UF Solution Produces Drinking Water Using Low Energy and Chemical Consumption

Innovative ultrafiltration design for RO pretreatment in Chile 

An advanced reverse osmosis (RO) pretreatment solution was required for a new desalination plant providing constant, high-filtrate quality drinking water to four municipalities in Atacama, Chile. While sourcing water from a single aquifer, the plant needed to be capable of treating water with varying characteristics, and regular seismic activity meant the design needed to comply with stringent regional seismic regulations.

The operator specified that the system should have low energy and chemical consumption while occupying a small footprint. This was achieved by harnessing inge® UF* technology in a direct feed UF to RO process that used the RO brine for the backwash and the forward flush completing the backwash cycle; this helped reduce energy consumption and use of filtrate water.

The plant uses Multibore™ membranes to reduce chemical and energy consumption, while the T-Rack™ system helps ensure a small footprint for the plant. The design included a seismic cage for the UF skids to meet the local regulations.  

Read the full case study to discover how inge® UF* technology was used in an innovative RO pre-treatment design.

*Now under IntegraTec™ brand

Photography courtesy of Jorge Fernández Salas on Unsplash