Method using separation membranes to treat a fluid containing matter in suspension and in solution

• US 5,393,433 A
• Filed: 10/25/1993
• Issued: 02/28/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Aquasource Incorporated (Essential Utilities, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Aquasource Societe EN NOM Collectif
• Inventors: Espenan, Jean-Michel, Saux, Franck
• Primary Examiner(s): Dawson, Robert A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fortuna, Ana M.
• Application Number:
  US08/142,727
• Time in Patent Office: 491 Days
• Field of Search: 210/636, 210/195.2, 210/257.2, 210/108, 210/333.01, 210/791, 210/650, 210/768, 210/321.69, 210/259, 210/805, 210/641, 210/652, 210/749, 210/758, 210/754 , 210/660, 210/650
• US Class Current: 210/650
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2311/04 Specific process operations in the feed stream; Feed pretreatment
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2321/04 Backflushing
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2321/168 Use of other chemical agents
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 61/025 Reverse osmosis; Hyperfiltration
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 61/027 Nanofiltration
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 61/145 Ultrafiltration
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 61/147 Microfiltration
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 61/16 Feed pretreatment
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 65/02 Membrane cleaning or sterilisation ; Membrane regeneration

Abstract

A method of treating a fluid containing matter in suspension and/or in solution by using separation membranes, in which method a "feed" additive for adsorption and/or filtration purposes is added to the fluid to be treated, and a "backwash" additive for the purpose of improving backwashing is added to the membrane backwash fluid, wherein a backwash additive is chosen that is capable of being neutralized by the feed additive, the backwash fluid which contains the backwash additive and which has washed away unused feed additive is collected as a backwash discharge, the backwash discharge is allowed sufficient contact time to enable neutralization to take place in said discharge, and the resulting product is separated into a residual product that is concentrated in solid matter and a fluid that is recycled to the inlet of the installation.

Claims

1. A method of treating a fluid containing matter in suspension and/or in solution by using separation membranes, in which method a feed additive for adsorption and/or filtration purposes is added to the fluid to be treated, and a backwash additive for the purpose of improving backwashing is added to a membrane backwash fluid, comprising the steps of

choosing a backwash additive that is capable of being neutralized by the feed additive,

collecting in a tank as a discharged backwash solution the backwash fluid which contains the backwash additive and has washed-away unused feed additive,

allowing the discharged backwash solution sufficient contact time in said tank to enable neutralization to take place in said discharged backwash solution, and

separating the resulting product into a residual product that is concentrated in solid matter and a fluid that is recycled and added to the fluid to be treated.

2. A treatment method according to claim 1, wherein the separation of the discharged backwash fluid into a residual product and a fluid is performed by purely mechanical means, without adding any additives.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the feed additive is activated carbon in powder form and the backwash additive is an oxidizing agent.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein the oxidizing agent is chlorine.