Zhejiang Creation Environment Technology Co., Ltd.

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Operation instruction of UF system

1. Design specifications
(1) Control mode: Automatic PLC or manual
(2) PH range: 213
(3) Working temperature: 540 C
(4) Working pressure: 0.15 MPa, max 0.3 MPa
(5) Pressure difference tolerance between the two sides of UF membrane: 0.18 MPa
2. Membrane specifications
(1) Material
Hollow fiber PP (polypropylene)
(2) Housing material UPVC
(3) Sealing material Epoxy
3. Process flow
M
FI

Cleaning
backflow

Product
water
discharge

Above
discharge
point

FI PI

PI

UF
membrane
....

Clean water
tamk

Product
water

FI

Product
water
tamk

Cleaning
inflow
PI

Backwash pump

PI

PI

Raw water
tamk
Transfer pump

Below
discharge
point

Normal process of UF: Operating 30min

Back wash 30-50S
Cleaning 30S

Security filter

Raw water
transfer pump

Compressed
air inflow

Gas washing 30S

Operating

Procedure of UF system:
Before the first operation, or start operating after a long time halt, the UF system needs to
be washed to eliminate the protection liquid. Wash the membrane continuously until no bubble
comes out from the output port.
Partial recycle is adapted in UF system----part of concentrated water goes back before the
raw water pump, to make the system more stable. Recycle rate should be 25~35%.
The basic procedure is as follows:
1Operation: normal clean and operation
2Gas wash and backwash: gas wash, backwash1 and backwash2

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Procedure table
Status
Procedure

Operation

NO.

Gas wash, backwash and normal wash

3

Normal Operation Gas Backwash1 Backwash Normal Halt

wash
wash
2
wash

Backwash
pump
UF product
water valve

O
O

UF up
discharge port

Filter
outlet valve
Time span

UF down
discharge port

UF gas intake
valve
Raw water
pump
Filter inlet valve

O
O

PV-15
PV-12

O
O

UF recycle
valve

Remarks

Operation
sequence

UF backwash
inlet valve
Condition
of pump
and valve

Valve

PV-8
PV-10

PV-9
O

PV-13

P1 or P2

PV-2,
PV-3
PV-7

30S

30min

30S

20S

40s

30S

1. Backwash frequency is 30min every time, can be also prefixed according to the data
above;
2. Follow the procedure of 1-2-3-4-5-6 when normal operating.
The backwash can be carried on for several times, according to the pollution level;
3. The buffer time needed in program switching should be considered in programming;
4. Time span and frequency in the program above can be regulated according to actual
operation condition.

Remarks: O in the table stands for the status of operation and opening;
Procedure instruction
1Normal cleaning and operating

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The details of valve status in operation procedure please refer to the procedure table.
Normal cleaning: Open the up discharge valve, product water valve, close the recycle
valve. Open the input water valve later (about 15 seconds later). The time length for normal
cleaning is 30 seconds.
Operating: Open the recycle valve, product water valve. Close the up discharge valve.
Open the input water valve later. Regulate the angle of input water manual valve, to make sure
the average pressure difference between the two sides of membrane below 1.5 bar. Start
backwash after operating for 60 min (the time span should be regulated according to the actual
pollution level).

P re ssur e
di ffe re n c e
b et we e n
th e
t wo
si d es
of
me mb ra ne

I pu t

wa te r

pre ssu re

C on c en t ra te d

wa t e r

p re ssur e

p ro du c t

w at e r

p re ssur e

2Gas wash and backwash

The details of valve status in backwash please refer to the procedure table.
Gas wash: Open the up discharge valve, later open the gas inlet valve (about 15 seconds
later). The gas pressure should be lower than 2.0 bar, the length of time is 30 seconds.
Backwash 1: Open the up discharge valve, backwash valve, start the backwash pump. For
20 seconds. Regulate the angle of manual valve of backwash pump outlet port, to make sure
the backwash pressure below 2.5bar. The backwash time is 20 seconds.
Backwash 2: Open the down discharge valve, backwash valve, start backwash pump.
Backwash pressure should be lower than 2.0bar, time length is 40 seconds.
Normal cleaning: Open the up discharge valve, product water valve, close the recycle
valve. Open the input water valve (about 15 seconds later). The time length for normal cleaning
is 30 seconds.
5. Record of operation data
UF equipment needs little maintenance, the key is to make sure correct operation
parameter is carried on. Operation record is useful to track the operation condition, and to
find out the problem.
The below data should be recorded once a day:
Input water pressurebar)
Product water pressurebar
Product water quantitym3/h
Product water turbidityNTU
Input water tempreture

Draw a curve graph everyday, with time as the abscissa, product water pressure as the
ordinate. If the curve decreases 20%, operation parameters should be regulated in time, and
choose proper chemicals to clean the UF membrane.

