Water quality is a crucial factor in greenhouse horticulture. Especially when reusing drainage water, basin water, or surface water, there is a high risk of pathogens being present. Ultrafiltration (UF) offers a reliable method for removing viruses, bacteria, and fungi while retaining valuable nutrients. This results in clean and safe water that can be immediately reused in the greenhouse.
How does ultrafiltration work?
Ultrafiltration uses membranes with microscopic pores. Under low water pressure, water is forced through these pores. Anything larger than the pore size, including many pathogens and suspended solids are blocked. Dissolved nutrients simply pass through the membrane.
UF is therefore a physical separation technique, unlike methods that attempt to destroy microorganisms, such as UV, ozone, and heating. This ensures a consistent quality of the purified water, regardless of the varying quality of the feedwater.
Would you like to see how ultrafiltration works in practice inside a greenhouse? Then check out our video, in which we explain the ultrafiltration process step by step.
Application of ultrafiltration in horticulture
Ultrafiltration of drainage water
Drainage water contains important nutrients that growers like to reuse. However, it can be contaminated with, for example, TOBRFV, fusarium, or other viruses, bacteria, and fungi. UF removes these pathogens with a high degree of certainty, without loss of nutrients, making safe recirculation possible.
Ultrafiltration of basin water
Rainwater in open basins comes into contact with solids, such as wind-blown sand, organic matter, fungi, algae, and bacteria. Ultrafiltration purifies the basin water, thereby stabilizing water quality. This reduces the risk of introducing pathogens into the irrigation system.
Ultrafiltration of surface water
Surface water often exhibits the greatest variation in contamination due to seasonal changes, such as algae, microorganisms, and sediment. UF is less sensitive to turbidity and offers a robust and predictable treatment for this water source.
Key benefits for growers and installers
Ultrafiltration in practice
UF membranes are used worldwide in water or general purification processes and have proven their reliability. In greenhouse horticulture, these techniques are optimized to meet the specific requirements of greenhouse horticulture. Solutions such as Kathari, which are based on this method, use the proven UF technology to ensure stable, safe, and energy-efficient water quality. Please review the sentence above.
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