15 February 2012
Micro-bubble cleaning
It is particularly effective against clay and biofilm, which are notoriously difficult to clean. The product uses a unique cleaning mechanism, disrupting layered biofilm and clay at the membrane surface. This occurs via normal osmosis of water, drawn by the high ionic strength of the cleaning solution, when the membranes are left to soak with no flow or pressure.
The effectiveness of this was shown in a recent article in Desalination & Water Reuse, describing how membranes at a sugar mill were brought back from the dead after extended soaking.
Taking this concept of disrupting and agitating the fouling layer a stage further, we’ve developed two new cleaning products which contain effervescent molecules that produce micro-bubbles. These help to dislodge deposits so the detergent, surfactant and chelating agents can get into the deposit to break it down, cleaning the membrane surface.
Genesol 701 has been developed specifically to clean cellulose acetate based membranes. It’s an acidic powder cleaner with high ionic strength. The effervescent ingredient has proven to be very effective at removing clay and colloidal deposits as well as iron and mineral scales.
Genesol 704 is an alkaline cleaner with micro-bubbles and cleaning agents for particularly stubborn deposits.
Laboratory results from cleaning flat sheet samples have given very encouraging results and we’re now testing the products in the field.
If you’re facing a membrane cleaning challenge, please get in touch and we’ll be glad to help design a cleaning protocol. Where possible we’ll help you conduct the cleaning ourselves or through our network of distributors.
