Evaluation of pretreatment and membrane configuration for pressure-retarded osmosis application to produced water from the petroleum industry

Dardor, D; Maas, MA; Minier-Matar, J; Janson, A; Abdel-Wahab, A; Shon, HK; Adham, S

Evaluation of pretreatment and membrane configuration for pressure-retarded osmosis application to produced water from the petroleum industry

Dardor, D Maas, MA Minier-Matar, J Janson, A Abdel-Wahab, A Shon, HK Adham, S

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Publisher:: Elsevier
Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Desalination, 2021, 516, pp. 1-13
Issue Date:: 2021-11-01

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Dardor, D
dc.contributor.author	Maas, MA
dc.contributor.author	Minier-Matar, J
dc.contributor.author	Janson, A
dc.contributor.author	Abdel-Wahab, A
dc.contributor.author	Shon, HK
dc.contributor.author	Adham, S
dc.date.accessioned	2022-04-23T23:03:10Z
dc.date.available	2022-04-23T23:03:10Z
dc.date.issued	2021-11-01
dc.identifier.citation	Desalination, 2021, 516, pp. 1-13
dc.identifier.issn	0011-9164
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/156566
dc.description.abstract	Pressure-retarded osmosis (PRO) is a promising membrane technology for harnessing the osmotic energy of saline solutions. PRO is typically considered with seawater/river water pairings however greater energy can be recovered from hypersaline solutions including produced water (PW) from the petroleum industry. One of the major challenges facing the utilization of hypersaline PW is its high fouling propensity on membranes. In this unique experimental evaluation, real PW from different sites was pretreated to varying degrees: i) minimal, ii) intermediate, and iii) extensive. The treated effluent was subsequently used for PRO testing and fouling rates were assessed for different membrane configurations over multiple cycles. Commercial grade flat sheet (FLS) coupons and novel hollow fiber (HF) modules were compared to validate the lower fouling propensity of HF membranes in PRO application. When minimally pretreated PW (10-micron cartridge filtration (CF)) was tested in FLS mode, severe membrane fouling occurred and the PRO flux decreased by 60%. In contrast, HF modules showed <1% flux decrease under both minimal and intermediate pretreatment schemes. Extensive pretreatment (1-micron CF, dissolved air flotation (DAF), powdered activated carbon, and microfiltration) reduced FLS PRO flux decline to <1%. These results confirm that PW can be treated to suitable levels for PRO application to avoid membrane fouling. Further validation of these pretreatment methods requires long term pilot testing and techno-economic assessment.
dc.language	en
dc.publisher	Elsevier
dc.relation	Qatar National Research FundNPRP10-1231-160069
dc.relation.ispartof	Desalination
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1016/j.desal.2021.115219
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.subject	03 Chemical Sciences, 09 Engineering
dc.subject.classification	Chemical Engineering
dc.title	Evaluation of pretreatment and membrane configuration for pressure-retarded osmosis application to produced water from the petroleum industry
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	516
utslib.for	03 Chemical Sciences
utslib.for	09 Engineering
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology/School of Civil and Environmental Engineering
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Strength - CTWW - Centre for Technology in Water and Wastewater Treatment
utslib.copyright.status	open_access	*
pubs.consider-herdc	false
dc.date.updated	2022-04-23T23:03:05Z
pubs.publication-status	Published
pubs.volume	516

Abstract:

Pressure-retarded osmosis (PRO) is a promising membrane technology for harnessing the osmotic energy of saline solutions. PRO is typically considered with seawater/river water pairings however greater energy can be recovered from hypersaline solutions including produced water (PW) from the petroleum industry. One of the major challenges facing the utilization of hypersaline PW is its high fouling propensity on membranes. In this unique experimental evaluation, real PW from different sites was pretreated to varying degrees: i) minimal, ii) intermediate, and iii) extensive. The treated effluent was subsequently used for PRO testing and fouling rates were assessed for different membrane configurations over multiple cycles. Commercial grade flat sheet (FLS) coupons and novel hollow fiber (HF) modules were compared to validate the lower fouling propensity of HF membranes in PRO application. When minimally pretreated PW (10-micron cartridge filtration (CF)) was tested in FLS mode, severe membrane fouling occurred and the PRO flux decreased by 60%. In contrast, HF modules showed <1% flux decrease under both minimal and intermediate pretreatment schemes. Extensive pretreatment (1-micron CF, dissolved air flotation (DAF), powdered activated carbon, and microfiltration) reduced FLS PRO flux decline to <1%. These results confirm that PW can be treated to suitable levels for PRO application to avoid membrane fouling. Further validation of these pretreatment methods requires long term pilot testing and techno-economic assessment.

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