Ultrafiltration Plants

WATERTEC UF plants are built with hollow fiber membranes, to purify surface or groundwater from suspended solids, colloids and all kind of micro-organisms such as bacteria, virus, protozoa, germs and larvae. Ultrafiltration is also commonly used as a reverse osmosis plant pre-treatment. Physically functioning, water ultrafiltration is filtration system by hollow fibers membranes which has a cut-off of 0.01 µm. Our hollow fiber membranes have cut-off equal to 0.01 µm whether 10,000 times less thin than a human hair. All smallest microorganisms are retained at fiber surface. Our ultrafiltration cartridge are made up of thousands of hollow fibers and dispose of an huge filtration surface allowing important flow rate of treatment for a low cost investment in addition to be able to do compact system. The ultrafiltration allows to design water treatment station with a high flow rate of treatment and very low pressure needs (0.5 bars to 1.5 bars). This means that operating costs are low in addition to a low starting investment. Due to a possibilities to backwash the membranes, to high resistance to chemical and chemical agression and to a low pressure need, UF membranes have very good life time.

Description

Ultrafiltration (UF) Plants

WATERTEC UF plants are built with hollow fiber membranes, to purify surface or groundwater from suspended solids, colloids and all kind of micro-organisms such as bacteria, virus, protozoa, germs and larvae. Ultrafiltration is also commonly used as a reverse osmosis plant pre-treatment. Physically functioning, water ultrafiltration is filtration system by hollow fibers membranes which has a cut-off of 0.01 µm. Our hollow fiber membranes have cut-off equal to 0.01 µm whether 10,000 times less thin than a human hair. All smallest microorganisms are retained at fiber surface. Our ultrafiltration cartridge are made up of thousands of hollow fibers and dispose of an huge filtration surface allowing important flow rate of treatment for a low cost investment in addition to be able to do compact system. The ultrafiltration allows to design water treatment station with a high flow rate of treatment and very low pressure needs (0.5 bars to 1.5 bars). This means that operating costs are low in addition to a low starting investment. Due to a possibilities to backwash the membranes, to high resistance to chemical and chemical agression and to a low pressure need, UF membranes have very good life time.

Ultrafiltration Systems with Hollow-Fiber UF Membranes

Ultrafiltration (UF) membrane treatment systems are manufactured to produce clean, purified water from various sources waters, including rivers, lakes, industrial ponds, secondary effluent, well water, and seawater. UF filtrate is used for drinking water, utility water, reclaimed water, food and beverage production, and pretreated source water for RO desalination systems.

Benefits

• Can be periodically back washed and air scoured to improve performance and extend operating life by removing fouling layer
• Dead-end or concentrate bleed flow capabilities
• Excellent filtration performance with high flux
• High chemical resistance and temperature tolerance for membrane cleaning
• High removal efficiency of bacteria and viruses
• Low fouling membrane modules
• Simple, vertical, modular design allows low cost, compact systems
• SS High pressure components, SS pump
• Touch screen PLC operation
• UF outside-in or inside-out configuration allows for less plugging and higher solids loading, higher flow area and easier cleaning
• Very fine nominal pore diameter (0.02 µm)

Details

Ultrafiltration (UF) Systems are available in complete and skid mounted form. These systems are tested before delivery.

Standard Equipment

• 316SS Backwash Pump with VFD
• 316SS Feed Pump with VFD
• Automatic Valves for Feed Backwashing
• Chemical Injection Pumps
• Flow Transmitters: Filtrate and Backwash
• Hollow Fiber UF Membrane Modules
• pH Transmitter
• PLC Operator Interface
• Pressure Gauges with Transmitters
• Self-Cleaning Automatic Pre-filter
• Solenoid Valve for Air Scour for O/I UF (Air Compressor Optional)

Features

WATERTEC Ultrafiltration Systems are available in two configurations:

Outside-In Configuration UF Systems: They use DOW UF low fouling Hydrophilic Polyvinylidenefluoride (H-PVDF) hollow fiber ultrafiltration membranes, and is recommended for applications with feed water higher than 150 ppm total suspended solids.

Inside-Out Configuration UF Systems: They use Inge dizzer® XL low fouling hydrophilic MPES hollow fiber ultrafiltration membranes. Dizzer XL UF membranes are provided with Multibore® technology for superior membrane integrity (robust membrane).

