A Performance Comparison of Pilot-Scale Sand Filtration and Membrane Filtration of Glafkos River Water

Abstract

Surface-water treatment plants use the flocculation–precipitation method followed by gravity filters to remove suspended solids. In the present work, the replacement of gravity filters with ultrafiltration membrane units is suggested to improve the efficiency of water treatment and to reduce fixed and operational costs. A parametric pilot-scale study was conducted to compare the filtration efficiency of a deep bed and a membrane module for water-simulating river water of various turbidity degrees. Suspensions of kaolinite were prepared to simulate turbidity of the Glafkos River, Achaia Region of Greece and were filtered using a laboratory sand-bed column and a pilot ultrafiltration (UF) membrane unit. Operational parameters such as the particle concentration ratio, the flow rate, and the filter head loss were studied in the case of the granular bed. In the case of membrane filtration, the permeate flux, turbidity, and membrane permeability loss due to fouling were tested. A discussion in terms of the operational cost and environmental impacts was performed. Filtration capacity of the sand filter is a decreasing function of the flow rate and it was found less efficient than membrane ultrafiltration for increased turbidity or increased particle concentration values. Membrane ultrafiltration could achieve long-term economic profit while it is characterized by minimum environmental impact since the use of chemical reagents and the production of waste sludge are limited.