Page 30 - Membranes for Industrial Wastewater Recovery and Re-Use

10 Membranes for Industrial Wastewater Recovery and Re-use

10000

9 1000
a
.- 6
0
m
Q
3 100
aI
>
.-
m -
c.
3
f
0 10
1
1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
Year
Figure 1.1 Total membrane sales with respect to water treatment capacity (by kindpermission of Vivendi)

10000 - ~

10 4
I00 1000 10000 100000 1 OOOO(
Cumulative membrane area (m2)
Figure I .2 Membrane costs 11s. installed membrane area (“Memcor” microfiltration plant) (courtesy of
Vivendi)

an ion-exchange process) and for polishing the rinse water. Cartridge
microfilters are routinely used for the removal of extraneous suspended solids
from boiler feedwaters. Although rather less well established, membranes are
also used for the treatment of industrial effluents for discharge. Possibly the most
recently developed and successfully implemented membrane process for
wastewater treatment is the submerged membrane bioreactor, which is applied
to both municipal and industrial effluents for the removal of dissolved organic
material. Market penetration of this technology has followed much the same
trend as that of the more established microfiltration process (Fig. 1.3).
The use of membranes specifically for industrial wastewater reclamation and
reuse has generally been constrained by the costs involved. Having said this,
advances in membrane technology, and notably significant improvements in its