Rohrmembran: New coating methods for the production of tailor-made, acid-resistant reverse osmosis tubular membrane modules for the treatment of process water containing particles

The aim of this research project is to produce and test acid-resistant reverse osmosis tubular membrane modules for the treatment of process water containing particles  through new coating processes with tailor-made polymeric interface layers. These are applied in booth generative ( layer by layer) and reactive interfacial polymerization. By using polyelectrolytes of different lengths and charges, the separation properties are to be tailored to meet the specific requirements. Acid-resistant tubular membrane modules are developed for process water containing particles from surface treatment. The development will allow the separation of an almost ion-free permeate for water circulation for industrial production in a single process step.

Objective

The material development concentrates on innovative coating techniques of porous polymeric or inorganic tubular membranes with an ion-selective separating layer by generative nanofabrication or interfacial polymerization. Based on commercially available monomers and polymers, new functions are achieved by cleverly combining these materials into a novel material system. The membranes will be tested under real operating conditions in the bypass of a production line.

Focus of work

The development and production of coated (acid-resistant) tubular membranes is carried out by CUT Membrane Technology, by Atech Innovations and by the DWI Leibniz-Institut  für Interaktive Materialien. The VDEh-Betriebsforschungsinstitut (BFI) conducts fundamental laboratory tests with the newly coated tubular membranes and operational process water to evaluate the performance characteristics. After the successful membrane development, industrially suitable pipe modules are manufactured and analyzed in the bypass of the production process at the user's plant, Deutsche Edelstahlwerke (DEW), using process water with high particle content. The Aachen Verfahrenstechnikinstitut (AVT. CVT) at RWTH Aachen will model the mass transfer at the novel coated tubular membranes. The testing of the innovative pipe module is thus carried out in an exemplary manner for a production plant with the aim of closing the water cycle and separating solids.