Method of monitoring membrane cleaning processes

1. A method of monitoring a cleaning process capable of cleaning a membrane separation system comprising the steps of:

(a) providing an inert fluorescent tracer, wherein said inert fluorescent tracer is selected such that it is known in advance whether said inert fluorescent tracer is

(i) capable of traveling through the membrane into the permeate stream, or

(ii) not capable of passing through the membrane into the permeate stream;

(b) providing a cleaning agent;

(c) adding the inert fluorescent tracer and the cleaning agent, wherein the inert fluorescent tracer is added in a known proportion to the cleaning agent, to the membrane separation system;

(d) providing one or more fluorometers to detect the fluorescent signal of the inert fluorescent tracer at one or more locations within the membrane separation system; and

(e) using said one or more fluorometers to detect the fluorescent signal of the inert fluorescent tracer and from that detected signal, determine the amount of inert fluorescent tracer present at one or more locations within the membrane separation system during the cleaning process.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of

(a) evaluating at least one parameter specific to the cleaning process based on the amount of the inert fluorescent tracer that is detected.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the inert fluorescent tracer is selected from the group consisting of 3,6-acridinediamine,N,N,N′,N′-tetramethyl-,monohydrochloride; 2-anthracenesulfonic acid sodium salt; 1,5-anthracenedisulfonic acid; 2,6-anthracenedisulfonic acid; 1,8-anthracenedisulfonic acid; anthra[9,1,2-cde]benzo[rst]pentaphene-5,10-diol,16,17-dimethoxy-,bis(hydrogen sulfate),disodium salt; bathophenanthrolinedisulfonic acid disodium salt; amino 2,5-benzene disulfonic acid; 2-(4-aminophenyl)-6-methylbenzothiazole; 1H-benz[de]isoquinoline-5-sulfonic acid, 6-amino-2,3-dihydro-2-(4-methylphenyl)-1,3-dioxo-, monosodium salt; phenoxazin-5-ium, 1 -(aminocarbonyl)-7-(diethylamino)-3,4-dihydroxy-, chloride; benzo[a]phenoxazin-7-ium, 5,9-diamino-,acetate; 4-dibenzofuransulfonic acid; 3-dibenzofuransulfonic acid; 1-ethylquinaldinium iodide; fluorescein; fluorescein, sodium salt; Keyfluor White ST; benzenesulfonic acid, 2,2′-(1,2-ethenediyl)bis[5-[[4-[bis(2-hydroxyethyl)amino]-6-[(4-sulfophenyl)amino]-1,3,5-triazin-2-yl]amino]-,tetrasodium salt; C.I. Florescent Brightener 230; benzenesulfonic acid, 2,2′-(1,2-ethenediyl)bis[5-[[4-[bis(2-hydroxyethyl)amino]-6-[(4-sulfophenyl)amino]-1,3,5-triazin-2-yl]amino]-,tetasodium salt; 9,9′-biacridinium, 10,10′-dimethyl-, dinitrate; 1-deoxy-1-(3,4-dihydro-7,8-dimethyl-2,4-dioxobenzo[g]pteridin-10(2H)-yl)-ribitol; mono-,di-, or tri-sulfonated napthalenes selected from the group consisting of 1,5-naphthalenedisulfonic acid, disodium salt (hydrate); 2-amino-1-naphthalenesulfonic acid; 5-amino-2-naphthalenesulfonic acid; 4-amino-3-hydroxy-1-naphthalenesulfonic acid; 6-amino-4-hydroxy-2-naphthalenesulfonic acid; 7-amino-1,3-naphthalenesulfonic acid, potassium salt; 4-amino-5-hydroxy-2,7-naphthalenedisulfonic acid; 5- dimethylamino-1-naphthalenesulfonic acid; 1-amino-4-naphthalene sulfonic acid, 1-amino-7-naphthalene sulfonic acid; and 2,6-naphthalenedicarboxylic acid, dipotassium salt; 3,4,9,10-perylenetetracarboxylic acid; C.I. Fluorescent Brightener 191; C.I. Fluorescent Brightener 200; benzenesulfonic acid, 2,2′-(1,2-ethenediyl)bis[5-(4-phenyl-2H-1,2,3-triazol-2-yl)-, dipotassium salt; benzenesulfonic acid, 5-(2H-naphtho[1,2-d]triazol-2-yl)-2(2-phenylethenyl)-, sodium salt; 1,3,6,8-pyrenetetrasulfonic acid, tetrasodium salt; pyranine; quinoline; 3H-phenoxazin-3-one, 7-hydroxy-,10-oxide; xanthylium, 9-(2,4-dicarboxyphenyl)-3,6-bis(diethylamino)-, chloride, disodium salt; phenazinium, 3,7-diamino-2,8-dimethyl-5-phenyl-, chloride; C.I. Fluorescent Brightener 235; benzenesulfonic acid, 2,2′-(1,2-ethenediyl)bis[5-[[4-[bis(2-hydroxyethyl)amino]-6-[(4-sulfophenyl)amino]-1,3,5-triazin-2-yl]amino]-, tetrasodium salt; benzenesulfonic acid, 2,2′-(1,2-ethenediyl)bis[5-[[4-[(2-hydroxypropyl)amino]-6-(phenylamino)-1,3,5-triazin-2-yl]amino]-, disodium salt; xanthylium, 3,6-bis(diethylamino)-9-(2,4-disulfophenyl)-, inner salt, sodium salt; benzenesulfonic acid, 2,2′-(1,2-ethenediyl)bis[5-[[4-[(aminomethyl)(2-hydroxyethyl)amino]-6-(phenylamino)-1,3,5-triazin-2-yl]amino]-, disodium salt; Tinopol DCS; benzenesulfonic acid, 2,2′-([1,1′-biphenyl]-4,4′-diyldi-2,1-ethenediyl)bis, disodium salt; benzenesulfonic acid, 5-(2H-naphtho[1,2-d]triazol-2-yl)-2-(2-phenylethenyl)-, sodium salt; 7-benzothiazolesulfonic acid, 2,2′-(1-triazene-1,3-diyldi-4,1-phenylene)bis[6-methyl-, disodium salt; and all ammonium, potassium and sodium salts thereof; and all mixtures thereof.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the inert fluorescent tracer is added to the membrane separation system in an amount from about 5 ppt to about 1000 ppm.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the cleaning process is performed on-line.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the cleaning process is conducted off-line using a clean-in-place system.

