Sherub Phuntsho, Jung Eun Kim

Ho Kyong Shon

Centre for Technology in Water & Wastewater (CTWW),

School of Civil & Environmental Engineering,
Faculty of Engineering & Information Technology
University of Technology Sydney (UTS)
Contents

Background
Results from the field operation
Pressure assisted fertilizer drawn process
Summary
 Background
Water scarcity is becoming a significant issues all over the world
Irrigation accounts for highest water use in the world (up to 75%)
Desalination is a reliable alternate source to augment fresh water
However, desalination remain expensive & energy intensive process
Energy: up to 60% of the total operation cost of SWRO desalination plants
Low energy and low-cost desalination technologies are necessary
Forward osmosis process has emerged as potential for desalination

3
(Elimelech et al. 2011)
NWC, Australia
 Principles of Forward Osmosis
Reverse Osmosis Forward Osmosis
P

pressure
osmotic
Diluted seawater
Water

membrane

Seawater
Seawater

Water

Water
Osmosis Equilibrium
membrane
Seawater as Draw Solution (DS)

Driving force = External energy Driving force = concentration/osmotic gradient

FO desalination for potable water
Energy

FO process itself for desalination does not use much energy

Diluted DS solution cannot be used directly as potable water
For potable water, additional DS separation process still require energy
A suitable draw solute is essential for FO process
However, FO is ideal when no DS separation is necessary
Fertiliser drawn forward osmosis process
Source: Phuntsho et al. (EST 46(2012): 4567

FO desalination for non-potable purpose such as irrigation is ideal

Concentrated fertiliser solution is used as DS
Diluted fertiliser solution can be used directly for fertigation
FDFO process does not require separation process
 Osmotic equilibrium limits the final DS dilution
Osmotic equilibrium determines the final concentration of the diluted DS
Under counter-current crossflow, lowest DS concentration can be achieved
Water extraction capacity of each fertilizer is limited by the osmotic
pressure or concentration of the feed water (feed water sanility)

1000 1 1
Vmax
C
(L/kg of fertiliser) MW D,E C D ,max

For high TD feed, fertilizer concentrations not suitable for direct fertigation
Nanofiltration (NF) was therefore used as the post-treatment process
To reduce (dilute) the excess fertilizer concentration
Recycle & reuse the excess fertilizer to extract more water

S. Phuntsho et al. JMS 453(2014): 240-252

Materials and methods:
Pilot-scale testing of desalination unit

DAVOS TURF FARM

Centennial Coal Mine at Newstan

Colliary, Fassifern, NSW
Generates 12 15 ML/d of mine
wastewater
Water quality
Salinity: 3.0 10.0 mS/cm
Turbidity: 0.5 2.0 NTU
Discharge salinity criteria review in the
future by NSW Environment Protection
Authority (EAP) CENTENNIAL
COAL MINE
RO process is mainly considered as a mine
wastewater treatment system
Materials and methods:
Pilot-scale FDFO-NF unit

With only 2#- 8040 FO elements (HTI), the pilot-scale

system had to be operated on a batch scale
Materials and methods:
Operating conditions
Experimental set-up at coal mine site

Feed Draw: Irrigation water

: Mine impaired water (NH4)2SO4

Test fertigation at Turf farm

Initial Draw solution
2 M (NH4)2SO4, 200 L, 3-4 LPM
Initial feed water
5.3 mS/cm, 0.5-2.0 NTU, 5,000 L constant
70 LPM
 Operation objectives
Pilot-scale FDFO test operation
Long-term performance of the FDFO process
Evaluate fouling potential of the FDFO process during long-term operations
Cleaning requirements
Performance of the NF process
Water quality and test fertigation of turf grass
Results and discussion
Long-term operation of the FDFO process
Variation of water flux with operation time

