Ultrafiltration is a physical-mechanical process through which particles and molecules are retained because they are larger than the pore size of the media or membrane. This classification includes those membranes or cartridges whose nominal retention ranges from 0.1 microns to 0.005 microns.
Ultrafiltration technology has only just begun to gain ground in the first decade of this century. More resistant membranes and application technologies have been developed that allow water quality to be improved in many processes in a very safe manner.
Fields and applications:
Water purification: from residential to municipal plants, they are used to eliminate suspended solids, organic matter, bacteria and viruses. The most common application is in surface water treatment plants, although their excellent rejection of viruses and colloids has extended their field of application to deep well water.
Pretreatment of reverse osmosis equipment: since the 1990s, it has been used with great success in applications where membrane washings were very frequent, increasing the period between washes by 8 times or more. The main applications are when treating surface water and treated wastewater.
Reuse of treated wastewater: In a world with ever-decreasing amounts of fresh water available, the reuse of treated wastewater is becoming more and more common. Ultrafiltration systems allow for a minimum level of total suspended solids, significant reduction of remaining organic matter (BOD5), excellent clarification and the removal of bacteria and viruses. Important: Ultrafiltration technology alone does not guarantee the potability of water.