Threshold flux measurements of a nanofiltration membrane module by critical flux data conversion

Recently, for some membrane separation processes, the concept of threshold flux was introduced in substitution of the critical one. The new concept applies to all systems which trigger fouling formation from start of operation, even at very low operating conditions, and in particular to the purification of olive mill wastewater streams by membranes. The operation of a spiral-wound nanofiltration membrane module used to purify different pretreated olive mill wastewater streams and how pretreatments affect the threshold flux values and the threshold flux fitting parameters will be discussed. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.