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Membrane filtration modules
Membrane Filtration — UF, NF, MF and MBR Modules
Membrane filtration covers microfiltration, ultrafiltration, nanofiltration and membrane bioreactor modules, separating at scales from 10 micrometres down to roughly 200 daltons. It sits ahead of reverse osmosis to reduce SDI, or replaces it where the problem is solids and organics rather than dissolved salts.
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Answer first
What Membrane Filtration Are, and How They Are Specified
Membrane filtration covers microfiltration, ultrafiltration, nanofiltration and membrane bioreactor modules, separating at scales from 10 micrometres down to roughly 200 daltons. It sits ahead of reverse osmosis to reduce SDI, or replaces it where the problem is solids and organics rather than dissolved salts.
The four processes are separated by what they retain. MF and UF are size-exclusion barriers that remove particles, colloids and micro-organisms but pass dissolved salts entirely. NF rejects divalent ions while passing much of the monovalent salt. Only RO, which sits outside this category, removes salts comprehensively.
Module format matters as much as the rating. A spiral module in a high-solids stream will block whatever its pore size says, which is why hollow fibre dominates in backwashable duty and flat sheet dominates in submerged MBR service.
Choose a type
Membrane Filtration by Type
Each type below has its own page with a full specification table, selection guidance and its own enquiry route.
UF Membranes
UF membranes separate at 0.01 to 0.1 micrometres, roughly 20,000 to 150,000 daltons, removing colloids, silt, bacteria, most viruses and macromolecules while passing dissolved salts.
NF Membranes
NF membranes separate at roughly 200 to 1,000 daltons, rejecting divalent ions such as calcium, magnesium and sulphate at 90 to 98 percent while passing 20 to 80 percent of monovalent salt.
MF Membranes
MF membranes separate at 0.1 to 10 micrometres, removing suspended solids, turbidity, most bacteria and protozoan cysts at operating pressures of 0.1 to 2 bar.
MBR Membranes
MBR membranes are submerged flat-sheet or hollow-fibre modules that replace the secondary clarifier in a biological treatment plant, separating biomass from treated water directly.
Specification
Process comparison with units
| Process | Nominal separation | Removes | Does not remove | Typical pressure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Microfiltration (MF) | 0.1–10 µm | Suspended solids, turbidity, most bacteria and cysts | Dissolved salts, dissolved organics, viruses | 0.1–2 bar |
| Ultrafiltration (UF) | 0.01–0.1 µm, roughly 20–150 kDa | Colloids, silt, bacteria, most viruses, macromolecules | Dissolved salts, low molecular weight organics | 1–5 bar |
| Nanofiltration (NF) | Roughly 200–1,000 Da | Divalent ions at 90–98 %, colour, larger organics | 20–80 % of monovalent salt passes | 5–15 bar |
| Membrane bioreactor (MBR) | 0.04–0.4 µm typical | Biomass and solids, replacing a secondary clarifier | Dissolved salts | Submerged, low transmembrane pressure |
Microfiltration (MF)
- Nominal separation
- 0.1–10 µm
- Removes
- Suspended solids, turbidity, most bacteria and cysts
- Does not remove
- Dissolved salts, dissolved organics, viruses
- Typical pressure
- 0.1–2 bar
Ultrafiltration (UF)
- Nominal separation
- 0.01–0.1 µm, roughly 20–150 kDa
- Removes
- Colloids, silt, bacteria, most viruses, macromolecules
- Does not remove
- Dissolved salts, low molecular weight organics
- Typical pressure
- 1–5 bar
Nanofiltration (NF)
- Nominal separation
- Roughly 200–1,000 Da
- Removes
- Divalent ions at 90–98 %, colour, larger organics
- Does not remove
- 20–80 % of monovalent salt passes
- Typical pressure
- 5–15 bar
Membrane bioreactor (MBR)
- Nominal separation
- 0.04–0.4 µm typical
- Removes
- Biomass and solids, replacing a secondary clarifier
- Does not remove
- Dissolved salts
- Typical pressure
- Submerged, low transmembrane pressure
Typical published ranges across each process. Final values follow the datasheet of the module quoted.