Consistent performance of the FDFO

process under each batch process.
However, the water flux in the fourth
cycle is significantly lower than
others.
Flux decline was due to algal growth
Baseline test (0.5 M SOA and tap
water as FS) showed that after
hydraulic cleaning, the flux was
almost fully recovered.
Results and discussion
NF process: Post-treatment
Specific water flux of NF process
NF post-treatment was operated in a batch
process
Initial NF feed EC of 13.5 13.8 mS/cm
Final NF feed EC of 40 mS/cm
Consistent performance of the NF process
under each batch process.
No fouling and scaling in the NF
process due to high removal efficiency
of the FO process.
Results and discussion
NF process: Post-treatment
NF permeate EC
The permeate EC = the quality of
the product water for direct
fertigation
NF permeate EC consistently
ranged 0.3 1.0 mS/cm
Average EC about 0.5-0.6 mS/cm
Consistent performance of the NF
process under each batch process.
Results and discussion:
Final FDFO-NF water quality for fertigation
NF feed Per. 1 Per. 2 NF con. NF feed Per. 1 Per. 2 NF con.

pH 7.7 8.1 8.3 7.8 7.7 8.7 8.5 8.1

EC (S/cm) 13500 606 953 38100 13550 325 715 32500

Turbidity (NTU) 1.0 0.1 0.1 0.4 0.2 0.3 0.3 0.5

Ammonia (mg/L N) 1897 83 47 5828 1975 37 77 4855

Sodium (mg/L) 231 6.7 11 781 182 4.9 8.7 758

Potassium (mg/L) 2.6 0.1 0.1 6.4 2 0.4 0.5 4.9

Calcium (mg/L) 1.5 0.1 0.1 29.1 2.3 0.2 0.3 26.6

Magnesium (mg/L) 0.5 0.1 0.1 8.2 0.8 0.2 0.2 6.7

SAR 29.4 2.5 4.1 23.2 18.6 1.3 2.1 24.0

Chloride (mg/L) 185 23.0 39.0 420.0 200 28 43 510

SO42- 5288 112 198 17981 3376 99 110 14484

Results and discussion:
Feasibility assessment of FDFO-NF
Sustainability of FDFO-NF process

17/03/14 09/05/14 07/07/14

Test fertigation using final product water indicates that FDFO-NF is suitable
for fertigation of turf grass
Overcome limitations:
Enhancing fertiliser dilution beyond osmotic equilibrium

Pressure assisted fertiliser drawn osmosis (PA-FDO)

P
P

FDFO + NF PA-FDO

Enhances the water flux by increasing driving force

Enhanced water flux can dilute the fertilizer DS below osmotic equilibrium
Potentially eliminate NF process completely
Potentially lower capital costs compared to FDFO+NF system

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Lab-scale operation:
Improvement of water flux Phuntsho et al. JMS 481(2015): 63

Pressure assisted fertiliser drawn osmosis (PAFDO)

FO membrane: Flat sheet cellulose

triacetate (CTA), 20.02 cm
Feed water: 10g/L NaCl
Draw solution: NaCl and (NH4 ) SO
Hydraulic pressure: 0 and 10 bar

Membrane Parameters Values

Membrane material (HTI, Albany, OR) CTA
Pure water permeability coefficient, A (Lm-2h-1bar-1) 0.91
Salt (NaCl) permeability coefficient, B (Lm-2h-1) 0.46
Salt rejection (1,000 mg/L NaCl at 10 bar) 97.2%
Lab-scale operation:
Improvement of water flux Phuntsho et al. JMS 481(2015): 63

Variation of water flux in the FO/PAFDO modes

FO membrane: Flat sheet cellulose
triacetate (CTA), 20.02 cm

Feed water: 10 g/L NaCl

Draw solution: 0 - 3 M (NH4 ) SO

Hydraulic pressure:
FO mode: 0 bar
PAFDO mode: 10 bar

PAFDO flux increase

0.1 M : 7.38 LMH 1928%
3 M: 4.93 LMH 38%

The applied pressure (PAFDO mode) could lead to more effective

performance at lower stage of the FO process.
Pilot-scale operation:
Pilot-scale PA-FDO experimental set-up

2,000 L 4,000 L per day capacity

Pilot-scale operation:
Process optimization
Effect of feed flow rate on water flux
FO module: two spiral wound (CTA), 20.2
m

