Harvesting microalgal biomass using negatively charged polysulfone patterned membranes: Influence of pattern shapes and mechanism of fouling mitigation. (1st January 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Zhao, Zhenyu; Muylaert, Koenraad; Szymczyk, Anthony; Vankelecom, Ivo F.J.
• Is Part Of: Water research. Volume 188(2021)
• Publication Date: 2021-01-01
• Subjects: Patterned membrane -- Computational fluid dynamics -- Cross-flow filtration -- XDLVO -- Interaction energy -- Membrane technology -- Membrane development; Water -- Pollution -- Research -- Periodicals; 363.7394
• DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2020.116530
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0043-1354

Abstract

Highlights: Membrane charge and patterning significantly improve the membrane performance. Critical pressures of all sPSf blend patterned membranes were higher than 2.5 bar. Membrane with wave patterns showed the highest CWP and membrane flux. sPSf blend patterned membranes showed the lowest interaction energy. A higher velocity and wall shear were found on the pattern apexes. Abstract: Membranes have a lot of potential for harvesting microalgae, but membrane fouling is hampering their breakthrough. In this study, the effects of charge and corrugated surface on membrane filtration performance were investigated. The clean water permeance (CWP), the microalgae harvesting efficiency and the membrane flux for a microalgal broth were determined using patterned polysulfone (PSf) membranes with different shapes of the surface patterns and containing different charge densities by blending sulfonated polysulfone (sPSf). The flow behavior near the patterned membrane surface, as well as the interaction energy between membrane and microalgae were investigated using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation and the improved extended "Derjaguin, Landau, Verwey, Overbeek" (XDLVO) theory, respectively. Membrane charge and pattern shape significantly improve the membrane performance. The critical pressures of all sPSf blend patterned membranes were higher than 2.5 bar. A 4.5w% sPSf blend patterned membranes with wave patterns showed the highest CWP (2300 L/m 2 h bar) and membrane flux in the microalgal broth (1000 L/m 2 h bar) with 100% harvesting efficiency. XDLVO analysis showed that sPSf blend patterned membranes prepared obtained the lowest interaction energy and highest energy barrier for microalgal attachment. CFD simulation showed a higher velocity and wall shear on the pattern apexes. Graphical abstract: Image, graphical abstract