- Email: [email protected]
BASF signs agreement to sell its UF membrane business to DuPont
NEWS
Editorial Office: Elsevier Ltd The Boulevard, Langford Lane Kidlington, Oxford OX5 1GB, UK Tel: +44 1865 843239 Web: www.membrane-technology.com Editor: Simon Atkinson Tel/Fax: +44 (0)1904 655944 Email: [email protected] Production Support Manager: Lin Lucas Email: [email protected] Editorial advisory board: Dr P Ball (Pall Europe), Dr D Bessarabov (HySA Infrastructure: NWU and CSIR), Prof. M Cheryan (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign), Prof. A G Fane (University of New South Wales), Dr A C M Franken (Membrane Application Centre Twente), Prof. E Gobina (Robert Gordon University), Dr A Merry (Aquious–PCI Membranes), Prof. M Nyström (Lappeenranta University of Technology), Dr Anil Pabby, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, India Dr G K Pearce (Membrane Consultancy Associates), Prof. P H Pfromm (Kansas State University), Dr R W Philpott (Progenta Llp), Prof. R J Wakeman (Loughborough University of Technology), Prof. A Yaroshchuk (Ukrainian Membrane Society) Subscription Information An annual subscription to Membrane Technology includes 12 issues and online access for up to 5 users. Subscriptions run for 12 months, from the date payment is received. More information: www.elsevier.com/journals/institutional/membrane-technology/0958-2118 Permissions may be sought directly from Elsevier Global Rights Department, PO Box 800, Oxford OX5 1DX, UK; phone: +44 1865 843830, fax: +44 1865 853333, email: [email protected]. You may also contact Global Rights directly through Elsevier’s home page (www.elsevier.com), selecting first ‘Support & contact’, then ‘Copyright & permission’. In the USA, users may clear permissions and make payments through the Copyright Clearance Center, Inc., 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, USA; phone: +1 978 750 8400, fax: +1 978 750 4744, and in the UK through the Copyright Licensing Agency Rapid Clearance Service (CLARCS), 90 Tottenham Court Road, London W1P 0LP, UK; phone: +44 (0)20 7631 5555; fax: +44 (0)20 7631 5500. Other countries may have a local reprographic rights agency for payments. Derivative Works Subscribers may reproduce tables of contents or prepare lists of articles including abstracts for internal circulation within their institutions. Permission of the Publisher is required for resale or distribution outside the institution. Permission of the Publisher is required for all other derivative works, including compilations and translations. Electronic Storage or Usage Permission of the Publisher is required to store or use electronically any material contained in this publication, including any article or part of an article. Except as outlined above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior written permission of the Publisher. Address permissions requests to: Elsevier Science Global Rights Department, at the mail, fax and email addresses noted above. Notice No responsibility is assumed by the Publisher for any injury and/or damage to persons or property as a matter of products liability, negligence or otherwise, or from any use or operation of any methods, products, instructions or ideas contained in the material herein. Because of rapid advances in the medical sciences, in particular, independent verification of diagnoses and drug dosages should be made.Although all advertising material is expected to conform to ethical (medical) standards, inclusion in this publication does not constitute a guarantee or endorsement of the quality or value of such product or of the claims made of it by its manufacturer.
12978 Digitally Produced by Mayfield Press (Oxford) Limited (The content of this newsletter is compiled from a variety of sources, including press releases.)
