Figure 1
Results of MD filtration tests at high water recovery with feed water composed by individual organic compounds, namely, (a) paraffins (mixture of Cn saturated hydrocarbons, with n > 25), (b) VOCs (volatile organic compounds, i.e., a mixture of p-xylene, benzene, toluene, and MTBE), (c) humic acids, and (d) SDS (sodium dodecyl sulfate). Blue open squares represent the experimental water flux (left Y-axis), while orange solid circles refer to the permeate conductivity (right Y-axis). The model for water flux is depicted by a blue dash line. For all the feed solutions, the initial concentration of TDS was 15 g/L and the nominal TOC was 800 mgC/L, although a two-phase oil-water system was produced when non-miscible compounds were used (e.g., paraffins). All the tests were conducted at a feed temperature of 50 °C and a distillate temperature of 25 °C, using PTFE membranes.
