C-MEM is a technology for ultra- and micro- filtration of wastewater of any kind, whereby organic hollow fibres with micro-pores (average pore size 20.1 nm) are used as filtration medium.

The hollow fibres have outside diameters between 0.3 – 0.5 mm, depending on application.

In order to obtain sufficient surface area and to allow constant flux rates several hundred fibres are combined to bundles and wound up around a carrier cartridge.

The carrier cartridge has a suction connection for filtered water and an air pressure inlet connection for air scouring. The C-MEM cartridge protects the membranes by preventing mechanical load and also optimizes air scouring.

Several cartridges can be combined to modules, which are submerged and directly installed in the basin.

In wastewater treatment C-MEM is usually designed as membrane bioreactor. The raw wastewater gets biologically pre-treated in a bioreactor and is then pumped to the membrane fibres in the cartridge (outside-in operation). By suction pressure water is sucked into the fibres through the micro-pores. The activated sludge from the bioreactor remains outside the fibres. Due to the small pore size all other suspended solids, bacteria and viruses of any kind are also separated safely. Air scouring prevents the membrane from clogging. The cleaning of the membrane is called CIP (Cleaning in Place), whereby the operation mode of the membrane gets reversed: from a tank cleaning solution is pumped into the fibres and then led outside through the micro-pores (inside-out operation).

Advantages of C-MEM

• 50 % space gain and better effluent quality compared to conventional wastewater treatment
• installation in existing basins and retrofitting possible
• very low operation costs of membrane filtration by cyclic aeration of only 15 – 30 seconds every 5 – 10 minutes
• simple and safe operation by simultaneous filtration and removal of bacteria / viruses with the same equipment
• very high component density = little space requirement
• long life time of modules, cheap and easily exchangeable
• bacteria and viruses are safely removed (10⁴-10⁷ fold reduction) and not only inactivated
• no problems in seasonally operated plants when the membranes stay dry for several months
• modular system

Applications

• biological wastewater treatment (MBR)
• upgrading of existing wastewater treatment plants / capacity increase
• grey water treatment
• landfill leachate treatment
• condensate treatment in biomass power plants
• industrial wastewater of any kind
• wastewater from carwash

For wastewater C-MEM is available in the following plant configuration: C-MEM submerged

Leachate Treatment Sarajevo Landfill (Bosnia)

We have learned from the deficiencies of other membrane technologies and have refined these technologies.

The following features prove this and hence clearly speak for C-MEM:

Unique HDPE fiber with 3D micro pores (average pore size 20.1 nm)

because by means of them suspended solids, bacteria and viruses are safely separated (104 – 107-fold reduction) and not only inactivated.

Extremely compact cartridge form

because this saves 50 % space and the membranes are fully protected.

Modularly expandable system

because any number of cartridges can be combined to one module and every plant size can be equipped.

Operational cost savings

because the innovative backwash system with combined water and air scour reduces the consumption of energy and cleaning chemicals.

References

Heating plant Schlanders (Italy)

Treatment of biomass condensate (separation of heavy metals) Flow rate: 12 m³/ day up [Vollansicht]

Drinking water treatment Fuschl

Flow rate: up to 864 m³/per day up to 36 m³ /h Cartridges: 64 Commisioning: [Vollansicht]

Treatment of hospital wastewater in Vientiane Lao

Typ: C-MEM MBR Flow rate: 454 m³/d up to 45 m³/h Cartriges: 640 pcs. Modules: 10 Start-Up: 2023 [Vollansicht]