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Tubular Ultrafiltration Coupled to Chemical Precipitation
New developments for brine recovery, water softening and heavy metals removal
The combination of chemical precipitation and tubular ultrafiltration effectively removes hardness and impurities from water. This method is particularly advantageous for treating and reusing large volumes of water, such as cooling tower blowdown or RO brine.
Key Applications
Ultrafiltration coupled with chemical precipitation has several industrial applications, particularly in wastewater treatment and resource recovery. Here are some key applications.
Water Softening
Efficiently remove hardness and contaminants from cooling tower blowdown, recycling water back into the cooling system.
Brine Recovery
Reclaim and reuse concentrate water from RO or NF systems, reducing environmental impact and operational costs.
Heavy Metals Removal
Effectively remove heavy metals from wastewater without the need for coagulants or flocculants, minimizing sludge production.
Standard process flow
Benefits
- Significantly higher effluent quality to that of clarifier-treated water
- Absence of solids in UF permeate is guaranteed
- UF permeate can be directly fed into an RO system in ZLD projects
- Less consumption of chemicals (25 – 30 %)
- Reduced sludge production
- No polymer usage
- Simplified maintenance: no need for installing a multimedia filter
- Space savings between 40 and 60%
- Reduced operational costs
- Less maintenance and cleaning
Characteristics
For the tubular ultrafiltration coupled to chemical precipitation we recommend the robust chemical resistant 8 mm HyperFlux membrane modules, designed to withstand extreme pH levels and high suspended solids concentrations.
Membrane Specifications
- High Flux Rates: Deliver stable permeate fluxes up to 200 LMH, ensuring efficient operation.
- High pressure stability
- Excellent chemical resistance: Operate effectively across a broad pH range (2 – 12) and withstand strong chemical cleanings (pH 1 – 13).
- Excellent anti-fouling characteristic
- Robust tubular membranes for extended operation
- Modular Design: Easy operation, maintenance, and replacement of membranes, providing superior flexibility.
Available Modules
- Module housings materials: FRP or PVC-U
- Maximum Operation pressure: FRP housing: 800 kPa; PVC-U housing: 600 kPa
- Membrane area from 2,1 up to 71,1 m2
- Module diameters available in 3, 4, 6, 8 and 10 inch
- Module lengths: 1.5, 3, 4 m
- Industry-standard dimensions and connections
Case Studies
Our brine recovery, softening and heavy metal removal projects
Water softening | New Material Industry
The business scope of Huguan Gaoce New Material Technology Co. Ltd. in Shanxi Province, China includes research and development of new materials, manufacturing of special equipment, wire ropes, photovoltaic equipment and components, graphite and carbon products, non-metallic mineral products and electroplating. This facility is equipped with a pure water preparation system that produces 200 tons of RO brine per day.
Project Details
Application: Water softening
Capacity: 200 m3/d
Membrane: 8mm PVDF, CR
Location: Huguan County (China)
RO Concentrate | Chemical Industry
Kunshan Zhong Yan Company, located in Kunshan City in China’s Jiangsu province, manufactures 600,000 tons of sodium carbonate (also known as “soda ash”) per year. Sodium carbonate serves multiple purposes in both domestic and industrial applications - widely used as a water softener, as a component in the manufacture of glass, a common additive used in swimming pools, and as an ingredient in certain foods, just to name a few.
Project Details
Product: Tubular UF membranes
Capacity: 2,784 m3/day
Membrane: 5mm PVDF, chemical resistant, non-backwashable
Location: Jiansu Kunshan, China
Download Case
Capacity: 2,784 m3/day
Membrane: 5mm PVDF, chemical resistant, non-backwashable
Location: Jiansu Kunshan, China
Direct Filtration | Titanium Recovery
A factory in mid-western United States specializes in the recovery of titanium from waste streams collected from other factories. The company then treats and processes the recovered titanium. Afterwards makes it available for reuse in other applications.
Project Details
Application: DF - Metal Recovery
Product: B-SMARTTM Eco System
Capacity: 456 - 528 m³/d
Membrane: 8 mm PVDF, backwashable
Location: Michigan, USA
Download Case
Product: B-SMARTTM Eco System
Capacity: 456 - 528 m³/d
Membrane: 8 mm PVDF, backwashable
Location: Michigan, USA
ZLD | Thermal Solar Plant
A large zero discharge treatment plant located in California’s Mojave desert faces the unique challenge of treating reverse osmosis (RO) concentrate/wastewater. Due to the increasing costs of water and waste discharge, new stringent reuse policies are placing heavier demands on companies in regards to concentrate recovery.
Project Details
Product: External B-SMARTTM Crossflow System
Capacity: 6.720 m3/day
Membrane: 5 mm PVDF CR backwashable
Location: Mojave Desert - California
Download Case
Capacity: 6.720 m3/day
Membrane: 5 mm PVDF CR backwashable
Location: Mojave Desert - California
Whitepaper Download
Along this whitepaper, you will learn about physico-chemical treatment of industrial wastewater and process streams, delving into the conventional approaches and describing why the more recent innovations based on tubular UF membranes may play a key role.
Different applications such as brine recovery, water softening of cooling towers blowdown and heavy metals removal are also disclosed. The UF coupled to chemical precipitation process is described in detail, highlighting its main benefits. Finally, readers will encounter case studies that exemplify the main features of this technology in ZLD projects.
Get your copy of the whitepaper about new developments for brine recovery, water softening and heavy metals removal now!
About Berghof Membranes
Berghof Membranes is a leading manufacturer of tubular UF membranes
For more than 50 years, we have been working closely with leading OEMs for addressing the most challenging industrial water projects with efficient, reliable and cost-effective solutions.
To provide the best support and track experience to end users, we put our deep knowledge and extensive knowhow at the disposal of our partner OEM’s.
Berghof tubular UF is recognized for its robust and reliable operation,
resulting in a consistent output and low cost of ownership. This is why more than 2,500 industrial end users put their trust in our products day by day.
Towards a Better Future
“Our solutions do not only provide the best possible profit for our customers, but also create a cleaner environment and a better future.”
