Controls - Berghof

Membrane Technology
A BioFlow MBR system successfully commissioned at Vanitec Ltd India
From left to right: Mr. Balaji, engineer, Mr. Abdur Rahman, Managing Director of Vanitec Ltd., India
Vanitec Ltd India is responsible for treating the
tannery wastewater of a total of 133 tanneries in
Vaniyambadi, India. Tannery wastewater is distinguished
by very high freights of organic and inorganic
substances and is therefore very difficult to treat. In
all 4,000 m³ of wastewater is processed per day by
means of MBR and reverse osmosis to be used again
as process water.
Owing to an existing MBR membrane system of a
competitor, Vanitec Ltd, which functioned only inadequately,
was extremely wary regarding the membrane
technology. “Based on the many years‘ experience
Laboratory Technology
Retrospective view of the 2012 Analytica
and Workshops in Eningen
Two novelties were presented at the 2012
Analytica in Munich between 17.04 and 20.04.212
in the form of the easyH2O water detection device
and the HotBlock systems from Environmental Express
(USA). Both met with a positive response
and Berghof Laboratory Technology had 20% more
contacts than in 2010 - a big rise in the number of
visitors. At over 30,000 visitors the Analytica is the
leading international fair for laboratory technology,
analytics and biotechnology. We wish to thank all
visitors for their interest in our laboratory apparatus.
in the treatment of complex wastewater we asked
Berghof to support us in solving the problem” Mr.
Rahman, Managing Director of Venitec Ltd, remarks.
“The performance profile of the PVDF membranes
from Berghof really is superior to the competition“.
Furthermore, the further development of the module
size to a 10” diameter and a 4-m length was decisive
in making the volume of the investment interesting.
We were therefore able to process the entire volume
of generated wastewater in just 4 UF loops.
Due to the complexity of the wastewater this was
preceded by an extensive test phase by means of
The easyH2O water-detection device with its
hygroscopic P2O5 sensor facilitates selective detection
of water entirely without additional chemicals.
The user profits from an environmentally-friendly
process which delivers fast and inexpensive results
in the different phases of the process. Hence the
easyH2O offers a very good, innovative method
regarding “Karl-Fischer”.
Since the beginning of the year the open HotBlock
digestion systems from Environmental Express are
being sold by Berghof Laboratory Technology in
Hyperflux modules
a Berghof BioFlow pilot system. The results of the
experiment were the basis for reliable and safe dimensioning.
The external MBR UF system has been
running for half a year. Mr. Rahman says that the
results are extremely satisfactory. The average flow
rate of the plant is 110 – 120 L/m²h and is thus above
the designed flow rate of 80 L/m²h.
“The Berghof Team supported us optimally throughout
the entire project phase” Mr. Rahman declares.
“We are looking forward to continued long-term
cooperation.”
The Berghof BioPulse process, an energy-optimised
process with backwashing PVDF LE membranes,
has proved its worth for similar wastewater
compositions. Experience has shown that energy
savings of over 30% can be achieved without any
problems at flow rates of 65 L/m²h. The decision
as to which processing concept should be chosen
depends on the composition of the waste water, the
processing method and the way in which the bioreactor
is operated.
Eric Wildeboer
membranetechnology@berghof.com
Germany. The disposable principle is particularly apt
for acid digestion of easy-to-digest samples, e.g. in
the environmental sector. All vessels are delivered
with a hygiene certificate and they are also suitable
for HotBlock systems from other manufacturers.
Directly after the fair two workshops took place
at Berghof in Eningen.
On 08.05.2012 the focus was on the digestion
technique by means of microwave and conventional
pressure digestion. Apart from a theoretical
introduction, there was an extensive practical part
8 Berghof News 1/2012