QUA EnviQ model E32C
Katlyn Graham: Hello, I’m Katlyn Graham here with VJ Nathan, the technical director at QUA. Welcome VJ.
VJ Nathan: Thank you, Katlyn.
Katlyn: Thanks for joining us today. We are discussing one of QUA’s products today ‑‑ ENVIQ ‑‑ and it uses submerged membrane filtration. VJ, what is submerged membrane filtration?
VJ: Katlyn, submerged filtration as the name suggests is one of the types of membrane filtration where the membrane is submerged inside a tank. The submerged membrane can be either a hollow fiber or a flat sheet. The other type of membrane, which is not submerged are the external pressurized type.
In a submerged membrane, the dirty water enters the membrane from the outside, and the clean water is drawn through the pores of the membrane by applying gentle suction.
Membrane filtration can be either a micro or ultra filtration depending on the type of application. However, the ultra filtration membrane produces a much superior quality of treated water than microfiltration due to its smaller pore size.
Now, QUA ENVIQ is an ultra filtration PVDF flat sheet membrane.
Katlyn: What industries and where might you use this submerged membrane filtration?
VJ: Normally, submerged membranes are used in water and waste water filtration. Most of the application today is for the tertiary treatment of the waste water, basically like NBR systems or the membrane bioreactor application.
Katlyn: What makes the ENVIQ membrane unique?
VJ: ENVIQ membrane, which is manufactured by our company, QUA, is a patented product with various special features. There is no external frame attached to the membrane, and it is mostly membrane‑only surface. Thus, there is no unnecessary void space in the Cassette. Now eliminating the void space cuts out bio growth within the Cassette, which otherwise would have required more frequent maintenance and chemical cleaning.
The unit is also provided with a reverse diffusion, which is carried out on a pre‑set, timely basis. This simple gravity‑diffusion process maintains a very consistent, low TMP, as well it reduces the number of chemical cleaning requirements. We also have a proprietary air diffuser arrangement, which requires no cleaning.
The ENVIQ membrane from QUA is a PVDF membrane which produces a much better‑quality filtered water compared to a microfiltration membrane.
Katlyn: It sounds like you’re saying that when you use the ENVIQ membrane, you can use less chemicals.
VJ: That’s true.
Katlyn: Is there anything else you want people to know about ENVIQ?
VJ: The other thing is, in addition it has properties like high tolerance to chlorine and other oxidative compounds. It has got consistent hyper‑permeability. It can manage a very high solid loading, up to 15,000 ppm MLSS. These are some of these specialties.
Katlyn: You said a couple different things there. What does that do?
VJ: Basically what it means is when I say chlorine and high‑oxidative compounds, basically you can do a vigorous cleaning without affecting the membrane.
Katlyn: Which, yeah, definitely would want to do that. [laughs] Thank you, VJ, so much for explaining all this to us. I really appreciate it. It’s been very informative.
VJ: Thank you very much, Katlyn.