Challenge
Bullhead City, Arizona operates a municipal wastewater treatment facility that was commissioned in 2007 with un-reinforced MBR membranes from a well-known manufacturer. The original manufacturer’s membranes were lasting only 3 years between replacements due to fiber breaks and permeability loss. The City was cleaning and repairing the membranes frequently, resulting in a significant increase to operating costs beyond what they expected or planned.
Solution
Veolia approached the City with a direct replacement solution for the existing membranes that would use the industry-leading ZeeWeed 500 product and in July 2014, the City approved a 1-year trial using the ZeeWeed 500S modules. Veolia’s ZeeWeed 500S module is built using reinforced ultrafiltration membrane fiber designed for MBR’s and is characterized by its high flow rates, fiber ruggedness, and compact design. The replacement rack fit directly into the existing tank, on the existing supports, beside the original membranes with no alterations.
Result
The one-year test period showed ZeeWeed 500 had improved solids handling and sustained high flux (exceeding the original design flux) with no fiber breaks and outperformed the other manufacturer’s membranes. After the trial concluded, the City elected to upgrade the first 2 cells containing 18 racks in 2016. After another year of successful and superior performance on the full-scale plant, the City replaced the remainder of the plant, an additional 2 cells with ZeeWeed in 2018. The plant is now operating entirely with ZeeWeed membranes and providing reliability and lower operating costs than the original manufacturers product.