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Millipore, Rohm and Haas form partnership
NEWS According to BCC Research, the municipal sector is a priority in almost every market place. Because municipal water supply and quality directly affect so many people, it is typically funded first in both developed and developing countries. The infrastructure applications market for fresh water supplies, drinking water, and wastewater collection and treatment amounted to US$6611 million in 2005, US$7862 million in 2006 and is expected to exceed $9287 million in 2007. This is expected to grow at a CAGR of 22.6% to reach US$32 041 million by 2012. Major new infrastructure systems are in great demand, especially in developing countries. However, many infrastructure systems in developed countries are ageing and suffering from leakage problems, and will soon require extensive retrofitting and remedial work, says the company. The market for industrial water and wastewater equipment was US$3256 million in 2005, US$3926 million in 2006 and the figure for 2007 is expected to exceed $US4696 million. On its current trajectory it will grow at a CAGR of 14.2% to reach US$10 111 million by 2012, forecasts BBC Research. Although this sector is typically smaller, and implemented after municipal and infrastructure projects, the growing awareness of how industrial wastewater affects the water supply is stimulating government standards and regulations. Contact: BCC Research, 40 Washington Street, Suite 110, Wellesley, MA 02481, USA. Tel: +1 781 489 7304, www.bccresearch.com
Millipore, Rohm and Haas form partnership
U
S firms Millipore Corporation and Rohm and Haas Company have formed a joint-development agreement to create new high-performance chromatography products. The companies say the strength of this partnership lies in combining Millipore’s biopharmaceutical manufacturing expertise with Rohm and Haas’ knowledge of ion exchange resins, polymer chemistry and manufacturing. Under the terms of the agreement, Millipore’s Bioprocess Division and Rohm and Haas Ion Exchange Resins will develop improved ion exchange chromatography products for manufacturing biological drugs. Millipore will gain exclusive access to new, customised chromatography media developed under the agreement. Ion exchange is used to separate molecules 6
Membrane Technology
based on their molecular charge and is a critical step in purifying these drugs. ‘By combining our capabilities with Rohm and Haas’ expertise, we will significantly broaden the chromatography offerings we can provide our biotechnology and pharmaceutical customers,’ commented Jean-Paul Mangeolle, President of Millipore’s Bioprocess Division. ‘These ion exchange offerings will build on our strong position in protein affinity chromatography and take us a step closer to providing complete, integrated systems and products for our biopharmaceutical customers.’ Kim Ann Mink, Vice President and Global General Manager, Rohm and Haas Ion Exchange Resins, added: ‘Millipore’s market insights and deep understanding of biopharmaceuticals customers’ needs will accelerate the development of new advanced separation media. We are confident this collaboration will yield developments that will benefit customers and our respective companies.’ Millipore, with its extensive experience in downstream processing, including filtration, chromatography and disposable manufacturing, brings significant expertise in enabling pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies to optimise their manufacturing productivity, ensure the quality of drugs and scale up the production of biological drugs. Rohm and Haas, which specialises in ion exchange resins technology has extensive experience in polymer chemistry and functional beads. It has the capacity to develop, manufacture and supply performance separation media in both analytical and large-scale quantities, which can increase output purity and yield, lower production costs and facilitate compliance with the most stringent regulations. Contacts: Millipore Corporation, 290 Concord Road, Billerica, MA 01821, USA. Tel: +1 978 715 4321, www.millipore.com Rohm & Haas Company, 100 Independence Mall West, Philadelphia, PA 19106, USA. Tel: +1 215 592 3000, Web: www.rohmhaas.com
Elga aids manufacture of ceramic powder for SOFCs
A
ustralian consultancy Sinclair Knight Merz has placed an order with Elga Process Water of Marlow, UK, for a system that will provide high purity water for manufacturing ceramic powders for solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs).
