Enhanced Ozone Treatment of Wastewater With Perfluoromembranes

Ozone treatment of wastewater to destroy organic contaminants prior to discharge into the environment is an extremely effective advanced oxidation technology. To date the use of this powerful technology has been limited in part by the relatively high capital costs of an efficient ozone to water, gas-liquid, mass transfer system. Existing ozone injection devices must overcome the inherently low mass transfer rate of gas into liquid. This project will investigate enhanced transfer of ozone into water through novel perfluoropolymer membranes. These membranes have unique oxygen and ozone permeability properties, which should allow direct bubbleless transfer of ozone into water. Phase I of this project will focus on fabrication of small scale, less than 3 ft2, test membranes and demonstration of high efficiency, bubbleless transfer of ozone into clean and synthetic wastewater in the laboratory. Demonstration of fouling resistance also will be accomplished.