# US 10,502,675 B2 · In-line quantification and characterization of membrane fouling > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,502,675 B2 - Document ID: US10502675B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/534,613 - Filed: 2015-12-10 - Published: 2017-12-21 - Granted: 2019-12-10 - Earliest claimed: 2014-12-10 - Assignees: King Abdullah University of Science and Technology - Applicants: King Abdullah University of Science and Technology - Inventors: Szilard Bucs; Sacco te Lintel Hekkert; Marc Jaap Staal; Johannes Vrouwenvelder - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10502675B2 ## CPC - G01N 17/008: {Monitoring fouling} - B01D 61/12: Controlling or regulating - B01D 65/08: Prevention of membrane fouling or of concentration polarisation - B01D 65/109: {Testing of membrane fouling or clogging, e.g. amount or affinity} - G01N 21/94: Investigating contamination, e.g. dust (G01N21/85 takes precedence) - B01D 2321/40: Automatic control of cleaning processes - G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q) - B01D: SEPARATION (separating solids from solids by wet methods B03B, B03D; by pneumatic jigs or tables B03B; by other dry methods B07; magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high-voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges, vortex apparatus B04; presses per se for squeezing-out liquid from liquid-containing material B30B9/02; treatment of water C02F, e.g. softening by ion-exchange C02F1/42; {arrangements of air intake cleaners in gas turbine plants F02C7/05} ; arrangements or mounting of filters in air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation F24F13/28) ## Abstract Methods of detecting, quantifying and/or characterizing the fouling of a device from a combination of pressure and spectroscopic data are provided. The device can be any device containing components susceptible to fouling. Components can include membranes, pipes, or reactors. Suitable devices include membrane devices, heat exchangers, and chemical or bio-reactors. Membrane devices can include, for example, microfiltration devices, ultrafiltration devices, nanofiltration devices, reverse osmosis, forward osmosis, osmosis, reverse electrodialysis, electro-deionisation or membrane distillation devices. The methods can be applied to any type of membrane, including tubular, spiral, hollow fiber, flat sheet, and capillary membranes. The spectroscopic characterization can include measuring one or more of the absorption, fluorescence, or raman spectroscopic data of one or more foulants. The methods can allow for the early detection and/or characterization of fouling. The characterization can include determining the specific foulant(s) or type of foulant(s) present. The characterization of fouling can allow for the selection of an appropriate de-fouling method and timing. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of detecting and characterizing fouling of a component in a fluid-based system, the method comprising: providing a monitoring unit in the system in conjunction with the component, wherein the monitoring unit comprises a test component configured to mimic fouling of the component and through which a portion of the fluid in the fluid-based system is passed; collecting fouling data of the test component by irradiating the test component with a light source and collecting data in the form of (1) spectroscopic data from the test component and (2) a pressure difference across the test component; determining the presence of fouling of the component from the fouling data; and characterizing the fouling of the component from the fouling data, wherein the spectroscopic data includes luminescent spectra and absorption spectra. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the fluid-based system includes a fluid that is a liquid or gaseous substance containing biological, organic, inorganic or particulate matter, or any combination thereof. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the component is a membrane, a pipe, or a reactor. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the component is a component selected from the group consisting of microfiltration, ultrafiltration, nanofiltration, a reverse osmosis, heat exchanger, forward osmosis, osmosis, reverse electrodialysis, electro-deionisation and membrane distillation devices. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the component is a membrane selected from the group consisting of tubular, spiral, hollow fiber, flat sheet, and capillary membranes. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the pressure difference is measured as a difference between two or more pressure measurements and the pressure difference is measured as a pressure drop across the component, a pressure drop across the test component, a difference in pressure over time, or a combination thereof. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the pressure difference is measured continuously or semi-continuously. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the light source comprises infrared light and the spectroscopic data further comprises reflectance data. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the light source comprises ultraviolet light and the spectroscopic data comprises fluorescence, luminescence, Raman, or resonance Raman data. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein characterizing the fouling of the component comprises the fouling level and the identity of the foulant. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the fouling data further comprises a flow rate and the method further comprises measuring the flow rate. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the foulant is selected from the group consisting of inorganic, organic, colloidal, and microbial foulants. ### Claim 13 A method of detecting and characterizing fouling of a component in a fluid-based system, the method comprising: providing a monitoring unit in the system in conjunction with the component, wherein the monitoring unit comprises a test component configured to mimic fouling of the component and through which a portion of the fluid in the fluid-based system is passed; collecting fouling data of the test component by irradiating the test component with a light source and collecting data in the form of (1) spectroscopic data from the test component and (2) a pressure difference across the test component, the pressure difference data collected being representative of two or more time intervals; determining the presence of fouling of the component from the fouling data; and characterizing the fouling of the component from the fouling data corresponding to the two or more time intervals, wherein the spectroscopic data includes luminescent spectra and absorption spectra. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the test component comprises a test membrane, a test pipe, or a test reactor designed to mimic the fouling of the component in the fluid-based system. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the test component is a test membrane selected from the group consisting of tubular, spiral, hollow fiber, flat sheet, and capillary membranes. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the fluid in the fluid-based system is a liquid or gaseous substance containing biological, organic, inorganic or particulate matter, or any combination thereof. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the component is a membrane, a pipe, or a reactor. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the component is a component selected from the group consisting of microfiltration, ultrafiltration, nanofiltration, a reverse osmosis, heat exchanger, forward osmosis, osmosis, reverse electrodialysis, electro-deionisation and membrane distillation devices.