Performance evaluation of filtration and ultrafiltration for municipal secondary effluent reuse

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the performance of microscreen drum filter and ultrafiltration (UF) as a tertiary treatment to improve the secondary effluent quality. Additionally, hydraulic loading of drum filter and membrane flux of UF were changed. On average, the use of drum filter and UF reduced TSS to 50 and 100, respectively. Furthermore, drum filter, on average, was capable of reducing turbidity and COD to 36 and 20, and UF decreased them to 76 and 39, respectively. Fecal coliform and total coliform were reduced to 74 and 76 in drum filter and 5.28 and 5.08 log in UF, respectively. The results revealed that the combination of microscreen and UF is an effective hybrid process for reducing physical parameters and coliforms in secondary effluent so that it can meet the US Environmental Protection Agency standards for many uses, including unrestricted urban uses and agricultural irrigation for food crops.