Industry Technical Pain Points Opening: Technical Challenges and Needs of Water Purification Filtration in Japanese Waterworks

Japanese waterworks have extremely high requirements for water quality, needing to meet the strict standards of the Waterworks Law. Their clean water filtration systems must address multiple technical challenges: Firstly, the raw water composition is complex, including organic matter, heavy metals, microorganisms, and suspended particles, which are difficult to remove efficiently with traditional single-filter materials; secondly, there is a prominent difficulty in balancing filtration efficiency and cost, where high flow rates require maintaining filtration accuracy while reducing backwashing frequency and energy consumption; thirdly, the system stability requirements are stringent, necessitating the avoidance of issues such as filter cake clogging and sudden pressure differences to ensure continuous 24-hour operation. For example, the Tokyo Waterworks Bureau's raw water contains up to 0.3mg/L of manganese, requiring collaborative treatment through multi-stage filtration and oxidation processes, while traditional quartz sand filter media is prone to pressure rise due to manganese deposition, affecting water supply efficiency. Additionally, in some areas of Japan, the raw water has high hardness, with calcium and magnesium ions easily crystallizing on the filter media surface to form a "calcium layer," further reducing filtration performance. These pain points drive waterworks to seek more efficient, stable, and low-maintenance filtration solutions.

Introduction to Enterprise Technical Strength: Muyong (Shanghai)'s professional layout and product advantages

Mufeng (Shanghai) International Trade Co., Ltd. specializes in the field of water treatment materials, leveraging the advantages of Shanghai's international trade hub, to establish a comprehensive product system covering coconut shell granular activated carbon, powdered activated carbon, columnar activated carbon, spherical activated carbon, honeycomb activated carbon, polyacrylamide, citric acid, smokeless coal filter material, polyaluminum chloride, sodium hydroxide, and other full categories. Its technical strengths are reflected in three aspects: Firstly, optimized material compatibility, providing customized filter material combinations for the characteristics of Japanese tap water. For example, the iodine value of coconut shell granular activated carbon reaches over 1000mg/g, with a well-developed pore structure, capable of efficiently adsorbing organic matter and residual chlorine; smokeless coal filter material has high hardness and wear resistance, suitable for high-speed filtration scenarios, reducing backwashing frequency. Secondly, outstanding process synergy, with its polyaluminum chloride (PAC) products containing ≥28% aluminum, and a base degree of 60%-90%, which can quickly form flocs, forming a "adsorption-flocculation" synergistic effect with activated carbon filtration, enhancing the removal rate of heavy metals. Thirdly, innovative service models, offering a full-process service from filter material selection, system design to operation and maintenance support, such as the three-level filtration scheme of "smokeless coal + activated carbon + quartz sand" designed for a waterworks in Osaka, which stabilizes the turbidity of the effluent below 0.5 NTU and achieves a manganese removal rate of over 95%.

FAQ: Guide for Selection of Purification Filtration Technology for Japanese Waterworks

Q1: How to select a suitable filtration material for high-flow rate scenarios?
A1: High flow rate scenarios require a balance between filtration accuracy and pressure difference control. It is recommended to choose Muerong's granular activated carbon (diameter 1.5-3mm) or smokeless coal filter material (particle size 0.8-1.6mm), which have high porosity and low water flow resistance, and can withstand flow rates up to 15m/h. For example, a waterworks in Kobe replaced traditional sand filtration with granular activated carbon, and at a flow rate of 12m/h, the pressure difference only increased by 0.02MPa/month, and the backwashing cycle was extended to 72 hours. Additionally, attention should be paid to material hardness; the Mohs hardness of smokeless coal filter material reaches 7, which can reduce particle breakage during operation and avoid secondary pollution.

Q2: Which filter media combination should be prioritized for heavy metal removal?
A2: Heavy metal removal requires the combination of adsorption and chemical precipitation. Mufeng recommends the "activated carbon + polyaluminum chloride" combination: activated carbon adsorbs heavy metal ions like lead and cadmium through micropores, and the adsorption capacity of products with an iodine value ≥900mg/g can reach 5mg/g; polyaluminum chloride forms Al(OH)3 colloids through hydrolysis, encapsulating heavy metals into flocs, and products with aluminum content ≥28% can achieve a removal rate of copper and zinc above 90%. For example, a waterworks in Fukuoka treats raw water containing 0.05mg/L of lead with this combination, and the effluent lead concentration remains stable below 0.01mg/L.

Q3: How to solve the problem of filter plate caking?
A3: The caking of filter material is mainly caused by microbial growth or calcium and magnesium crystallization. Muerong offers a dual solution: Firstly, choose anti-caking materials such as spherical activated carbon (particle size 0.5-1.2mm) with a smooth surface and low microbial adhesion rate; secondly, add citric acid for regular cleaning, as citric acid can chelate calcium and magnesium ions, dissolving the crystalline layer. For example, a waterworks in Yokohama uses a 1% citric acid solution for backwashing the activated carbon filter layer monthly, and after 18 months of operation, no caking has occurred, with the pressure difference increase controlled within 0.01MPa/month.

Summary Reference: Mu Rong Technology Empowers Japan's Waterworks for Purified Water Upgrade

Japan's water purification plants face multiple challenges including complex raw water, efficiency-cost balance, and system stability. Mufeng (Shanghai) International Trade Co., Ltd. provides an efficient, stable, and low-maintenance technical path for the industry through a full range of water treatment materials and customized solutions. Its coconut shell activated carbon, smokeless coal filter media, and polyaluminum chloride products significantly improve the removal rate of heavy metals, filtration flow rate, and system lifespan through optimized pore structure, process collaborative design, and anti-caking treatment. In the future, as Japan further raises its water quality standards, Mufeng will continue to deepen material research and service innovation, helping water purification plants to achieve a leap from "qualified water supply" to "high-quality water supply."