Membrane Filtration for Rolling Mills
Innovative Solutions for Treating Oily Wastewater in the Aluminum Industry
A Major Environmental Challenge
Aluminum rolling mills produce significant volumes of oily wastewater, often highly concentrated and stabilized in the form of emulsions. These effluents are notoriously difficult to treat due to their complex composition, including emulsified oils, organic loads, and fine metallic particles. To meet these environmental and operational challenges, ALSYS Group, through its entities CeraMem (USA) and Orelis Environnement (France), develops and implements high-performance ceramic membrane technologies tailored for demanding industrial environments.
Field-Proven Technology
At AISTech 2025 in Nashville, our experts from CeraMem and Orelis Environnement presented the results of a joint study on the treatment of oily wastewater from aluminum rolling mills using ceramic ultrafiltration (UF) membranes. Their presentation highlighted a robust and reliable solution, capable of withstanding heavy pollution loads, variable flow rates, and harsh chemical and thermal conditions.
Key Advantages of ALSYS Ceramic Membranes
- Outstanding chemical and thermal resistance – ideal for complex industrial effluents
- Long service life – reduced maintenance and operating costs
- Stable performance over time – high retention rates in extreme conditions
- Efficient cleaning protocols – membranes designed for CIP (clean-in-place) operations
These membranes enable significant pollutant reduction, water reuse within industrial processes, and compliance with global environmental standards, all while ensuring uninterrupted operation.
A Strong International Partnership
This joint initiative between ALSYS Group entities exemplifies our collaborative and global approach. With facilities in Europe, North America, and Asia, we support customers worldwide from the design phase through to full-scale deployment of customized membrane solutions.
Our technologies are developed in close partnership with R&D centers, universities, and industrial users to ensure a perfect match between our solutions and real-world industrial needs. This field-centric approach enables us to continuously improve our systems, driven by performance, reliability, and long-term sustainability.
Towards a More Responsible Industry
By integrating membrane filtration systems into their processes, aluminum producers can reduce their environmental footprint, lower their water and waste management costs. This technological choice actively supports the transition toward a more circular and resource-efficient industry: using less, wasting less, and reusing more.
