DESALINATION

ELSEVIER Desalination 126 (1999) 1-5

www.elsevier.com/locate/desal

Treatment of wastewater by ultrafiltration

D. Abdessemed a, G. Nezzal a, R. Ben A'/m b*

alnstitut de Chimie lndustrielle , Universit~ des Sciences et de la Technologie Houari Boumediene, BP 32,
El Alia-1611 I, Bab Ezzouar, Algiers', Algeria
Tel. +213 24 71 69, Fax +213 (2) 75 81 58, 52 58 63
blnstitut National des Sciences Appliqu&s, Complexe Scientifique, 135 avenue de Rangueil,
31077 Toulouse Cedex, France
Tel. +33 (5)61 55 97 81, Fax +33 (5) 61 55 97 60, E-mail: benaim@insa-tlse.fr

Abstract

During the last few years there has been a continuous and important growth in water consumption and conse-
quently a strong increase of the domestic and industrial wastewater potential sources of environmental problems.
Reclamation of wastewater is thus becoming a major goal in several countries where there is water scarcity.
Thus we tested an a lab scale a combination of sand filtration and UF producing a clear disinfected water which
could be reused. A tubular inorganic membrane CARBOSEP with 50,000 Da MWCO was used for this study. At
a cross flow velocity of 4 m/s the polarization phenomena were limited leading to a maximum value of about
100 1/h.m2 for a transmembrane pressure of I bar. With an increase of the cross flow velocity up to 6-7 m/s, the
relation between the filtrate flux and the transmembrane pressure becomes nearly linear: in these conditions, in a
range of transmembrane pressure 0.5-2 bar, the filtrate flux is only 15% lower than the pure water flux, proving
a very low level of fouling. The removal efficiency of organics and suspended solids (including bacteria) was
very good: 1) low values of COD (12 mg/l) BOD (5 mg/l) and absence of indicators of fecal contamination are
the main characteristics of the treated water; 2) it can be concluded from these tests that the combination sand
filtration/UF is efficient and that a cut-offof 50 Kda is a good choice.

Keywords: Wastewater; Filtration; Ultrafiltration; Microorganisms removal; Suspended matter removal; Reuse

I. Introduction years provides a strong incentive for looking at

In Algeria as in many similar countries the
w e a k precipitation r e c o r d e d during the last ten
* Corresponding author.
the different possibilities o f wastewater recla-
mation. The use o f membranes in a wastewater
treatment process has many potential advan-
tages:
• Compactness compared to biological processes;

Presented at the Conference on Desalination and the Environment, Las Palmas, Gran Canaria, November 9 12, 1999,
European Desalination Society and the International Water Services Association.

0011-9164/99/$- See front matter © 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved
PII: S 0 0 1 1 - 9 1 6 4 ( 9 9 ) 0 0 1 4 9 - 6
2 D. Abdessemedet al./Desalination 126 (1999) 1-5

(1) ,.A Primary ,- Aeration "1 Secondary

Raw - ~ Grilling
- 1
I Clarifier i tank I Clarifier
+
Water Chlorination

(2) '~[
"1 Sand Filtration ~ Ultrafiltration Pu~rified Water

Fig. 1. Two process for the treatment of raw sewage. 1, conventional activated sludge process; 2, the proposed process by
combination of deep bed filtration and UF.

Clean process compared to physicochemical 2.3. Wastewater analysis

processes, which imply the use of chemicals; The tests were performed with real waster at
The MWCO may be fitted to the character- the wastewater treatment plant of Baraki (Table
istics of the wastewater and to the efficiency 1). It was thus possible to compare the quality
required. of the treated water produced by our pilot scale
device and by the activated sludge process.
Direct use of MF membranes on a raw efflu-
ent has been tested as a first step of the 'water-
warming' process. Table 1
Characteristics of wastewater
Our approach was different: we conducted
lab tests on a wastewater treatment combining 1. Physical-chemical
deep bed filtration and UF (Fig. l) for produc- Color Black
ing water, which could be reused. Temperature, °C 20-25
Turbidity, NTU 140
pH 7.4-9.5
SS, mg/I 100-1600
MVS, rag/1 46-490
2. Experimental HT, °F 67
2.1. Experimental set-up (Fig. 2) 2. Pollution
COD, mg/I 416
BODs, mg/l 85-469
A tubular inorganic membrane CARBOSEP NTK, mg/I 45
M8 with 50 KDa N W C O has been used (porous
carbon support and membrane layer of ZrO2). 3. Heavy metals
Cd, mg/l Trace
All parameters were measured according to the Cr, mg/I Trace
AFNOR standard. Cu, rag/1 0.04
Fe, mg/1 0.34
Mn, mg/1 0.13
Pb, mg/I Trace
2.2. Membrane cleaning Zn, mg/1 0.21
As the membrane was not backwashed, a 4. Bacteriological
chemical cleaning with alkaline detergents was Total coliformes Too high
necessary for getting similar values of the pure Escherichia coli For being
Clostridium Measured
water permeation flux before each experiment.
 D. Abdessemed et al. /Desalination 124 (1999) l-5

300 -cLJ=4nr*
+“=SnVs
250 --blMfMS
+ u =71111
i 200
5
5 150
-J
100
50

0
Fig. 2. The experimental set-up. 1, Feed tank; 2, cooling coil; 0 095 1 135 2
3, centrifugal pump; 4, flow meter; 5. valves; 6, pressure
AP, bar
gauge; 7, tubular UF module.
Fig. 3. Influence of the cross flow velocity and transmem-
brane pressure on the permeate flux.

