Anti-Fouling PVDF Hollow Fiber MBR Membrane Module with 0.1 Micron Filtration Precision and Outside-In Suction for Wastewater Treatment

A membrane bioreactor is only as reliable as the membrane at its heart. Zhongqiao Enlightenment designs and manufactures a new-generation anti-fouling PVDF hollow fiber MBR membrane module engineered for demanding wastewater treatment duty: outside-in negative-pressure suction, a 0.1 micron average pore size, permanent hydrophilicity, and the mechanical strength to survive years of aggressive cleaning. As a source manufacturer with a 2,500 m² production workshop, invention patents, and more than 3,000 installed wastewater treatment projects, we supply the membrane itself and the full-process support around it — from water quality consultation and model selection to equipment supply, installation, construction, and operation & maintenance.

This MBR membrane module is built around outside-in PVDF hollow fiber membranes that draw water from the outside of the fiber into the lumen under gentle negative pressure. The outside-in flow path keeps sludge and suspended solids on the membrane surface where they can be scoured away by aeration, while the filtrate stays clean on the inside. The result is a membrane that delivers stable permeate quality — typically turbidity below 1 NTU and excellent removal of suspended solids, bacteria, and most pathogens — while remaining remarkably easy to clean and maintain.

• Superior anti-fouling and oxidation resistance: The membrane withstands strong acids, strong alkalis, oxidants, and a wide range of chemicals, making it suitable for challenging influents and aggressive chemical cleaning protocols.
• Permanent hydrophilicity: Amphiphilic copolymers are blended into the PVDF during membrane preparation, giving the fiber permanent hydrophilic properties and resistance to acid, alkali, and oxidation. The membrane recovers 80–90% of its flux even after drying, prevents pore collapse, and eliminates the classic problems of conventional membranes — leaching of hydrophilic additives and hydrophobic pollutant adsorption.
• High tensile strength and peel strength: Each fiber has a tensile strength of 40 kg, suited to intensive cleaning. Fiber breakage rate stays below 0.1% even under heavy backwashing and aeration scouring.
• Internationally leading membrane microstructure: A third-generation sponge-like structure with a separation skin-layer pore size of 0.03–0.05 microns. Unlike second-generation finger-like pores, it is far less likely to form through-channels after surface damage, delivering higher effluent safety.
• High flux and high filtration precision: Initial pure water flux reaches 600–1000 L/(m²·h), with a stable operating flux of 10–25 L/(m²·h) and 0.1 micron filtration precision across a wide range of wastewater conditions.
• Fast disassembly, convenient cleaning: The module is quick-detachable; offline cleaning does not require draining all the water in the MBR tank. Dual aeration — external plus internal — prevents membrane blockage and extends service life.

The module is available in membrane curtain specifications of 7, 10, 15, 20, and 35 m² per piece, with curtain dimensions from 570×820 mm up to 785×2240 mm, and 1,400 to 2,600 membrane filaments per curtain depending on the model. Custom specifications are manufactured on demand.

Because the membrane tolerates high mixed liquor concentrations and aggressive feed streams, it is widely applied across municipal and industrial sectors: municipal sewage treatment plants and upgrading projects, decentralized community wastewater systems, hospitals and hotels, food and beverage processing, textile dyeing and printing, chemical and pharmaceutical plants, electroplating rinse water, livestock and poultry farming effluent, and water reuse and recycling systems. The module works equally well in new-build membrane bioreactors and retrofits of existing activated sludge systems where effluent quality must be upgraded.

You are buying directly from the source. Zhongqiao Enlightenment is a trustworthy high-end OEM holding invention patents and new-product certifications for MBR membranes, with independent formulations and complete production lines. Every membrane curtain carries a unique traceable code recording its production date, production team, and raw material supplier, so after-sales analysis is fast and precise. We provide one-stop, full-process services from water treatment consultation through design, supply, installation, and operation — fully matching the demands of municipal utilities, engineering contractors, EPC companies, and plant operators.

The membrane operates on a simple but effective principle. Mixed liquor from the biological tank flows around the outside of the hollow fibers, and a gentle negative pressure draws water through the porous membrane wall into the fiber lumen. The 0.1 micron average pore size physically intercepts suspended solids, bacteria, most viruses, and large organic molecules, so the permeate is biologically and physically clarified in a single step. Meanwhile, air bubbles rising along the fiber bundle continuously scour the membrane surface, stripping away the sludge cake before it can compact. This constant filter-and-scour cycle is what allows MBR systems to run at far higher biomass concentrations — MLSS 4–13 g/L — than conventional activated sludge, delivering excellent effluent in a fraction of the footprint.

Operators can expect permeate with suspended solids below 5 mg/L (in most cases below 1 mg/L) and turbidity under 1 NTU, with strong removal of E. coli and other pathogens that can be further polished by downstream disinfection for reuse applications. Because the sponge-like separation layer is less prone to through-channel defects than older finger-like membranes, even a marginally damaged fiber continues to protect effluent quality — a level of safety that matters for municipal discharge permits and water-reuse certification alike.

Sizing an MBR membrane is straightforward when the operating flux is known. Required membrane area equals the daily design flow divided by the operating flux and the daily running time. For example, a 100 m³/day plant running at 12–15 L/(m²·h) for 20 hours needs roughly 330–420 m² of membrane area — which maps cleanly onto the Zhongqiao Box 5.0 standard configuration: 22 curtains of 15 m² each, totaling 330 m², in a single MBR module sized 1000×1450×1600 mm. Higher-strength wastewaters simply use the conservative end of the 10–25 L/(m²·h) flux range. Our engineers complete this calculation for every inquiry, including custom tank geometries, and confirm the curtain specification — 7, 10, 15, 20, or 35 m² per piece — that best fits your civil design and budget.

Contact us with your influent quality, treatment capacity, and effluent targets, and our engineers will recommend the right membrane configuration — standard or custom — for your project.