clean a water filter membrane

[billi]

Hello

My Ultrafiltration Membrane needed replacement , not that it is not working any more ( but frost  cracked the stainless shell   )  , so i took the cartridge out  and placed a new one in the filter housing

The old cartridge  did still work fine after ca 4 years , but at a much lower flow rate of water .

Our main problems  in our well/pond water is manganese and iron  that stains this filter orange

The filter material is some sort of ceramic  and the water is pushed through a bundle of these ceramic tubes  with pressure  and holds back bacterias/viruses and other bugs

I do not want to throw the cartridge away  and thinking of cleaning

I heared Cola will attack rust etc  and thinking of bathing it in it for a while  

Anybody has an idea how to clean this filter

thanks Billi

[Countrypaul]

Almost any dilute acid will attack rust, including acetic (vinegar). You will need to ensure that whatever acid you use (cola contains phosphoric) produces a water soluble iron salt in order to wash it away. I would be more concerned with what else there is in the filter and whether an acid wash would reduce the effectiveness for future use. If the filter also contains catalysts to destroy toxins and bacteria you need to be sure that the acid wash would not harm them, and also that they have not been poisoned over time by the various contaminents in the water. Not sure how expensive your filter are, but one every 4 years might be worth the security of knowing that the water is properly treated. DO you get your water tested regularly?

Paul

[guydewdney]

is it the iron/manganese that is blocking it? If so- then isnt a staged filter system better - 10 micron, 5 micron etc etc?

otherwise - backwashing? that looks like a 4" (100mm) sewer type pipe - so you could use a 6" (150mm) pipe, sleeve it, then add a reducer on the end to block it- and flow water back up it from outside to inside.... You might wash enough away to use it once or twice. But I do agree with above - why risk it?

Alternativly, me neighbour (who is the local doctor) has a spring fed water supply - he filters with settling tanks, and an eel! 1 eel poo is a lot less bad than a thousand small bugs...... He uses a UV light and disposeable filters. They (the family) are pretty dammed healthy!

[Philip R]

Your filter has now got higher intrinsic scrap value, because of the metallic oxide comment.

As Guy has said, backwashing may part recover it, but you could compromise the element matrix's mechanical integrity and then have all the muck and commotion wash through when put back into service. Also using a staged depth filter cartridge may polish the water before going through the ultrafilter, thus extending it service life. Have a look at the supaspun polypropylene filters from amazon filters (A UK company, no being stung by US multinational filter suppliers!)

www.amazonfilters.co.uk/products/depthoverview.html (I used the supaspun filter elements when in the power industry, excellent quality product, good price.)

As countrypaul has said, acid flushing may etch any metallic coating (silver) and you could end up poisoning yourself. Also the ceramic matrix may dissolve.

PhilipR

[billi]

In general  the filter is and was a good buy .... and it is in a stainless steel housing and i do back wash him

Water tests say  we have Drinking water according to EU standards
(but sure every system can have some bugs growing somewhere )

I have a sandfilter and 2 cheap small  other filter cartrigage  before water enters that filter  to take the  "bigger" parts out

The  principal  ultrafiltration is similar to reverse osmosis   described here  http://www.dwc-water.com/technologies/filtration-systems/ultrafiltration/index.html


Anyway  it would be a waste not to reuse this unit again , not as the the main filter but  perhaps as a pre filter  



billi

[Eleanor]

Billi, if the filter membranes are just ceramic you could try soaking it in dilute (a few %) hydrochloric (muriatic) acid. Most chloride salts are soluble. Not particularly nice stuff but someone with a pool may know where you can get it. It could be neutralised with baking soda before disposal