Floc properties and membrane fouling of polyferric silicate chloride and polyferric chloride: the role of polysilicic acid.

Impact of polysilicic acid (pSi) in polyferric silicate chloride (PFSiC) on coagulation-ultrafiltration process was investigated in comparison with polyferric chloride (PFC). The Fe(III) species distribution in PFSiC and PFC was measured by a timed complexation spectroscopy method. Characteristics of flocs produced by PFSiC and PFC were studied using a laser diffraction particle sizing device. Moreover, membrane fouling was evaluated using a dead-end batch ultrafiltration unit under two operation modes, coagulation-ultrafiltration (C-UF) and coagulation-sedimentation-ultrafiltration (CSUF). The results indicated that PFSiC with various Si/Fe ratios had better turbidity removal efficiency but inferior organic matter removal. Flocs formed by PFSiC were larger than those by PFC. In case of PFSiC, floc size increased with Si/Fe ratio increasing. PFSiC with various Si/Fe ratios resulted in more compact and weaker flocs than PFC. Ultrafiltration experiments indicated that under C-UF mode, PFSiC with Si/Fe ratios of 0.07 and 0.10 presented better membrane performance than PFC. Under CSUF mode, addition of pSi could alleviate membrane fouling.