Patent Application
20210291118
This application claims the benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. ยง 119 of European Application 20163848.3, filed Mar. 18, 2020, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
The invention refers to a cleaning-in-place method for cleaning a membrane filter system as well as to a filter device including at least one filter membrane (membrane).
Membrane filter systems need to be cleaned from time to time. In certain intervals backwash cycles are carried out and in greater intervals cleaning cycles, so called cleaning-in-place cycles are required. Backwashing has to be understood as a washing using the produced filtrate to physically remove solids from the membrane with the washing fluid passing through the membrane. Cleaning-in-place, however, is a chemical cleaning operation of the filter or membrane without removing the filter from the system. During the cleaning-in-place cycle the production of the filter system has to be stopped. Therefore, it is desired to reduce the necessary time for the cleaning-in-place cycle. Furthermore, the cleaning-in-place requires energy and chemicals. For cost optimization it is desired to reduce the use of energy and chemicals. On the other hand, an optimal cleaning result should be ensured, too.
In view of this conflict of aims it is an object of the invention to improve a cleaning-in-place method such that it achieves an optimal cleaning result in a most economic way. This object is achieved by a cleaning-in-place method having the features according to the invention and by a filter device having features according to the invention.
The cleaning-in-place method according to the invention is provided for cleaning a membrane filter system. The cleaning-in-place may be carried out by use of clean water and certain chemicals or cleaning agents. Preferably the cleaning-in-place is carried out by a cleaning-in-place flow in form of a cross flow flowing along the entrance or feed side of the filter membrane (membrane), i.e. from the feed entry to the retentate outlet of the filter system, or vice versa. Such cleaning-in-place flow may be produced by a cleaning-in-place pump feeding a cleaning solution through the filter system, preferably in a closed-loop. It is the aim of the invention to terminate the cleaning-in-place cycle if the desired cleaning result of the membrane is achieved to avoid a longer duration of the cleaning-in-place cycle than necessary.
In a first method step the cleaning-in-place cycle is started. The point in time for starting the cleaning-in-place cycle may be found in conventional manner, i.e. the cleaning-in-place cycle is started when a cleaning-in-place is required. The need of cleaning-in-place may for example be detected as disclosed in EP 2 985 069 B1 (which is incorporated herein by reference). According to the invention for detecting the cleaning result backwash cycles are carried out during this cleaning-in-place cycle. The backwash cycles may be carried out in intervals, predefined or varying intervals, during the cleaning-in-place cycle. During these backwash cycles at least one backwash hydraulic parameter of the filter is determined. The backwash hydraulic parameter is a parameter determined by measuring at least one backwash variable in the backwash flow. The backwash flow may be produced by a backwash pump. The backwash flow is passing through the filter membrane from the permeate side towards the feed side of the membrane. According to the invention the cleaning-in-place cycle is terminated when the determined backwash hydraulic parameter meets a certain criterion. This may be a criterion representing the cleaning result. This means according to the invention the backwash cycles carried out during the cleaning-in-place cycle are used to measure or detect the achieved cleaning result. This allows to detect the achieved cleaning result and to terminate the cleaning-in-place cycle just when the desired cleaning result is achieved. By this an unnecessarily long interruption of production for carrying out the cleaning-in-place cycle can be avoided.
For carrying out the backwash cycles during the cleaning-in-place cycle the cleaning-in-place cycle can be interrupted. In a preferred embodiment, however, the backwash cycles are carried out without interrupting the cleaning-in-place cycle, i.e. simultaneously with the cleaning-in-place cycle. The cleaning-in-place flow just results in an increased counter pressure for the backwash, but apart from that does not influence the measurement of the hydraulic parameters in the backwash flow.
