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Technical feasibility study of a low-cost hybrid PAC-UF system for wastewater reclamation and reuse: a focus on feedwater production for low-pressure boilers

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Abstract

This study has applied the concept of the hybrid PAC-UF process in the treatment of the final effluent of the palm oil industry for reuse as feedwater for low-pressure boilers. In a bench-scale set-up, a low-cost empty fruit bunch-based powdered activated carbon (PAC) was employed for upstream adsorption of biotreated palm oil mill effluent (BPOME) with the process conditions: 60 g/L dose of PAC, 68 min of mixing time and 200 rpm of mixing speed, to reduce the feedwater strength, alleviate probable fouling of the membranes and thus improve the process flux (productivity). Three polyethersulfone ultrafiltration membranes of molecular weight cut-off (MWCO) of 1, 5 and 10 kDa were investigated in a cross-flow filtration mode, and under constant transmembrane pressures of 40, 80, and 120 kPa. The permeate qualities of the hybrid processes were evaluated, and it was found that the integrated process with the 1 kDa MWCO UF membrane yielded the best water quality that falls within the US EPA reuse standard for boiler-feed and cooling water. It was also observed that the permeate quality is fit for extended reuse as process water in the cement, petroleum and coal industries. In addition, the hybrid system’s operation consumed 37.13 Wh m−3 of energy at the highest applied pressure of 120 kPa, which is far lesser than the typical energy requirement range (0.8–1.0 kWh m−3) for such wastewater reclamation.

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Acknowledgment

This work was jointly supported by the research grants from the Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE) Malaysia (FRGS 11-0300178 & FRGS 13-029-0270), and International Islamic University Malaysia (EDW B12-376-0854). The authors acknowledge the insightful contributions of late Professor Suleyman Aremu Muyibi. Also, the assistance of Dr. Sharafudeen Kareem on language editing is duly acknowledged.

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  1. NRF-DST Chair: Sustainable Process Engineering, School of Chemical and Metallurgical Engineering, University of the Witwatersrand, 1 Jan Smuts Avenue, Braamfontein 2000, Johannesburg, South Africa

    Mutiu Kolade Amosa & Thokozani Majozi

  2. Bioenvironmental Engineering Research Centre (BERC), Department of Biotechnology Engineering, Kulliyyah of Engineering, International Islamic University Malaysia, Jalan Gombak, 53100, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

    Mohammed Saedi Jami & Ma’an Fahmi R. Alkhatib

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  1. Mutiu Kolade Amosa
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Amosa, M.K., Jami, M.S., Alkhatib, M.F.R. et al. Technical feasibility study of a low-cost hybrid PAC-UF system for wastewater reclamation and reuse: a focus on feedwater production for low-pressure boilers. Environ Sci Pollut Res 23, 22554–22567 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-016-7390-x

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