Membrane Technologies: Past, Present and Future (the North America as an Example)

SUMMARY

Basic tendencies in the field of development of membrane processes for water and wastewater treatment in the North America are covered. Main characteristics, basic trends and features of the use of membranes including membrane bioreactors are presented. Characteristics necessary for assessment and selection of the best membrane technologies for each certain project are compared. Membrane treatment has become the fastest growing sector in water treatment, wastewater treatment and water desalination. Four types of membranes are used according to membrane pore size: microfiltration (MF), ultrafiltration (UF), nanofiltration (NF) and reverse osmosis (RO). All four principal types of membrane guarantee the removal of the entire spectrum of water pollutants and can be used as a stand-alone technology for a majority of applications. Integrated membrane processes combining different membrane types are becoming a cutting edge approach to meet strict water/wastewater quality regulations because they allow the smallest possible system size, minimize chemical consumption, and provide the most cost-effective solution for the greatest number of applications.

Key words

potable water , wastewater treatment , reverse osmosis , ultrafiltration , desalination , membranes , microfiltration , nanofiltration , membrane bioreactor