Integrated membrane system

In this chapter, some important examples of integrated membrane systems will be presented starting from the most well-known application of membrane technology, that is, water desalination. 

An integrated water-treatment system designed to use different water sources and different treatment processes, including membrane processes, has been realized in Temeuzen (The Netherlands) [15]. Raw-water sources and treatments include seawater and integrated membrane system to produce demineralized water fresh water, and ion exchange to produce demineralized water effluent industrial wastewater-treatment plant (WWTP) and media filtration to produce cooling tower supply water. 

In the integrated membrane system fed with seawater (Figure 12.4A) the pretreatment consists of two rotating microscreens of 150 pm used to remove the larger suspended particles from the water. Successively 8MF units (polypropylene (PP) hollow membranes placed in a vertical position and operated according to the deadend principle) are used to remove the suspended solids completely, algae and to disinfect the water. The MF section is designed to filter 700-750 m3/h [15]. 

The integrated membrane system was reengineered (Figure 12.4B). The MF pretreatment section was not subject to hardware changes, but operated in a different regime [16]. 

Integrated Membrane System for Fruit-Juices Industry... 

Besides previously described examples of integrated membrane systems and much more reported in the literature, including applications in gas separation and the petrochemical industry [29], a special case of integrated or hybrid membrane systems, with a lot of interest in the logic of the sustainable growth, is represented by the catalytic membranes reactors (CMRs). 

Integrated Membrane Processes for Water Desalination 266 Integrated Membrane Process for Wastewater Treatment 271 Integrated Membrane System for Fruit-Juices Industry 274 Integrated Membrane Processes in Chemical Production 276 Conclusions 281 References 281... 

Wodzki R and Szczepanska G. Design of integrated membrane system with liquid and polymer membranes. Zeszyty Naukowe Politechniki Slaskiej (Chemia in English), 2001 146 231-234. 

FIGURE 43.1 Integrated membrane system proposed for seawater desalination. (Adapted from Drioli, E., Curcio, E., Criscuoli, A., and Di Profio, G., J. Membr. Sci., 239, 27, 2004.)... 

However, these efforts need to be combined with new research works in the process dynamics and in the study of advanced control systems applied to integrated membrane systems. These multidisciplinary smdies will offer interesting opportunities for the future development of membrane engineering. 

Boyadzhiev L, Bezenshek E, Lazarova Z. Removal of phenol from waste water by double emulsion membranes and creeping film pertraction. J Membr Sci 1984 21 137-144. Ohki A, Takagi M, Takeda T, Ueno K. Thioether-mediated copper transport through hquid membranes with the aid of redox reaction. J Membr Sci 1983 15 231-244. Wodzki R, Szczepanska G. Design of integrated membrane system with hquid and polymer membranes. Zeszyty Naukowe Pohtechniki Slaskiej, Chemia 2001 146 231-234 (in English). 

Drioli E, Curcio E, Criscuoli A, and Di Profio G, Integrated membrane system for recovery of CaCO3 NaCl and MgSO4 7H2O from nanofiltration retentate, J. Membr. Sci. 2004 239 27. 

Chellam S., Serra C.A., Wiesner M.R. (1998), Estimating costs for integrated membrane systems,) AWWA, 90, 11, 96-104,... 

Reiss C.R., Robert C., Taylor J.S. (1997), Multi-contaminant removal by integrated membrane systems,... 

The hydrogen produced at the reaction device exit is recovered in a separation unit downstream (Fig. 9.15). In the study performed, the two reactors plus the separator were compared in terms of capital and operating costs, with a Pd-based membrane reactor in which the pure hydrogen is recovered at the permeate side (Fig. 9.16). Table 9.8 shows the main operating conditions of the industrial plant considered. The membrane reactor unit was designed in order to operate with industrial quantities and to achieve the same industrial hydrogen recovery. An integrated membrane system in which the feed stream is first fed to a Pd-based... 

F. Macedonio, E. Curcio, E. Drioli, Integrated membrane systems for seawater desalination Energetic and exergetic analysis, economic evaluation, experimental study. Desalination 2007, 203, 260-276. 

E. Garcia-CasteUo, A. Cassano, A. CriscuoU, C. Conidi, E. Drioli, Recovery and concentration of polyphenols from olive mill wastewaters by integrated membrane system. Water Research 2010,44, 3883-3892. 

As Figure 12.2 shows, the integrated membrane system can be constituted of less reaction/separation units than the conventional one (Figure 12.1). A first MR can be used for carrying out the reforming of the light hydrocarbons and another one for the WGS reaction. 

The CO selox becomes thus a fundamental stage also in the integrated membrane systems for H2 production. Recently, in the literature it was demonstrated that the use of an MR for this reaetion stage can improve the depletion of CO content. The membrane, constituted of a ceramic tube, most often zeolite, on which is deposited the catalyst, opportunely distributed in the pore, does not have the function of separating/purifying a stream, but to improve the reactant/catalytic phase contact, to reduce by-passing... 

Another apphcation of an integrated membrane system for treating wastewater is for treating meat and poultry plant effluent for reuse as shown in Figure 3.2. The effluent TDS typically is 2.0—2.5%. The treated effluent should be low in sulphate concentration with a salt concentration in the 1.0—1.5% range. RO is not suitable because some calcium... 

Figure 3.8 (a) A membrane bioreactor-based system for treating landfill leachates, (b) A multi-staged RO and reject RO integrated membrane system for treating landfill leachates. Source [17]. 

Integrated membrane system systems deploying MF, UF, NF or some combination of these for RO feed water pre-treatment instead of conventional pre-treatment. For example, it has been shown that hoUow fibre UF membrane systems are more efficient and cost-effective for RO brackish water and seawater plants [3,48,49]. MF/UF are very effective in removing fines and coUoidal particles, oil is effectively removed by UF, and NF is very effective in removing hardness and low molecular weight organics. 

Case study I. Secondary treatment effluent from a sewage plant is processed by an integrated membrane system to supply reclaimed water for high-purity water production at a wafer manufacturing facihty in Singapore [89]. Effluent from an activated sludge... 

ED, are being built to supply potable water and treat wastewater [12,15,16]. Furthermore, integrated membrane systems are more competitive than conventional processes because of lower energy consumption, higher quaftty of final product and low environmental impact. 

Chiappetta, G., Clarizia, G. and Drioli, E. (2006) Design of an integrated membrane system for a high level hydrogen purification. Chemical Engineering Journal, 124,... 

Key words water desalination, wastewater treatment, integrated membrane systems, agro-food production, gasification, fuel cell, solar membrane reformer. 

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