High-quality demands and fast-paced production processes increase operational pressure on membrane filtration systems. Regular servicing, optimisation and on-site membrane cleaning cycles can remove much of the daily fouling and keep membranes working at high-performance. However, more severe fouling can occur over time, requiring longer soak times, the use of more aggressive cleaning chemicals and occasionally, a membrane integrity test and investigation to understand the root cause of elevated fouling levels.
Contamination can cause long-lasting membrane damage when left untreated, leading to performance issues and process downtime. But, with fast production cycles, limited space and the lack of specialist equipment, many businesses struggle to complete this level of testing and cleaning on-site. More involved diagnostics, membrane integrity tests and cleans need to happen off-site in specialist centres.
Hollow fiber ultrafiltration membrane system installed for a leading, UK-based soft drinks producer.
Membrane integrity testing, cleaning and recovery services from Envirogen
Our membrane integrity testing, cleaning and recovery services are based on over 15-years of experience designing, installing and servicing membrane treatment and filtration systems.
High-recovery reverse osmosis nanofiltration system installed for Britvic.
Our fully-equipped diagnostics and service centre provides:
- Membrane diagnostics – Complete membrane testing and diagnostics services for both spiral wound and hollow fiber membranes, identifying the type of fouling and its source.
- Membrane integrity testing – Bath testing and pin repair for affected hollow fiber membranes.
- Wet through cleaning of hydrophobic membranes – including dry out and membrane integrity testing prior to service.
- Destructive membrane testing and autopsy – pinpointing the nature and type of fouling.
- Production testing and certification – validating membrane performance post-service.
- Clean-in-place (CIP) protocols completed – using high-purity, demineralised Envi Purified Water to increase cleaning efficiency.
- Bespoke membrane cleaning regimes established – by understanding the nature of the contamination and its cause, on-site CIP procedures can be created to prevent severe fouling or damage in the future.
Bath membrane integrity test for hollow fiber membranes.
Newly recovered membranes can then be stored for immediate replacement should off-site membrane repair or cleaning be needed in the future. Pre-emptive off-site membrane cleaning can then be built into service protocols to prevent severe fouling and breakdowns in the future.
Book membrane testing, cleaning and repair services.
A membrane integrity test, cleaning and repair service for every system and process
We offer comprehensive membrane testing, cleaning and repair for the following water treatment and filtration membranes:
- Reverse osmosis (RO) spiral wound membranes
- Nanofiltration spiral wound membranes
- Nanofiltration hollow fiber membranes
- Ultrafiltration hollow fiber membranes
- Microfiltration hollow fiber membranes
- Hydrophobic gas transfer membranes
Example of a fouled RO spiral wound membrane.
Our comprehensive chemical and physical membrane cleaning procedures remove the following contaminants:
- Scale – including calcium carbonate, sulphates and silica
- Colloidal contaminants – humic acids, fulvic acids and clays
- Particulates – including sand, carbon fines and breakdown materials from system components
- Biological contaminants
Improve your filtration system performance.