Media Filtration MMF
Granular-bed filtration that removes suspended solids ahead of a membrane, sized here from design flow, filtration rate and bed geometry.
- Active
- Partial
Ultrafiltration UF
Low-pressure membrane barrier that removes colloids, bacteria and suspended solids ahead of RO or NF, quantified by membrane area, TMP and flux condition.
Overview
Low-pressure membrane barrier that removes colloids, bacteria and suspended solids ahead of RO or NF, quantified by membrane area, TMP and flux condition.
How it works
Separation mechanism and feed window. Suited to feed that has already had gross solids removed. UF is a particle and microbial barrier, not a salt-removal step, and it does not soften or desalinate.
What the process produces. Filtrate at a design flux. Permeate quality is governed by the feed and the membrane, and is not a calculated EngiMetric output.
Energy. Low pressure. Transmembrane pressure drives the flux; energy scales with TMP and flow.
Process sequence
Where this technology normally sits in a treatment train. The steps either side of it are documented in the Library as separate entries.
- Pretreatment (MMF)
- Ultrafiltration (UF)
- Primary separation (RO)
Typical applications
- Colloid and biofilm control ahead of seawater RO
- Potable-grade clarification where SDI control is the driver
- Replacing a conventional media stage where footprint matters
Main equipment
- UF module or hollow-fibre rack
- Feed pump
- Backwash and CIP skid
- Control valve and air scour
Key design parameters
The parameters an engineer actually sets, and why each one drives the design. EngiMetric does not assume any of them.
| Parameter | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Design flow | Sets required membrane area together with design flux. |
| Design flux (LMH) | The area driver. Flux is manufacturer- and feed-dependent. |
| Transmembrane pressure | From feed, filtrate and concentrate pressures; determines energy demand. |
| Normalised flux | Compares current flux to the reference condition and exposes fouling. |
Advantages
- Removes colloids and microorganisms that foul RO.
- Compact footprint relative to equivalent media filtration.
- Backwash and CIP keep the module recoverable.
Limitations
- Requires feed chemistry that will not foul irreversibly.
- Design flux is a supplier figure, not a universal constant.
- Capital and control complexity exceed a media filter.
Engineering considerations
- Flux normalisation to a reference temperature is required before comparing performance.
- UF does not reduce scaling load; antiscalant and acid control remain necessary.
Status and EngiMetric support
Industry maturity and commercial status describe the technology itself. EngiMetric support and quantitative modeling describe what this platform does with it — and those two are read from the engineering registry at build time, so they cannot drift from the code.
- Engineering maturity
- Mature How established the technology is in the industry. Not an EngiMetric claim.
- Commercial status
- Commercial Where the technology sits in the market. Not an EngiMetric claim.
- EngiMetric support
- Active Derived from the execution registry: uf is registered as supported.
- Design engine
- Yes Whether the Plant Designer can carry this as a configured process step.
- Quantitative modeling
- Available Derived: 3 of 3 registered capabilities run a deterministic engine.
What EngiMetric computes
These capabilities are registered in the EngiMetric execution registry. Each one runs a deterministic engine, so every result is reproducible from the inputs you supply.
- UF membrane area calculateUfMembraneArea
- UF transmembrane pressure calculateUfTmp
- UF flux condition calculateUfFluxCondition
Related tools
Every tool below exists and is live. EngiMetric does not duplicate a formula here — the calculation lives in the tool, and this page links to it.
- Ultrafiltration (UF) Membrane Engineering Membrane area from permeate flow and design flux, transmembrane pressure, and normalised flux for fouling.
- Filter Sizing Calculator Media-filter sizing when UF follows a conventional filter.
- Water Analysis & Treatment Selection Feed chemistry, hardness and saturation tendency that decide the flux condition.
Design this as a plant
Available as a configured treatment-train step, including as a prologue ahead of RO in the UF demo case.
Verified against the authoritative treatment model, which configures:
ultrafiltration
Sources and references
- Design flux — Manufacturer datasheet; supplied by the engineer.
EngiMetric does not publish a bibliography of external literature for catalogued technologies. Where a figure is required, it is entered by the engineer from a datasheet or a published reference, and it is labelled as an input.