2
Membrane Technology
Nanofibre membranes have double the flux of ones that have been cast
N
xtnano Llc of Claremore, Oklahoma, USA, has developed and launched what it describes as novel, nanofibre membranes that are targeted at microfiltration and microventing applications. The company, which mass-produces nanofibre products for a range of uses, says that its patented nFLUXTM nanofibre membranes are designed to replace traditional cast films, but consistently deliver double the flux. The pore size of the membranes starts at 0.2 µm, but when required can go up to over 10 µm. The membranes are made from polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF) and thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU). In addition, a version made from polyethersulfone (PESU) is available specifically for users with high-temperature applications. Available as a stand-alone membrane or as a laminate on a wide variety of non-woven media, nFLUX says that it is poised to shake up the microporous membrane market by delivering over a 100% improvement in flux compared with traditional cast membranes. Commenting on the technology, Andrew McDowell, Director of Sales, Nxtnano, said: ‘As one of the pioneers in bringing nanofibre materials to the performance apparel space we had a great basis of know-how in fabricating mass quantities of nanofibre membrane.’ ‘Despite this, the microfiltration and microventing applications pose their own set of challenges with a very diverse range of applications. A big part of what we have been working on is the ability to combine the nFLUX membranes with a wide range of polypropylene, polyethylene, or polyethylene terephthalate backers in-house, enabling our customers to select a completed media and get to market faster.’ For further information, visit: www.nxtnano.com
Evoqua buys a stake in specialist firm that treats complex waste streams
T
o help it strengthen its capabilities dedicated to the treatment of complex waste streams, Evoqua
Water Technologies has bought a majority stake in Californian firm Frontier Water Systems Llc. Based in San Diego, Frontier specialises in the development of patented, engineered equipment packages for high-rate treatment and removal of selenium, nitrate and other metals from complex waste streams. Waste discharge from processes that contain metals and minerals requires the removal of these contaminants prior to being released into the environment. Frontier delivers a biological process that safely removes these metals using a proprietary, modular bioreactor. The acquisition quickly follows news that Evoqua – which provides a range of water and wastewater treatment systems and technologies, and mobile and emergency water supply systems and services – has also agreed a plan to divest its Memcor membrane line of products to DuPont Safety & Construction (see page 1 of this issue). ‘We are excited to deepen our partnership with Frontier, as together we help solve the water treatment needs of our customers,’ explained Ron Keating, CEO, Evoqua. ‘Evoqua and Frontier have successfully partnered on numerous projects to ensure removal of selenium and other heavy metals from waste streams, giving our customers confidence in complying with strict regulatory limits. This investment follows our strategy to grow our portfolio of advanced wastewater treatment technologies and our commitment to sustainable solutions.’ Earlier this year Evoqua acquired UK-based ATG UV Technology Ltd, a manufacturer of ultraviolet (UV) light disinfection systems used in a wide range of municipal, aquatics and industrial applications (Membrane Technology July 2019, page 14). For further information, visit: www.evoqua.com & https://frontierwater.com
BASF signs agreement to sell its UF membrane business to DuPont
G
ermany’s inge GmbH – the wholly owned subsidiary of BASF that specialises in ultrafiltration (UF) membranes – is to be sold to DuPont Safety & Construction, as mentioned briefly in the previous issue of this newsletter (Membrane Technology October 2019, page 8) The agreed divestment includes shares in inge GmbH, the business’ international sales force, its headquarters and production site in Greifenberg, Germany, and certain intellectual property currently owned by BASF Se.
November 2019
NEWS/IN BRIEF Pending approval by the relevant authorities, it is anticipated that this deal will be closed by the end of 2019. ‘The inge GmbH team has done a great job in developing the ultrafiltration membrane technology into a well established player in the market. However, synergies with BASF are very limited,’ explained Anup Kothari, President, Performance Chemicals, BASF. ‘For the ultrafiltration membrane business, becoming part of DuPont, a strategic buyer, provides strong value creation potential and will enable it to reach the next level of growth.’ For further information, visit: www.inge.basf.com & www.dupont.com/industries/safety-and-protection.html
Toray supplies RO membranes for use in Saudi desalination plants
J
