The modern challenges for membrane separations in a wide range of processes require more sophisticated approaches for the detection and remediation of fouling, i.e., the association of solutes, particulate matter, and colloids on and/or within a membrane. Most commonly, fouling is assessed from inferred measurements of permeation rate and/or permeate quality. The use of acoustic techniques for direct observations of membrane fouling was introduced over 10 years ago. We summarize here, recent developments in ultrasonic reflectometry that use both time-domain and frequency-domain spectra for noninvasive, real-time assessments of fouling in a variety of module configurations and geometries. In addition, we describe recent developments and applications of scanning acoustic microscopy (SAM) for post-mortem characterization of membranes with particular emphasis on biofouling.
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