Vibratory shear enhanced process (VSEP) is a membrane separation technology platform invented in 1987 and patented in 1989 by Dr. J. Brad Culkin. VSEP's vibration system was designed to prevent membrane fouling, or the build-up of solid particles on the surface of the membrane. VSEP systems have been applied in a variety of industrial environments.

History and technology development

After earning his PhD in chemical engineering from

Northwestern University Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston, Illinois. Founded in 1851, Northwestern is the oldest chartered university in Illinois and is ranked among the most prestigious academic institutions in the world. Chart ...

Dr. Culkin spent his early professional career with Dorr–Oliver, Inc., a pioneering company in the area of

separation process A separation process is a method that converts a mixture or a solution of chemical substances into two or more distinct product mixtures, a scientific process of separating two or more substance in order to obtain purity. At least one product m ...

es. Culkin contributed to six Dorr–Oliver patent applications in 1985 and 1986. While at Dorr–Oliver, Dr. Culkin was exposed to the advantages of membrane separation technology as well as its failings. The membrane's

Achilles' heel An Achilles' heel (or Achilles heel) is a weakness in spite of overall strength, which can lead to downfall. While the mythological origin refers to a physical vulnerability, idiomatic references to other attributes or qualities that can lead to ...

, Culkin decided, was

fouling Fouling is the accumulation of unwanted material on solid surfaces. The fouling materials can consist of either living organisms ( biofouling) or a non-living substance (inorganic or organic). Fouling is usually distinguished from other sur ...

. Concurrent with his membrane work, Culkin was helping to develop a mechanically resonating loudspeaker with the founders of Velodyne Acoustics. Culkin married these two areas of expertise and struck out to overcome membrane fouling through the use of

vibration Vibration is a mechanical phenomenon whereby oscillations occur about an equilibrium point. The word comes from Latin ''vibrationem'' ("shaking, brandishing"). The oscillations may be periodic, such as the motion of a pendulum—or random, suc ...

. The first VSEP prototype Culkin developed was a literal combination of loudspeaker and membrane technology as the photo shows below.

Principle of operation

A VSEP filter uses oscillatory vibration to create high shear at the surface of the filter membrane. This high shear force significantly improves the filter's resistance to fouling thereby enabling high throughputs and minimizing reject volumes. VSEP feed stream are split into two products—a permeate stream with little or no solids and a concentrate stream with a solids concentration much higher than that of the original feed stream.

Industrial applications

VSEP has been applied in a variety of industrial application areas including pulp and paper, chemical processing, landfill

leachate A leachate is any liquid that, in the course of passing through matter, extracts soluble or suspended solids, or any other component of the material through which it has passed. Leachate is a widely used term in the environmental sciences wher ...

, oil and gas, RO Reject and a variety of industrial

wastewater Wastewater is water generated after the use of freshwater, raw water, drinking water or saline water in a variety of deliberate applications or processes. Another definition of wastewater is "Used water from any combination of domestic, industri ...

Awards

A VSEP system was recognized in 2009 as part of the

WateReuse Water reclamation (also called wastewater reuse, water reuse or water recycling) is the process of converting municipal wastewater (sewage) or industrial wastewater into water that can be reused for a variety of purposes. Types of reuse include: ...

Foundation's Desalination Project of the Year. The system was installed to minimize the brine from an

electrodialysis reversal Electrodialysis reversal (EDR) is an electrodialysis reversal water desalination membrane process that has been commercially used since the early 1960s. An electric current migrates dissolved salt ions, including fluorides, nitrates and sulfates ...

(EDR) system.

References

{{Reflist

External links

vsep.com
Filtration Membrane technology