Ultrafiltration is used as one of baromembrane-based methods to filtrate fluids, including water purification. Water supplied to the ultrafiltration system under definite pressure passes through a semipermeable membrane and separates into two streams. One stream contains concentrated water with impurities and bacteria whose size exceeds the size of ultrafiltration membrane pores, while another stream contains purified water.

Based on the technology structure and goals imposed on this method, the size of ultrafiltration membrane pores ranges from 0.1-0.005 microns.

Implementing water ultrafiltration on a commercial scale is pretty hard since various types of water require consideration of various specifications implying color, water turbidity, temperature, and others.

Oftentimes ultrafiltration is used not separately but as part of a water treatment system. An example of this could be using ultrafiltration as part of a water treatment process to separate finely-dispersed carbon from surface sources in order to reach drinking water standards and its further use in the food manufacturing industry. Another example could be a complex water treatment system composed of ultrafiltration and reverse osmosis modules. Such a process flow route enables obtaining high-grade water purification and tailored salt composition for the production of high-alcohol and low-alcohol beverages.