Concentrate effluent with simpler and faster membrane cleanings.
In addition to dairy product streams, dairy processing plants also generate effluent streams such as flush water, seal water, and other utility streams. Processors can utilize RO systems to treat this water and produce a clean permeate stream for discharge or other uses. Conventional RO membranes have worked for effluent concentration, but there is now a significant improvement to membrane chemistry available: the anti-fouling zwitterionic chemistry used in Evolution RO membranes. By using Evolution RO membranes, users can experience higher productivity and a simplified cleaning program that eliminates the costly enzyme step.
Application Details
With complex processing equipment and strict cleaning requirements, dairy processing plants generate a number of unwanted effluent streams. These streams include flush water from cleaning equipment, seal water from pumping, and other utility streams. Many of these streams are simply discarded down the drain, but there are some cases where additional treatment is needed. For example, a stream may need additional treatment prior to discharge to a body of water, or there may be a unique reuse case for a particular stream.
Treatment for these streams starts by collecting the stream instead of sending it to drain. Once collected, the effluent stream is then fed to an RO system to concentrate it and produce a clean water stream for discharge or an alternative use. The concentrate stream, which is significantly smaller in volume than the feed stream, can then be sent for appropriate wastewater treatment.
Membranes Used in Effluent Concentration
The thin-film composite polyamide chemistry that has been used in conventional RO membranes for effluent concentration has remained largely unchanged for decades. While these membranes work, there is now an anti-fouling option that provides even more value to dairy processors: Evolution RO membranes.
Evolution RO membranes are built with ZwitterShield™ technology, which bonds zwitterionic chemistry to proven membrane chemistries to equip them with a permanent barrier to irreversible organic fouling. With this technology, Evolution RO allows users to simplify their cleaning programs by eliminating the costly enzyme step completely. In addition, the anti-fouling zwitterionic chemistry decreases gel layer formation in applications like effluent concentration, increasing overall productivity through the membrane.
Customer Success with Evolution RO in Effluent Concentration
Dairy Flush Water Treatment
A dairy processor in the midwestern United States installed Evolution RO in their RO system treating CIP flush water from cleaning milk processing equipment and experienced several benefits:
- Elimination of enzyme step
- Lowered costs
- Time and water savings
Seal Water Treatment
A dairy processor in the Northwestern United States installed Evolution RO in their RO system treating seal water from pumps and enjoyed multiple benefits:
- Reduced discharge fines
- Elimination of daily enzyme step
- Stable membrane operation
Increase productivity
Evolution RO membranes use an anti-fouling zwitterionic chemistry that decreases gel layer formation, increasing overall productivity through the membrane.
More sustainable operations
By reducing chemical usage, water consumption, wastewater generation, and energy demands, Evolution RO membranes support more sustainable operations and help lower carbon intensity scores.
Save time & money on cleaning
Evolution RO eliminates the need for enzyme washes and creates cleaning programs that save over 50% in costs and more than an hour per day of time.
Simple integration
Evolution membranes are one-for-one substitutions for industry-standard products—no system modifications or new CAPEX required.
Podcast: ZwitterCo Unfiltered
ZwitterCo Unfiltered: Real Talk on Membrane Filtration is a candid, experience-driven podcast exploring real-world membrane applications across food processing, water, and wastewater treatment.
Eliminate the costly enzyme cleaning step.
Integrating Evolution RO membranes is proven to eliminate the use of enzymes, which is the most expensive step in a cleaning program. This cuts chemical costs by over 50% and saves about an hour of cleaning time.
Decrease freshwater consumption.
By eliminating cleaning steps and associated flushing steps, Evolution RO membranes reduce freshwater demand for dairy processors. Users can reduce freshwater consumption for cleaning by 40% or more by switching to Evolution RO.
A Midwestern US whey processor saved over 1,000,000 gallons (3785 m3) over 10.5 months of operation by switching to Evolution RO.
Save time and money.
Evolution RO membranes increase productivity in effluent polishing systems by creating a higher sustainable average flux and simplifying cleaning programs.
Dairy processors can reduce overall cleaning costs by more than 50% and give valuable time back to operators to focus on production with these revolutionary anti-fouling membranes.
Mott Case Study
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Industrial Wastewater Reuse
ZwitterCo has only polymeric membranes that can filter high strength organic streams without rapid and irreversible fouling. More description here to describe the kind of solutions we offer for NMP.
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Challenging Surface Water Treatment
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High Value Protein & Co-Product Separation
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Remove Bulk Organics
Remove tough to fight organics, such as fats, oils, grease, and protein.
Fully Chlorine-Intolerant
Can endure aggressive cleaning without wear and tear
Runs at Low Pressure
Runs at low pressure by not removing salt, sugar, alcohol’s or other small molecules.
Replaces Biological Systems
Replace biological systems or coagulation/flocculation processes commonly used to treat organics.