Biofilter as pretreatment to membrane based desalination: Evaluation in terms of fouling index

Chinu, KJ; Johir, AH; Vigneswaran, S; Shon, HK; Kandasamy, J

Biofilter as pretreatment to membrane based desalination: Evaluation in terms of fouling index

Chinu, KJ Johir, AH

Vigneswaran, S

Shon, HK

Kandasamy, J

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Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Desalination, 2009, 247 (1-3), pp. 77 - 84
Issue Date:: 2009-10-01

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Chinu, KJ	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Johir, AH https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6222-6943	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Vigneswaran, S https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8117-4322	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Shon, HK https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3777-7169	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Kandasamy, J	en_US
dc.date.issued	2009-10-01	en_US
dc.identifier.citation	Desalination, 2009, 247 (1-3), pp. 77 - 84	en_US
dc.identifier.issn	0011-9164	en_US
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/9359
dc.description.abstract	The removal of particulate matter and dissolved organic matter from seawater by the use of biofiltration was investigated. Granular activated carbon (GAC) and anthracite were used as biofilter media at two different filtration velocities. Filtrate quality was measured in terms of silt density index (SDI), modified fouling index (MFI) and turbidity removal. Reverse osmosis (RO) was used as a post-treatment. Both biofilters demonstrated similar fouling reduction behavior in terms of SDI and MFI. Fouling potential in terms of MFI values decreased to 10 s/L2 within the first 10-15 days of operation and kept constant up to the remaining experimental period of 55 days of operation for both GAC and anthracite biofilter. The filtrate turbidity was steady after 10 days and remained low at a value of 0.2-0.3 NTU and 0.28-0.31 NTU for anthracite and GAC biofilter, respectively. Furthermore, the headloss development was low and within 20 cm for biofilter operated at a low velocity of 5 m/h. A post-treatment of reverse osmosis after a pretreatment of GAC and anthracite biofilters showed a reduction in normalized flux decline (J/J0) from 0.22 to 0.12 and 0.35 to 0.21 during the first 20 h, respectively. The RO flux for seawater declined at a faster rate and continued even after 3 days when no pretreatment was provided. © 2009.	en_US
dc.relation.ispartof	Desalination	en_US
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1016/j.desal.2008.12.014	en_US
dc.subject.classification	Chemical Engineering	en_US
dc.title	Biofilter as pretreatment to membrane based desalination: Evaluation in terms of fouling index	en_US
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	1-3	en_US
utslib.citation.volume	247	en_US
utslib.for	0907 Environmental Engineering	en_US
utslib.for	03 Chemical Sciences	en_US
utslib.for	09 Engineering	en_US
pubs.embargo.period	Not known	en_US
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.issue	1-3	en_US
pubs.publication-status	Published	en_US
pubs.volume	247	en_US

Abstract:

The removal of particulate matter and dissolved organic matter from seawater by the use of biofiltration was investigated. Granular activated carbon (GAC) and anthracite were used as biofilter media at two different filtration velocities. Filtrate quality was measured in terms of silt density index (SDI), modified fouling index (MFI) and turbidity removal. Reverse osmosis (RO) was used as a post-treatment. Both biofilters demonstrated similar fouling reduction behavior in terms of SDI and MFI. Fouling potential in terms of MFI values decreased to 10 s/L2 within the first 10-15 days of operation and kept constant up to the remaining experimental period of 55 days of operation for both GAC and anthracite biofilter. The filtrate turbidity was steady after 10 days and remained low at a value of 0.2-0.3 NTU and 0.28-0.31 NTU for anthracite and GAC biofilter, respectively. Furthermore, the headloss development was low and within 20 cm for biofilter operated at a low velocity of 5 m/h. A post-treatment of reverse osmosis after a pretreatment of GAC and anthracite biofilters showed a reduction in normalized flux decline (J/J0) from 0.22 to 0.12 and 0.35 to 0.21 during the first 20 h, respectively. The RO flux for seawater declined at a faster rate and continued even after 3 days when no pretreatment was provided. © 2009.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/9359