Pilot study on the effects of operating parameters on membrane fouling during ultrafiltration of alkali/surfactant/polymer flooding wastewater: optimization and modeling

Alkali/surfactant/polymer (ASP) flooding wastewater is commonly produced in enhanced oil extraction processes and needs to be properly treated prior to reuse due to the potential threat of formation damage. Ultrafiltration (UF) is an effective technique for treating ASP flooding wastewater to meet the requirements for reinjection water. Membrane fouling is the major challenge to UF application. In this study, the operating parameters were modified to research their effects on membrane fouling in a UF pilot study in Daqing, China. The effects of trans-membrane pressure (TMP), cross-flow velocity (CFV), concentration factor (CF) and temperature on membrane flux were systematically investigated, and optimal operating conditions were established by an orthogonal experiment. A temperature of 22 °C, TMP of 2.12 bar, CFV of 3.00 m s(−1) and CF of 5 were the most feasible operating conditions for the membrane types and raw water quality parameters in the study. The quality of the permeate met the water quality standards for injection to oilfield low-permeability layers. The results could provide a reference and guidance for practical operations. To learn more about the influences of the operating parameters, a model including external and internal pollution factors was developed based on the Hagen–Poiseuille equation and classical membrane fouling theory. The operating parameters had a more significant effect on external pollution than on internal pollution. The fouling on the membrane surface was much affected by TMP and CFV.