Patent ID: 6727099
Filing Date: 2004-04-27
Classification: B01D,G01N,Y10T

Abstract:
A method to measure local streaming potential for monitoring the progress of membrane fouling in the course of filtration of a hollow-fiber membrane comprising:introducing a given solution inside a membrane module that contains a hollow-fiber membrane, measuring pressure difference across the membrane pores while measuring conductivity and pH of a given solution, measuring streaming potential difference between an upper and a lower regions of a membrane pore at a given position designated by electrodes which are installed both inside and outside of an inlet and an outlet of the membrane module calculating the value of zeta potential (&zgr;) from the following equation, Î”&it;â€ƒ&it;VÎ”&it;â€ƒ&it;P=&varepsilon;&it;â€ƒ&it;Î¶Î»&it;â€ƒ&it;Î·(I)wherein &Dgr;V represents streaming potential difference obtained when a given pressure difference is &Dgr;P; &egr; represents dielectric constant; &lgr; represents conductivity of a solution; &eegr; represents viscosity of a solution correlating the value of zeta potential (&zgr;) to the progress of the membrane fouling.