A large American leader in the Food & Pharma industry approached Evoqua inquiring about the unique Vortisand Cross-Flow Microsand Filtration technology. The application called for pretreatment of a reverse osmosis membrane system. Designers had evaluated several other technologies, including ultrafiltration and cartridge filters, but only the Vortisand system offered the combination of value, performance and small footprint that the designers were seeking.
Challenge
Fouling of a reverse osmosis membrane can seriously harm the filtration system, ultimately reducing the life of the system while incurring added cleaning costs. A pretreatment system can help to not only extend the life of a reverse osmosis membrane, but ensure the filtration system is operating at its designed efficiency. The best available technology for determining the fouling potential of a reverse osmosis system is by measuring the inlet’s Silt Density Index (SDI). SDI measurements need to be taken prior to designing an RO pre treatment system. Raw water SDI values, measured multiple times during a 60 day period, averaged just over 4. The filtration challenge was clear!
Solution
Thanks to its submicron filtration performance, high flow capabilities and compact design, the Vortisand system was selected.
Results
After startup the customer experienced an average SDI reduction of 1.3*, ultimately decreasing the concern for fouling, while reducing potential maintenance costs and increasing the membrane’s life cycle.