Influence of precoating on the regeneration efficiency of filtration inorganic membranes

Abstract Inorganic membranes are used to effectively capture particulate matter in dust without causing secondary pollution. However, fine dust particles accumulate on the surface and penetrate the structure of inorganic membranes, thereby degrading their performance. This study investigated the influence of the precoating of inorganic membranes with needle‐shaped wollastonite particles on their regeneration efficiency. The filter‐cake‐curing technique was employed, and the results were obtained by characterization methods, including scanning electron microscopy and energy‐dispersive spectroscopy. The mechanism for controlling membrane fouling was examined based on the quantity and depth of particle penetration to the filtration medium and pore structure of the filter cake. The results demonstrated that precoating can prevent fine particles from penetrating the membrane pores, thereby alleviating pore blocking in inorganic membranes. Furthermore, this increased the porosity and decreased the fractal dimension of the pore in the cake, thereby reducing the structural complexity and resistance during cake removal. The regeneration efficiency of the inorganic membrane increased from 59.4% without a precoating to 94.1% when wollastonite particles with an aspect ratio of 10 were used for precoating.