McCafferty Brinson Consulting

Full-scale membrane pilot skids help engineers optimize treatment performance before committing to major municipal water infrastructure investments.

FORT LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA — Headhunter, Inc., a manufacturer of engineered water and wastewater treatment systems, has completed several custom-engineered nanofiltration (NF) and reverse osmosis (RO) pilot systems developed in collaboration with McCafferty Brinson Consulting, LLC for several South Florida municipal drinking-water projects focused on evaluating the reduction of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).

As municipalities face increasing pressure to address PFAS contamination in drinking-water supplies, selecting the most effective treatment technology for each individual water source has become an important engineering challenge.

Unlike smaller bench-scale test systems, Headhunter's pilot plants utilize full-scale NF/RO membrane components arranged in a two-stage, 2:1 configuration that closely represents the operating characteristics of full-scale municipal NF/RO treatment systems. Two membrane pressure vessels operate in parallel in the first stage, with their remaining concentrate flow directed through a third pressure vessel in the second stage.

This configuration allows consulting engineers to evaluate different membrane technologies and operating parameters under realistic conditions, using water from the actual municipal wells being studied.

The resulting performance data can help engineers optimize operating pressures, membrane selection, recovery rates, pretreatment requirements, and other critical design parameters before specifying equipment for a full-scale municipal treatment facility.

Every water source presents a different engineering challenge. Variations in water chemistry, dissolved solids, scaling potential, and other characteristics can significantly influence the design and performance of a membrane treatment system.

Rather than relying exclusively on theoretical calculations or manufacturers' performance projections, full-scale membrane pilot testing provides valuable field data that can reduce uncertainty in the design of larger treatment installations.

How is Headhunter Inc. Involved?

Headhunter's role in these projects extended beyond conventional equipment supply. Working from the consulting engineers' process requirements, Headhunter, Inc's engineering and manufacturing teams developed complete skid-mounted treatment systems integrating membrane pressure vessels, pumps, process piping, instrumentation, electrical controls, and monitoring equipment.

Each pilot package is uniquely engineered to meet the specific treatment objectives and operating conditions of its intended application.

"This project demonstrates the value of combining practical manufacturing experience with specialized process engineering," said Mark Mellinger, President of Headhunter, Inc. "By building a pilot system around full-scale membrane components, we can provide consulting engineers with the equipment they need to evaluate real operating performance and make more informed decisions about the design of larger treatment facilities."

These projects also highlight Headhunter's ability to apply its decades of experience in marine water and wastewater treatment to specialized municipal and industrial applications.

"Our strength is taking an engineering concept and turning it into a complete, reliable, operational system," Mellinger added. "Whether the application is aboard a naval vessel or at a municipal drinking-water facility, our engineers and fabrication specialists have the experience to deliver custom solutions."