The eLearning Center for Gatlin Education Services

Overview

A membrane is a material capable of separating substances when a driving force is applied across the membrane. Relative to traditional potable water treatment processes that focus on liquid-solid separation, membranes are more effective at removing dissolved contaminants from source water. Thus, the popularity of membrane filtration has increased as drinking water standards have become more stringent. While membrane filters were once considered viable technology only for desalination, they are now increasingly employed for removal of bacteria and other microorganisms, particulate material, and natural organic material. As advancements are made in membrane technology, capital and operating costs continue to decline.

In this course the student will review the technical brief Membrane Filtration published by the National Drinking Water Clearinghouse. This course is particularly relevant to engineers involved in the design and selection of water treating and/or distribution systems, as well as engineers who are simply interested in learning more about potable water filtration systems.

The student must take a multiple-choice quiz consisting of ten questions at the end of this course to obtain PDH credits.

Specific Knowledge or Skill Attained

This course teaches the following specific knowledge and skills:

  · The types of membrane filters available (microfiltration, ultrafiltraton, nanofiltration and reverse osmosis) and their relative merits
  · The pore size and operating pressure associated with each membrane process
  · The process, equipment, operation and maintenance associated with the different types of membranes
  · Selection of the most appropriate membrane for a given application

State Board Acceptance

This course can be used by professional engineers to fulfill PDH requirements mandated by state and provincial licensing boards. Decatur Professional Development is an approved provider of continuing education in all states that pre-approve course providers. In all other states that mandate continuing education for engineers, it is the individual engineer's responsibility to determine the suitability of activities for PDH credit. The state boards typically accept online* courses that cover technical, managerial** or ethical content and which are relevant to the practice of engineering. The course must have a clear purpose or objective with a content that will maintain, improve or expand the skills and knowledge of the licensee's field of practice. For questions about your mandatory PDH requirements, visit the website of your state licensing board.

*Online courses are accepted by all state licensing boards that mandate continuing education. Other than New York (which limits online courses to 18 PDH) and Iowa (which limits online courses to 6 PDH), there are no limits placed by other states on the number of hours that can be earned through online continuing education. Consult with your state licensing board if you have any questions about the acceptability of online courses.

**The New York State Board of Engineers does not accept general office management courses, but will accept project management courses that are offered by an approved provider and that are technical in nature and contribute to the engineer's professional practice.