Ultrafiltration Systems Using inge Hollow Fiber Ultrafiltration Modules

Multibore® Membranes: The patented Multibore® membrane technology combines seven individual capillaries in a highly robust fiber - an arrangement that significantly increases membrane's stability and eliminates risk of fiber breakage. The membrane provides a secure barrier against suspended solids, bacteria, viruses and other microorganisms and supplies a consistently high level of filtrate quality, even in cases where the composition of original water varies.

Dizzer® Module: Compact and high-capacity ultrafiltration. Due to an optimum hydrodynamic design combined with treatment efficiency of Multibore® membrane, dizzer® module sets new standards in ultrafiltration technology.

T-Rack®: T-Rack® is an integrated, ultra-compact rack system that is equipped with dizzer® XL ultrafiltration modules. The inlet and outlet lines are already integrated in end caps - a design feature that makes system's footprint considerably smaller.

Systems Using Hydranautics HYDRAcap® Hollow Fiber Ultrafiltration Modules

HYDRAcap products contain capillary fiber membrane made from a hydrophilic polyether sulfone, with a nominal molecular weight cutoff of 150,000 Daltons. Feed water enters the center (lumen) of fibers and permeates through membrane radially outward, producing a filtrate turbidity typically less than 0.07 NTU. The HYDRAcap modules in these systems are operated in directional flow (dead-end) method, where all of the feed water is converted to filtrate. The ultrafiltration modules are regularly backwashed to restore permeability, which declines as solids build up on the membrane. The pH tolerance (1.5-13.0) of membrane allows for addition of chemicals for cleaning and chemically enhanced backwashing.

Systems Using DOW Hollow Fiber Ultrafiltration Modules

The DOW™ Ultrafiltration module utilizes a double-walled hollow fiber (capillary) PVDF membrane which has a very small nominal pore diameter for PVDF material that allows for the removal of all particulate matter, bacteria and most viruses and colloids. Despite the small pore diameter, the membrane has a very high porosity resulting in a flux similar to that of Micro-Filtration (MF) and can effectively replace MF in most cases. Systems designed with DOW™ Ultrafiltration use an outside-in flow configuration which allows for less plugging, higher solids loading, higher flow area and easy cleaning. The primary flow design is dead-end filtration but the module can be operated using a concentrate bleed. Dead-end filtration uses less energy and has a lower operating pressure than the concentrate bleed, therefore reducing operating costs. Typically, DOW™ Ultrafiltration is operated at a constant permeate flow. The trans-membrane pressure (TMP) will naturally increase over time and the module can be cleaned periodically by back flushing and air scouring to remove the fouling layer. Disinfectants and other cleaning agents can be used to fully remove and prevent performance loss due to biological growth as well as other foulants.

Benefits

• 0.03 μ nominal pore diameter for removal of bacteria, viruses, and particulates including colloids to protect downstream processes such as RO
• Hydrophilic PVDF fibers for easy cleaning and wettability that help maintain long term performance
• Outside In flow configuration for high tolerance to feed solids that help reduce the need for pretreatment processes
• PVDF polymeric hollow fibers for high strength and chemical resistance allows long membrane life
• U-PVC housing, helping to eliminate the need for costly pressure vessels

Applications

• Hollow fiber ultrafiltration system
• Purification of surface water, groundwater and spring water to make drinking water and process water
• Treatment of wastewater
• Pretreatment in seawater desalination plants in combination with reverse osmosis or thermal treatment
• Water for industrial use to close water cycles and a wide variety of other applications

Wall Mounted Ultrafiltration Systems

Designed to produce clean, purified water from tap or well water, these wall-mounted systems use high efficiency ultrafiltration membranes. The filtered product water is used in commercial and residential POE / POU applications such as water stores, RO pretreatment, whole house, laboratories, bottled water and other similar applications.

Benefits

• Automated system controller
• Boxed and palletized for shipment
• Corrosion resistant powder coated durable frame
• Electric actuated control valve system
• Factory tested to ensure trouble-free operation
• Fine filtration to 0.02 microns for bacteria, viruses and turbidity treatment
• Hollow fiber ultrafiltration membranes
• Inlet isolation valve
• Liquid filled system pressure gauge
• Low operating pressure and high efficiency
• PVC membrane housings / vessels
• Reliable and durable UF Membranes for high membrane integrity
• Simple installation and automatic operation
• Wall-mount UF systems standard equipment

Applications

• Purification of surface water, groundwater and spring water to make drinking water and process water
• Treatment of wastewater
• Pretreatment in seawater desalination plants in combination with reverse osmosis or thermal treatment
• Water for industrial use to close water cycles

Customized Solution

Selection of a plant depends on application, water quality and water consumption. Our water experts are at your service to ensure the best customized solution.