Preface

The iXP® series ultrafiltration membranes launched by Ochemate are based on patented hydrophilic modification technology, significantly improving anti-fouling performance and reducing cleaning frequency to less than one-tenth of similar products. The increase in hydrophilicity also results in higher flux and lower operating pressure for the ultrafiltration membranes. The patented preparation process of blended membrane fibers endows these ultrafiltration membrane fibers with extremely high tensile and compressive strength, making them better suited for harsh operating and cleaning conditions in wastewater or other industrial applications, achieving near-zero fiber breakage rates in industrial applications.

System Overview

A factory in Shandong producing food additives uses river water as the supply source for the entire plant to prepare heating network supplementary water. The main process flow adopts the "full membrane method," which is as follows: river water → integrated water purifier → raw water tank → multi-media filter (10 units) → ultrafiltration → security filter → reverse osmosis → mixed bed → softened water to the heating network.

The water treatment workshop has a total of three ultrafiltration systems on-site, with two ultrafiltration systems using a well-known domestic ultrafiltration membrane element, marked as #1 and #2 ultrafiltration on site. The #3 ultrafiltration on-site uses the Ochemate iXP® UFP-8080 ultrafiltration membrane element from Ochemate New Materials (Zhejiang) Co., Ltd., installed in November 2021. The following figures show the site's #1, #2, and #3 ultrafiltration units.

Figure 1. #1 and #2 Ultrafiltration Units

Figure 2. #3 Ultrafiltration Units

Raw Water Quality and Operational Data Comparison

Randomly intercepted data from a particular phase of 1#2#3# ultrafiltration operation are statistically as follows: (operation from February 2022-December 2022)

Based on the above operational data, the comparison curve charts are as follows:

Graph 1. Variation Curve of Water Production During Data Collection Time Period for #1, #2, and #3 Ultrafiltration Systems

Graph 2. Variation Curve of Operating Pressure Difference During Data Collection Time Period for #1, #2, and #3 Ultrafiltration Systems

To more intuitively compare the operating conditions of each ultrafiltration system, the production capacity and pressure difference of the ultrafiltration systems are generally integrated to form a set of production coefficient data, i.e., the production capacity data under unit pressure difference (unit: m³/h.bar). This change in specific flux more accurately reflects the actual operating conditions of different ultrafiltration units.

Graph 3. Variation Curve of Ultrafiltrtaion System During Data Collection Time Period for #1, #2, and #3 Ultrafiltration Systems

The comparison curve of data in Graph 3 shows that under the same operating conditions, the production coefficient of the #3 ultrafiltration system is higher, and the data is more stable. This comparison curve indicates that the #3 ultrafiltration system will produce more water under the same operating pressure difference, i.e., the #3 ultrafiltration system has a higher production capacity and more stable operation.

Operational Comparison Conclusion

The operational comparison under the same platform sufficiently demonstrates the following advantages of the Ochemate iXP® ultrafiltration membrane elements:

-        High flux (high production capacity)

-        Low pressure (low transmembrane pressure difference)

-        High anti-fouling performance and more stable operation