apan’s Toray Industries Inc has received orders for its ROMEMBRATM reverse osmosis (RO) membranes from Saudi Arabia. The RO membranes are being used in the Shoaibah 3 Extension 2 and Shoaibah 4 desalination plants. The installation will make the site the nation’s largest RO desalination complex, enabling it to produce 650 000 m3 (about 172 million gallons) of water per day. According to Toray, the RO membranes will not only help resolve water shortages in the Middle East, but also contribute greatly to Saudi Vision – a national initiative that aims to reduce the kingdom’s dependence on oil and diversify its economy – which is also receiving support from the Japanese government. Shoaibah, Saudi Arabia’s second largest city, which is located around 120 km (75 miles) south of Jeddah, also employed RO technology in its first expansion of the Shoaibah 3 desalination complex. After going online in 2009 it had a capacity of up to 150 000 m3 (around 40 million gallons) of water a day Toray Membrane Middle East Llc, the Japanese company’s local subsidiary, is supplying the RO membranes and the technical services to fulfil the latest order. In 2012, Toray supplied its ROMEMBRA RO membranes for use in two sea-water desalination plants that were being constructed in the United Arab Emirates (Membrane Technology October 2012, pages 2–3). For further information, visit: www.toray.com
November 2019
H2O Innovation’s O&M business renews five contracts in the USA
U
tility Partners Llc (UP) – H2O Innovation’s business that provides operation and maintenance services (O&M) in North America – has recently renewed five contracts in the USA, valued at C$5.6 million. Canada’s H2O Innovation Inc, which designs and provides custom-built and integrated water treatment systems based on membrane filtration technology, for municipal, industrial, energy and natural resources end-users, says that these contract renewals bring its O&M business backlog to C$85.5 million. UP has renewed three municipal contracts in the state of New Hampshire. Two of these were renewed for five years, whilst the third was extended for three additional years. All of the companies involved are long-time clients of UP. The remaining two contracts – for work in Vermont and New York – were renewed for five years and 13 months, respectively. Finally, UP increased the scope of its work on two existing projects, which has increased their annual value. For further information, visit: www.h2oinnovation.com & www.utilitypartnersllc.com
Porvair uses FILTECH 19 to promote metal FMC media
S
pecialist filtration and environmental technologies group Porvair Plc used the FILTECH exhibition that was held recently in Cologne, Germany, as an opportunity to promote a metal fibre mesh composite for filter elements, which recently has been added to its Sinterflo® range of products. According to Porvair, the Sinterflo FMC media is specifically designed to deliver performance, strength and practicality in cleaning. The company says that this media boasts many benefits, including resistance to high temperatures and corrosive environments, design and engineering versatility and minimal maintenance costs. Its fine pore surface layer enhances surface filtration. The FMC structure, with integrated Bekaert Bekipor® technology, is composed of random fibre webs and woven mesh structures
In Brief CEO Werner Lieberherr leaves MANN+HUMMEL German filtration company MANN+HUMMEL, and global supplier of membrane products through its water treatment business unit Microdyn-Nadir, reports that its CEO, Werner Lieberherr, has left the company by mutual agreement. Different views on the future strategic direction of the firm are cited as the reason for leaving. Lieberherr joined the family business in October 2018 in order to keep the company on course for success. Nicolaas Zerbst has been appointed as interim managing director and will, for the time being, manage the group together with managing director Emese Weissenbacher. Asahi Kasei honorary fellow chosen to receive the Nobel Prize Dr Akira Yoshino, Honorary Fellow, Asahi Kasei Corp, has been chosen for the 2019 Nobel Prize in Chemistry in recognition of his achievements in the R&D of the lithiumion battery (LIB). Asahi Kasei says that he invented the combined structure of carbon for the negative electrode and lithium cobalt oxide (LiCoO2) for the positive electrode; developed the fundamental technology for the LIB, which uses aluminium as positive current collector material; and fabricated the world’s first LIB cell. He also developed other technologies that were essential for the successful commercialisation of the LIB, including technology for fabricating electrodes and assembling batteries, and other technology that made the LIB possible as a small, lightweight rechargeable battery. TriLux and UniLux fluorometers form part of water sensor network in Korea Chelsea Technologies’ TriLux and UniLux fluorometers are being used in a water sensor network that has been constructed in South Korea by the National Institute of Environmental Research (NIER), in collaboration with government-affiliated water utility K Water. It aims to monitor a number of prominent river watersheds, to provide continuous real-time data on the water quality through key environmental parameters. The network consists of numerous sensors, deployed on individual “mini-pontoons”, to measure key water parameters. De.mem awarded contract to deliver containerised membrane-based plant Australian-Singaporean water and wastewater treatment company De.mem recently secured a contract, for an undisclosed sum, from ACCIONA, an international group that is involved in the development and management of infrastructure and renewable energy. The project will see De.mem delivering a membrane-based water treatment plant as a containerised unit.
