FILTRATION BY MEMBRANES

In certain cases, filtration with membranes can be the best one treatment alternative. Membranes of nanofiltration, microfiltration or ultrafiltration can separate an enormous number of polluting agents in a water effluent.

The filtration conventional (slow and fast) use particulate material, instead of these techniques which use special membranes. The difference between them resides in the size of pores of the filter membrane. In this sense, the disinfectant property of these membranes depends on the capacity that they have to retain the pathogenic micro organisms.

Membranes to treat the water, can work in continuous, save energy and they are easily combinable with other process. Between advantages in the use of membrane in the potable water treatment is: the effect of barrier against the micro organisms, low chlorine requirement for the secondary disinfection and smaller size of the plant. Each type of membrane has also his specific advantages.

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There is a great industrial diversity as far as its applications:

Industrial water treatment

• Treatment of water oil emulsions. Lubricant oil scavenge (UF)
• Elimination of solids and colloids in the water which industries use (MF, UF)
• Elimination of metals in residual water (UF)
• Obtaining of ultra pure water in the industry of semiconductors (UF)
• Recuperación de disolventes de extracción de aceites (UF)
• Recovery of paintings, pigments and colorants (UF)
• Concentration of latex, pectin and agar (UF)
• Treatment of effluents in the wastebasket industry (UF)

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  Nourishing Industry:

• Milky Industry :
  • Skimmed of milk and serum (MF)
  • Treatment of lacteous serum in order to obtain concentrated protein (UF)
  • Division of soluble proteins (MF, UF)
  • Residual water treatment (UF)

• Egg Industry :
  • Concentration and separation before drying by pulverization (UF)

• Enzymatic process:
  • Separation and enzyme concentration to manufacture syrup (MF, UF)
  • Recovery of proteins in the alcohol production from maize (UF)
  • Washing water recycling (UF

 

• Meat and Fish Industries:
  • Recovery of sanguineous proteins, bones and washing water (UF)
  • Concentration of gelatine: elimination of proteins and salts (UF)
  • Recovery of proteins on washing water (UF)
  • Treatments of residual water to recycle them (UF)

• Juices Elaboration:
  • Clarification and juice sterilization of fruits (MF)
  • Recovery of sediment in barrels (MF, UF)
  • Increase of sugar content in beer elaboration (MF)

• Pharmaceutical and Biochemical Industry:
  • Extraction, purification and concentration of antibiotics, vitamins, enzymes, amino acids and organic acids (MF, UF)
  • Sterilization of culture broths (MF)
  • Fermentation in continuous (UF)

 

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