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•Technical Paper: Liqui-Cel® Membrane Contactor Degassing System Installed to Increase Well Pumping Efficiency

Liqui-Cel® Membrane Contactors have a long history of improving a variety of water treatment systems by adding and/or removing dissolved gasses in many industries. Typical industries include Semiconductor, Beverage, Pharmaceutical, Power Generation, Digital Printing and many others. Liqui-Cel Contactors were recently selected among competing technologies to be used in a municipal environment to improve water distribution efficiency while reducing capital and operating costs.

United Water New York (UWNY) operates the water supply and distribution system throughout most of Rockland County. There are forty-five wells in the water supply system. Two of these wells in the New Hempstead region contained high levels of entrained/dissolved gas forcing the wells to operate below their optimal flow rates. Running higher flow rates generated an increase in customer complaints about cloudiness of the water. Additionally, any dissolved air that entered the distribution system could accelerate corrosion and cause reduced carrying capacity in main lines, particularly those that are made of unlined cast-iron pipes.

During the research phase, UWNY evaluated alternative degassing technologies. A Liqui-Cel Membrane Contactor system was in use for gas transfer at a beverage plant nearby. UWNY was intrigued with the technology and its potential to reduce operating and capital costs in their well pumping systems enough to run a pilot program at their Viola 106 well. This well water was supersaturated with air and already had an existing stilling basin with booster pumps that was used to compare to the Liqui-Cel membrane technology.

Liqui-Cel Membrane Contactors contain microporous Hollow Fiber membranes that allow the removal of dissolved gasses from liquids. In the contactor, gas flows across one side of the membrane and liquid is on the other side. Because the membrane is hydrophobic and microporous only the gasses can pass through the membrane pores.

Lowering the partial pressure of the gas in the contactor allows the dissolved gasses in the liquid to more easily transfer through pores in the porous wall of the Hollow Fiber membranes.

When the pilot test was complete, it was apparent that the Liqui-Cel Contactor system was the superior choice due to the reduced operating costs and lower capital requirements. Membrane contactors removed the dissolved gasses that caused the water cloudiness. Additionally, gas removal helps to prevent corrosion of the piping. The Liqui-Cel Contactor system is also modular and can be easily expanded.

Click Here To Download:
•Technical Paper: Liqui-Cel® Membrane Contactor Degassing System Installed to Increase Well Pumping Efficiency