Effect of Operating Conditions on Forward Osmosis for Nutrient Rejection Using Magnesium Chloride as a Draw Solution

Advanced treatments such as forward osmosis (FO) can be used to separate or reject nutrients from secondary treated effluents. Forward osmosis uses the chemical potential across the membrane, which is the osmotic pressure gradient, to induce water to flow through the membrane from a feed solution (FS) into a draw solution (DS). The performance of FO is affected by the membrane characteristics, composition of the FS and DS, and operating conditions. The aim of this study was to investigate the optimum velocity and temperature for nutrient rejection and water flux performance in FO treatments. MgCl2 was used as the DS in the FO process. The results showed that higher cross flow velocities yielded higher water fluxes. High rejection of nutrients was achieved by using a moderate cross flow velocity at 0.25 m/s. Nutrient rejection was insensitive to temperature variation, whereas water flux was significantly impacted by it. A temperature of 25°C was found to be good for nutrient rejection.

Authors:

• Yatnanta Padma Devia
• Tsuyoshi Imai
• Takaya Higuchi
• Ariyo Kanno
• Koichi Yamamoto
• Masahiko Sekine

Keywords:

• Cross flow velocity
• forward osmosis
• magnesium chloride
• temperature.

References:

[1] Achilli, A., T. Y. Cath, E. A. Marchand, A. E. Childess, “The forward
osmosis membrane bioreactor: a low fouling alternative to MBR
processes”, Desalination 238(1–3), pp 10–21, 2009.
[2] Ji, D., B. Xi, J. Su, S. Huo, L. He, H. Liu, Q. Yang, “A model to determine
the lake nutrient standards for drinking water sources in Yunnan-Guizhou
Plateu Ecoregion, China”, J. of Env. Sci. 25 (9), pp 1773–1783, 2013.
[3] Chambers, P. A., G. A. Benoy, R. B. Brua, J. M Culp, “Application of
nitrogen and phosphorus criteria for stream in agricultural landscapes”,
Water Sci. Technol. 64(11), pp 2185–2191, 2011.
[4] Cath, T. Y., A. E. Childress, M. Elimelech, “Forward osmosis: principles,
applications, and recent developments”, J. Membr. Sci. 281 (1–2), pp
70–87, 2006.
[5] Achilli, A., T. Y. Cath, A. E. Childress, “Selection of inorganic-based
draw solution for forward osmosis applications”, J. Membr. Sci.
364(1–2), pp 233–241, 2010.
[6] Lutchmiah, K., A. R. D. Verliefde, K. Roest, L. C. Rietveld, E. R
Cornelissen, “Forward osmosis for application in wastewater treatment:
A review”, Water Res. 58, pp 179–197, 2014.
[7] Zhao, S., L. Zou, C. Y Tang, D. Mulcahy, “Recent development in
forward osmosis: opportunities and challenges”, J. Membr. Sci. 396
(2012), pp 1–21, 2012.
[8] Wei, J., C. Qiu, C. Y. Tang, R. Wang, A. G. Fane, “Synthesis and
characterization of flat- sheet thin film composite forward osmosis
membranes” J. Membr. Sci. 372 (2011), pp 292–302, 2011.
[9] McCutcheon, J. R., M. Elimelech, “Influence of concentrative and
dilutive internal concentration polarization on flux behavior in forward
osmosis”. J. Membr. Sci. 284 (2006), pp 237–247, 2006.
[10] Qin, J. J., S. Chen, M.H. Oo, K. A. Kekre, E. R. Cornelissen, C. J. Ruiken,
“Experimental studies and modelling on concentration polarization in
forward osmosis”, Wat. Sci. Technol. 61(11), pp 2897–2904, 2010.
[11] Tan, C. H., H. Y. Ng, “Modeling of external and internal concentration
polarization effect on flux behavior of forward osmosis”, J. Membr. Sci,
pp 533–539, 2008.
[12] Qiu, C., S. Qi, C. Y Tang, “Synthesis of high flux forward osmosis
membranes by chemically crosslinked layer-by-layer polyelectrolytes”, J.
Membr. Sci. 381 (2011), pp 74–80, 2011.
[13] Holloway, R. W., A. E. Childress, K. E. Dennett, T. Y Cath, “Forward
osmosis for concentration of anaerobic digester centrate”, Water Res.
41(17), pp 4005–4014, 2007.
[14] Xue, W., T. Tobino, F. Nakajima, K. Yamamoto, “Seawater-driven
forward osmosis for enrinching nitrogen and phosphorus in treated
municipal wastewater: effect of membrane properties and feed solution
chemistry”, Wat. Res. 69 (2015), pp 120–130, 2015
[15] Eyela agency, Eyela Catalogue 15–16 Ube Ltd., Japan, 2014
[16] APHA-AWWA-WEF, Standard Methods for the examination of water
and wastewater. 20th edition. American Public Health Association/
American Water Works Association/Water Environment Federation,
New York, USA, 1998.
[17] Zou, S., Y. Gu, D. Xiao, C. Y. Tang, “The role of physical and chemical
parameters on forward osmosis membrane fouling during algae
separation”, J. Membr. Sci. 366, pp 356–362, 2011.
[18] Loeb, S., L. Titelman, E. Korngold, J. Freiman, “Effect of porous support
fabric on osmotic through a Loe-Sourirajan type asymmetric membrane”,
J. Membr. Sci. 129 (1997), pp 243–249, 1997. [19] Cath, T. Y., et al, “Standard methodology for evaluating membrane
performance in osmotically driven membrane processes”, Desalination
312, pp 31–38, 2013.
[20] Berg, G. B. V. D., I. G. Racz, C. A. Smolders, “Mass transfer coefficients
in cross flow ultrafiltration” J. Membr. Sci. 47(1989), pp 25–51, 1989.
[21] Anastasio, D., J. R. McCutcheon, “Using forward osmosis to teach mass
transfer fundamentals to undergraduate chemical engineering students”,
Desalination 312 (2013), pp 10–18, 2013.
[22] Park, M., J. J. Lee, S. Lee, J. H. Kim, “Determination of a constant
membrane structure parameter in forward osmosis processes”, J. Membr.
Sci. 284 (2011), pp 241–248, 2011.
[23] Alturki, A. A., J. A. McDonald, S. J. Khan, W. E. Price, L. D Nghiem, M.
Elimelech, “Rejection of trace organic contaminant by the forward
osmosis process”, Sep. Purif. Technol. 103, pp 258–266, 2013.
[24] Xie, M., “Effect of feed and draw solution temperature and
transmembrane temperature difference on the rejection of trace organic
contaminants by forward osmosis”, J. Membr. Sci. 438 (2013), pp 57–64,
2013.
[25] Cornelissen, E. R., D. Harmsen, K. F. D. Korte, C. J. Ruiken, J. J. Qin,
“Membrane fouling and process performance of forward osmosis
membranes on activated sludge”, J. Membr. Sci. 281 (2008), pp 158–168,
2008.