Improving the Performance of Composite Hollow Fiber Membranes with Magnetic Field Generated Convection Application on pH Correction
Aurelia Cristina Nechifor,
Alexandru Goran,
Vlad-Alexandru Grosu,
Constantin Bungău,
Paul Constantin Albu,
Alexandra Raluca Grosu,
Ovidiu Oprea,
Florentina Mihaela Păncescu,
Gheorghe Nechifor
Affiliations
Aurelia Cristina Nechifor
Analytical Chemistry and Environmental Engineering Department, University Politehnica of Bucharest, 1-7 Polizu St., 011061 Bucharest, Romania
Alexandru Goran
Analytical Chemistry and Environmental Engineering Department, University Politehnica of Bucharest, 1-7 Polizu St., 011061 Bucharest, Romania
Vlad-Alexandru Grosu
Department of Electronic Technology and Reliability, Faculty of Electronics, Telecommunications and Information Technology, University Politehnica of Bucharest, Bd. Iuliu Maniu, nr. 1-3, 061071 București, Romania
Constantin Bungău
Department of Engineering and Management, Faculty of Management and Technological Engineering, University of Oradea, 410087 Oradea, Romania
Paul Constantin Albu
IFIN Horia Hulubei, Radioisotopes and Radiation Metrology Department (DRMR), 30 Reactorului St., 023465 Măgurele, Romania
Alexandra Raluca Grosu
Analytical Chemistry and Environmental Engineering Department, University Politehnica of Bucharest, 1-7 Polizu St., 011061 Bucharest, Romania
Ovidiu Oprea
Department of Inorganic Chemistry, Physical Chemistry and Electrochemistry, University Politehnica of Bucharest, 1-7 Polizu St., 011061 Bucharest, Romania
Florentina Mihaela Păncescu
Analytical Chemistry and Environmental Engineering Department, University Politehnica of Bucharest, 1-7 Polizu St., 011061 Bucharest, Romania
Gheorghe Nechifor
Analytical Chemistry and Environmental Engineering Department, University Politehnica of Bucharest, 1-7 Polizu St., 011061 Bucharest, Romania
The membranes and membrane processes have succeeded in the transition from major technological and biomedical applications to domestic applications: water recycling in washing machines, recycling of used cooking oil, recovery of gasoline vapors in the pumping stations or enrichment of air with oxygen. In this paper, the neutralization of condensation water and the retention of aluminum from thermal power plants is studied using ethylene propylene diene monomer sulfonated (EPDM-S) membranes containing magnetic particles impregnated in a microporous propylene hollow fiber (I-PPM) matrix. The obtained membranes were characterized from the morphological and structural points of view, using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), high resolution SEM (HR-SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy analysis (EDAX) and thermal gravimetric analyzer. The process performances (flow, selectivity) were studied using a variable magnetic field generated by electric coils. The results show the possibility of correcting the pH and removing aluminum ions from the condensation water of heating plants, during a winter period, without the intervention of any operator for the maintenance of the process. The pH was raised from an acidic one (2–4), to a slightly basic one (8–8.5), and the concentration of aluminum ions was lowered to the level allowed for discharge. Magnetic convection of the permeation module improves the pH correction process, but especially prevents the deposition of aluminum hydroxide on hollow fibers membranes.
