Functionalized Ceramic Membranes for the Separation of Organics from Raw Water and Methods of Filtration Using Functionalized Ceramic Membranes

Abstract

Components, systems and methods for producing hydrophilitic, functionalized inorganic filtration membranes, pre-treating organic and biological-containing waste waters for minimal membrane fouling and scaling when processed using such functionalized membranes, and use of such functionalized membranes of the present invention in filtration systems for separating such pre-treated waste waters, all with respect to optimal permeate production rates, purity of permeate and resistance to fouling and scale formation on the membranes.

1 . A method for filtering hydrocarbons from waste water bi-products of mining operations comprising the steps of:
 selecting a manufactured filtration membrane, said manufactured filtration membrane having inorganic ceramic surfaces, said ceramic surfaces being processed through steps comprising:
 acidification of said ceramic surfaces for creating hydroxyl terminations; and 
 exposing said ceramic surfaces with one or more reactant zwitterionic hydrophilic molecules; 
   causing said waste water bi-products, at a first flow pressure, to flow in at least temporary contact with an intake side of said manufactured and processed filtration membrane, an output side of said manufactured filtration membrane being exposed to a second flow pressure that is lower than said first flow pressure.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said inorganic ceramic surfaces are configured substantially of materials selected from a group consisting of alumina (e.g., Al 2 O 3 ), titania (TiO 2 ), and zirconia (ZrO 2 ). 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said reactant zwitterionic hydrophilic molecules include a hydrophilic carboxylic acid. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2  wherein said reactant zwitterionic hydrophilic molecules include a hydrophilic carboxylic acid. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said reactant zwitterionic hydrophilic molecules include cysteic acid. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2  wherein said reactant zwitterionic hydrophilic molecules include cysteic acid. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the steps, before causing said flow of said multi-constituent fluid, of:
 introducing pH-changing means for changing the pH of said multi-constituent fluid to an undersaturated state relative to scale-producing constituents; and 
 introducing scale inhibition means for inhibiting the formation of scales on said ceramic surfaces during exercise of said method. 
 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7  wherein said scale inhibition means are selected from one or more of phosphates, phosphonates, polyphosphonic acid, acrylates, and polyacrylates. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the steps, before causing said flow of said multi-constituent fluid, of:
 introducing a pH-changing means, relative to a measure of said fluid to be processed through said method, for changing the pH of said multi-constituent fluid to an under-saturated state relative to scale-producing constituents; and 
 introducing a scale inhibition means, relative to a measure of said fluid to be processed through said method, for inhibiting the formation of scales on said ceramic surfaces during exercise of said method. 
 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  wherein said scale inhibition means are selected from one or more of phosphates, phosphonates, polyphosphonic acid, acrylates, and polyacrylates. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said reactant zwitterionic hydrophilic molecules include one or more carboxylic acids, phenyl amines, phenyl amidines, and amino pyridines. 
     
     
         12 . A method of making a filtration membrane for separating constituents in multi-constituent fluid comprising processing a porous filtration membrane having inorganic ceramic surfaces and having pores with pore sizes of greater than or equal 5 to 0.04 microns in diameter, through steps comprising:
 acidification of said ceramic surfaces for increasing monolayer stability; and   exposing said ceramic surfaces with one or more reactant hydrophilic 10 molecules, characterized in that the ceramic surfaces are configured of materials selected from a group consisting of silicon carbide, silicon dioxide (SiO 2 ), silicon nitride (Si 3 N 4 ), and Si-rich silicon nitride (Si X N 4 ) and the method comprises oxidation of said ceramic surfaces for hydroxyl generation and the acidification and exposing steps are achieved by exposing the filtration membrane to a recirculating flow of a solution of a carboxylic acid having a substituent group which creates the hydrophilic surface.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the carboxylic acid is cysteic acid. 
     
     
         14 . A method for separating constituents in a multi-constituent fluid comprising causing said multi-constituent fluid, at a first flow pressure, to flow in at least temporary contact with an intake side of a filtration membrane produced by a method according to  claim 12 , an output side of said filtration membrane being exposed to a second flow pressure that is lower than said first flow pressure. 
     
     
         15 . A method for separating constituents in a multi-constituent fluid comprising causing said multi-constituent fluid, at a first flow pressure, to flow in at least temporary contact with an intake side of a filtration membrane produced by a method according to  claim 13 , an output side of said filtration membrane being exposed to a second flow pressure that is lower than said first flow pressure. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14  further comprising the steps, before causing said flow of said multi-constituent fluid, of:
 introducing pH-changing means for changing  5  the pH of said multi-constituent fluid to an undersaturated state relative to scale-producing constituents; and 
 introducing scale inhibition means for inhibiting the formation of scales on said ceramic surfaces during exercise of said method. 
 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  wherein said scale inhibition means are selected from one or more of phosphates, phosphonates, polyphosphonic acid, acrylates, and polyacrylates.