A further advantage of the method according to the invention is that the method can easily be carried out in existing filter systems, since preferably it does not require any physical change of the filter system. All necessary pumps and sensors, usually are present in a conventional membrane filter system provided for backwashing and cleaning-in-place. To implement the method according to the invention only a respective change of the control controlling the backwash cycles and the cleaning-in-place cycles would be necessary.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention the cleaning-in-place cycle is a chemical cleaning using at least one cleaning agent. Also, a combination of different cleaning agents or chemicals, respectively may be used. Furthermore, it may be possible to adjust the temperature of the cleaning solution or agent. On basis of these variables a certain recipe for the cleaning-in-place cycle may be set. This allows an optimization of the cleaning-in-place cycle to achieve an optimal cleaning result at minimum costs.
Advantageously, the cleaning-in-place cycle is carried out by a crossflow flowing along a feed side of the membrane. Thus, preferably the cleaning agent or fluid containing the cleaning agent is flowing along one side, namely the entrance of feed side of the membrane and not passing through the membrane towards the outlet side of the membrane.
Furthermore, during the backwash cycle, advantageously a backwash flow passing the membrane, in particular from the permeate side towards the feed side of the membrane is used. This allows to detect a backwash hydraulic parameter representing the cleaning result, and in particular the permeability of the membrane, as explained in further detail below.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention for determining the backwash hydraulic parameter at least one respective backwash variable is measured or detected for a period of time and the backwash hydraulic parameter is sampled when the detected parameter has stabilized, i.e. when the measured variables are substantially constant. The decision whether the backwash hydraulic parameter meets the certain criterion is made on basis of the value sampled or determined after the parameter became stable. Then the backwash cycle may be terminated. Thus, for determining the parameter it is waited until the parameter or value becomes stable, then the value of the parameter is sampled and this sampled value is used for further analysis and the decision whether to terminate the cleaning-in-place cycle.
According to a possible embodiment of the invention the cleaning-in-place cycle is terminated, if a deviation of a currently determined or sampled value of said backwash hydraulic parameter from a value of the same backwash hydraulic parameter determined or sampled in a previous backwash in the same cleaning-in-place cycle exceeds a predefined deviation limit value. During the cleaning-in-place cycle several backwash cycles are carried out in intervals. In each backwash cycle the same backwash hydraulic parameter or the same backwash hydraulic parameters are determined or sampled, preferably after said parameter became stable. Then the values of those backwash hydraulic parameters are compared among each other to monitor the change of the backwash hydraulic parameters from one backwash cycle to the next backwash cycle. Preferably, the cleaning-in-place cycle is terminated if the backwash hydraulic parameter is approaching a constant value over the serval backwash cycles. This may be detected by considering a predefined deviation limit value. If the deviation reaches this predefined limit value the backwash hydraulic parameter may be regarded as being constant. This means the deviation preferably becomes smaller than the predefined deviation limit value. In view of this the definition exceeding a predefined deviation value may also imply that the deviation falls below the deviation limit value.
According to a further possible embodiment of the invention during the cleaning-in-place cycle at least one characteristic value characterizing the efficiency of the cleaning-in-place process is determined. The detection of such a characteristic value allows to compare the efficiency of different recipes for the cleaning-in-place cycle to choose the most efficient recipe for the cleaning-in-place.
For example several cleaning-in-place cycles may be carried out with changing at least one setting of the cleaning-in-place recipe, i.e. with changing the recipes between the different cleaning-in-place cycles. The different recipes for the cleaning-in-place may vary for example in the chemicals used and/or a temperature setting. During each cleaning-in-place cycle a characteristic value characterizing the efficiency may be determined or detected. Then, the efficiencies of the different recipes are compared to determine the most economic recipe for the cleaning-in-place cycle. In the following the cleaning-in-place cycles this most economic recipe may be used. Such method step allows to carry out an optimization of the cleaning-in-place recipe for a certain filter system taking into consideration the properties and ambient conditions of the respective membrane filter system. These properties and conditions may change over time. By carrying out the afore described optimization process it is possible to currently optimize the cleaning-in-place cycle by continuously determining the most efficient cleaning-in-place recipe.
The characteristic value characterizing the efficiency of the cleaning-in-place process may for example be energy consumption, time and/or the amount of cleaning agent needed. Thereby also the costs may be regarded. It is possible to calculate a characteristic value on basis of all these factors of influence to carry out an optimization process for finding the most cost-effective cleaning-in-place recipe.
