| abstract |
Waste oily water is dewatered by expelling water through ceramic ultra filtration membranes of a cross-flow filter, located in a circulation ring, which is routinely cleaned in situ. The ring has two auxiliary reservoirs, with removable sight glasses, between which reservoirs the cleaning fluid is see-sawed during cleaning cycles, the reversing chemical flow being controlled by float switches. Heating for cleaning purposes is by way of closed-loop high-rate ring circulation. Frequent automated cleaning by a Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) maintains high flux rates with sustainable large volume annual throughput in the range of 1 to 2 million litres per year per square meter of filter membrane surface area. The system is fail-safe and environmentally friendly. |