UF and Nano membranes are popular filters today, helping to remove harmful or unwanted particles from water sources. So, what exactly is UF membrane? What is Nano Membrane? What are the similarities and differences? Let’s find out through the article below!
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1. What is UF membrane? Comparison of water component sizes that can be filtered by UF and Nano membranes
Comparison of sizes and compounds filtered by UF and Nano membranes
Nano membranes cannot filter ions with monovalent (valent I eg Na+; Cl-) but only partially filter multivalent ions (valent II or more) including Ca2+; Mg2+.
UF membrane cannot filter any ions
Nano membrane structure is similar to RO, so the causes of Nano membrane damage and clogging are the same as RO. Nano membrane installation can be vertical like UF membrane or horizontal like RO membrane.
2. What is application of UF membrane?
Structure and components of UF membrane
– Operating at low pressure (1.5 – 3.5 bar), so less energy consumption.
– With sizes from 0.01 to 0.1 micrometers (in practice, 0.03 micrometers are common), will partially remove bacteria, viruses, compounds and other impurities.
What is UF membrane? It can remove some bacteria, compounds, impurities…
– Retains the necessary minerals in the water.
– Quick set up and easy installation.
– Less waste water discharge due to high recovery rate (90-95% depending on input TSS) and stable low output suspended solid (TSS < 1ppm, Turbidity < 0.1NTU). Should control TSS < 30ppm via use coagulant such as PAC for better sedimentation before feeding to membrane to minimize the frequency of backwashing as well as cleaning membrane (CIP).
Water quality before and after UF membrane in river and well water treatment
Water quality before and after UF membrane of pretreatment for seawater RO membrane
– Friendly to environment due to UF membrane without chemical used for filtration, just only used when cleaning (along with the use of compressed air to increase cleaning efficiency).
– Ultrafiltration has a recovery rate of 90-95% and can be used to recycle in waste water treatment, special recovery at landfills (mainly due to water in plastic bottles).
– Commonly used to filter surface water (river, stream, pond, lake) after gravity sedimentation step or after rapid sand filtration.
– Save cost and space.
– Long life (5 years).
– As pre-treatment step for RO water filtration system.
– Backwash according to the set pressure, use acid or caustic soda to clean with low cost.
– What are the disadvantages of UF? It is the limiting iron and manganese (Fe + Mn < 5.0ppm) into the thin film to limit. Therefore, UF is suitable for surface water that low iron and manganese
– There are 2 directions of filtering, water filtering from outside to empty core or filtering from empty core to outside. However, filtration coming in from the outside will be higher capacity due to higher filtering area, as well as easier cleaning
3. What is application of Nano membrane?
– Reduce total organic compound (TOC), includes pesticides and dyes.
– Reduce TDS from 20 – 98% depending on mono or multivalent ion. The larger the ion of the polyvalent salt, the higher removed
– Remove dangerous substances such as arsenic, lead, mercury.
– Remove Ca, Mg (the percentage of removal is unknown).
– Nano membranes are commonly used for drinking water filtration because it can remove harmful substances but still retain minerals with valence I (Na, K…).
– Operating pressure: 3.5 – 16 bar.
– Desalination in food industries such as dairy, juice processing, beverage, sugar industry, meat processing, baker’s yeast, olive processing,…
– Pharmaceutical and biotechnology applications.
– Filter out chemicals, impurities from the product or clean in place (CIP).
Illustration of Nano membrane can remove the divalent root of salts
4. Application of Nano membrane to soften water and reduce TDS
Nano filtration project
Because the Nano membrane can not filter divalent ions and only partially filters out divalent ions or more, it is not possible to determine how much salt (TDS) after filtration while it is not possible to fully analyze how many ppm of each ion from feed water or how this component changes over time. Therefore, it is difficult to design Nano membranes to ensure the stable output TDS. However, the Nano film removes a part of TDS and hardness, so it can be used to replace the softener or pre-treatment for the softener when the lowest hardness achieved
Thus, the information about what is UF membrane as well as its application has been mentioned above, hopefully it will be helpul to your reference. In case having demand to get more information or consultant for your project please contact us directly – UCE Co., Ltd for quick support.
Through experienced years in water treatment, together with many advantages such as profecsional engineers of process, electrical, mechanical, water laboratory, onsite testing,… UCE Co., Ltd will give the best advice and proposal. Just connect us for your whatever and whenever you need