HUBER Vacuum Rotation Membrane VRM® Bioreactor
Rotating plate membranes for clean water
- The future-oriented solution designed for the ever increasing requirements in wastewater treatment
- For reuse of effluent as service water
- Compliance with the latest legal standards (EC standards for bathing waters, California Title 22)
The HUBER VRM® process is a system of ultrafiltration membranes submerged within the aeration tank. The resultant high effluent quality meets the most stringent regulations whilst also allowing for the capacity to meet the increasing and higher disposal legislation anticipated in the future, with optimised investment and operating costs.
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The HUBER VRM® system is a combination of biological wastewater treatment and high-efficient solids/liquid separation. The pre-screened wastwater is aerated, clarified biologically and all solids within the flow (particles, bacteria, viruses) removed by the ultrafiltration membrane in accordance with the lowpressure principle.
By increasing the concentration of the active biomass to 12 – 16 g/l we can improve the efficiency of a conventional wastewater treatment plant without the need to increase tank volumes. Subsequent secondary clarification tanks, sand filters or a disinfection plant for advanced wastewater treatment are deemed unnecessary, with the improvement in the effluent quality produced. Existing secondary clarification tanks however can alternatively be used to allow for process optimisation.
The HUBER membrane principle
The principle of membrane filtration is based upon the separation of solids suspended in a watery solution by means of a pressure difference. While the water permeates through the membrane, the solids, bacteria and even most viruses are retained on the concentrate side on the membrane surface where they are removed by relative movement. The pressure differential necessary to pass the liquid through the membrane depends on the membrane pore size and membrane quality.
HUBER uses for all membrane systems a high performance hydrophilic membrane which has very good filtration properties with a low affinity to fouling and covering layer forming material contained within the wastewater. The membrane pore size of approx. 38 nm lies within the ultrafiltration range. This allows high flow rates (up to 60 l/m²h) at a low transmembrane pressure (< 100 mbar) whilst retaining all solids, bacteria and the majority of germs. In addition to the liquid phase only ions and low-molecular dissolved substances pass through the membrane. Typical surface-related flux: up to 35 l/(m²h).
The overflows required for a constant operation of the ultrafiltration membranes are achieved through a highly effective air flow on the concentrate side with only one sixth or eights of the installed membrane surface being scoured at a time. Furthermore, intermittent scouring at low throughputs minimises energy costs.
Products
Benefits
Benefits
- Maximum effluent quality due to the complete particle separation.
- Compliance with hygienic standards due to the high bacteria and virus separation achieved by the UF membranes (37 nm, 150 kDa).
- High concentrations of active biomass allow for a reduction in the aeration tank volume by up to 70%.
- Membrane covering layer removal with minimum energy consumption through sequential cleaning of the rotating membranes.
- Minimum scouring air requirement for covering layer control (VRM® 30 < 200 l/m²h).
- Reduced energy consumption for scouring air due to the centrally positioned air intake and low pressure.
- No periodic permeate back washing during filtration.
- Fully automatic filtration, depending on the flow rate.
- The transmembrane pressures are low and tranquil due to the high membrane permeability and subsequently have a positive effect upon the membrane life and minimise energy consumption.
- Patented innovative permeate discharge system prevents contamination on the permeate side.
- Complete stainless steel design.
- Easy identification and replacement of individual defective membrane modules (3 m² or 6 m²).
- Removal of individual or complete membrane segments.
