Industries Served

Membrane System Specialists, Inc. (MSS) is a leading provider of industrial reverse osmosis system engineering services. From design to installation, we offer turnkey solutions for single skid-built systems as well as complex multi-system processes.

Our equipment consistently meets or exceeds industry standards while providing high-volume, industrial liquid filtration systems with precision membrane filtration for various industrial processes. Our filtration capabilities include:

  • Microfiltration (MF): Microfiltration uses membrane filters with pore sizes from 0.1-1.0 μm to separate bacteria, spores, and other particles from a solution.
  • Nanofiltration (NF): With membrane pore sizes between 0.001-0.1 μm, industrial nanofiltration can efficiently separate divalent salts, proteins, sugars, and other larger particulates from liquids. It only allows monovalent salts and fluid to pass through the membrane.
  • Ultrafiltration (UF): Using membranes with pore sizes smaller than 0.01 μm, an industrial ultrafiltration system separates a fluid solution into two streams based on the molecular size and chemical reactions between the fluid and membrane.
  • Reverse Osmosis (RO): RO membranes concentrate total solids, allowing only water to pass through. Suspended and dissolved material are retained, providing optimal liquid separation. This process uses pore sizes smaller than 0.001 μm.

We also offer industrial skid-built processing systems, such as pasteurization (HTST), CIP systems, process piping, and process integration. We offer complete project management services, from initial design concept to installation, ensuring the new processing system optimizes filtration and integrates effortlessly into your existing production processes.

MSS also offers pilot testing to guarantee the membrane filtration system is properly operating, meeting all specifications for your industrial processing needs. Our customized services include:

  • Automation
  • Controls Upgrades
  • Engineering
  • Equipment Fabrication
  • Field Installation
  • Pilot Testing
  • Process Design
  • Project Management
  • Remote Access Programming
  • Systems Integration

Learn more about how we serve the food and beverage, water and wastewater, and pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries.

Industries We Serve

Here is how we serve clients in each of these major industries.

Food & Beverage

Membrane filtration in food industry applications produces safe food and beverage products. These are the main applications where membrane filtration is vital.

Potable Water

The food and beverage industry relies heavily on membrane technology to concentrate, separate, and clarify liquids. As the demand for global sustainability grows, membrane filtration water treatment is essential to providing clean, fresh water for food processing. This resource-intensive industry strives to reduce energy and resource consumption while optimizing filtration systems and limiting production costs.

Plant-Based Proteins

Plant-based food products include grains, peas, beans, nuts, and rice. Membrane filtration removes bacteria and spores from plant-based sources to eliminate bitterness and concentrate the proteins. The process preserves the original taste of the raw material and maximizes the output of plant-based products.

Wine

During storage and fermentation, solids naturally precipitate in wine. The solids eventually settle through natural clarification, but the process can be sped up with heat or cold stabilization methods. In addition, wine filtration equipment in a wine filter system can achieve even higher clarity levels. Using a wine filtration system also allows manufacturers to ensure stability after packaging by removing microorganisms from the product.

Cider

Industrial membrane filtration is a proven technique in the cider industry. Membrane separation can be used at various stages of the brewing and distilling processes and offers significant benefits compared to other traditional methods, which are prone to blocking and clogging.

Beer

Beer membrane filtration systems retain the aroma and taste of beer by removing microorganisms, yeast, bacteria, and other turbidities, preventing sediment generation. Filtration is also effective for alcohol-free beer production, aseptic filtration, and beer recovery from yeast liquor. Membrane filtration technology is an essential part of improving product quality and is characterized by its:

  • High efficiency
  • No phase change
  • Low energy consumption
  • Low initial investment
  • Easy automation

Milk/Dairy

All four pressure-driven membrane filtration processes are utilized in the dairy industry, with each technique providing a unique purpose. Ordered based on the size of the particle capable of being separated, the processes include:

  • Microfiltration (MF): Open MF separates bacteria and some fats from the dairy solution. Tight MF can separate bacteria, fats, and caseins.
  • Ultrafiltration (UF): UF allows dissolved components and some non-dissolved particles to pass while retaining larger particulates like bacteria, fats, caseins, and whey proteins. This process is usually used for whey protein concentration and milk concentration.
  • Nanofiltration (NF): NF allows monovalent salts to pass through while rejecting divalent salts. This filtration process is primarily used for partial demineralization of lactose-free milk, whey, or whey volume reduction.
  • Reverse Osmosis (RO): This process uses very dense membrane filters to separate water from the rest of the solution. RO concentrates or reduces the volume of whey and milk.

Ultrafiltration in the dairy industry produces these products:

  • Milk: Membrane filtration of milk can produce various types of end products, including skim milk, 2% milk, and whole milk.
  • Yogurt: Membrane filtration provides exceptional product quality when concentrating yogurt. UF removes water, some lactose, and some salt from the yogurt milk, while RO removes the remaining water. By removing water and increasing protein levels, yogurt producers improve the product’s stability, texture, and appearance. They can avoid using milk powders as additives.
  • Cheese: Fresh cheese is dependent on fermented cream or milk processed through ultrafiltration. Using UF, many types of cheese can be manufactured through the concentration of milk, resulting in a high yield and uniform quality.

Water & Wastewater

Membrane filtration water treatment removes contaminants from water sources. The membrane creates a barrier to allow viable elements to pass through while blocking unwanted particles. Water treatment facilities use membrane separation processes to clean wastewater for safe disposal and filter groundwater and surface water for drinking or industry purposes.

Now a multi-billion dollar industry, water filtration addresses concerns about pollutants and contaminants that may contribute to poor-quality drinking water. Producers commonly use RO for the desalination of drinking water and the creation of deionized water. UF and MF are commonly accepted filtration techniques used in wastewater and water treatment facilities.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) protects the nation’s water sources with stringent water and wastewater regulations to prevent harmful substances from entering the water supply. Membrane filtration is an effective treatment process that produces safe, clean water for industrial and consumer applications.

High-Quality Membrane Filtration Solutions From Membrane System Specialists

For more information about membrane filtration or our capabilities, contact Membrane System Specialists, Inc today. To start your custom membrane filtration solution, request a quote. We can provide a complete process solution to meet your current requirements while offering reliable energy-saving and cost-efficient options for your business.