Technology

Ultrafiltration membranes: pores thinner than a hair

With ultra-filtration, contaminated water is forced through a membrane filter at a pressure of around 0.5 bar. The filter’s pores are smaller than 15 nanometers, which is around 15 millionths of a millimeter.
By way of comparison, a human hair has a diameter 5,000 times larger.

Since the pores are therefore smaller than all bacteriological components of the water, these remain trapped in the membrane. Bacteria (E. coli, Coliform bacteria, Legionella), virus (influenza), parasites (Cryptosporidia), sediments and red, iron discolouration of the water, for example, can be removed from the water without any radiation or chemical additives.
Seccua offers small-scale systems, especially for local water supply firms, that can purify up to 20,000 litres of water an hour. The method used by Seccua to purify drinking water is simple, effective and inexpensive.

The flagship of Seccua’s technology is its intelligent Virex Pro system. This filtration system automatically detects the load on the filter and automatically carries out rinsing processes at the appropriate intervals. The control unit independently adjusts the interval between filter cleanings, as well as the length of each filter cleaning, depending on the water quality, thereby ensuring simple operation and optimised running costs. The Virex Pro control system also features an automatic membrane integrity check: the membrane filters independently check themselves at regular intervals for damage. In the event of a membrane fault, the system stops automatically and notifies the user – either via mobile messaging or via an alarm output to an existing control room. This not only ensures that the pathogen elimination system runs smoothly and effectively on a continuous basis, but also satisfies the requirements of the Drinking Water Directive as regards safety.