The project involves a new, ceramic powder factory in Bromborough, UK, that is being built for Ceramic Fuel Cells Limited. The Australian company is developing and manufacturing SOFC products for small-scale, on-site micro combined heat and power (mCHP) systems, and distributed generation units, which co-generate electricity and heat for domestic use. A single SOFC is typically only a few millimetres thick and is made up of four layers, three of which are made from ceramic materials – an electrically conductive cathode, an insulating and gas-tight electrolyte and a conductive and highly porous anode. The fourth layer is the interconnect which separates and connects the individual cells. Dozens of such cells are grouped together in series to form a fuel cell ‘stack’. The electrochemical characteristics of the ceramic materials are critical and their structure, complex. Any trace chemical impurity can alter they way in which they perform, so it is vital to use high purity water during their manufacture. Elga Process Water’s system uses duplex Selectron 30 softeners, which remove salts that give water its hardness. The water is then processed by a cartridge-type activated carbon filter to remove particulate matter and free chlorine. The pretreated water is purified during a further two stages – a MaxiRO 141000 ES reverse osmosis (RO) unit removes about 95% of dissolved salts from the water before it undergoes polishing by duty and standby C1040 nuclear grade deionisation cylinders. It is then delivered to a 3000-litre tank by a distribution pump. The skid-mounted system combines the economy of RO with the convenience of Elga Process Water’s cylinder exchange service to produce water of the required quality. During the purification process, partially treated permeate from the RO unit is passed through a cylinder of mixed-bed ion exchange resin. When the resin is exhausted, the cylinder is returned to the supplier in exchange for one that has been recharged, so regeneration is not carried out on-site. The combined RO and ion exchange process produces 2400 litres (630 gallons) of purified water per day, with a conductivity better than 1µS/cm. Because the water is produced without the use of hazardous chemicals, such as acid and caustic soda, the process is both safe and simple to use. Ceramic Fuel Cells, formed in 1992 by Australia’s Commonwealth Science and Industry Research Organisation and a consortium of leading energy and industrial companies, and now listed on the London AIM market, develops SOFC technology to provide reliable,
February 2008
Millipore, Rohm and Haas form partnership
U
S firms Millipore Corporation and Rohm and Haas Company have formed a joint-development agreement to create new high-performance chromatography products. The companies say the strength of this partnership lies in combining Millipore’s biopharmaceutical manufacturing expertise with Rohm and Haas’ knowledge of ion exchange resins, polymer chemistry and manufacturing. Under the terms of the agreement, Millipore’s Bioprocess Division and Rohm and Haas Ion Exchange Resins will develop improved ion exchange chromatography products for manufacturing biological drugs. Millipore will gain exclusive access to new, customised chromatography media developed under the agreement. Ion exchange is used to separate molecules 6
Membrane Technology
based on their molecular charge and is a critical step in purifying these drugs. ‘By combining our capabilities with Rohm and Haas’ expertise, we will significantly broaden the chromatography offerings we can provide our biotechnology and pharmaceutical customers,’ commented Jean-Paul Mangeolle, President of Millipore’s Bioprocess Division. ‘These ion exchange offerings will build on our strong position in protein affinity chromatography and take us a step closer to providing complete, integrated systems and products for our biopharmaceutical customers.’ Kim Ann Mink, Vice President and Global General Manager, Rohm and Haas Ion Exchange Resins, added: ‘Millipore’s market insights and deep understanding of biopharmaceuticals customers’ needs will accelerate the development of new advanced separation media. We are confident this collaboration will yield developments that will benefit customers and our respective companies.’ Millipore, with its extensive experience in downstream processing, including filtration, chromatography and disposable manufacturing, brings significant expertise in enabling pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies to optimise their manufacturing productivity, ensure the quality of drugs and scale up the production of biological drugs. Rohm and Haas, which specialises in ion exchange resins technology has extensive experience in polymer chemistry and functional beads. It has the capacity to develop, manufacture and supply performance separation media in both analytical and large-scale quantities, which can increase output purity and yield, lower production costs and facilitate compliance with the most stringent regulations. Contacts: Millipore Corporation, 290 Concord Road, Billerica, MA 01821, USA. Tel: +1 978 715 4321, www.millipore.com Rohm & Haas Company, 100 Independence Mall West, Philadelphia, PA 19106, USA. Tel: +1 215 592 3000, Web: www.rohmhaas.com
Elga aids manufacture of ceramic powder for SOFCs
A
ustralian consultancy Sinclair Knight Merz has placed an order with Elga Process Water of Marlow, UK, for a system that will provide high purity water for manufacturing ceramic powders for solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs).
The project involves a new, ceramic powder factory in Bromborough, UK, that is being built for Ceramic Fuel Cells Limited. The Australian company is developing and manufacturing SOFC products for small-scale, on-site micro combined heat and power (mCHP) systems, and distributed generation units, which co-generate electricity and heat for domestic use. A single SOFC is typically only a few millimetres thick and is made up of four layers, three of which are made from ceramic materials – an electrically conductive cathode, an insulating and gas-tight electrolyte and a conductive and highly porous anode. The fourth layer is the interconnect which separates and connects the individual cells. Dozens of such cells are grouped together in series to form a fuel cell ‘stack’. The electrochemical characteristics of the ceramic materials are critical and their structure, complex. Any trace chemical impurity can alter they way in which they perform, so it is vital to use high purity water during their manufacture. Elga Process Water’s system uses duplex Selectron 30 softeners, which remove salts that give water its hardness. The water is then processed by a cartridge-type activated carbon filter to remove particulate matter and free chlorine. The pretreated water is purified during a further two stages – a MaxiRO 141000 ES reverse osmosis (RO) unit removes about 95% of dissolved salts from the water before it undergoes polishing by duty and standby C1040 nuclear grade deionisation cylinders. It is then delivered to a 3000-litre tank by a distribution pump. The skid-mounted system combines the economy of RO with the convenience of Elga Process Water’s cylinder exchange service to produce water of the required quality. During the purification process, partially treated permeate from the RO unit is passed through a cylinder of mixed-bed ion exchange resin. When the resin is exhausted, the cylinder is returned to the supplier in exchange for one that has been recharged, so regeneration is not carried out on-site. The combined RO and ion exchange process produces 2400 litres (630 gallons) of purified water per day, with a conductivity better than 1µS/cm. Because the water is produced without the use of hazardous chemicals, such as acid and caustic soda, the process is both safe and simple to use. Ceramic Fuel Cells, formed in 1992 by Australia’s Commonwealth Science and Industry Research Organisation and a consortium of leading energy and industrial companies, and now listed on the London AIM market, develops SOFC technology to provide reliable,
February 2008