COMPARATIVE-STUDY OF DIFFERENT MF AND UF MEMBRANES FOR DRINKING-WATERPRODUCTION

To evaluate the performance of several different MF and UF membranes f or the filtration of reservoir water for drinking water production, me mbrane performance in combination with powdered activated carbon was s tudied in comparative pilot tests. The tests showed that the dosing of powdered activated carbon into the feed water of the membranes had no significant effect on the hydraulic behaviour of the membranes. Hollo w-fibre ultrafiltration membranes, with a filtration direction from th e inside to the outside of the fibre, could be used, without problems, in a dead-end filtration mode with concentrations up to 15 mg/l of po wdered activated carbon in the feed water. Ultrafiltration and microfi ltration membranes showed a similar performance in removing microorgan isms and turbidity fi om the water. All membranes tested, produced wat er of a high quality which met the German Standard for drinking water. Modules with damaged membranes were identified by particle counts and pressure hold tests. Parallel to the detected membrane failure, highe r values of micro-organisms in the product water were observed, confir ming the measured particle counts.