Orica is introducing the UK market to new vibrating membrane systems for ion exchange brine recovery and many other applications.

1. VSEP Brine Recovery
Orica Watercare – Tom Williams
June 2010

2. What is VSEP?
• Vibrating Separation
Membrane System
• Conventional
Polymeric
Membranes
• Oscillating to create
shear at the surface

3. How does VSEP work?
• Membrane filter is mounted on a
resonating mechanical drive
• A 20 hp drive motor spins an
eccentric lobe. This drives a large
steel mass at the bottom of the
unit.
• Once speed increases to a specific
rate, the whole system resonates
at a given harmonic frequency.
• The result is 2cm peak to peak
displacement at a rate of about
50hz.

4. Introduction to VSEP
System Operation:
The system operates automatically via PLC controls and automated valves. The feed pump initiates at
system start up and spins up to speed. The modulating control valve on the concentrate outlets
throttles flow and applies back pressure in the system. Once pressure reaches 30 psi, the VSEP drive
motor to engages and spins up to the frequency setpoint where the filter pack will vibrate.

5. Introduction to VSEP

6. Introduction to VSEP
VSEP
Components:
Membrane units
are modular
and can be
used in parallel
or in series.

7. VSEP Brine Recovery
• City of St Cloud - USA
• Piloted June – Nov 2009
• 18 MLD plant
• MIEX regen system uses
55kg/ML of NaCl
• Produces 1000litre/ML of waste
brine at 1100bv
• Brine concentration 300g/l
• waste brine recycling can
reduce overall salt consumption
by around 49% A Six-Module VSEP System
Six-
• the amount of salt discharged
to sewer can be reduced by
over 70%

8. St Cloud Pilot Plant

9. Summary of Trial Results
Run Recovery Feed Permeate Concentration
(*) %
Variable % removed
DOC SO4 DOC SO4 DOC SO4 DOC SO4
mg/L mg/L mg/L mg/L mg/L mg/L
2 70 2760 3400 49 290 98.2 91.5 11800 12000
2 80 78 500 97.2 85.3 17247 19733
2 83 46 1600 98.3 52.9 18000 17000
3 67 4060 3500 54 280 98.7 92 12047 16880
3 85 70 1400 98.3 60 21147 23360
4 71 3330 4300 72 333 97.8 92.2 13747
4 80 10 550 99.7 87.2 17647
5 72 3397 5150 33 112 99 97.8 13947 23300
8-1 75 9 170
8-2 22.5 222 0.5 50 97.8 77.5
*Each batch run was 1000 litres of waste brine with the unit operating at 350psi
and average flux rate of 40.2 gfd.

10. Conclusions
• The test results show that over 97% of the TOC was
rejected by the NF membrane at waste recovery rates from
67 to 85%.
• Photos of the samples show that increasing the recovery rate
from 70 to 85% resulted in an increasing yellow-brown colour
of the permeate.
• Sulphate proved to be the limiting constituent in determining
the optimum recovery rate. Around 85-95% removal of
sulphate was achieved up to a recovery rate of 80% which
achieved the target permeate concentration of less than
1000 mg/L. When the recovery rate was increased above
80% the sulphate removal quickly reduced to 53-60%
resulting in concentrations in the range of 1400-1600 mg/L.

11. Increasing % Recovery Photo