Development of flat ceramic membrane technology on municipal wastewater treatment

Abstract

Water resource shortage and pollution have become a bottleneck which restricted social progress and economic development of China. The amount of municipal wastewater is large but its pollution is relatively light, so it has a significant potential for water recovery and recycle from municipal wastewater. As a novel water treatment technology, membrane separation has many advantages such as better water quality of effluent, lower operating cost and less land occupation. The flat ceramic membrane is a promising technology with an outstanding membrane structure and material, can not only realize the industrial wastewater treatment and reclaim, but also solve the problem of municipal water shortage and sewage discharge. In this review, the classification, characteristics and mechanisms of ceramic membrane were introduced firstly. Then the development of flat ceramic membrane technology and the coupled pretreatment units with the membrane in municipal wastewater treatment were discussed. And finally, the prospect of ceramic membrane technology for municipal wastewater treatment and recovery was also proposed.