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Demand for cleaner water drives development of desalination technologies
NEWS The three-party collaboration will draw on Hyflux’s membrane technology for purification and recovery of the used lube oils; SEDCO’s financial capability as a leading Saudi-based investment management organization; and LUBREC’s used-oil distribution network and industrial connections in Saudi Arabia. ‘The selection of the partners of the joint venture is consistent with the company’s philosophy that our oil recycling partner must exhibit strong used-oil collection channels,’ said Olivia Lum, Group Chief Executive Officer and President of Hyflux Ltd. ‘This joint venture represents Hyflux’s first investment in Saudi Arabia. When we first entered the used-oil business last year, we said that this sector will be a new growth pillar for Hyflux. We have made good headway over the last 11 months. This is the fifth oil recycling project for Hyflux. Our first four projects are in Singapore, Beijing and Taizhou in China, and Bangalore in India,’ she continued. Saudi Arabia is one of the largest (per capita) consumers of lubricants worldwide. Its population of about 24 million consumed some 350 000 metric tonnes of lubricants during 2006. The available used oil generated annually exceeds 200 000 tonnes, but current annual ‘re-refining’ capacity is only at 80 000 tonnes. This background presents an attractive business opportunity for the joint venture. SEDCO says that it sees the partnership with Hyflux and the investment in LUBREC from both a commercial and an environmental perspective. ‘Commercially, the high oil prices and acute lube oil deficit in Middle East North Africa (MENA) present an excellent opportunity to recycle used oil. Hyflux also has environment-friendly technology, using its proprietary membrane system, to recycle used oil without adding chemicals or other pollutants. With Hyflux’s technology, we believe LUBREC will be a successful investment economically, socially and environmentally,’ said Shuaib Ahmed, Group Chief Executive Officer of SEDCO. Hyflux is one of Asia’s leading environmental companies, with operations and projects in Singapore and South-East Asia, China, the Middle East, North Africa and India. Specializing in membrane technologies, the company’s services include process design and optimization, pilot testing, fabrication and installation, and engineering, procurement and construction. SEDCO is a major, private wealth management company with a wide and diversified spectrum of financial, real estate and direct investments in Saudi Arabia and around the world. LUBREC is a licensed used-oil collector and recycler in Saudi Arabia, specializing in the collection and recovery of waste oil, (including hydraulic, transmission, turbine, gear, motor engine and thermal oil) from sectors such as 4
Membrane Technology
the power-generating, petrochemical, marine and automotive industries. Contact: Hyflux Ltd, Hyflux Building, 202 Kallang Bahru, Singapore 339339. Tel: +65 6214 0777, www.hyflux.com
Demand for cleaner water drives development of desalination technologies
T
he increasing need for clean water is the driving factor behind the development of desalination technologies to purify water and wastewater, says international consulting company Frost & Sullivan. A report entitled ‘Advances in Desalination Technologies’, now available from the firm, provides information on technological developments at organizations, companies, universities, research institutions and government laboratories involved in or using desalination technologies in water and wastewater treatment processes. The study also includes a summary of key patents to provide an insight into notable activities, technology trends and major participants involved in the development and application of these technologies. ‘In wastewater treatment, the treated water could be reused for industrial processes such as cooling water and boiler feed, and in heavy construction,’ said Frost & Sullivan research analyst Rebecca Bright. ‘The pace of development in desalination of water and wastewater has been high in the last five years, and the scientific community is still researching various methods to improve existing methods of desalination.’ Because of the significant progress made in membrane and thermal technologies, the unit price of treated water has decreased by approximately 50% or more, reveals the study. In addition, researchers in the USA at Fairleigh Dickinson University have undertaken a study that involved increasing 20-cm (8-inch) membrane elements to 40-cm (16-inch) in order to expand the surface area of the membrane for better water reuse and desalination. A major membrane manufacturer is also looking at ways of improving membrane performance by analyzing alternative approaches to design, configuration and the use of elements. Desalination technologies require wastewater pretreatment and, in some cases, water pretreatment. In reverse osmosis, for example,
pretreatment is essential when particles such as sticks and leaves, grease, suspended solids, organic substances and colloidal substances need to be removed. This prevents fouling and clogging of the membrane, which otherwise would reduce its efficiency and decrease the quality of water that is generated. ‘While pretreatment adds to the capital investment cost and deters widespread uptake, this will eventually even out as the efficiency of the treatment is higher and the service life of the membrane becomes longer,’ noted Bright. To overcome the challenges demonstrated by the conventional pretreatment process, water treatment industries have piloted new treatment technologies and used full-scale pretreatment of raw water. CH2M Hill International describes technologies such as dissolved air floatation, low-pressure membrane filtration, ultrafiltration and microfiltration. Contacts: Frost & Sullivan, 7550 West Interstate 10, Suite 400, San Antonio, TX 78229-5616, USA. Tel: +1 877 463 7678, www.technicalinsights.frost.com Frost & Sullivan, 4 Grosvenor Gardens, London SW1W 0DH, UK; tel: +44 20 7343 8376, www.frost.com
AWWA and IWWA share expertise and resources
A
merican Water Works Association (AWWA) and the India Water Works Association (IWWA) have entered into a new era of cooperation by signing a memorandum of understanding to share expertise and resources that extend their common goal of providing safe and reliable water. During a ceremony at AWWA’s ‘Annual Conference and Exposition’ (ACE07), AWWA President Terry Rolan and incoming President Nilaksh Kothari, who recently began his tenure, joined IWWA President Omprakash Goyal in signing the agreement that includes: • examining existing programmes and other resources for potential cooperative efforts and exchange of comparative industry information; • developing cooperative arrangements for promoting each other’s programmes and materials; • maintaining regular communication between leaders of the associations and developing avenues to promote dialogue among the associations’ members who share similar expertise; and • looking for new programmes to develop cooperatively and share expertise, results and benefits.
