# US 2021/0260533 A1 · Method for fouling reduction on the surface of ceramic membranes using steam fast-flushing > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2021/0260533 A1 - Document ID: US20210260533A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/271,893 - Filed: 2020-02-13 - Published: 2021-08-26 - Earliest claimed: 2019-02-14 - Assignees: Her Majesty the Queen in right of Canada, as represented by the Minister of Natural Resources - Applicants: Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada as Represented by the Minister of Natural Resources - Inventors: Saviz MORTAZAVI; André Yves TREMBLAY - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210260533A1 ## CPC - B01D 65/02: Membrane cleaning or sterilisation {; Membrane regeneration} - B01D 65/08: Prevention of membrane fouling or of concentration polarisation - B01D 69/02: characterised by their properties - B01D 71/022: {Metals} - B01D 71/025: {Aluminium oxide} - C02F 1/44: by dialysis, osmosis or reverse osmosis {(general membrane separation processes B01D61/00, membrane modules B01D63/00, electrodialysis C02F1/4693, combination of membrane modules and bioreactors C02F3/1268)} - B01D 61/02: Reverse osmosis; Hyperfiltration {; Nanofiltration} - B01D 61/14: Ultrafiltration; Microfiltration - B01D 2321/02: Forward flushing - B01D 2321/04: Backflushing - B01D 2321/08: Use of hot water or water vapor - B01D 2321/12: Use of permeate - B01D 2325/0283: Pore size - C02F 2101/32: Hydrocarbons, e.g. oil - C02F 2103/10: from quarries or from mining activities - 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) - C02F: TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE (separation in general B01D; special arrangements on waterborne vessels of installations for treating water, waste water or sewage, e.g. for producing fresh water, B63J; adding materials to water to prevent corrosion C23F; treating radioactively-contaminated liquids G21F9/04; regeneration of reactants for recirculation into processes, see the relevant places for the processes) ## Abstract The inventions discloses a method for reducing fouling on the surface of a ceramic membrane or filter with a recalcitrant filtration cake thereon that is non-responsive to regular back-flushing or other physical means of removal, where the ceramic membrane or filter is subjected to steam fast-flushing by injecting steam directly in feed channel of the ceramic membrane or filter while back-flushing the ceramic membrane or filter at the same time to heat and remove fouled layer on the ceramic membrane or filter while cooling a selective layer of the ceramic membrane or filter to avoid thermal shocking of the ceramic membrane or filter, the surface is cleaned with the ceramic membrane or filter being stationary. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for reducing fouling on the surface of a ceramic membrane or filter, the ceramic membrane or filter has a recalcitrant filtration cake on its surface that is non-responsive to removal by regular back-flushing or other physical means of removal, wherein the ceramic membrane or filter is subjected to steam fast-flushing by injecting steam directly in feed channel of the ceramic membrane or filter while back-flushing the ceramic membrane or filter at the same time to heat and remove the fouled layer on the ceramic membrane or filter while cooling a selective layer of the ceramic membrane or filter to avoid thermal shocking of the ceramic membrane or filter, wherein the surface of ceramic membrane or filter is cleaned with the ceramic membrane or filter being stationary. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein a permeate is resulted from fluid that has initially passed through ceramic membrane or filter, and wherein the selective layer of the ceramic membrane or filter is back-flushed and cooled by a difference in pressure of the permeate and a depressurized feed stream. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the steam is injected in the feed channel from the top of a module of the ceramic membrane or filter, and wherein the feed channel at the bottom of the ceramic membrane or filter is connected to a feed tank. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the steam is injected in the feed channel without isolating a module from a circulation loop. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the steam cleaning process is performed on a membrane that is not in a feed and bleed loop. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the selective layer of the ceramic membrane or filter is back-flushed and cooled by the difference in pressure of the permeate and the depressurized feed stream. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the ceramic membrane or filter is in the form of a flat sheet, multi-pleated sheet, a single tubular lumen or multi-lumen tube. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein material of ceramic membrane or filter and its support is a ceramic. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the ceramic is one selected from an oxide of aluminium, titanium, zirconium, or mixtures thereof. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein material in the selective layer of the ceramic membrane or filter is different from the membrane support material. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein material in the selective layer of the ceramic membrane or filter is identical to the membrane support material. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein material of the ceramic membrane or filter membrane is a ceramic and its support is a metal. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the ceramic is one selected from an oxide of aluminium, titanium, zirconium, or mixtures thereof. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the filter is metallic, the pore size is 0.1 to 1000 microns. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the pore size of the ceramic membrane or filter is 1 nm to 10 microns. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the ceramic membrane or filter is inorganic. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the ceramic membrane or filter is a sintered inorganic. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the recalcitrant filtration cake is formed in treating any wastewater. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the recalcitrant filtration cake is formed in treating oily wastewater. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the recalcitrant filtration cake is formed in treating bituminous and oily wastewater. ### Claim 21 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the recalcitrant filtration cake is formed in treating steam assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) produced water or process water.