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The City of Parsons, Kansas started up a new surface water treatment plant utilizing anultrafiltration process in the fall of 2001. The plant operates on a creek source withmoderate total organic carbon (6-12 mg/L), and elevated levels of iron (0.5-1.5 mg/L) andmanganese (0.1-0.5 mg/L). In 2003, the City began evaluating options for meeting futurecapacity requirements in the most cost-effective manner, in order to increase plant capacityfrom 3 mgd to 4.5 mgd. As part of the evaluation, the City mobilized two 1-mgddemonstration-scale membrane filtration systems which operated from July 2003 throughJune 2004. These were installed and started up on a fast-track basis and operated inparallel with the original system to ensure adequate production through the summer of 2003.The demonstrated operation of the three production-scale systems in parallel during a nine monthperiod beginning in July 2003 served as the basis for selecting a membrane systemsupplier going forward for the plant expansion project. One of the alternate systems wasselected for the upgrade, necessitating a carefully-staged changeout of the membraneequipment utilizing temporary piping connections, cleaning systems, and other ancillaryequipment. The first 2-mgd of replacement equipment was installed, tested, and started upwithin 3 weeks during July 2004. Conversion of the original 3 mgd ultrafiltration system tothe replacement 4.5 mgd system was executed within 6 months, while maintaining a firmplant capacity of 3 mgd.This paper discusses lessons learned in executing installation, startup, and operation ofthe two alternate systems in parallel with the original system, as well as logistics involved inretrofitting a membrane system into an operating treatment plant on a fast-track basis.These lessons are valuable for utilities considering retrofit of membrane filtrationsystems into existing plants where production must be kept uninterrupted. Includes table, figures.

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Edition: Vol. - No. Published: 03/01/2005 Number of Pages: 12 File Size: 1 file , 1.2 MB