Rapid monitoring of cleaning efficiency of fouled hollow fiber membrane module via non-invasive NMR diffraction technique
B Yan (University of Western Australia)
S. J. Vogt (University of Western Australia)
B. Blankert (King Abdullah University of Science and Technology)
Hans Vrouwenvelder (King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, TU Delft - BT/Environmental Biotechnology)
M. L. Johns (University of Western Australia)
E. O. Fridjonsson (University of Western Australia)
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Abstract
Early fouling warning is important for the economical operation of membrane separation systems. In parallel multi-channel flow systems, flow re-distribution between channels due to fouling is often associated with maloperation. In the current research we use low magnetic field NMR to monitor multi-fiber hollow fiber membrane modules undergoing a fouling-cleaning cycle and show that rapid detection of fouling is possible by detecting the loss of signal coherence associated with flow re-distribution within the 401 hollow fiber membrane module. This effect is demonstrated to be both reproducible, and reversible via membrane cleaning. The results demonstrate a strong correlation between the coherence signal magnitude and the number of fibers fouled. This may be used in practice for high sensitivity early warning, and to monitor the efficiency of cleaning. This approach may also be particularly useful in the case of detecting residual fouling after cleaning, evidenced in this research by significant flow re-distribution between the before fouling and after cleaning signal coherence.