Ultra Filtration
Ultrafiltration (UF) is a purification method that uses an ultrafine membrane media to remove particulate debris from soluble chemicals. Ultrafiltration is an excellent separation technology for the pretreatment of desalination, reverse osmosis, and wastewater reclamation, as well as for the production of potable water.
The Ultra Filtration membrane considered is of hollow fiber type having a molecular cut off at 100,000. The Ultra Filtration process is a cross flow type technology. The hollow fiber membrane allows water to pass through while rejecting (arresting) bacteria, particulate matter, colloids which is drained off. The membranes can be back flushed on a predetermined time or differential pressure. Generally, a recovery of 90% is obtained.
Ultrafiltration is a system of hollow fiber membrane filtration that removes suspended solids, viruses, bacteria, endotoxins, and other pathogens from your tap water. It works on a simple principle – the pressure of the water itself pushes it through a series of semi-permeable membranes to filter out unwanted particles.
An ultrafiltration process first screens sand and other large particles of 10 microns or more. Next, it screens particles up to ~0.1 microns, which filters out most bacteria. Lastly, it filters viruses and other organic macro-molecules that are just 0.02 microns large.
Ultrafiltration is an excellent separation technology for desalination pretreatment, reverse osmosis pretreatment, and wastewater reclamation, as well as for producing potable water.
When used as a pretreatment for reverse osmosis (RO) , UF also helps reduce fouling of the RO membranes, which can lead to:
- Reduced chemical cleaning frequency and consequently, lower operating costs and downtime.
- The potential to operate RO at higher flux, with fewer membranes and vessels — leading to lower capital cost for the RO system.