Membrane Technology
3
Editorial Office: Elsevier Ltd The Boulevard, Langford Lane Kidlington, Oxford OX5 1GB, UK Tel: +44 1865 843239 Web: www.membrane-technology.com Editor: Simon Atkinson Tel/Fax: +44 (0)1904 655944 Email: [email protected] Production Support Manager: Lin Lucas Email: [email protected] Editorial advisory board: Dr P Ball (Pall Europe), Dr D Bessarabov (HySA Infrastructure: NWU and CSIR), Prof. M Cheryan (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign), Prof. A G Fane (University of New South Wales), Dr A C M Franken (Membrane Application Centre Twente), Prof. E Gobina (Robert Gordon University), Dr A Merry (Aquious–PCI Membranes), Prof. M Nyström (Lappeenranta University of Technology), Dr Anil Pabby, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, India Dr G K Pearce (Membrane Consultancy Associates), Prof. P H Pfromm (Kansas State University), Dr R W Philpott (Progenta Llp), Prof. R J Wakeman (Loughborough University of Technology), Prof. A Yaroshchuk (Ukrainian Membrane Society) Subscription Information An annual subscription to Membrane Technology includes 12 issues and online access for up to 5 users. Subscriptions run for 12 months, from the date payment is received. More information: www.elsevier.com/journals/institutional/membrane-technology/0958-2118 Permissions may be sought directly from Elsevier Global Rights Department, PO Box 800, Oxford OX5 1DX, UK; phone: +44 1865 843830, fax: +44 1865 853333, email: [email protected]. You may also contact Global Rights directly through Elsevier’s home page (www.elsevier.com), selecting first ‘Support & contact’, then ‘Copyright & permission’. In the USA, users may clear permissions and make payments through the Copyright Clearance Center, Inc., 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, USA; phone: +1 978 750 8400, fax: +1 978 750 4744, and in the UK through the Copyright Licensing Agency Rapid Clearance Service (CLARCS), 90 Tottenham Court Road, London W1P 0LP, UK; phone: +44 (0)20 7631 5555; fax: +44 (0)20 7631 5500. Other countries may have a local reprographic rights agency for payments. Derivative Works Subscribers may reproduce tables of contents or prepare lists of articles including abstracts for internal circulation within their institutions. Permission of the Publisher is required for resale or distribution outside the institution. Permission of the Publisher is required for all other derivative works, including compilations and translations. Electronic Storage or Usage Permission of the Publisher is required to store or use electronically any material contained in this publication, including any article or part of an article. Except as outlined above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior written permission of the Publisher. Address permissions requests to: Elsevier Science Global Rights Department, at the mail, fax and email addresses noted above. Notice No responsibility is assumed by the Publisher for any injury and/or damage to persons or property as a matter of products liability, negligence or otherwise, or from any use or operation of any methods, products, instructions or ideas contained in the material herein. Because of rapid advances in the medical sciences, in particular, independent verification of diagnoses and drug dosages should be made.Although all advertising material is expected to conform to ethical (medical) standards, inclusion in this publication does not constitute a guarantee or endorsement of the quality or value of such product or of the claims made of it by its manufacturer.
12978 Digitally Produced by Mayfield Press (Oxford) Limited (The content of this newsletter is compiled from a variety of sources, including press releases.)
