Cleaning of ceramic membranes for produced water filtration

The application of ceramic microfiltration membranes to the tertiary treatment of produced water from an Arabian Gulf oilfield has been studied using a dedicated pilot plant. Studies were based on a previously published protocol in which the retentate stream was recycled so as to successively increase the feed concentration throughout the experimental run. Chemical cleaning in place (CIP) was applied between each run and the flux and permeability recovery recorded for various cleaning protocols studied, the CIP being based on the combination of caustic soda (NaOH) and citric acid. Surface analysis of the membrane, and specifically its hydrophilicity, was also conducted. Results indicated the main influencing factor on permeability recovery from the CIP to be the employment of backflushing during the CIP itself. A final flux of 700 L m−2 h−1 was sustained through the application of 6 wt% NaOH with 6 wt% citric acid combined with backflushing at approximately twice the rate of the filtration cycle flux. A consideration of the impact of this flux value on the viability of two commercially-available ceramic membrane technologies indicated the footprint incurred to be slightly lower than that of the upstream induced gas flotation technology and corroborated a previously published estimate. The flux was sustained despite surface analysis indicating a loss of the innate hydrophilicity of the ceramic membrane

The impact of mechanical shear on membrane flux and energy demand

The use of forced mechanical shear for both disc membranes (rotating and vibrating disc filtration, RDF and VDF respectively) and hollow fibres (vibrating HF membranes, VHFM) is reviewed. These systems have been extensively studied and, in the case of the disc membranes, have reached commercialisation and proven effective in achieving transmembrane pressure (TMP) control for various challenging feed waters. The effects of operating conditions, namely shear rate as enhanced by rotation and vibration speed and TMP, and feed water quality on the filtration flux and specific energy consumption are quantified as part of the review. A new relationship is revealed between the two empirical constants governing the classical relationship between membrane flux and shear rate, and a mathematical correlation proposed accordingly. A study of available information on energy reveals that operation at lower shear rates (i.e. rotation or vibration speeds) and more conservative fluxes leads to lower specific energy demands in kWh m−3 permeate, albeit with a larger required membrane area

Breech presentation at term and associated obstetric risks factors-a nationwide population based cohort study

Purpose The aim of this study was to estimate whether breech presentation at term was associated with known individual obstetric risk factors for adverse fetal outcome. Methods This was a retrospective, nationwide Finnish population-based cohort study. Obstetric risks in all breech and vertex singleton deliveries at term were compared between the years 2005 and 2014. A multivariable logistic regression model was used to determine significant risk factors. Results The breech presentation rate at term for singleton pregnancies was 2.4%. The stillbirth rate in term breech presentation was significantly higher compared to cephalic presentation (0.2 vs 0.1%). The odds ratios (95% CIs) for fetal growth restriction, oligohydramnios, gestational diabetes, a history of cesarean section and congenital fetal abnormalities were 1.19 CI (1.07-1.32), 1.42 CI (1.27-1.57), 1.06 CI (1.00-1.13), 2.13 (1.98-2.29) and 2.01 CI (1.92-2.11). Conclusions The study showed that breech presentation at term on its own was significantly associated with antenatal stillbirth and a number of individual obstetric risk factors for adverse perinatal outcomes. The risk factors included oligohydramnios, fetal growth restriction, gestational diabetes, history of caesarean section and congenital anomalies.Peer reviewe

Biological treatment and thickening with a hollow fibre membrane bioreactor

Aerobic operation of an immersed hollow fibre membrane bioreactor, treating municipal wastewater supplemented with molasses solution, has been studied across mixed liquor suspended solids (MLSS) concentrations between 8 and 32 g L-1, the higher concentrations being normally associated with thickening operations. Only a marginal loss in membrane permeability was noted between 8 and 18 g L-1 when operation was conducted without clogging. The sustainable operational flux attainable above 18 g L-1 was highly dependent upon both the MLSS concentration and the state of the membrane. A temperature-corrected flux of 28 L m-2 h-1 (LMH) was sustained for 18 h at an MLSS of 8 g L-1 using membranes close to initial their virgin-state permeability. This value decreased to around 14 LMH at 20 g L-1 and 5 LMH at 32 g L-1 MLSS for an aged membrane whose permeability had been recovered following clogging. Below the threshold flux operation without significant clogging was possible, such that the membrane permeability could be recovered with a chemically enhanced backflush (CEB). Above this flux clogging took place at a rate of around 7-14 g solids per m2 membrane per m3 permeate volume passed irrespective of the MLSS concentration. The permeability of the unclogged membrane was depressed and could not be recovered using a standard CEB, indicative of irrecoverable pore clogging. The outcomes corroborated previously reported observations concerning the deleterious long-term impacts of clogging, and confirmed the critical importance of operation at a sustainable flux valu

Ceramic membrane filtration of produced water: Impact of membrane module

Produced water (PW) generated from oil exploration requires rigorous removal of suspended matter (free oil and particulate solids) as tertiary treatment (downstream of hydrocyclone and gas flotation) if it is to be re-injected into low-permeability reservoirs. The viability of membrane filtration for this duty is largely dependent on sustaining a high membrane flux to minimise the process footprint. A pilot-scale study of PW filtration using crossflow multi-channel ceramic membrane technology has been conducted to identify the appropriate membrane characteristics for sustaining the flux whilst maintaining the required treated water quality. Membranes based on two materials (silicon carbide, SiC, and titanium dioxide, TiO2) and two different pore sizes were challenged with real PW samples taken from oil platforms operating on the Arabian Gulf. The membranes were characterised according to the overall permeability decline rate and the end permeability. Results suggest that SiC membranes outperform TiO2 ones with respect to sustainable permeability under the same operating and maintenance conditions. The SiC microfiltration membrane provided anomalously high permeabilities but also the highest fouling propensity. Results suggest that whilst the high fluxes (1300-1800 L m-2 h-1) are attainable for the technology, this is contingent upon the application of an effective chemical clean. 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.The work was been funded by Maersk Oil Qatar , whose help and support is gratefully acknowledged, and was completed as part of project number QUEX-CENG-CHE-13 ? 14-03, Qatar University.Scopu