Cleaners for Wastewater Ultrafiltration Membranes

A non-polluting efficient cleaning technology for completely removing clogging buildup and microbial biofilm from ultrafiltration membranes has been developed. The technology has been successfully applied to synthetic non-oily graywater effluent and should meet all regulatory standards for discharge. The technology should also be applicable to blackwater applications. It consists of three elements: innovative fluid dynamics, specific cleaning chemistry and efficient cleaning protocol. Emphasis is placed on removal of biofilm from the membrane surface as well as cleaning of the membrane pores. This proprietary technology completely removes biofilm and other foulants from membrane surfaces and reduces the cleaning time by a factor of 10 when compared with standard methods. Our design should interface with ultrafiltration treatment equipment on Naval ships without modification. PTT¿s cleaning chemistry is environmentally-safe and effective. Our development team includes Professor Audrey Levine of Utah State; she will direct efforts related to the gray/black water composition and assist in foulants characterization. Phase II will involve designing and building a prototype to incorporate into wastewater treatment systems on Navy ships. A complete marketing plan has been prepared for Navy and civilian applications. PTT¿s cleaning technology includes the cleaning of the lumen and pore of the tubular membrane.