The backwash hydraulic parameter detected or sampled during the backwash cycle preferably is a parameter characterizing the permeability of the membrane filter. The permeability of the membrane filter indicates the cleaning result. When the permeability reaches its maximum the optimum cleaning result is achieved. Since over time the permeability of the membrane may decrease the maximum permeability which can be reached preferably is assumed if the backwash hydraulic parameter and, thus, the permeability becomes constant.
Preferably, the backwash hydraulic parameter is deter-mined in real time during the backwash operation or the backwash cycle, respectively, preferably by measurement of at least one backwash variable. Thus, the achieved cleaning result can be detected in real time allowing to terminate the cleaning-in-place cycle as soon as the desired cleaning result is achieved.
According to a further preferred embodiment of the method the backwash hydraulic parameter is determined at least on basis of the flow and/or transmembrane pressure measured during the backwash cycle in the membrane filter system. The backwash flow may be detected by a suitable flow sensor or, alternatively, by a backwash pump generating the backwash flow. Furthermore, it may be possible to carry out a flow control by the pump to adjust or set the backwash flow. In an alternative embodiment it would be possible to set a backwash pressure and to measure changes in flow. The transmembrane pressure may be detected by respective pressure sensors on both sides of the membrane. On basis of the transmembrane pressure and the flow the permeability or a value characterizing the permeability can be calculated. The flow, pressure and membrane surface area, which is constant, can be combined into a characteristic value characterizing the permeability of the membrane. This characteristic value, furthermore, may, optionally, be corrected with the temperature to consider a temperature corrected permeability.
According to a further preferred embodiment during the backwash cycle the flow is ramped to a certain value and then ramped back to zero, wherein preferably the flow is maintained constant for a certain period before ramping back to zero. However, it is not necessary to keep the flow constant for a certain time. The ramp of the flow may be achieved by a respective control of a backwash pump. Ramping the flow produces a corresponding transmembrane pressure profile containing useful information. Preferably, the tracked backwash hydraulic parameter (e.g. permeability) is independent of changes in flow and pressure.
The intervals between two backwash cycles carried out during the cleaning-in-place cycle may be predefined, and, preferably, equal. Alternatively, the intervals between two backwash cycles in the cleaning-in-place cycle may be variable. This allows to adjust the intervals on basis of the change of the hydraulic parameter in previous backwash cycles during the cleaning-in-place cycle. Usually, the value of the permeability detected will be low in the beginning of the cleaning-in-place cycle, then may increase rapidly and at the end the increase may slow down. To precisely detect the point in time to terminate the cleaning-in-place cycle it may, therefore, be advantageous to start with longer intervals between two backwash cycles and to shorten the intervals during progress of the cleaning-in-place cycle. The shortening of the intervals may be carried out on basis of the detected backwash hydraulic parameter, for example on basis of the change of a gradient of a backwash hydraulic parameter curve created from the detected values of the backwash hydraulic parameter.
Beside the described cleaning-in-place method a filter device according to the following description is subject of the present invention. Preferred embodiments described with reference to the method may also be regarded as preferred embodiments of the filter device and vice versa.