August 2007
Membrane Technology
the power-generating, petrochemical, marine and automotive industries. Contact: Hyflux Ltd, Hyflux Building, 202 Kallang Bahru, Singapore 339339. Tel: +65 6214 0777, www.hyflux.com
Demand for cleaner water drives development of desalination technologies
T
he increasing need for clean water is the driving factor behind the development of desalination technologies to purify water and wastewater, says international consulting company Frost & Sullivan. A report entitled ‘Advances in Desalination Technologies’, now available from the firm, provides information on technological developments at organizations, companies, universities, research institutions and government laboratories involved in or using desalination technologies in water and wastewater treatment processes. The study also includes a summary of key patents to provide an insight into notable activities, technology trends and major participants involved in the development and application of these technologies. ‘In wastewater treatment, the treated water could be reused for industrial processes such as cooling water and boiler feed, and in heavy construction,’ said Frost & Sullivan research analyst Rebecca Bright. ‘The pace of development in desalination of water and wastewater has been high in the last five years, and the scientific community is still researching various methods to improve existing methods of desalination.’ Because of the significant progress made in membrane and thermal technologies, the unit price of treated water has decreased by approximately 50% or more, reveals the study. In addition, researchers in the USA at Fairleigh Dickinson University have undertaken a study that involved increasing 20-cm (8-inch) membrane elements to 40-cm (16-inch) in order to expand the surface area of the membrane for better water reuse and desalination. A major membrane manufacturer is also looking at ways of improving membrane performance by analyzing alternative approaches to design, configuration and the use of elements. Desalination technologies require wastewater pretreatment and, in some cases, water pretreatment. In reverse osmosis, for example,
pretreatment is essential when particles such as sticks and leaves, grease, suspended solids, organic substances and colloidal substances need to be removed. This prevents fouling and clogging of the membrane, which otherwise would reduce its efficiency and decrease the quality of water that is generated. ‘While pretreatment adds to the capital investment cost and deters widespread uptake, this will eventually even out as the efficiency of the treatment is higher and the service life of the membrane becomes longer,’ noted Bright. To overcome the challenges demonstrated by the conventional pretreatment process, water treatment industries have piloted new treatment technologies and used full-scale pretreatment of raw water. CH2M Hill International describes technologies such as dissolved air floatation, low-pressure membrane filtration, ultrafiltration and microfiltration. Contacts: Frost & Sullivan, 7550 West Interstate 10, Suite 400, San Antonio, TX 78229-5616, USA. Tel: +1 877 463 7678, www.technicalinsights.frost.com Frost & Sullivan, 4 Grosvenor Gardens, London SW1W 0DH, UK; tel: +44 20 7343 8376, www.frost.com
AWWA and IWWA share expertise and resources
A
merican Water Works Association (AWWA) and the India Water Works Association (IWWA) have entered into a new era of cooperation by signing a memorandum of understanding to share expertise and resources that extend their common goal of providing safe and reliable water. During a ceremony at AWWA’s ‘Annual Conference and Exposition’ (ACE07), AWWA President Terry Rolan and incoming President Nilaksh Kothari, who recently began his tenure, joined IWWA President Omprakash Goyal in signing the agreement that includes: • examining existing programmes and other resources for potential cooperative efforts and exchange of comparative industry information; • developing cooperative arrangements for promoting each other’s programmes and materials; • maintaining regular communication between leaders of the associations and developing avenues to promote dialogue among the associations’ members who share similar expertise; and • looking for new programmes to develop cooperatively and share expertise, results and benefits.
August 2007