Q1) Why introduce a new pressurized ZeeWeed system?
A) ZeeWeed 1500 extends the GE UF product portfolio with a new pressurized ultrafiltration membrane system. This new offering brings the proven and trusted performance of market-leading ZeeWeed UF membranes to a new application—small-to medium-sized pressurized UF systems.
ZeeWeed 1500 incorporates more than two decades of hollow-fiber UF membranes and also leverages our lengthy experience with pressurized systems – such as Permaflow tubular systems and Homespring.
ZeeWeed 1500 is available in skid-mounted or custom systems can be quickly delivered and rapidly installed to provide a fully operational plant within months of placing the order. Modules only are also available to our OEM partners.
The pressurized systems operate without filtration tanks, offering lower capital costs for systems smaller than about 40-50 MGD. For larger systems, the ZeeWeed 1000 immersed membrane is the ideal solution—providing a more advantageous footprint and capital cost.
Q2) What applications can benefit from a pressurized ZeeWeed 1500 system?
A) ZeeWeed 1500 is ideal for small- and medium-sized projects
in industrial and municipal applications. The versatile pressurized systems
can be used for:
• Water treatment
• Tertiary ultrafiltration
• Pretreatment for brackish and seawater desalination
The product is available in several configurations including:
• Modules only for retrofits of outside-in UF systems and OEM systems
• Pre-engineered skid-mounted systems
• Containerized build-own-operate systems
• Custom designs
ZeeWeed 1500 systems can also be combined with other filtration products from the GE portfolio such as reverse osmosis, EDI or EDR systems, providing turnkey solutions for desalination, pure water and various grades of industrial process water.
Q3) What advantages does the ZeeWeed 1500 membrane offer?
A) ZeeWeed 1500 continues to be made from our proprietary PVDF chemistry—producing a highly permeable UF membrane fiber. This proven formulation provides a high level of chemical robustness—resisting high levels of chlorine and enabling operators to clean the membranes at pH as high as 12. PVDF produces a permanently hydrophilized membrane that reduces membrane fouling and improves cleaning.
As an ultrafiltration membrane, the nominal pore size for ZeeWeed 1500 is 0.02 microns, small enough to minimize pore blocking and limit fouling. The outside-in flowpath—a long-time, proven operating process for ZeeWeed—helps to reduce the potential for pore blocking, helping to maintain permeability and reduce cleaning intervals and chemical usage.
We’ve also developed a new manufacturing process for ZeeWeed 1500 that produces modules with high packing density and adds robustness to the fiber so they can handle high turbidity spikes and coagulant doses. ZeeWeed 1500 membranes and modules are manufactured in our ZeeWeed Center of Excellence, a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Ontario, Canada. This facility leverages our extensive experience in high quality membrane manufacturing
Q4) What are the performance characteristics of ZeeWeed 1500?
A) Like all ZeeWeed systems, a ZeeWeed 1500 plant features simple, fully automated operation including filtration, cleaning and performance monitoring. The systems are capable of delivering high quality water for a variety of applications.
| Typical results for drinking water treatment are: | |
| Manganese | < 0.02 |
| TSS | < 1 mg/L |
| TOC | 50–90% removal†‡ |
| Arsenic | < 5 µg/L |
| Color | < 5 PCU†‡ |
| Turbidity | < 0.1 NTU* |
| Bacteria | > 4-log removal |
| Giardia | > 4-log |
| Cryptosporidium | > 4-log removal |
| Virus | > 2.0-log |
| Iron | < 0.05 mg/L† |
*95% of the time
†Pretreatment required
‡TOC and color removal is dependent on raw water quality
Q5) Who can I call for more information about a ZeeWeed 1500 system?
A) Our Global Sales Leader for ZeeWeed 1500 is Graham Best.
Graham.best@ge.com
905-465-3030.
You can also visit our web site at www.ge.com/water.
