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How to Clean Hollow-Fiber Ultrafiltration Membranes

Raw water in hollow-fiber ultrafiltration membranes flows either outside or inside the hollow fibers under pressure, creating either an external-pressure or internal-pressure configuration. Ultrafiltration is a dynamic filtration process, where the retained substances can be removed via concentrated streams without clogging the membrane surface, allowing for long-term, continuous operation. Hollow-fiber ultrafiltration membranes are among the earliest developed polymer separation membranes. Now, let’s learn how to clean these hollow-fiber ultrafiltration membranes!

Raw water in hollow-fiber ultrafiltration membranes flows either outside or inside the hollow fibers under pressure, creating either an external-pressure or internal-pressure configuration. Ultrafiltration is a dynamic filtration process, where the retained substances can be removed via concentrated streams without clogging the membrane surface, allowing for long-term, continuous operation. Hollow-fiber ultrafiltration membranes are among the earliest developed polymer separation membranes. Now, let’s learn how to clean these hollow-fiber ultrafiltration membranes!

2020-06-11

Hollow-fiber ultrafiltration membrane The raw water flows under pressure either outside or inside the hollow fibers, creating either an external-pressure or internal-pressure configuration. Ultrafiltration is a dynamic filtration process, where the retained substances can be removed with concentrated water—without clogging the membrane surface—allowing for long-term, continuous operation. Hollow-fiber ultrafiltration membrane It is one of the earlier-developed polymer separation membranes. Now, let’s learn how to clean it. Hollow-fiber ultrafiltration membrane

 

At Hollow-fiber ultrafiltration membrane During continuous normal operation, various cleaning methods must be carried out regularly. Currently, the most commonly used cleaning methods include the following:

 Hollow-fiber ultrafiltration membrane

Backpressure Backwashing Method: This process involves flushing from the ultrafiltrate side with clean water flowing in the opposite direction. Since membranes typically exhibit different pressure resistance levels depending on their orientation—front to back—it’s usually only feasible to use low pressure for backwashing. As a result, the backwashing intensity is relatively mild, leading to limited cleaning effectiveness. To achieve better results, it’s essential to select membranes with higher pressure resistance and employ higher backwash pressures along with increased flow rates. The typical backwashing duration is 30 to 60 seconds.

 

Isobaric Hydraulic Backwashing Method: Close the ultrafiltration permeate valve and fully open the concentrate discharge valve to increase Hollow-fiber ultrafiltration membrane Surface flow velocity, which is more effective for removing loose materials adhering to the surface.

 

Chemical cleaning method: Depending on the type of contaminants on the membrane surface, select appropriate chemicals to dissolve, oxidize, or induce other chemical reactions, thereby achieving the goal of removal. The choice of commonly used chemicals must be based on Hollow-fiber ultrafiltration membrane Material properties such as acids, bases, oxidizing agents, biocides, surfactants, and detergents containing added enzymes. The method follows the same process as conventional ultrafiltration: the cleaning solution enters through the original liquid inlet, while both the concentrate and the ultrafiltrate are returned to the cleaning solution tank. After circulating, the mixture is discharged and then rinsed thoroughly with clean water.

 

Ultrafiltration membrane technology is a cutting-edge technique widely used in water purification, solution separation and concentration, as well as the extraction of valuable substances from wastewater—and even in wastewater treatment for reuse. It is characterized by its simple operation, no need for heating, energy efficiency, low-pressure operation, and a compact footprint for the equipment.