01
0 200 400 600
Time. min

Fig. 4. The decrease of the permeate flux with time. AP=l.8 I

bar. U=6 m/s. 0 100 200 300 400
Time, min

Fig. 5. Variation of the BODS and COD of the permeate with

2.4. Pretreatment time.

For avoiding too rapid fouling of the mem-

brane, a deep bed filter (gravel + sand) was in- ate flux increases nearly linearly with trans-
stalled upside of the UF module. membrane pressure up to 1.3 bar.

3.2. The permeate flux - its evolution with time

3. Results and discussion
Typical results are presented in Fig. 4 in the
following conditions: Transmembrane pressure
3.1. Influence of cross flow velocity and AP=I .8 bar, cross flow velocity = 6 m/s.
transmembrane pressure on permeate3u.x In 7 h the flux decreases from 262 to 143
l/h.m*. This value corresponds to a ‘plateau’.
The results obtained are summarized in Fig. The fouling phenomena are important but the
3. They illustrate a typical behaviour - the in- filtrate flux in quasi state conditions is quite
fluence of polarization phenomena decreases high due to the high shear stress at the mem-
when the cross flow velocity increases. For brane wall and to the characteristics of the
large cross flow velocity (6-7 m/s) the perme- membrane.
4 D. Abdessemed et al./Desalination 126 (1999) 1-5

Table 2
~500 The characteristics of the treated water with WHO
standards for drinking water
~400
E300 Parameters Purified water Purified WHO
~.2oo (conventional water standards
e,-
o
method (by UF)
==1oo
on. 0 1. Physical-chemical
Turbidity BOD5 COD NTK Color Yellow Clear Clear
Temperature, °C 25-30 25-30 10-15
Turbidity, NTU 8.0 0.3 5.0
Fig. 6. Evolution of the parameters at different steps of the pH 7.8 7.5 6.5-8.5
process. SS, rag/1 33 3.5 --
VSS, mg/l 26 1.2 --
HT, °F 50 29.17 50

3.3. BOD5 and COD removal 2. Pollution

COD, mg/1 58 12 0
BOD5 and COD have been measured on BODs, mg/1 38 5.0 0
samples taken during a filtration test of 6 h. As NTK, mg/l 33 2.85 0
shown in Fig. 5, BOD5 and COD decrease si- 3. Heavy metals
multaneously with the filtrate flux - - the foul- Cd, mg/1 Trace Trace 0.05
ing phenomena improve the efficiency of the Cr, mg/1 Trace Trace 0.05
Cu, mg/1 0.01 Trace 0. l 0
membrane. This powers the existence in the Fe, mg/l 1.52 0.06 0.30
wastewater of organic solutes with small MW, Pb, mg/l Trace Trace 0.05
which are progressively retained when the Zn, mg/l 0.77 0.43 5.00
Mn, mg/I 0.05 0.09 0.10
membrane becomes fouled.
The deep bed filter plays an important role 4. Bacteriological
also for turbidity, BOD and COD removal Total coliforms 20 in 100 ml 0 0
Escherichia coli 10 in 100 ml 0 0
(Fig. 6). Clostridium 240 in 100ml 0 0
The figures are in agreement with the typol- Salmonelles Absinl00ml 0 0
ogy of wastewater already described: Vibrio cholera Absin 100ml 0 0
• Suspended solids and a part of colloids are
retained by the deep bed filter (30 to 50%);
for the UF process than for conventional bio-
• Colloids and large molecules are initially
logical process where nitrification occurs. For
retained by the UF membrane )about 30%);
these reasons irrigation might be the best use
• Due to fouling, a large part of solutes
for this treated water.
(smaller molecules) is retained.
4. Conclusion
In Table 2 the characteristics of the treated
water produced by the full scale activated The results obtained show a very good effi-
sludge plant and in our pilot are compared, ciency of the process combining a deep bed
WHO standards for drinking water are also in- filter and an UF membrane (50 Kda) for re-
dicated. For all the parameters the quality of the moving SS, turbidity, BOD, COD from raw
water produced by UF is better and might not wastewater. Despite the fact that ammonia is
be too far from WHO standards. However, the not removed, the treated water can be used for
main limitation for an eventual aquifer recharge irrigation under very safe conditions necessary
might be the ammonia content, which is higher for food production.
 D. Abdessemed et al. / Desalination 124 (1999) 1-5
Such a process might be very useful for
solving the problems of increasing wastewater
flow rates extending the capacity of the existing
treatment plant. Part of the wastewater might be
treated for reuse - - this could be done in differ-
ent places of the sewage network pumping di-
rectly from the pipes (the concentrates being
returned to the sewer). The necessary invest-
ment for these plants might be justified by a
better operation of the existing wastewater plant
5
and by the production of treated water, which
could be reused.
References
[1] R. Ben Ai'm, M.G. Liu and S. Vignes Waran,
Water Sci. Techn., 27 (10) (1993) 141.
[2] M.F. Pouet, A. Grasmick, G. Holmer, F.
Nauleau and J.C. Cornier, Water Sci. Techn.,
30 (4) (1994) 133.