Fouling control of low pressure membrane systems for drinking water applications

膜是一种越来越受欢迎的水处理选择，因为它们能够持续地产生高质量的水，而不考虑进水的未经处理的水质。然而，为了使膜在长时间内有效运行，必须对它们进行优化以控制污染。膜为污染物向处理水侧的传输提供了物理屏障，这些污染物污染了膜，导致水生产率下降和运行成本增加。通过选择前处理方法、优化物理操作参数和化学清洗，可以减少污染物污染膜表面的方式和程度。因此，污染控制和防治是膜技术研究的一个必要的主要模式。到目前为止，聚合物膜在水处理领域比陶瓷膜有更大的成功，因为它们的成本相对较低。最近在陶瓷膜技术方面的创新，导致了更低的资本成本，将陶瓷膜作为游戏玩家引入了水处理行业。陶瓷膜因其更长的使用寿命、更高的耐化学性和更大的pH容忍度而成为聚合物膜的一种有吸引力的替代品。然而，对陶瓷膜和聚合物膜的研究需求仍然存在，包括前处理方案、物理操作参数和清洗方法，特别是在低温下这方面的研究缺乏。这项研究的目的是(1)研究膜污染控制的生物预处理方案，(2)进一步研究控制膜系统污染的物理和化学清洗方法，系统地研究聚合物膜系统和陶瓷膜系统在水处理中应用的差异，重点是加拿大的气候需求，特别是冷水分析的纳入。在加拿大，任何时候都有大约1000个开水建议(water.ca)，大多与小型社区系统捆绑在一起。冷水条件下膜处理的这项研究对加拿大特别重要，可能为加拿大小型和偏远社区的饮用水问题提供极好的解决方案，这些社区通常位于北部地区。虽然膜有可能成为小型社区的首选处理选择，因为它们能够在不同的原水条件下产生一致的高质量水，但由于膜污染和处理永久污染膜的相关高昂成本，膜的应用有限。这项研究将研究聚合物膜和陶瓷膜的适当污染控制方法，重点是冷水分析，并有望为加拿大小型和偏远社区的饮用水质量问题提供实用的解决方案，为所有加拿大人提供安全饮用水获取和水质的长期改善。

Membranes are a growing popular choice for water treatment due to their ability to consistently produce high quality water regardless of the incoming untreated water quality. However, for membranes to operate effectively over a long period of time they must be optimized for fouling control. Membranes provide a physical barrier to the transport of contaminants to the treated water side, these contaminants foul the membrane which results in decreased water productivity and increased operating costs. The way and extent in which contaminants foul the membrane surface can be reduced by pretreatment options, optimization of physical operational parameters and chemical cleaning. Thus fouling control and prevention is a necessary primary mode of research for membrane technology. To-date polymeric membranes have enjoyed greater success than ceramic membranes in the water treatment field because of their relatively lower costs. Recent innovations, resulting in lower capital costs, in ceramic membrane technology have introduced ceramic membranes as a game player into the water treatment industry as well. Ceramic membranes provide an attractive alternative to polymeric membranes because of their longer operating life, higher chemical resistance, and larger pH tolerances. However, research needs for both ceramic and polymeric membranes still exist, including pretreatment options, physical operating parameters and cleaning methodologies, in particular there is a lack of research in this area at cold temperatures. The objectives of this research are to (1) examine biological pretreatment options for membrane fouling control and (2) further research physical and chemical cleaning methodologies to control fouling in membrane systems to systematically research differences between polymeric and ceramic membrane systems for applications in water treatment with a focus on Canadian climatic needs, particularly the inclusion of cold water analysis. In Canada, at any given time there are approximately 1000 Boil Water Advisories (water.ca), most often tied to small community systems. This research into membrane treatment with cold water conditions is of particular relevance to Canada and may provide an excellent solution to drinking water issues in small and remote communities in Canada, which are often located in Northern regions. While membranes have the potential as a preferred treatment option for small communities because of their ability to produce consistent high quality water under varying raw water conditions, they have received limited application due to membrane fouling and the associated high costs of dealing with a permanently fouled membrane. This research will examines appropriate fouling control methods, with a focus on cold water analysis, for both polymeric and ceramic membranes and is expected to provide practical solutions to drinking water quality issues in small and remote communities in Canada to provide a long term improvement in safe drinking water access and water quality for all Canadians.