In the past, sand filtration was the standard method of water treatment. Similar to the natural water cycle, in which water flows through layers of rock and sand, this technique involved trickling the water through beds of sand in order to clean it.

Benefits of inge® UF for drinking water treatment:

• Reliable removal of microorganisms and viruses
• Consistently high level of filtrate quality
• Maximum stability – zero fiber breakage
• Long service life and high availability
• High performance with low operating costs

Water is not always as simple as it seems. It is often required to have – or specifically not to have – very specific properties, especially when it comes to industrial applications. The properties of water can be deliberately modified to meet the technological requirements of various industrial processes. For example, solids can be removed from the water using methods such as de-icing, softening and desalination, other agents can be added, or the water’s parameters, such as its pH value, can be modified.

The fact is that some components of water can cause significant damage to systems and processes in industrial applications if the potential risks are not taken into account. For example, cooling water must be modified so that it is suitable for use in refrigeration units, while the water for steam turbines must be completely desalinated to prevent corrosion from damaging the boiler.

Benefits of inge® ultrafiltration for process water treatment:

• The perfect pre-treatment technology upstream of reverse osmosis
• Consistently high level of filtrate quality
• Long service life and high availability
• Low maintenance costs
• Compact footprint of UF system
• High performance with low operating costs

It includes household sewage, municipal wastewater, industrial effluent, collected rainwater and surface runoff, i.e. water that flows off paved surfaces. Wastewater treatment is generally carried out in three to four stages in centrally located sewage works. The cleaning stages typically include physical, biological and chemical processes. To ensure that the water that leaves the sewage works is genuinely clean, however, a further stage is required to remove pathogenic germs and viruses. This is where ultrafiltration technology can be used to purify the wastewater without requiring any additional chemical treatment.

Ultrafiltration not only enables the removal of specific products from complex material streams, it also makes it possible to separate other useful by-products and “pure” water. Reuse concepts can then be applied to recycle these materials within the production process.

Benefits of inge® UF for wastewater treatment:

• Maximum stability – zero fiber breakage,
• Long service life and high availability
• Consistently high level of filtrate quality
• Membranes tolerate a wide pH range and are exceptionally easy to clean
• Reliable removal of microorganisms and viruses
• The perfect pre-treatment technology upstream of reverse osmosis
• Maximum removal of nutrients
• Can be combined with methods designed to eliminate trace contaminants

The sea water is heated until it reaches boiling point and evaporates, at which point the hot steam is cooled and condensed into fresh water. However, this process has some major disadvantages, notably the fact that it uses such large amounts of energy. Despite the use of various energy recovery technologies, it is often not financially viable – especially in countries that lack energy resources.

Ultrafiltration and reverse osmosis

The best alternative for future applications is a combination of ultrafiltration and reverse osmosis. The initial cleaning of the seawater is performed efficiently by ultrafiltration, while the actual desalination of the water is achieved through reverse osmosis.

Compared to conventional treatment technologies such as sand filtration, UF technology produces outstanding water quality and consistently high filtrate quality, regardless of any changes in raw water properties due to seasonal variations (storms, algae bloom, etc.) or other factors.

Benefits of inge® ultrafiltration for sea water treatment:

• Maximum stability – zero fiber breakage – minimal risk of biofouling
• Consistently high level of filtrate quality
• Tolerance over a wide pH range – exceptionally easy to clean