Processes in Membrane Treatment

‍Membranes are used in water treatment procedures to separate contaminants from water. The characteristics of the membranes are based on contaminant properties such as size, charge, and chemical constitution, amongst others.

Processes such as micro-filtration, ultra-filtration, nano-filtration, and reverse osmosis use membranes in the treatment of water.

Membrane Treatment Program includes:

Scale Control

Scaling is the formation of a layer of salt deposits on the membrane. It creates blockages that hamper the flow of water, affecting the process of water treatment. It is commonly observed in reverse osmosis systems.

Prevention of scaling is a much more resource-friendly process than its removal. Adding antiscalants hinders precipitation reactions, either by dispersion that interferes with the crystal shape through adsorption, by modifying the crystals that weaken the scale that is formed or through threshold inhibition.

Biofouling Control

The growth of microorganisms on the surface of the membrane results in a biofilm that hampers the filtration process of the membrane. This issue is known as biofouling. Biofouling control is necessary, as, without prevention, it would result in population growth in an uncontrollable manner.

The process of biocide dosing is implemented for the prevention of biofouling, in which biocides are added consistently to the water. The chemical composition of the biocides selected is based on the microorganism population to be controlled.

Membrane Cleaning

The implementation of the above-mentioned methods helps in preventing both organic as well as inorganic layers on the membrane surface. In spite of the same, membrane maintenance on a periodic basis ensures that the water treatment process provides peak performance.

Membrane cleaning entails the purging of foulants (biofilm and/or scale) from its surface. The surface can be either chemically treated or cleansed physically. In general, acidic solutions aid in the removal of scales, whereas high pH solutions aid in the removal of microorganisms from the surface.

The integration of eLIXA®, Haber’s SaaS-incorporated device in the membrane maintenance processes helps in improving the efficiency of the process. Data is collected in real-time at multiple touchpoints, and parameters influencing the process are determined. eLIXA®’s AI/ML algorithm guides the detailed analysis of the data, to ensure that optimal chemical dosing results in membrane treatment at peak efficiency.