Submerged hollow-fiber system design

The application of MF and UF technology in water treatment is still relatively new, as many full-scale plants are less than 10 years old. Consequently, the design of MF and UF systems varies from plant to plant as no single design has proved itself to be the best (see Table 6.2). For example, MF/UF systems may be positioned horizontally or vertically, operate in deadend or cross-filtration mode, the membranes may be immersed/submerged in a feed tank where permeate is sucked (via vacuum) into the inside of the hollow fiber (outside-in filtration) or the membranes may be housed in modules where pressurized feed water is forced through the fiber and permeate is collect on the outside (inside-out filtration). 

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