Effects of manual interventions in the winding process on the performance of spiral wound membrane module

Thin-film composite desalination membranes of pressure-assisted membrane-based separation processes are predominantly used in spiral-wound membrane (SWM) module configuration. The winding process to convert the flat sheet membranes into SWM modules using spacers and adhesive application can be manual, semi-automatic, or automatic. The commercially available modules are wound with an automatic/semi-automatic process, which eliminates human errors and results in the consistent performance of the membrane modules, given that the membrane-making process is also consistent. However, a semi-automatic or manual winding process involves manual handling of the membrane, which may deteriorate its performance. In this article, we have examined the effects of human interventions during semi-automatic winding on the performance of the module and membrane coupons taken from the dissected module. It was observed that the mechanical damages observed on the membrane surface and the inconsistent width of the adhesive lines are the root causes of inferior performance (in terms of salt rejection and permeate flux) of some of the SWM modules than the pristine membrane coupons.

Automated summary

This article investigates the impact of human interventions in the semi-automatic winding process on the performance of membrane modules and membrane coupons. It was observed that mechanical damages on the membrane surface and inconsistent adhesive line widths are the root causes of inferior performance in some modules.