Jun. 04, 2025
Like all forms of membrane filtration, ultrafiltration works by excluding materials based on particle size. In fact, each type of membrane filtration is classed based on membrane pore size, which, arranged in order from coarsest to finest filtration, include: microfiltration (0.1 to 10 μm), ultrafiltration (0.001 to 0.1 μm), nanofiltration (0.001 to 0.01 μm), and reverse osmosis (0. – 0.001 μm). With its pore size averaging around 0.01 μm, UF is effective for removal of suspended solids and pathogens, including:
As we’ve said, UF separation capabilities are limited based on particle size, so while it performs well for removal of the above materials, UF is unable to reliably remove the smallest particles. Materials like monovalent or multivalent ions, organic molecules, minerals, or salts would typically require nanofiltration or reverse osmosis, either in place of or in addition to UF. Although Nano and RO will filter, they are used primarily for dissolved ions in the fluid.
Technically speaking, UF can also be used for separation of larger materials that are also removable by means of microfiltration or media filtration, such as algae, protozoa, sand, clay, or complex metals. However, when dealing with streams that have a mix of differently-sized particles, it is often best to use coarser types of media or membrane filtration ahead of more delicate filtration. Doing so can help to prevent excessive cleaning needs, and prolong the life of costly downstream equipment by preventing blockages and fouling. That’s why you’ll often see microfiltration used for pretreatment ahead of ultrafiltration, or ultrafiltration used for pretreatment ahead of reverse osmosis.
Ultrafiltration can be a great solution for many separation needs, as it offers benefits including low operation pressure and energy consumption, high feed stream recovery rates, and relatively simple maintenance, along with versatility for a wide range of contaminants and process conditions. In the most general terms, the main uses of UF systems include:
These broadly describe how and why UF is used at industrial facilities, but it’s also worth noting that UF also serves a number of specialized process separation and water purification applications. Below, we’ve offered some examples of UF applications that are specific to various industries.
Power plants require large volumes of high purity water for boiler makeup and cooling tower feedwater applications. Over the past couple of decades, power generation facilities have increasingly looked to ultrafiltration for suspended solids removal, especially as a means of pretreatment ahead of reverse osmosis. This is because UF offers a small footprint and better energy efficiency compared to other separation methods, like distillation or conventional treatment trains. By producing a filtrate of reasonably high quality, UF can also improve the economics of RO by reducing fouling and extending the life of downstream RO membranes.
Refineries use water in a number of ways, including as process water, boiler feedwater, cooling water, and utility water. UF can be used to remove suspended solids, oil, grease, turbidity, and color to prepare feed streams for any of the above uses. When a stream is destined for more sensitive processes, such as in boilers, UF is often followed by other processes, like RO or IX. Refinery facilities often use UF pretreatment steps to reduce colloidal fouling in downstream equipment, which can help to reduce maintenance costs substantially.
The petrochemical and chemical industries rely on ultrafiltration for RO pretreatment, as well as an extremely wide variety of specialized separation applications, and water reuse applications. Many of these entail the use of UF to remove suspended solids from wastewater or process streams prior to further separation with nanofiltration. This approach is used for purification of dyes, pigments, and optical brighteners, as well as recycling of acid and caustic streams. UF is also used for removal and concentration of metals, titanium dioxide, and calcium carbonate, among other materials.
While the use of ultrafiltration within the oil and gas industry is somewhat more limited than in other sectors, it does have its place. Among the most common applications are the use of ultrafiltration for potable water generation on offshore rigs or in areas with limited access to water. Thanks to its ability to separate oil and water, UF is also useful for treatment of produced water resulting from bituminous sand extraction or hydraulic fracturing operations, and for recycling waste streams. Ultrafiltration has also been adopted for biofuel production, lending greater efficiency to ethanol isolation, which has traditionally been accomplished through energy-intensive distillation processes.
The mining industry uses ultrafiltration for a number of applications, especially for recovery or reuse of liquid wastewater or process streams, or recovery and concentration of valuable solid materials. Specifically, this can include recovery of metals from wastewater or process streams, acid recovery from metal pickling solutions, and pretreatment of seawater prior to RO. UF is also used to treat mining wastewater for reuse or safe discharge, including acid mine drainage and tailing streams, and coal mining wastewater.
