The Optimization of Operating Conditions in a Membrane Ultrafiltration System Using Taguchi Approach

In this paper, the performance of a polymeric membrane was studied using a two-stage ultrafiltration treatment of produced water. At first, the effects of operating parameters, i.e. transmembrane pressure, temperature, and cross flow velocity on the flux decline caused by membrane fouling were investigated. In order to design the experiments and optimize the experimental results, the L9 (33) orthogonal array of Taguchi method was used. The analysis of variance was employed to determine the most significant parameters affecting the flux decline caused by membrane fouling. The optimum conditions were found at the first level of transmembrane pressure (1.5 bar), the second level of temperature (40 °C), and the third level of cross flow velocity (1 m/s). In the second stage, the performance of ultrafiltration system by the polymeric membrane was studied under the optimum conditions, 99% oil and grease, 100% TSS, 99% turbidity, and 68% TOC removal were obtained. Moreover, the particles size of the feed decreased from the range of 200-800 nm to 1.5-3 nm.