Faculty of Civil, Water and Environmental Engineering, Shahid Beheshti University

Publication : 2nd.International Conference on Civil Engineering, Architecture and Urban Design 31 Aug. 2017, Kasem Bundit University , Bangkok , Thailand(2iccacs.com)
Abstract :
Since no pretreatment method is impeccable for removal of foulants in reverse osmosis (RO) systems, the aim is to keep the production process efficiency as high as possible. In the vast majority of RO desalination plants, biofouling of membranes is considered as one of the most common operational problems. Even if micro-organisms are removed up to 99.99%, since they are particles which can multiply, there are still enough cells left which can grow on the surface of membrane. Several studies proposed that in most cases the non-conventional pretreatment units were more efficient than the conventional systems for producing better water quality and minimizing the overall treatment cost. In this paper, a full-scale seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) desalination plant was investigated. Results showed that the membranes suffered severe biofouling. A pilot-scale system including silicon carbide (SiC)-UF membranes was established in order to filter biological matters. According to the results of the study, SiC-UF membranes appeared to be a cost effective and reliable pretreatment method for removing not only suspended solids (SS) but also for all micro-organisms.
Keywords : Reverse osmosis; Pretreatment; Ultrafiltration; Silicon Carbide; Biofouling