The nanofiltration system was installed to concentrate an ethanol byproduct called vinasse (vinaza), while vinasse has traditionally been applied directly to the fields as a fertilizer.
Adding to the current vinasse challenge is a two-year drought that has further strained the Brazilian sugar crop.
Biological treatment systems have also been employed for vinasse treatment, but these footprint systems present a host of operational challenges and only a partial solution to the problem.
Standing in contrast to these treatment options is VSEP.
The i84 VSEP nanofiltration system currently recovers 70% of the raw vinasse as clean water for irrigation, leaving a concentrated vinasse that’s just 30% of its starting volume.
New Logic CEO Greg Johnson said the success of this full-scale system validates the data collected at both the lab and pilot phases of the technology evaluation, and promises a very bright future for VSEP in Brazil.
US-based New Logic Research is a provider of high-performance membrane separation systems used in a wide variety of applications from pure water and wastewater treatment to chemical process clarifications.
