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Australia invests in its desalination industry
membrane
TECHNOLOGY
ISSN 0958-2118 February 2011
www.membrane-technology.com
Australia invests in its desalination industry
I
n Australia, the National Centre of Excellence in Desalination has awarded nearly A$3 million in funding to research projects investigating ways of advancing desalination technology. Announcing the centre’s second round of funding, Parliamentary Secretary for Sustainability and Urban Water, Senator Don Farrell, says the projects are an important investment in securing future water supplies for all Australians. ‘These projects demonstrate how the National Centre of Excellence in Desalination is delivering on its mission to develop and commercialise new desalination technologies, with emphasis on the energy efficiency of the desalination process,’ said Senator Farrell. The 12 projects include research into improving membrane performance, new types of desalination for remote areas, forward osmosis for simultaneous production of water and fertiliser, and solar-powered desalination for rural communities. Neil Palmer, Chief Executive Officer, National Centre of Excellence in Desalination, commented: ‘The Centre is delighted with the strong response of the Australian research and business communities to work together on projects that will make water supply in arid areas more reliable and economical.’
The centre’s investment of nearly A$3 million in funding for the 12 projects is expected to generate significant in-kind and industry contributions towards ongoing research activity. ‘Investing in research and development is crucial to developing a sustainable desalination industry in Australia,’ continued Senator Farrell. ‘Desalination is an important component of securing water supplies in Australia – it can provide water all year round, regardless of rainfall. However, we need to continue to improve the desalination process, in particular energy efficiency.’ The Australian Government has committed A$20 million in funding over five years to the National Centre of Excellence in Desalination, through the ‘‘Water for the Future’’ initiative. Graeme Rowley, Chair of the National Centre of Excellence in Desalination, said: ‘The centre represents an excellent opportunity for Australia to be a world leader in commercial and technical development of desalination, resulting in the provision of clean water to a thirsty world.’ Contact: National Centre of Excellence in Desalination, Murdoch University, Dixon Road, Rockingham WA 6168, Australia. Tel: +61 8 9360 7835, Web: http://desalination.edu.au
Contents News Australia invests in its desalination industry
1
Memsys–NTU partnership aims to enhance water desalination technology 2 Non-wood paper production relies on VSEP technology
2
Aspire hydrophilic membrane eliminates need for pre-wetting 2 Purifics’ membrane system supplies drinking water at rural school
3
Elga extends its Purelab Flex 3 & 4 range
3
Pall systems increase profitability and reduce costs
3
Report analyses laboratory filtration equipment market worldwide
4
Nitto Denko supplies 16-inch RO elements for desalination plant in Israel 4 HTI HydroPack forms centrepiece of water disaster-relief demonstration in Kenya 5 SwissINSO sells Krystall water purification units to Malaysia and Algeria
6
Siemens adds process-control system to its Memcor membrane product range
6
KMS selected to provide Puron MBR modules for town in Italy
6
ITT separates into three independent publicly traded companies
16
Memsys–NTU partnership aims to enhance water desalination technology
Features Vietnamese project explores use of membranes for wastewater treatment
7
I
Researchers discover a way to simultaneously desalinate water, produce hydrogen and treat wastewater
8
n Singapore, Memsys Clearwater Pte Ltd and Nanyang Technological University (NTU) are collaborating on a project that aims to enhance a patented technology for treating water contaminated with oil. If successful, the patented Memsys membrane distillation process will be used more widely by companies to produce distilled water for their industrial processes. For example, the refineries and petrochemical industries located
at Singapore’s Jurong Island, which produce a lot of waste heat and which are located close to the sea, will be able to use the enhanced membrane distillation process to produce distilled water from sea water. Under the partnership, the Memsys–NTU research team will conduct tests to evaluate available membranes to find out which ones are most effective at treating water contaminated with oil. The project will help to enhance the Continued on page 16...
Regulars In Brief Research Trends
3, 5 9
Patents
12
Events Calendar
16
ISSN 0958-2118/11 © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved This journal and the individual contributions contained in it are protected under copyright by Elsevier Ltd, and the following terms and conditions apply to their use: Photocopying Single photocopies of single articles may be made for personal use as allowed by national copyright laws. Permission of the publisher and payment of a fee is required for all other photocopying, including multiple or systematic copying, copying for advertising or promotional purposes, resale, and all forms of document delivery. Special rates are available for educational institutions that wish to make photocopies for non-profit educational classroom use.
