Síntese de membranas compósitas de polisulfona/resíduo de scheelita para o tratamento de água produzida

Abstract

Produced water is characterized as the main residue of oil exploration, and can contribute with up to 99% of the production of a depleted field. Several methodologies have been developed over the years with the aim of adapting the water produced for reuse or disposal, in accordance with the legislation imposed by the environmental control bodies. The use of polymeric membranes in effluent microfiltration and ultrafiltration systems has been gaining interest in the industry, due to the independence of chemical products, low associated energy expenditure, high separation efficiency and the need for little space for installations. In the present work, composite membranes were developed, using polysulfone (PSU) as a polymeric matrix, and scheelite residue from the Brejuí mine in Currais Novos/RN as filler. The developed membranes were used in filtration tests, filtering produced water supplied by the company Níon Energia S.A, from the Galo de Campina oil field, located in Dix-Sept Rosado/RN. It was found that the membranes produced reduced by more than 93.85% and 97.24% the oil and grease content and the total suspended solids, respectively, after a filtration cycle at 25 psi, and that the scheelite residue improved the properties developed by the membranes, opening precedents for the use of low-cost inorganic residues in the treatment of produced water.