Technologies like Reverse Osmosis(RO), Ultrafiltration(UF) and Membrane Bioreactor(MBR) have been mainstays in the water and wastewater treatment industry for a long time. They have a defined set of applications and functions to fulfil as filtration membranes.
Nanofiltration, however, hasn’t really observed a similar kind of adoption from the water and wastewater treatment industry. This can be down to the fact that end users do not yet know where and how this technology will fit into their operational procedures. Or it can also be down to manufacturers not knowing how best to market the technology and touch the customer ethos.
But one thing is for sure, Nanofiltration is a sleeping giant with a plethora of applications that can revolutionize the manner in which manufacturers have been carrying out operations over the years.
How does it work?
While RO and NF are both membrane technologies that uses a semipermeable medium to remove certain ions and particles from a liquid stream, Nanofiltration delivers slightly coarser filtration. It has the ability to remove particles as small as 0.002 to 0.005 μm in diameter, including pesticide compounds and organic macromolecules, while retaining minerals that RO would otherwise remove.
Because of these filtration properties, nanofiltration can be used to:
- Concentrate and demineralize valuable products
- Generate potable drinking water
- Remove nitrates
- Remove pesticides from ground or surface water
- Soften water
Negatively Charged groups on membrane surface inhibit passage of anions into membrane.
Process/Industrial Applications
Nanofiltration membrane processes are commonly used by a number of industrial processes, including:
Food & Beverages:
- Dairy – Lactose & Whey Demineralisation
- Sugar Concentration
- Monosaccharide Purification
- Wine/Beer -Alcohol Reduction
Chemicals & Petrochemicals:
- Bio-Chemical Purification
- Industrial Salts Fractionation
Dye/Textiles:
- Dye Desalting & Purification
- Colour/COD Reduction
- Water Recycle
Oil & Gas:
- Seawater Sulfate Removal – Offshore
- Sulfate Reduction – Onshore
Brine:
- Brine Purification & Separation
- Brine Concentration (MLD/ZLD)
Mining & Manufacturing:
- Metals Recovery
Nanofiltration membranes are a relatively recent development, and offer greater selectivity of ions vs. reverse osmosis membranes that reject all ion species in a feed stream. This unique characteristic provides flexibility in separation process development that can greatly impact performance and profitability, especially for industrial applications.
To know more about our Nanofiltration Membrane offerings and how it can help you optimize your operations better, get in touch with us at info@purewaterent.net.
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