Antifouling membrane filtration system

A membrane filtration circuit having antifouling properties, comprising:

• a feed solution source;
• a pump connected to the feed solution source to provide a liquid for filtering;
• a filtration cell having a functionalized filtration membrane, the filtration cell to receive the liquid, and wherein the filtration cell further includes a plurality of rods and nuts that support and seal the filtration cell, an inlet conduit for the liquid to enter into the filtration cell, an outlet conduit for removing a liquid concentrate, and a permeate outlet conduit for transporting a filtered liquid, wherein the inlet and outlet conduits communicate with a first surface of the filtration membrane,
• at least one microwave generator to produce microwave energy, the microwave generator is in either direct or indirect contact with the liquid and the filtration membrane, and the microwave generator is either fixed or moveable around the filtration membrane
• a controller in communication with a sensor, a pressure gauge or a flux meter to monitor degree of fouling on the functionalized filtration membrane and automatically control a cleaning process when fouling reaches a preset level;
• the microwave generator emitting the microwave energy during the cleaning process forming a continuous or an intermittent microwave irradiation of a certain power or intensity over a controlled time interval;
• an interfacial nano-bubble formation in the liquid onto a functionalized membrane surface of the functionalized membrane, the nano-bubble formation providing an antifouling effect and a non-thermal effect caused by the microwave energy;
• the antifouling effect having a plurality of nano-bubbles that remove foulants from the membrane surface due to random Brownian motion;
• the non-thermal effect having a collapse of the nano-bubbles that forms a hot spot that induces decomposition of the liquid to form reactive hydroxyl radicals that degrade foulants;
• a cooling part to cool the feed solution source that supplies the liquid when circulating the feed solution through the membrane filtration circuit;
• and
• a cross-flow stream in the cross-flow filtration module where foulants or pollutants are removed by the microwave energy from the filtration membrane and carried away in the cross-flow stream or recycled back into the feed solution source.

A process for microwave cleaning of a membrane filtration system, comprises:

• using a filtration cell having a porous filtration membrane for filtering a liquid, a plurality of rods and nuts or flanges to support and seal the filtration cell, an inlet conduit for the liquid to enter into the filtration cell, an outlet conduit for removing a liquid concentrate from the filtration cell, a permeate outlet conduit for transporting a filtered fluid, and a microwave generator;
• emitting microwave electromagnetic energy by the microwave generator in direct contact with the liquid and the porous filtration membrane in such a manner as to liberate a pollutant retained by the porous filtration membrane;
• monitoring degree of fouling on the functionalized filtration membrane by a controller in communication with a sensor, a pressure gauge or a flux meter;
• automatically controlling with the controller a cleaning process when fouling reaches a preset level;
• emitting the microwave energy by the microwave generator during the cleaning process and forming a continuous or an intermittent microwave irradiation of a certain power or intensity over a controlled time interval;
• forming an interfacial nano-bubble in the liquid onto a functionalized membrane surface of the functionalized membrane, the nano-bubble formation providing an antifouling effect and a non-thermal effect caused by the microwave energy;
• removing foulants from the membrane surface by a plurality of nano-bubbles;
• forming a hot spot that induces decomposition of the liquid to form reactive hydroxyl radicals that degrade foulants by the non-thermal effect with collapse of the nano-bubbles;
• cooling by a cooling part the feed solution source that supplies the liquid when circulating the feed solution through the membrane filtration circuit;
• and
• removing foulants or pollutants by a cross-flow stream in the cross-flow filtration module by the microwave energy from the filtration membrane;
• and
• carrying the foulant or pollutant liberated from the porous filtration membrane by the cross-flow stream through the outlet conduit or recycling back into the seed solution source.