AWWA MTC57661

Ultrafiltration (UF) has been widely applied in the area of potable water production as a barrier to pathogens and viruses, and for pretreatment of surface water and biologically treated municipal effluent before Reverse Osmosis (RO) systems. UF is also now being considered as pretreatment to Sea Water Reverse Osmosis (SWRO) plants. UF provides a very high quality, low SDI (Silt Density Index) product, regardless of the incoming seawater quality, and offers a pretreatment alternative with a small footprint and low chemical consumption. These benefits of UF make it an excellent choice for SWRO pretreatment in some situations. However, many SWRO systems operate very well with conventional pretreatment, so UF is not always justified over conventional pre-treatment. This paper usees data from pilot studies and full-scale operating plants to discuss alternatives for SWRO pretreatment and factors that should be taken into account when selecting the pretreatment technology. Includes 10 references, table, figures.