Predicting the fouling tendency of thin film composite membranes using fractal analysis and membrane autopsy

Amos Adeniyi; Richard Mbaya; Patricia Popoola; Fred Gomotsegang; Idowu Ibrahim; Maurice Onyango

Alexandria Engineering Journal (Dec 2020)

Predicting the fouling tendency of thin film composite membranes using fractal analysis and membrane autopsy

Amos Adeniyi,
Richard Mbaya,
Patricia Popoola,
Fred Gomotsegang,
Idowu Ibrahim,
Maurice Onyango

Affiliations

Amos Adeniyi: Department of Chemical, Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Tshwane University of Technology (TUT), Private Bag X680, Pretoria 0001, South Africa; Corresponding author.
Richard Mbaya: Department of Chemical, Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Tshwane University of Technology (TUT), Private Bag X680, Pretoria 0001, South Africa
Patricia Popoola: Department of Chemical, Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Tshwane University of Technology (TUT), Private Bag X680, Pretoria 0001, South Africa
Fred Gomotsegang: Department of Environmental Health, Tshwane University of Technology (TUT), Private Bag X680, Pretoria 0001, South Africa
Idowu Ibrahim: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronic and Industrial Design, Tshwane University of Technology (TUT), Private Bag X680, Pretoria 0001, South Africa
Maurice Onyango: Department of Chemical, Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Tshwane University of Technology (TUT), Private Bag X680, Pretoria 0001, South Africa

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 59, no. 6
pp. 4397 – 4407

Abstract

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A new method of predicting fouling is proposed. The method involves the use of membrane autopsy and fractal analysis of the cake layer that was formed on the top of fouled membranes after the filtration experiment. The new method was verified using three different commercially available membranes made from the same material. The membrane autopsy was done on both virgin and fouled membranes using FT-IR and by application of WSxM 5.0 Develop 8.2 software to obtain 3D images from SEM images. The fractal analysis was also done using the same software. Results showed that the fouling tendency of the membrane can be predicted based on the fractal dimension of the fouling cake and fouled membrane autopsy. Fouling tendency was affected by the interaction of membrane properties that include porosity, hydrophilicity, and surface roughness. The result is applicable in comparison the fouling tendency of membranes and hence, be useful in membrane selection for specific purposes.

Published in Alexandria Engineering Journal

ISSN: 1110-0168 (Print); 2090-2670 (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: Egypt
LCC subjects: Technology: Engineering (General). Civil engineering (General)
Website: http://www.journals.elsevier.com/alexandria-engineering-journal/

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