Abstract |
The purpose of this verification was a cut fiber challenge study for the Dow Chemical Company SFD-2880 UF membrane module. MS2 coliphage virus was the surrogate challenge organism. The challenge tests followed the requirements of the Department of Health Victoria (Australia) Draft guidelines for validating treatment processes for pathogen reduction, supporting Class A water recycling schemes in Victoria. Five new fully integral modules were challenged with MS2. Then, one fiber in each module was cut, and the modules were all tested again with MS2. The modules were operated at a target flux of 70 gallons per square foot per day (gfd), which equates to a flow of 40.3 gallons per minute (gpm). The test data did not show any significant reduction in virus removal with a cut-fiber, so a second round of testing was conducted with higher MS2 challenge concentrations. For the retests, the cut-fiber challenges were conducted first, followed by the intact module tests after the cut fibers were pinned. The average log removal value (LRV) was calculated for each module, as well as LRVs for each feed/filtrate sample pair. From this data, the LRVC-TEST was determined as the lowest mean LRV, and also the lowest sample pair LRV. |