TECHNOLOGY
ISSN 0958-2118 February 2011
www.membrane-technology.com
Australia invests in its desalination industry
I
n Australia, the National Centre of Excellence in Desalination has awarded nearly A$3 million in funding to research projects investigating ways of advancing desalination technology. Announcing the centre’s second round of funding, Parliamentary Secretary for Sustainability and Urban Water, Senator Don Farrell, says the projects are an important investment in securing future water supplies for all Australians. ‘These projects demonstrate how the National Centre of Excellence in Desalination is delivering on its mission to develop and commercialise new desalination technologies, with emphasis on the energy efficiency of the desalination process,’ said Senator Farrell. The 12 projects include research into improving membrane performance, new types of desalination for remote areas, forward osmosis for simultaneous production of water and fertiliser, and solar-powered desalination for rural communities. Neil Palmer, Chief Executive Officer, National Centre of Excellence in Desalination, commented: ‘The Centre is delighted with the strong response of the Australian research and business communities to work together on projects that will make water supply in arid areas more reliable and economical.’
The centre’s investment of nearly A$3 million in funding for the 12 projects is expected to generate significant in-kind and industry contributions towards ongoing research activity. ‘Investing in research and development is crucial to developing a sustainable desalination industry in Australia,’ continued Senator Farrell. ‘Desalination is an important component of securing water supplies in Australia – it can provide water all year round, regardless of rainfall. However, we need to continue to improve the desalination process, in particular energy efficiency.’ The Australian Government has committed A$20 million in funding over five years to the National Centre of Excellence in Desalination, through the ‘‘Water for the Future’’ initiative. Graeme Rowley, Chair of the National Centre of Excellence in Desalination, said: ‘The centre represents an excellent opportunity for Australia to be a world leader in commercial and technical development of desalination, resulting in the provision of clean water to a thirsty world.’ Contact: National Centre of Excellence in Desalination, Murdoch University, Dixon Road, Rockingham WA 6168, Australia. Tel: +61 8 9360 7835, Web: http://desalination.edu.au
Contents News Australia invests in its desalination industry
1
Memsys–NTU partnership aims to enhance water desalination technology 2 Non-wood paper production relies on VSEP technology
2
Aspire hydrophilic membrane eliminates need for pre-wetting 2 Purifics’ membrane system supplies drinking water at rural school
3
Elga extends its Purelab Flex 3 & 4 range
3
Pall systems increase profitability and reduce costs
3
Report analyses laboratory filtration equipment market worldwide
4
Nitto Denko supplies 16-inch RO elements for desalination plant in Israel 4 HTI HydroPack forms centrepiece of water disaster-relief demonstration in Kenya 5 SwissINSO sells Krystall water purification units to Malaysia and Algeria
6
Siemens adds process-control system to its Memcor membrane product range
6
KMS selected to provide Puron MBR modules for town in Italy
6
ITT separates into three independent publicly traded companies
16
Memsys–NTU partnership aims to enhance water desalination technology
Features Vietnamese project explores use of membranes for wastewater treatment
7
I
Researchers discover a way to simultaneously desalinate water, produce hydrogen and treat wastewater
8
n Singapore, Memsys Clearwater Pte Ltd and Nanyang Technological University (NTU) are collaborating on a project that aims to enhance a patented technology for treating water contaminated with oil. If successful, the patented Memsys membrane distillation process will be used more widely by companies to produce distilled water for their industrial processes. For example, the refineries and petrochemical industries located
at Singapore’s Jurong Island, which produce a lot of waste heat and which are located close to the sea, will be able to use the enhanced membrane distillation process to produce distilled water from sea water. Under the partnership, the Memsys–NTU research team will conduct tests to evaluate available membranes to find out which ones are most effective at treating water contaminated with oil. The project will help to enhance the Continued on page 16...
Regulars In Brief Research Trends
3, 5 9
Patents
12
Events Calendar
16
ISSN 0958-2118/11 © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved This journal and the individual contributions contained in it are protected under copyright by Elsevier Ltd, and the following terms and conditions apply to their use: Photocopying Single photocopies of single articles may be made for personal use as allowed by national copyright laws. Permission of the publisher and payment of a fee is required for all other photocopying, including multiple or systematic copying, copying for advertising or promotional purposes, resale, and all forms of document delivery. Special rates are available for educational institutions that wish to make photocopies for non-profit educational classroom use.