Productivity enhancement in a cross-flow ultrafiltration membrane system through automated de-clogging operations

A membrane system only has a limited operational lifetime, whereby it becomes so severely fouled that continued operation must be stopped. In the cross-flow configuration of membrane filtration of wastewater, both increased cross-flow velocities and decreased operational transmembrane pressures can be used to decrease membrane fouling and extend the life cycle of the membrane separation process. The study found that an optimised usage of two de-clogging techniques, with a 1 h production period followed by a 1 min relaxation period and then a 1 min high cross-flow rate period, resulted in a net productivity increase of 14.8%.

The study involved a detailed investigation into the utilization of two automated cleaning techniques to reduce fouling problems encountered when cross-flow membrane systems are operated with high permeate flux rates. The two cleaning techniques studied were periodic membrane relaxation and a periodic high rate cross-flow. During both the relaxation and high rate cross-flow periods, permeate production was stopped. This results in an operational loss in productivity. When each cleaning technique was operated individually, there was a net productivity decrease of 0.7%, due to the 3.2% operational loss due to cleaning technique being implemented.

The system was developed using a Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) and a Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system to accurately control and monitor the process.     

基于实验物理与工业控制系统的EAST真空抽气及加料控制系统设计

介绍EAST 真空及加料监控系统底层和顶层的架构设计、连锁保护设计、运行模式设计以及系统部署。在底层架构中,真空抽气和加料监控系统分别采用两套相互独立的光纤环网拓扑,构成双光纤环网结构。顶层设计主要采用符合大科学装置规范的实验物理与工业控制系统(EPICS)架构。系统设计主要特点是将底层双光纤环网结构拓扑和顶层EPICS 架构相结合,构建了大型分布式真空抽气和加料数据采集与监视控制系统。测试结果表明整套监控系统运行稳定可靠,该监控系统不仅为EAST 装置实验提供了可靠支撑,同时也为未来其它大科学装置的监控系统构建提供参考和借鉴。