Selection guidance
SDI, not turbidity, is the number that decides RO pre-treatment
Turbidity is easy to measure and tells you about visible solids. SDI — the silt density index — tells you about the fine colloidal material that actually fouls an RO element, and the two do not correlate reliably. Feed can look clear and still carry an SDI that will foul a membrane inside months.
Most RO elements specify a maximum feed SDI₁₅ of around 5. If your feed sits above that after media filtration, ultrafiltration is the stage that brings it down consistently. Specifying UF from a turbidity figure alone is how plants end up with a barrier that does not solve the problem it was bought for.
Application mapping
Where Membrane Filtration Are Used
RO pre-treatment
- Typical requirement
- Feed SDI₁₅ reduced below about 5
- Indicated configuration
- UF ahead of cartridge filtration and the RO array
STP and ETP recycle
- Typical requirement
- Secondary effluent clarified before RO
- Indicated configuration
- MBR or UF, then cartridge filtration, then fouling-resistant RO
Softening without desalination
- Typical requirement
- Hardness and colour reduced, minerals retained
- Indicated configuration
- NF with the monovalent passage accounted for in the design
Surface water clarification
- Typical requirement
- Seasonal turbidity and organics
- Indicated configuration
- MF or UF sized for worst-case rather than average load
Commercial terms
How This Category Is Quoted
Water treatment does not have a list price, and any supplier quoting one before seeing a feed analysis is quoting a different plant from the one you need.
Pricing basis
On request, and capacity-dependent. Plant pricing moves with capacity, feed water analysis and the recovery target; membranes, cartridges and resins are quoted per element, per lot or per litre of media.
Order quantity
From a single replacement element or a case of cartridges through to full plant scope. Consumable lines are quoted per box or per lot, and the lot size is stated on the quotation.
Lead time
Confirmed per line item at quotation stage. Stocked consumable lines and made-to-order plant differ substantially, so a single blanket lead time for the category would be misleading — the quotation carries the figure for each line.
Invoicing
GST invoice against company or institutional purchase order. Proforma issued where advance payment or internal approval requires it.
Delivery coverage
Despatch from Delhi NCR across India, including plant, project and institutional sites. Delivery city and site access are asked for at enquiry because both affect despatch mode.
Documentation
Technical datasheet for the item quoted, and a test certificate where the principal supplies one with that product. Tender and institutional documentation formats are prepared on request — send the format with the enquiry so the quotation is issued in a form you can submit without rework.
Request for quotation
Request a Quote — Membrane Filtration
Fields marked with an asterisk are required. The technical fields are what usually decide whether you get a quotation on the first pass or three emails of clarification.
Frequently asked
Membrane Filtration — Common Questions
What is the difference between UF and RO?
Scale and what it means. UF separates at 0.01 to 0.1 micrometres and removes colloids, bacteria and most viruses, but passes dissolved salts completely. RO uses a dense film and rejects dissolved salts at 96 to 99.8 percent.
UF will not lower TDS. If your problem is salinity, UF is pre-treatment for the process that solves it, not the solution.
Is nanofiltration a cheaper reverse osmosis?
No, and treating it as one is a common specification error. NF rejects divalent ions such as calcium, magnesium and sulphate at 90 to 98 percent, but 20 to 80 percent of monovalent salt passes straight through.
If sodium chloride is your problem, NF will not solve it. NF earns its place where hardness, colour or larger organics need removing and full desalination is not wanted.
Which module format should I specify?
Hollow fibre where the feed carries solids and the module needs backwashing, spiral wound where the feed is clean and footprint matters, and flat sheet for submerged MBR service.
Format is decided by the solids in the feed rather than by the pore rating. A spiral module in a high-solids stream blocks regardless of its rating.
Can membrane filtration replace conventional clarification?
Often, and MBR does exactly that in an STP by replacing the secondary clarifier with a membrane barrier. The result is a much more consistent effluent quality that suits RO recycle downstream.
The trade-off is that membranes need cleaning and eventual replacement, and they are less forgiving of shock loads than a clarifier. Both should be costed over the plant life rather than at purchase.
Related Products and Categories
Specified alongside membrane filtration, and the category this page sits in.
Fouling resistant RO membranes downstreamCartridge filters between UF and ROSTP and ETP solutionsBack to Water Purification Systems
- Delhi NCR base with pan-India supply, including plant and project sites.