A NOVEL CHEMICALLY MODIFIED ULTRAFILTRATION MEMBRANE PROCESS

STRICTER ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS HAVE ENCOURAGED THE APPLICATION OF MEMBRANE SEPARATION TECHNIQUES FOR HAZARDOUS AND OILY WASTES MANAGEMENT. HOWEVER, MEMBRANE SEPARATIONS PROCESSES ARE GENERALLY INEFFECTIVE FOR HYDROCARBONACEOUS CONTAMINANTS IN WATER AND ARE PLAGUED BY SURFACE FOULING OF THE MEMBRANES BY POLLUTANTS. THE RESULT IS REDUCED FLOW RATES AND LEAKAGE OF POLLUTANTS THROUGH THE MEMBRANE. IN THE PRESENT PROGRAM, THE TECHNICAL FEASIBILITY IS TO BE ESTABLISHED OF ACHIEVING A REJECTION ENHANCED ULTRAFILTRATION (REUF) MEMBRANE PROCESS TO PRODUCE AN ENERGY EFFICIENT MEANS TO DECONTAMINATE HYDROCARBON BEARING WASTEWATER. THE EFFORT ENTAILS A NOVEL PRETREATMENT METHOD WHICH GREATLY INCREASES THE REJECTION OF THE LOW MOLECULAR WEIGHT CONTAMINANTS. THE MODIFICATIONS TO BE DEMONSTRATED SHOULD ALSO REDUCE THE SURFACE FOULING EXPERIENCED WITH SUCH APPLICATIONS. THE PHASE I EMPHASIS IS ON DEFINITION OF CRITICAL MEMBRANE ENGINEERING PROCESS PRINCIPLES (MICELLE PARTICLE SIZE ACHIEVED AND MEMBRANE MOLECULAR WEIGHT CUT-OFF) WHICH LEAD TO PROOF OF TECHNICAL FEASIBILITY OF THE REUF PROCESS. PARTICLE SIZE MEASUREMENTS ARE TO BE MADE BY PHOTON CORRELATION ELECTRON SPECTROSCOPY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS. HYDROPHILIC MODIFICATIONS WILL REDUCE FOULING FOR THIS SPECIFIC SYSTEM. TREATMENTS WILL BE DEFINED FOR THE RETENATE STREAM TO RECOVER THE HYDROCARBONACEOUS CONTAMINANTS IN THE CONCENTRATED REUF BYPRODUCT.