7. The method of claim 2 wherein the parameters specific to the cleaning process are selected from the group consisting of a concentration of the cleaning agent, a hold-up volume of the membrane separation system and combinations thereof.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising

(a) controllably adjusting the cleaning process to optimize performance based on the amount of the inert fluorescent tracer that is detected.

9. A method of cleaning a membrane separation system including a membrane capable of removing impurities from a feed stream comprising the steps of:

(a) providing an inert fluorescent tracer, wherein said inert fluorescent tracer is selected such that it is known in advance whether said inert fluorescent tracer is

(i) capable of traveling through the membrane into the permeate stream, or

(ii) not capable of passing through the membrane into the permeate stream;

(b) providing a cleaning agent;

(c) taking the membrane separation system offline and flushing the membrane separation system;

(d) adding the inert fluorescent tracer and the cleaning agent, wherein the inert fluorescent tracer is added in a known proportion to the cleaning agent, to the membrane separation system;

(e) circulating the inert fluorescent tracer and the cleaning agent in the membrane separation system;

(f) rinsing the membrane separation system;

(g) providing one or more fluorometers to detect the fluorescent signal of the inert fluorescent tracer at one or more locations within the membrane separation system;

(h) using said one or more fluorometers to detect an amount of the inert fluorescent tracer ranging from about 5 ppt to about 1000 ppm in the membrane separation system; and

(i) evaluating at least one process parameter specific to cleaning based on the amount of the inert fluorescent tracer that is detected after rinsing.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein said membrane is soaked in the cleaning agent subsequent to the step of circulating the cleaning agent.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the inert fluorescent tracer is detected during at least one of the steps of circulating, soaking and rinsing.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein the inert fluorescent tracer is detected in an amount ranging from about 1 ppb to about 50 ppm.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein the inert fluorescent tracer is detected during the circulating step to determine a dilution effect with respect to a concentration of the cleaning agent due to a hold-up volume of the membrane separation system.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein the inert fluorescent tracer is detected during the rinsing step to determine a removal of the cleaning agent from the membrane separation system due to rinsing.