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Title (Ultra-filtration)
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Title
Introduction:
Ultrafiltration (UF) is a membrane filtration process similar to Reverse Osmosis, using
hydrostatic pressure to force water through a semi-permeable membrane.
The pore size of the ultrafiltration membrane is usually 103 - 106 Daltons.
Ultrafiltration (UF) is a pressure-driven barrier to suspended solids, bacteria, viruses,
endotoxins and other pathogens to produce water with very high purity and low silt
density.
Ultrafiltration (UF) is a variety of membrane filtration in which hydrostatic pressure forces a
liquid against a semi permeable membrane. Suspended solids and solutes of high molecular
weight are retained, while water and low molecular weight solutes pass through the membrane.
Ultrafiltration is not fundamentally different from reverse osmosis, microfiltration or
nanofiltration, except in terms of the size of the molecules it retains.
Ultrafiltration (UF) is used to remove essentially all colloidal particles (0.01 to 1.0
microns) from water and some of the largest dissolved contaminants.
The pore size in a UF membrane is mainly responsible for determining the type and size
of contaminants removed.
In general, membrane pores range in size from 0.005 to 0.1 micron.
UF membrane manufacturers classify each UF product as having a specific molecular weight
cutoff (MWC), which is a rough measurement of the size of contaminants removed by a given
UF membrane. A 100,000 MWC UF membrane means that when water containing a given
standard compound with a molecular weight of around 100,000 daltons is fed to the UF unit,
nearly all of the compound will not pass through the membrane.
UF membranes are used where essentially all colloidal particles (including most pathogenic
organisms) must be removed, but most of the dissolved solids may pass through the
membrane without causing problems downstream or in the finished water. UF will remove
most turbidity from water.
Method/Discussion:
1. How It Works!
Ultrafiltration uses hollow fibers of membrane material and the feed water flows either inside
the shell, or in the lumen of the fibers. Suspended solids and solutes of high molecular weight
are retained, while water and low molecular weight solutes pass through the membrane.
Ultrafiltration is not fundamentally different from reverse osmosis, microfiltration or
nanofiltration, except in terms of the size of the molecules it retains. When strategically
combined with other purification technologies in a complete water system, UF is ideal for the
removal of colloids, proteins, bacteria, pyrogens, proteins, and macromolecules larger than the
membrane pore size from water.
2. What does ultrafiltration remove?
Endotoxins
Plastics
Proteins
Silica
Silt
Smog
Viruses
3. Benefits:
No need for chemicals (coagulants, flocculates, disinfectants, pH
adjustment)
Size-exclusion filtration as opposed to media depth filtration
Good and constant quality of the treated water in terms of particle and
microbial removal
Process and plant compactness
Simple automation
Environmently friendly
4. Maintenance:
Ultrafiltration systems contain extremely fine membrane filters which need to be properly
cleaned. The cleaning process used depends on whether a UF system is being used to remove
organic or inorganic contaminants, or even both. To remove organic contaminants the general
cleaning protocol for the cleaning of tubular membranes is to use a low foam, medium alkaline
detergent at 0.6% to 1% for a maximum of 40 to 60 minutes. To remove inorganic
contaminants the best treatment is with citric acid at a maximum concentration of 3.0 %. The
acid should circulate for 1 to 3 hours. Hydrochloric acid can also be used to clean membranes,
as can oxalic, sulfuric and nitric acid.
5. Utilization of ultrafiltration:
Ultrafiltration can be utilized to accomplish one or more of the following:
concentration of solute by removal of solvent;
purification of solvent by removal of solute;
separation of Solute A from Solute B by ultrafiltration through a membrane
permeable to A but not to B (or vice versa); and
analysis of a complex solution for specific solutes to which the membrane is
permeable.
While each of these procedures can be performed by alternate means (e.g., evaporation,
dialysis, ultracentrifugation, chemical precipitation, etc.), ultrafiltration is usually the method of
choice from the point of view of speed, efficiency, and cost, particularly when thermally
unstable or biologically active materials are involved, or when large volumes of dilute solutions
are to be processed.
Conclusion:
Ultrafiltration processes are largely confined to aqueous media, and most of what follows
relates to aqueous systems. There are, however, no fundamental reasons why ultrafiltration
cannot be performed with non-aqueous solvents (utilizing, of course, solvent resistant
membranes); as a matter of fact, there are numerous commercially important petroleum and
petrochemical purifications which can and ultimately will be performed by ultrafiltration with
suitably constituted membranes
References
1. ^ Clever, M.; Jordt, F.; Knauf, R.; Räbiger, N.; Rüdebusch, M.; Hilker-Scheibel, R. (1
December 2000). "Process water production from river water by ultrafiltration and
reverse osmosis". Desalination. 131 (1–3): 325–336. doi:10.1016/S0011-9164(00)90031-
6.
2. ^ Laîné, J.-M.; Vial, D.; Moulart, Pierre (1 December 2000). "Status after 10 years of
operation — overview of UF technology today". Desalination. 131 (1–3): 17–
25. doi:10.1016/S0011-9164(00)90002-X.
3. ^ American Water Works Association Research Foundation ... Ed. group Joël Mallevialle
(1996). Water treatment membrane processes. New York [u.a.]: McGraw
Hill. ISBN 9780070015593.
4. ^ Edwards, David; Donn, Alasdair; Meadowcroft, Charlotte (1 May 2001). "Membrane
solution to a "significant risk" Cryptosporidium groundwater
source". Desalination. 137 (1–3): 193–198. doi:10.1016/S0011-9164(01)00218-1.