Abstract Pressure-retarded osmosis (PRO) is a membrane process that uses salinity gradient energy. However, membrane fouling is a critical factor that limits PRO performance. Accordingly, this study strives to improve our understanding of PRO fouling by investigating the effect of feed water properties and pretreatment methods on flux and power density of PRO systems. Experiments were carried out in both bench-scale and pilot-scale systems using commercial-grade thin-film composite PRO membranes. Real wastewater effluents were used as the feed water and synthetic brine was used as the draw solution. In the bench-scale experiment, various pretreatments including cartridge filter (CF), microfiltration (MF), and ultrafiltration (UF), nanofiltration (NF), activated filter media (AFM), and granular activated carbon (GAC) were applied. Only UF was used in the pilot-scale experiments, Results indicated that the flux and power density of the PRO membranes were greatly influenced by the quality of the feed and the types of pretreatment. Based on the results, it seems that not only particles and colloids but also organic matters greatly affect PRO fouling. Hermia's model was used to interpret the mechanisms of flux declines in both systems. The correlations between fouling indexes and fouling ratio/power density in the PRO system were also explored.

中文翻译：

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在实验室规模和中试规模系统中对压力延迟渗透 (PRO) 膜的不同预处理方法的比较

摘要 压力延迟渗透 (PRO) 是一种利用盐度梯度能量的膜工艺。然而，膜污染是限制 PRO 性能的关键因素。因此，本研究通过研究给水特性和预处理方法对 PRO 系统通量和功率密度的影响，努力提高我们对 PRO 结垢的理解。使用商业级薄膜复合 PRO 膜在实验室规模和中试规模系统中进行了实验。实际废水流出物用作进料水，合成盐水用作汲取溶液。在实验室规模的实验中，应用了各种预处理，包括筒式过滤器 (CF)、微滤 (MF) 和超滤 (UF)、纳滤 (NF)、活性过滤介质 (AFM) 和颗粒活性炭 (GAC)。在中试规模实验中仅使用超滤，结果表明 PRO 膜的通量和功率密度受进料质量和预处理类型的影响很大。根据结果​​，似乎不仅颗粒和胶体而且有机物对 PRO 污垢影响很大。Hermia 的模型被用来解释两个系统中通量下降的机制。还探讨了 PRO 系统中污垢指数与污垢比/功率密度之间的相关性。s 模型用于解释两个系统中通量下降的机制。还探讨了 PRO 系统中污垢指数与污垢比/功率密度之间的相关性。s 模型用于解释两个系统中通量下降的机制。还探讨了 PRO 系统中污垢指数与污垢比/功率密度之间的相关性。