The filter device according to the invention includes at least one membrane and equipment for backwashing the membrane and for cleaning-in-place the membrane. Preferably, the filter device comprises a backwash pump and a cleaning-in-place pump as well as necessary means for adding cleaning agents into a cleaning-in-place flow, and for example a cleaning-in-place tank. In particular the filter device may be configured such that a cleaning-in-place flow with a cleaning agent is a crossflow, wherein the crossflow flows along the feed or entrance side of the membrane without passing the membrane towards the permeate side. For the backwash, the filter device may be configured such that the backwash pump can provide a backwash flow passing the membrane from the permeate side towards the feed side. Furthermore, the filter device comprises a control device which is designed for controlling at least the cleaning-in-place and the backwash of the filter. The control device in particular may control respective pumps for generating a predefined cleaning-in-place flow and/or backwash flow. The control device according to the invention is configured to control the cleaning-in-place cycle with the following steps: The cleaning-in-place cycle is started when the need for cleaning-in-place is detected. This may be done in conventional manner for example as known from EP 2 985 069 B1. In intervals backwash cycles are carried out during this cleaning-in-place cycle. This may be done without interrupting the cleaning-in-place cycle as described above with reference to the method. During these backwash cycles at least one backwash hydraulic parameter of the filter or membrane is detected or determined. The at least one backwash hydraulic parameter may be a parameter which is characterizing the backwash flow and/or resulting from the backwash flow. The cleaning-in-place cycle is terminated by the control device if the determined backwash hydraulic parameter meets a certain, preferably predefined criterion. This may be a criterion indicating a sufficient cleaning result or a condition in which substantially no further improvement of the cleaning result can be achieved. By this an optimum cleaning result can be achieved without need of a too long duration of the cleaning-in-place cycle. Thus, the period of interruption of the production can be reduced. Furthermore, due to an increased production time the size of the filter device may be reduced for the same output.
Preferably the filter device comprises at least one sensor element which is connected to the control device and provided for detecting the at least one backwash hydraulic parameter or at least one value or variable on basis of which the backwash hydraulic parameter is determined. Preferably the at least one sensor element is a pressure sensor arranged to detect a transmembrane pressure. Further preferred two pressure sensors are provided on both sides of the membrane to detect the transmembrane pressure.
According to a further preferred embodiment the at least one sensor element may be a flow sensor arranged to detect the flow during the backwash cycle. Instead by use of a flow sensor the flow may be detected by a backwash pump producing the backwash flow. In the sense of the invention, therefore, also the backwash pump may be regarded as a flow sensor. Furthermore, preferably both the at least one pressure sensor and the at least one flow sensor are provided to detect the transmembrane pressure and the flow during the backwash cycle. According to a further option also a temperature sensor may be provided to regard the temperature in the system.
Preferably, the permeability of the membrane is calculated on basis of the measured values and regarded as the mentioned backwash hydraulic parameter.
As described above, preferably, a backwash pump is provided in the filter device. According to a further preferred embodiment said backwash pump is controlled by said control device. For example, a backwash flow provided by said backwash pump is set by said control device. According to a further possible embodiment the control device may ramp the flow during the backwash cycle from zero to a maximum and then back to zero. Between the ramps the flow may be kept constant for a certain time.
In the following the invention is described by way of example with reference to the accompanying figures. The various features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and specific objects attained by its uses, reference is made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated.
In the drawings:
Referring to the drawings, the filter device as shown in
The filter device as shown in
Additionally, the filter device shown in
The filter device furthermore comprises a control device 26. The control device 26 is connected to the CIP pump 20 and the backwash pump 18 and in this example also to the feed pump 8. The control device 26 controls the backwash pump 18, the CIP pump 20 and the feed pump 8, by switching the pumps on and off and, preferably, also speed regulation to ensure the desired flows and/or pressures on the outlet side of the respective pump. Furthermore, in the filter there are provided two pressure sensors 28 and 30 on both sides of the membrane 2, i.e. the pressure sensor 28 is arranged on the permeate side 6 and the pressure sensor 30 is arranged on the feed side 4 of the membrane 2 such that by the pressure sensors 28 and 30 a transmembrane pressure TMP can be detected. Furthermore, in this example the backwash pump 18 detects the backwash flow, i.e. acts as a flow sensor. Instead of the flow detection by the backwash pump 18 there may be provided a separate flow sensor in the backwash line connecting the filtrate tank 16 and the permeate side 6 of the membrane 2.
During production the CIP pump 20 and the backwash pump 18 are switched off and the feed pump 8 feeds raw water 10 through the feed side 4 of the membrane 2 and the clean water passing through the membrane 2, i.e. the permeate flows into the filtrate tank 16 via the permeate outlet 14.