Zhejiang Creation Environment Technology Co., Ltd.

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6. Maintenance of UF membrane
1 Halt

If shot-term halt (2 to 3 days) is needed, you can run the UF system 30 to 60 min
everyday, to prevent the pollution of bacteria.

If long-term halt (more than 7days) is needed, please carry out chemical cleaning to
UF system, fill the modules with protecting liquid (1~3%NaHSO 3 with 10%
propanediol), and close all the inlet and outlet valve. Inspect once a month and control
the environment temperature between 5 to 40 .

Before restarting the system after a long-term halt, please clean the UF membrane
continuously until there is no spume in the output water.

Keep the UF membrane wet during the halt. In case the membrane gets dry,
irreversible damage will appear.

Notice: During the long time halt, the output power and input power of
the control system must be turned off.
Notice: Keep the UF membrane wet at anytime. In case the membrane
gets dry, irreversible damage will appear.
2 Maintenance

Pressure gauge
Periodic calibration should be carried out, regulate it when it is necessary.

Impeller pump
Inspect the temperature of the pump, as well as the gasket and other sealing element to
see if there is any leakage.

Flow meters
Regulate them once in three months, according to the instructions.

UF equipment
Inspect the input water quality, as well the product water quantity and operation
pressure.

3 Failure analysis
Phenomenon
High pressure
difference
between the
two sides of
UF membrane

Probable cause

Modification methods

Pollution of the UF Find out the causes of the pollution, carry out
membrane
proper cleaning method.
Product water quantity Regulate the quantity
is too high

Temperature of input Regulate the temperature

water is too low
Too
low Pollution of the UF Find out the causes of the pollution, carry out
product water membrane
proper cleaning method.

Zhejiang Creation Environment Technology Co., Ltd.

quantity

Valve angle
uncorrectly

is

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set Inspect and make sure all valves is in the opening

status, and regulate the valve angle

Flow meter is wrong

Input water pressure
is too low
Input
water
temperature is too low
Bad product Bad
input
water
water quality
quality
Damage of the UF
membrane
System can't Transfer pump doesn't
run under the start
automatic
status
Something wrong in
PLC program

Inspect it to make sure it is operated correctly

Solve this problem
Increase the temperature, as well as the input
pressure.
Inspect the input water quality, such as turbidity,
COD, total iron and so on
Replace the damaged element
Turn the pump to manual status and start it, then
turn it to automatic status after it can operate
normally
Inspect the program

7. Cleaning of UF equipment
Preparation before UF cleaning
When to clean?
The pressure difference between input and output port exceeds 1.5bar, or increases
1bar compared with the beginning period;
Product capacity decreases 20% compared with the beginning period;
How to choose cleaning plan
Plan 1
Use 1-2% oxalic acid or 1% HCL solution to clean the UF membrane.
This plan is suitable when the content of Fe or Mn exceeds the required standard,
or when the SS in input water is too high which will cause pollution to the membrane
side of concentrated water.
Plan 2
Use 1%NaOH to clean the UF membrane.
Too high organic matter in the input water can cause organic pollution to UF
membrane. And when the condition is good for microorganism, some bacteria and alga
will grow in the module which will cause biological pollution.
Warning: Please read and understand the cleaning plan before carrying our any
cleaning operation.
Notice
At least 2 times of backwash should be carried out before chemical cleaning;

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The whole process of cleaning will take 2~4 hours;

If the halt time exceeds 3 days after the cleaning, the system must be maintained as
the long-term halt.
The recycled cleaning chemical must go through a 5 micron filter, to remove the
washed off pollutants. Get out the filter cartridge after the cleaning.
The temperature of cleaning liquid should be as high as 30~40, if it is possible.
The cleaning chemical should be discharged completely after every cleaning process.
Cleaning procedure
1)
2)
3)

4)
5)
6)
7)

Prepare the cleaning solution.

Open the cleaning inlet valve and cleaning recycle valve.
Slowly open the outlet valve of cleaning pump, narrow the angle of cleaning recycle
valve a little. Open the air release valve of the cleaning filter, and then close it until
the cleaning solution drains out. Regulate the angle of cleaning recycle valve to make
the flow rate of cleaning solution as the same as product water flux, and the cleaning
inlet pressure below 1bar.
The time length of this cleaning is 30min.
Stop the cleaning pump, close the cleaning inlet and outlet valve, keep the UF input
water pressure 0.2bar, immerse it for 60min.
Open the cleaning inlet valve and recycle valve, start the cleaning pump. The time
length of this cleaning is 30min.
Completely drain out the liquid from the cleaning tank and cleaning pump, and wash
it with clean water till the PH is 7.