ACWA Services Ltd services

MF covers a variety of technologies including (in decreasing levels of coarseness): Manually cleaned and self-backwashing strainers are available ranging from 500 to 2 microns retention rating. Disposable bag and cartridge filters are usually housed in plastic or stainless steel housings and are often used to pretreat or protect the higher value membrane processes, but also are used as stand-alone treatments. The coarsest bag filters are rated at nominally 100 microns whist the finest cartridge filters may have an absolute rating as fine as 0.45 microns. MF Membranes are available in a variety of configurations and from many manufacturers and generally accepted to have a nominal pore size (depending on the membrane manufacturer and model) of 5.0 to 0.01 microns at which point they cross over with the tighter ultrafiltration membranes depending on the particular application (temperature, pH etc affect the retention ability of every membrane in slightly different ways).

UF membranes are widely available with a variety of filtration cut-off points (ranging from 0.01 to 0.001 micron) to suit particular project requirements. The coarsest UF membranes overlap with the finest Microfiltration membranes whilst the finest UF membranes overlap with the `slacker` nanofiltration membranes depending on the particular application (temperature, pH etc affect the retention ability of every membrane in slightly different ways).

Nano is a SI prefix denoting 10-9. Nanofiltration is a term to describe membranes which will remove particles greater in size than 10-9 meters. The `tightest` Nanofiltration membranes cross over with the `slackest` of reverse osmosis membranes.

Reverse Osmosis membranes are available from a range of manufacturers in Tubular, Hollow Fibre and Spiral Wound configurations. Hollow Fibre membranes have only a very limited number of applications and tubular membranes are used only in wastewater and specialised industrial applications. The vast majority of RO membrane applications are now for the Spiral Wound configuration due to the fact that a large surface area is packed into a small volume, whilst retaining low fouling characteristics.

ACWA have employed ion exchange for a variety of purposes since the mid 1990’s. Most applications are in the industrial field producing high and ultra-high purity water, though since 2006 ACWA have supplied 10 potable water Ion Exchange plants for UK water utilities employing the ACWA Nitreat process.

The term is used widely to cover a variety of treatment techniques, which have been used with success over the longer time scale to service a range of industrial and municipal requirements. The particular techniques used will vary according to the nature of the water source.

Chemical treatment – This section includes case studies where ACWA have employed chemical dosing for chlorine removal, disinfection, for pH correction etc in both Municipal and Industrial situations

ACWA Services Ltd has extensive experience in the design of aerobic treatment processes for both the municipal and industrial sectors. ACWA`s aerobic treatment plants vary in complexity from simple partial treatment systems to multi stage plants. ACWA has the ability to provide a treatment system for a wide range of effluent types, including unusual wastewater effluents, which meet the Clients requirements.

ACWA can provide the preliminary processes required for all types of municipal and industrial treatment systems. Preliminary processes employed by ACWA include coarse and fine screening systems, grit removal, balancing and calamity systems, pH correction systems, nutrient addition and polymer systems.