Over time, the membrane fouls and the hydraulic resistance increases. Thus, in intervals either a backwash, and/or a cleaning-in-place (CIP) is necessary to bring the performance back to the membrane. In a backwash cycle the membrane is flushed with produced water in reverse direction. In the cleaning-in-place cycle the membrane 2 is cleaned by a cleaning solution or agent in a cross flow on the feed side 4 as mentioned above. The need for such backwash or cleaning-in-place may be detected by the control device 26 in conventional manner, for example as known from EP 2 985 069 B1.
The method according to the invention now described by an example refers to the cleaning-in-place cycle. To start the cleaning-in-place cycle (CIP-cycle) the control device 26 switches off the feed pump 8 and starts the operation of the CIP pump 20. Furthermore, cleaning chemicals or agents may be added into the CIP tank or the CIP circuit via a suitable dosing means, not shown in
During these backwash cycles the transmembrane pressure is detected via the pressure sensors 28 and 30. Furthermore, the flow is detected via the backwash pump 18 itself. The control device 26 is provided to calculate a characteristic value on basis of those detected values, i.e. to calculate a backwash hydraulic parameter forming this characteristic value. In this example, this backwash hydraulic parameter is the permeability of the membrane. Alternatively, the backwash hydraulic parameter may for example be the hydraulic resistance of the membrane 2 or a characteristic value derived from the hydraulic resistance. Both, the hydraulic resistance or the permeability of the membrane, can be calculated by use of Darcy-law. For the Darcy equation also the surface of the membrane 2 and/or the temperature may be taken into consideration. The temperature may be detected by an additional temperature sensor connected to the control device 26. The surface size of the membrane 2 may be stored in the control device 26. Alternatively, for example a parameter reflecting the position of the pump's duty point can be calculated which does not require the knowledge of the membrane surface area. For each backwash cycle carried out during the CIP-cycle the respective backwash hydraulic parameter, i.e. preferably the permeability P of the membrane is detected or sampled. The backwash hydraulic parameter is sampled when the parameter has stabilized and the respective backwash cycle 32, 34, 36 and 38 is terminated. During the CIP-cycle 24 several backwash cycles are carried out and the detected values for the permeability P are compared as shown in
In
According to the invention, the backwash cycle carried out simultaneously during the CIP-cycle is used to determine a characteristic backwash hydraulic parameter to monitor the cleaning result achieved by the CIP-cycle. Thus, according to the invention a real time measurement of the cleaning result by determining the backwash hydraulic parameter is possible and the CIP-cycle can be terminated if the maximum possible cleaning result is detected. The maximum possible cleaning result is achieved when no further increase of permeability can be detected or no further decrease of the hydraulic resistance can be detected, respectively. The method according to the invention, therefore, allows to speed up the CIP-cycle and at the same time to ensure the maximum possible cleaning result. By reducing the time for the CIP-cycle the production time can be increased allowing a smaller dimension of the entire filter device, resulting in reduced energy consumption and costs.
Furthermore, it is possible to detect further characteristic parameters being characteristic for the efficiency of the cleaning-in-place cycle during the cleaning-in-place cycle. In particular, the required time, energy consumption and/or consumption of chemicals for the cleaning-in-place cycle can be detected. This allows to optimize the cleaning-in-place cycles for example by adjusting or changing the recipes to find the most efficient recipe for the CIP-cycle. A recipe for the CIP-cycle may be defined by the composition of the CIP solution or agent and/or temperature of the cleaning-in-place fluid.
While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown and described in detail to illustrate the application of the principles of the invention, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.
2 membrane
4 feed side
6 permeate side
8 feed pump
10 raw water source
12 retentate outlet
14 permeate outlet
16 filtrate tank
18 backwash pump
20 cleaning-in-place pump, CIP pump
22 cleaning-in-place outlet, CIP outlet
24 cleaning-in-place tank, CIP tank
26 control device
28, 30 pressure sensors
32, 34, 36, 38 backwash cycles
t1 point in time
t time
P permeability
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20163848.3 | Mar 2020 | EP | regional |
