Development of a novel chemical cleaning process for membrane-based water treatme

本博士项目的目标是为膜基水处理开发高效、可持续的化学清洗剂。该项目将与位于Galashiels的水质工程公司Panton McLeod Ltd （PM）合作执行。具体目标是：1)开发专门用于去除水和废水处理中聚合物膜上污秽层的酸基配方。我们将研究在苏格兰和英格兰北部水资源中常见的污染物的清洗（例如富黄腐酸和腐殖酸的天然有机物，Mn, Fe） 2)研究化学清洗膜材料（例如聚酰胺，PVDF，醋酸纤维素）的功效，涵盖广泛的膜应用（例如超滤，纳滤，反渗透）。3)表征定期化学清洗对膜的长期渗透性/选择性和材料性能（如渗透性、截留性、分子量切断性、亲水性）的影响。符合EPSRC的战略重点。鉴于目前在水资源管理和供应方面所面临的挑战，EPSRC已将水工程研究领域确定为优先领域，该项目非常适合。水对英国来说是一个重要的经济领域，EPSRC在这方面有相当多的资助研究。水工程目前的投资组合包括37笔赠款，总价值4700万英镑。

The objective of this PhD project is to develop efficient and sustainable chemical cleaning agents for membrane-based water treatment. The project will be executed in partnership with Panton McLeod Ltd (PM), a water quality engineering company based in Galashiels. The specific goals are:1) To develop acid-based formulations tailored for removal of foulant layers from polymeric membranes for water and wastewater treatment. We will investigate cleaning of foulants commonly found in water resources in Scotland and Northern England (e.g. fulvic and humic acid-rich natural organic matter, Mn, Fe) 2) To investigate the efficacy of chemical cleaning in membrane materials (e.g. polyamide, PVDF, cellulose acetate) spanning a wide range of membrane applications (e.g. ultrafiltration, nanofiltration, reverse osmosis).3) To characterize the effect of regular chemical cleaning on the long term membrane permeability/selectivity and material properties (e.g. permeability, rejection, molecular weight cut-off, hydrophilicity).Fit to EPSRC Strategic Priorities. Due to the current challenges presented in water management and provision, EPSRC has identified Water Engineering research area as a priority area, in which this project fits perfectly. Water is an economically important area to the UK, and EPSRC has a considerable body of funded research in this theme. The current portfolio for Water Engineering comprises 37 grants of total value £47M.