Small considerations that make a big difference in Ultrafiltration System Costs
Ultrafiltration (UF) systems do not have a fixed design and configuration. Instead, they combine various types of membrane configurations, submergence and flow pattern. In many cases, UF systems are deployed in combination with other subsystems. The design considerations and other filtration mechanisms to be combined with the UF system are generally the first considerations when calculating the UF system price. However, the UF system cost considerations do not end here.
A number of small but vital factors have a big impact on your UF system price.
Composition of feed water
The amount of contaminants in process water determines the design of the UF system. For instance, if the water has a large number of suspended solids, they need to be concentrated and filtered out. Here, you must choose a tubular design instead of clarifiers and sand filters. tubular designs are used typically to filter post-process wastewater whereas hollow fiber systems are deployed to polish pretreated water or for primary treatment of water before it goes to the RO system.
Contamination of water determines the design of the UF system and thus directly impacts its costs.
Flow rate
The core technology of the UF systems is determined by the flow rate that your application requires. The process water is stored in a holding tank and is pumped to the point of use on demand. Depending on the application requirements, the rate at which water flows to the use points is determined at a certain number of gallons per day.
For instance, a food processing plant might require around 100,000 gallons (approx. 3,80,000 liters) of water in a day. However, it will be used in just 16 hours and will need to flow at a certain rate. This means even though the per-day demand is 100,000 gallons, the peak demand is higher due to the flow rate.
The higher flow rate you want, the more UF system modules you will need to deploy, which in turn will impact the cost.
Flow system
The type of flow system you choose determines your energy consumption. Crossflow systems create a thinner solid layer of the membrane surface, and increase runtimes but consume more energy than dead-end flow systems. Similarly, if the filtrate is to be recirculated, the pumps will consume more power while delivering improved overall efficiency for the system. On the other hand, choosing a dead-end flow system could mean more backwashes and thus increased downtime.
Cross-flow systems increase system efficiency but drive up energy costs, dead-end flow systems could increase the number of backwashes and downtime.
Quality of membranes
The UF system filters need to be replaced after a time of service. Membrane materials such as ceramics or specialized neutral charged polymeric are more resilient even in harsh effluent conditions. Regular maintenance of the system and a proper pretreatment mechanism reduces fouling of membranes.
Sizing the membranes properly will prevent particulates from lodging with the pores. This will increase the effectiveness of backwashes and reduce downtime.
Proper sizing and maintenance of membranes could help prolong the costly membrane-change.
Space needed for the UF system
When setting up an ultrafiltration system, you are essentially spending a part of your precious real estate. UF systems’ size is determined mostly by their membrane configurations. Pressurized vessels are smaller than submerged systems. Frame and plate membrane systems are larger than spiral wound membranes. More compact systems can be more easily integrated with the pre-existing water treatment systems. However, they need to be back washed more often, depending on water quality.
If land space near your plant is limited and expensive, the UF system must be of a compact size.
Where to find a suitable and cost-effective UF system for your application
To get the best out of the UF system, we must view it as an efficient filtration system as well as a cost-saving instrument. Factors that seem small or unrelated could impact your costs in a big way. Inovar has the expertise required to meet these challenges.
Inovar works to change the thinking in water and wastewater management through innovative technology. We provide end-to-end solutions in UF systems ranging from design, manufacturing, and feasibility studies.
Our special expertise lies in providing compact UF systems that can be installed despite tough space constraints and meet the most stringent of water quality norms.
In order to further save your opex and maintenance costs, all Inovar products are supported by annual maintenance contracts and prompt post-sales service.
what step would you want to take next?