The food and beverage industry uses ultrafiltration extensively for specialized separation applications. Its use is so varied and diverse, in fact, that it’s helpful to take a closer look at common ultrafiltration applications within some key food and beverage subsectors:
The pharmaceutical and healthcare industries rely on ultrafiltration for production of purified water to ensure safety and consistency in products, as well as separation of process streams, and treatment of waste streams for safe discharge or reuse. One important use of ultrafiltration in the pharmaceutical industry is for the recovery of fermentation broths used in the production of antibiotics. Ultrafiltration is also useful for enzyme synthesis, where it can be used to purify filtrate streams and/or concentrate retentate streams, separate out proteins or sugars, or desalt a solution. Within the healthcare industry, ultrafiltration is also used for blood product separation and plasma processing.
If you want to learn more, please visit our website ShekeSaisi.
The municipal water industry is increasingly adopting UF for efficient removal of contaminants such as bacteria and viruses from drinking water, as UF is capable of removing over 90% of pathogens present in source water. UF is also often used as a pretreatment step to protect RO equipment from premature wear and damage due to solids present in source water.
Pulp and paper products require significant water usage at nearly all stages of manufacture. As issues of water scarcity and environmental concerns have made it more expensive to source water and discharge wastewater, the industry has increasingly turned to membrane technologies to cut down on water and energy use. Common ultrafiltration applications within the pulp and paper industry include pretreatment ahead of RO and IX, particularly for treatment of wastewater for recycling, or treatment of process water for reuse.
The examples mentioned here reflect just a fraction of UF’s capabilities for specialty applications. Other uses include treatment of process streams for electrocoatings, rinse water recycling in the automotive industry, and degasification for ultrapure water production in the microelectronics industry, among many, many others.
SAMCO has over 40 years’ experience in the design and delivery of custom ultrafiltration systems for a range of industrial applications, so we welcome any questions you might have regarding your own water treatment needs.
Contact us here to request more information or set up a consultation with an engineer. You can also request a free quote to get a realistic cost for your project. Our team of experienced professionals will walk you through the steps for developing a water treatment or process separation solution that meets your goals and budget.
To learn more about membrane filtration and other process separation technologies, click on over to our blog. There, you’ll find articles on a range of relevant topics, such as:
There are many different types of technology used in water treatment plants. One of the most popular is ultrafiltration. This method utilizes specialized membranes to apply hydrostatic pressure and separate suspended solids from water. It is notable because it has replaced traditional treatment protocol — coagulation followed by flocculation and sedimentation — in some parts of the world. Of course, this method offers pros and cons, both of which should be taken into account. What are the advantages of ultrafiltration, and what is the disadvantage of ultrafiltration? Find out why some treatment plants are eager to adopt this method and others remain hesitant.
Many treatment centers have adopted an ultrafiltration method of wastewater treatment because it requires no chemicals during processing. Traditional processing methods often require the addition of many different chemicals, including various polymers, sludge conditioners, odor control agents, and chemical flocculants — and there are known hazards associated with many of these chemicals. It’s commonplace for hexavalent chromium to be used to minimize odor, for example, but when it leaches into groundwater, it can cause a litany of serious ailments.
Another advantage of ultrafiltration that its proponents commonly cite is the consistent quality of water that it can produce. In traditional wastewater treatment modalities, the quality of the water produced is often directly correlated to the quality of the feed. In other words, water with more contaminants and pathogens may result in an output of water that contains a higher concentration of these substances. Ultrafiltration, on the other hand, can consistently offer high-quality potable water, regardless of the quality of incoming wastewater.
Although ultrafiltration offers many attractive benefits, there are several cons that should be acknowledged, too. Among these is the increased energy expenditure that’s required for an ultrafiltration facility to operate — and higher energy expenditures mean higher costs. This is because the process demands a high degree of force to move wastewater through membranes continuously. Several new innovations have emerged, though, that aim to solve this problem and improve the energy efficiency of ultrafiltration.
Another important consideration is the recirculation that’s required to produce potable water via ultrafiltration. This is another part of the process that contributes to its high energy cost. Water must be continuously recirculated in order to prevent egregious loss of water throughout processing. During the first stage of membrane filtration, it’s impossible for all of the wastewater to be drawn through, so it must be recirculated until the water is separated sufficiently from the suspended solids and other contaminants. Water treatment insurance can help cover liabilities associated with this process, though, and prevents unnecessary exposure to loss.
Watercolor Management has insured the water industry for over 30 years. Our policies include unlimited defense cost coverage in the event of a lawsuit against you. Call us at (855) 929- or for a quick quote for your Water Business Professional, Products/Completed operations, Pollution and General Liability Insurance.
The company is the world’s best ultrafiltration membrane system(de,ru,fr) supplier. We are your one-stop shop for all needs. Our staff are highly-specialized and will help you find the product you need.
Previous: how do dam spillways work?
If you are interested in sending in a Guest Blogger Submission,welcome to write for us!
All Comments ( 0 )