Preparation and Performance Evaluation of Polyethersulfone Hollow Fiber Membranes for Ultrafiltration Processes

Abstract

In this article, polyethersulfone hollow fiber membranes were prepared using dry–jet–wet spinning process via phase inversion method. Effects of polyethersulfone and polyethylene glycol concentrations and coagulation bath temperature, air–gap distance, and take-up speed on morphology of the prepared membranes were investigated. Based on L₁₆ orthogonal array of Taguchi experimental design, 32 membranes were prepared. An experimental investigation on separation of the industrial oil from oily wastewater has been done. The results showed that synthesized polyethersulfone membranes was effective and suitable for the treatment of oily wastewater to achieve up to 66.6 and 95.0% removal of total organic carbon and oil–grease content, respectively, with a flux of 72.3 L/(m²h).

GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

Keywords:

• Hollow fiber membranes
• Oily wastewater treatment
• Phase inversion
• Taguchi experimental design