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UNESCO Centre for Membrane Science and Technology |
Eun Kyung Lee
PhD Research Student
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Contact Information:
Room 202A, Applied Science BldgThe University of New South Wales Sydney, 2052, Australia Tel: +61-2-9385 4320 Fax: +61-2-9385 5966 E-mail: click here |
Profile:
EDUCATION
- B.E. Chemical Engineering, The University of New South Wales, 2003
Research Project Summary:
DEVELOPMENT OF HYBRID HOLLOW FIBRE MEMBRANE PROCESS FOR REMOVAL OF RECALCITRANT ORGANIC MATTER IN DRINKING WATER
Natural organic matter (NOM) is a complex matrix of heterogeneous organic material comprising particulate and dissolved fractions.
The removal of NOM has long been of concern in water drinking water treatment because of their abundance in natural waters and their
potential to form carcinogenic disinfection by-products (DBP) upon chlorination. They impart colour to water and are able to form
complexes with other inorganic and organic species that frequently prevent the removal of theses pollutants in treatment processes.
Recalcitrant natural organic matter is the neutral hydrophilic fraction which is difficult to remove by coagulation and is implicated in
membrane fouling.
An alternative to the conventional water treatment processes is membrane filtration since it offers several advantages including superior water quality, low addition of chemicals, reduced sludge production and moderate operating conditions. The greater removal of particles and micro-organisms by the membrane filtration process is of particular interest in meeting existing and pending water quality regulations.
The two emerging membrane options are hybrid processes with submerged microporous hollow fibre (SHF) membranes and the nanofiltration membrane (typically used in Norway, Scotland, outside Paris and in Florida). NF gives high removals of NOM but at higher capital and operating costs while SHF has cost advantage due to low pressure and energy utilisation.
In this project sponsored by CRC for Water Quality and Treatment, the performance and economics of hybrid processes with submerged microporous hollow fibre membranes will be compared with that of nanoporous NF membranes for NOM removal.
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| Nanofiltration experimental setup. |
SUPERVISORS
A/Prof Vicki ChenProf A.G. Fane
Selected Publications:
- Ye, Y. and Chen, V., "Reversibility of cake layers formed during the microfiltration of yeast and bovine serum albumin mixtures", presented at the 5th IMSTEC (International Membrane Science and Technology Conference), 10-14 November 2003, Sydney, Australia