Method of cleaning membranes
First Claim
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1. A method of cleaning a porous polymeric membrane contaminated with a contaminant comprising ferric floc, the method comprising the step of:
- contacting the contaminant with a composition comprising a sulfite reducing agent, and a solvent, wherein the sulfite reducing agent is soluble in the solvent, and wherein the solvent is compatible with the porous polymeric membrane.
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Abstract
The present invention relates a method for cleaning polymeric microfiltration membranes and membrane units, and to compositions useful in such methods. The compositions include at least one soluble sulfite reducing agent and a compatible solvent.
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Citations
31 Claims
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1. A method of cleaning a porous polymeric membrane contaminated with a contaminant comprising ferric floc, the method comprising the step of:
contacting the contaminant with a composition comprising a sulfite reducing agent, and a solvent, wherein the sulfite reducing agent is soluble in the solvent, and wherein the solvent is compatible with the porous polymeric membrane. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method of cleaning a porous polymeric membrane contaminated with a contaminant, the method comprising the step of:
contacting the contaminant with a composition comprising a sulfite reducing agent and a solvent, wherein the sulfite reducing agent is soluble in the solvent, and wherein the solvent is compatible with the porous polymeric membrane, wherein the solvent comprises water and the sulfite reducing agent comprises sodium metabisulfite and sodium hydrosulfite. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
- 15. A composition for cleaning a porous polymeric membrane contaminated with a contaminant, the composition comprising a sulfite reducing agent, an enhancing agent, and a solvent, wherein the sulfite reducing agent is soluble in the solvent, wherein the sulfite reducing agent comprises sodium metabisulfite and sodium hydrosulfite, and wherein the solvent is compatible with the membrane.
- 20. A composition for cleaning a porous polymeric membrane contaminated with a contaminant, the composition comprising a sulfite reducing agent, an enhancing agent, and a solvent, wherein the sulfite reducing agent is soluble in the solvent, wherein the sulfite reducing agent comprises sodium metabisulfite and sodium hydrosulfite, wherein the solvent is compatible with the membrane, wherein the composition comprises from about 20 wt. % to about 65 wt. % sodium metabisulfite and about 20 wt. % to about 65 wt. % sodium hydrosulfite.
Specification