Feed solutions: 10 g/L NaCl

Draw solution: 0.5 M (NH4 ) SO

Hydraulic pressure:
FO mode: 0.5 bar
PAFDO mode: 1.5 bar
Feed flow rate
50 70 100
(L/min, LPM)
PAFDO (1.5 bar) 4.950 4.950 5.446
FO (0.5 bar) 3.819 3.819 4.243
Improvement ratio(%) 23% 23% 22%

70 LPM was selected for further

operations.
Pilot-scale operation:
Process optimization
Effect of DS concentration on water flux
FO module: two spiral wound (CTA), 20.2 m
Feed/ Draw solutions:10g/L NaCl/0.17, 0.5, 1, and 2 M (NH4 ) SO
FO mode: 0.5 bar
PAFDO mode: 1.5bar

37% at 0.17 M DS

13% at 1 M DS

At low draw concentration (0.17 M and 0.5M), PAO is more effective in

enhancing the permeate water flux.
Depending on DS flow rate, DS dilution factor can increase by several factors
Pilot-scale operation:
Module design limitation in the FO mode

Feed and draw sides pressure control

Feed inlet (P1) Draw outlet (P4) < 400 kPa (4 bar)
Feed inlet (P1) Feed outlet (P2) < 50 kPa (0.5 bar)
Feed outlet (P2) Draw inlet (P3) > 20 kPa (0.2 bar)
Draw inlet (P3) < 70 kPa (0.7 bar) 0.5 bar
Draw outlet (P4) < 15 kPa (0.15 bar) FO element

P4
P3

V2
P2
P1 2 bar : Leaking problem

F3 T1 F1
V3 V1
Draw Feed
solution solution
Pilot-scale operation:
Process optimization
Effect of feed pressure on water flux (1)
FO module: two spiral wound (CTA), 20.2 m
Feed/ Draw solutions:10 g/L NaCl/0.5 M (NH4 ) SO
FO mode: feed pressure 0.5 bar
PAFDO mode: feed pressure 1 bar
Draw side operation data
0.50 2.00
Draw solution feed pressure (bar)
Draw solution feed flow rate (L/min)
0.40 1.60

0.30 1.20

L/min
0.23-0.25 bar

bar
0.20 0.80
0.6-0.8 L/min
0.10 0.40

0.00 0.00
1 101 201 301 401
Time (min)

Net gain water flux: 17% improved.

Pilot-scale operation:
Process optimization
Effect of feed pressure on water flux (2)
FO module: two spiral wound (CTA), 20.2 m
Feed/ Draw solutions:10g/L NaCl / 0.5 M (NH4 ) SO
FO mode: 0.5 bar
PAFDO mode: 1, 1.5, and 2 bar Draw side operation data
0.30 6.00

0.25 0.23 - 0.25 bar

0.20 4.00
3.8 - 4.2 L/min

L/min
bar
0.15

0.10 2.00

0.05 Draw solution feed pressure (bar)

Draw solution feed flow rate (L/min)
0.00 0.00
1 101 201 301 401 501
Time (min)
Same DS flow rate: 0.6 - 0.8 L/min
Feed pressure (bar) 0.5 1 1 1.5 2
Water flux (LMH) 2.475 2.970 (previous result) Same DS flow rate: 3.8 - 4.2 L/min
Improvement ratio (%) 17%
Water flux (LMH) 4.950 5.446 5.780 Net gain water flux: 13%
Improvement ratio (%) 9% 14%
Water flux (LMH) 2.970 4.950 5.446 5.780 Effect of DS flow rate and
Improvement ratio (%) 40% 45% 49% feed pressure: 45%
Summary

Fouling affects FDFO water flux however, intermittent hydraulic

cleaning is adequate to restore the water flux
NF process can perform with high efficiency due to good water
quality from FDFO process
Water quality from FDFO-NF system meets the fertigation
requirements
Test fertigation confirms FDFO-NF is feasible for fertigation
Pressure assisted FDO may potentially substitute for FDFO+NF
system

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This study is supported by National Centre for
Excellence in Desalination Australia (NCEDA).

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