Monitoring residual fouling after cleaning of multi-fiber membrane modules fiber-by-fiber using non-invasive MRI monitoring

Journal article (2023)

Authors

Bin Yan University of Western Australia
Bastiaan Blankert King Abdullah University of Science and Technology
Sarah J. Vogt University of Western Australia
J.S. Vrouwenvelder King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, BT/Environmental Biotechnology - AS
Michael L. Johns University of Western Australia
Einar O. Fridjonsson University of Western Australia
Research Group
BT/Environmental Biotechnology (AS) (TU Delft)
Copyright: © 2023 Bin Yan, Bastiaan Blankert, Sarah J. Vogt, J.S. Vrouwenvelder, Michael L. Johns, Einar O. Fridjonsson
DOI
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https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2022.119384
Drinking water Membrane Ultrafiltration Cleaning strategies MRI velocity imaging
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Published Date

2023

Language

English

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Faculty

Applied Sciences

Department

BT/Biotechnologie

Research Group

BT/Environmental Biotechnology

Abstract

In this study non-invasive low field magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technology was used to monitor fouling induced changes in fiber-by-fiber hydrodynamics inside a multi-fiber hollow fiber membrane module containing 401 fibers. Using structural and velocity images the fouling evolution of these membrane modules were shown to exhibit distinct trends in fiber-by-fiber volumetric flow, with increasing fouling causing a decrease in the number of flow active fibers. This study shows that the fouling rate is not evenly distributed over the parallel fibers, which results in a broadening of the fiber to fiber flowrate distribution. During cleaning, this distribution is initially broadened further, as relatively clean fibers are cleaned more rapidly compared to clogged fibers. By tracking the volumetric flow rate of individual fibers inside the modules during the fouling-cleaning cycle it was possible to observe a fouling memory-like effect with residual fouling occurring preferentially at the outer edge of the fiber bundle during repeated fouling-cleaning cycle. These results demonstrate the ability of MRI velocity imaging to quantitatively monitor these effects which are important when testing the effectiveness of cleaning protocols due to the long term effect that residual fouling and memory-like effect may have on the operation of membrane modules.