The article presents the possibilities of employing an integrated flocculation/ultrafiltration system in the treatment of washings generated upon the rinsing of filter beds in pool water installations. Single ultrafiltration process was used as a comparator. Flocculation was carried out using commercial dialuminium pentahydroxychloride solution widely used at pool facilities for the removal of contaminants in flocculation processes. The studies consisted in determination of correlations between the conditions of the flocculation process (variable doses of Al3+ ions: from 4 to 280 mg/L) and the transport/separation characteristics of ultrafiltration membranes. Flocculation was performed at different temperatures of washings i.e. 8, 21, and 30°C for each of the pre-defined doses. Ultrafiltration was highly capable of reducing the turbidity of washings and removing a large group of contaminants as determined by turbidimetry and UV254 absorbance measurements. The studies revealed that the best transport/separation characteristics of ultrafiltration membranes were obtained in a system in which ultrafiltration was performed following flocculation of washings carried out at 21°C using a 40 mgAl3+/L solution. The turbidity was reduced by ca. 99% and UV absorption was reduced by ca. 94% while the relative volumetric stream of the permeate increased by more than 35% (as compared to the filtration of washings in a single-process system). Membrane ultrafiltration significantly increased the quality of the waste stream consisting of washings from the pool water installation. Pre-processing of washings is required before ultrafiltration in order to limit the blocking of membrane pores. Flocculation may be one of such pre-processing methods.
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