本研究项目评估了在传统水处理厂（WTP）中改造定制膜系统作为最终分离工艺的可行性。本文介绍了在威斯康星州Sheboygan的一家水处理厂进行的初步试验结果，该厂采用常规工艺处理原水。通过超滤（UF）中试装置处理沉淀水，代替颗粒介质过滤。到目前为止，饮用水膜应用涉及专利膜系统和设计，由于建筑成本高和规模扩大问题，通常仅限于日处理能力在3000万加仑（mgd）或以下的设施。 此处所述的定制膜系统设计方法为公用事业公司提供了显著优势:必须遵守更严格的饮用水法规；希望最大限度地提高现有水处理设施组件（例如，常规预处理工艺装置，包括颗粒过滤器和相关混凝土结构）的投资回报；而且，由于目前可用的模块化专有系统设计的安装成本较高，处理能力大于30 mgd，且未考虑使用膜。讨论了定制膜系统设计的两种方法:重力驱动工艺，其中膜可以安装到水处理厂的现有水力分级线中； 此外，一种类似于现有专有系统的泵送方法，但提供了定制设计的好处，以最大限度地利用现有基础设施和较低的运行压力。试验装置在20英尺水头下运行时，达到化学清洗频率大于30天和水质性能的标准，其中沉淀水流量为24gfd，回收率为90%。这一结果使过滤盒的重复使用和过滤能力增加至少15%。这一结果也提供了经济学上可行的膜替代物。包括11个参考文献、表格、图表。

This research project evaluated the feasibility of retrofitting a custom designedmembrane system as a final separation process in a conventional water treatmentplant (WTP). This paper presents preliminary findings from pilot tests conductedat a water treatment plant located in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, which treats rawwater with conventional processes. Settled water was treated, in lieu of granularmedia filtration, by an ultrafiltration (UF) pilot plant. To date, membraneapplications for drinking water have involved proprietary membrane systems anddesigns, and generally have been limited to facilities with capacities on theorder of 30 million gallons per day (mgd) or less due to high construction costsand scale up issues. A custom approach to membrane system design described hereincan offer significant advantages to utilities which: must comply with morestringent drinking water regulations; want to maximize the return on theinvestment in existing water treatment facility components (e.g., conventionalpretreatment process units including granular filters and associated concretestructures); and, have treatment capacities greater than 30 mgd and have notconsidered the use of membranes due to the high installed cost of the modular,proprietary system designs currently available. Two approaches to custom membranesystem designs are discussed: a gravity-driven process where membranes may beimplemented into the existing hydraulic gradeline of a water treatment plant;and, a pumped approach that is similar to existing proprietary systems, butoffers the benefits of a custom design for maximizing the use of existinginfrastructure and lower operating pressure. The pilot unit met the criteria forchemical cleaning frequency greater than 30 days and water quality performancewhen operated under head of 20 feet of water with settled water at a flux of 24gfd and recovery of 90 percent. This result allows reuse of the filter boxes andfilter capacity increase of at least 15 percent. This result also offers aneconomically viable membrane alternative. Includes 11 references, tables, figures.