2
Membrane Technology
Nanofibre membranes have double the flux of ones that have been cast
N
xtnano Llc of Claremore, Oklahoma, USA, has developed and launched what it describes as novel, nanofibre membranes that are targeted at microfiltration and microventing applications. The company, which mass-produces nanofibre products for a range of uses, says that its patented nFLUXTM nanofibre membranes are designed to replace traditional cast films, but consistently deliver double the flux. The pore size of the membranes starts at 0.2 µm, but when required can go up to over 10 µm. The membranes are made from polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF) and thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU). In addition, a version made from polyethersulfone (PESU) is available specifically for users with high-temperature applications. Available as a stand-alone membrane or as a laminate on a wide variety of non-woven media, nFLUX says that it is poised to shake up the microporous membrane market by delivering over a 100% improvement in flux compared with traditional cast membranes. Commenting on the technology, Andrew McDowell, Director of Sales, Nxtnano, said: ‘As one of the pioneers in bringing nanofibre materials to the performance apparel space we had a great basis of know-how in fabricating mass quantities of nanofibre membrane.’ ‘Despite this, the microfiltration and microventing applications pose their own set of challenges with a very diverse range of applications. A big part of what we have been working on is the ability to combine the nFLUX membranes with a wide range of polypropylene, polyethylene, or polyethylene terephthalate backers in-house, enabling our customers to select a completed media and get to market faster.’ For further information, visit: www.nxtnano.com
Evoqua buys a stake in specialist firm that treats complex waste streams
T
o help it strengthen its capabilities dedicated to the treatment of complex waste streams, Evoqua
Water Technologies has bought a majority stake in Californian firm Frontier Water Systems Llc. Based in San Diego, Frontier specialises in the development of patented, engineered equipment packages for high-rate treatment and removal of selenium, nitrate and other metals from complex waste streams. Waste discharge from processes that contain metals and minerals requires the removal of these contaminants prior to being released into the environment. Frontier delivers a biological process that safely removes these metals using a proprietary, modular bioreactor. The acquisition quickly follows news that Evoqua – which provides a range of water and wastewater treatment systems and technologies, and mobile and emergency water supply systems and services – has also agreed a plan to divest its Memcor membrane line of products to DuPont Safety & Construction (see page 1 of this issue). ‘We are excited to deepen our partnership with Frontier, as together we help solve the water treatment needs of our customers,’ explained Ron Keating, CEO, Evoqua. ‘Evoqua and Frontier have successfully partnered on numerous projects to ensure removal of selenium and other heavy metals from waste streams, giving our customers confidence in complying with strict regulatory limits. This investment follows our strategy to grow our portfolio of advanced wastewater treatment technologies and our commitment to sustainable solutions.’ Earlier this year Evoqua acquired UK-based ATG UV Technology Ltd, a manufacturer of ultraviolet (UV) light disinfection systems used in a wide range of municipal, aquatics and industrial applications (Membrane Technology July 2019, page 14). For further information, visit: www.evoqua.com & https://frontierwater.com
BASF signs agreement to sell its UF membrane business to DuPont
G
ermany’s inge GmbH – the wholly owned subsidiary of BASF that specialises in ultrafiltration (UF) membranes – is to be sold to DuPont Safety & Construction, as mentioned briefly in the previous issue of this newsletter (Membrane Technology October 2019, page 8) The agreed divestment includes shares in inge GmbH, the business’ international sales force, its headquarters and production site in Greifenberg, Germany, and certain intellectual property currently owned by BASF Se.
November 2019
NEWS/IN BRIEF Pending approval by the relevant authorities, it is anticipated that this deal will be closed by the end of 2019. ‘The inge GmbH team has done a great job in developing the ultrafiltration membrane technology into a well established player in the market. However, synergies with BASF are very limited,’ explained Anup Kothari, President, Performance Chemicals, BASF. ‘For the ultrafiltration membrane business, becoming part of DuPont, a strategic buyer, provides strong value creation potential and will enable it to reach the next level of growth.’ For further information, visit: www.inge.basf.com & www.dupont.com/industries/safety-and-protection.html
Toray supplies RO membranes for use in Saudi desalination plants
J
apan’s Toray Industries Inc has received orders for its ROMEMBRATM reverse osmosis (RO) membranes from Saudi Arabia. The RO membranes are being used in the Shoaibah 3 Extension 2 and Shoaibah 4 desalination plants. The installation will make the site the nation’s largest RO desalination complex, enabling it to produce 650 000 m3 (about 172 million gallons) of water per day. According to Toray, the RO membranes will not only help resolve water shortages in the Middle East, but also contribute greatly to Saudi Vision – a national initiative that aims to reduce the kingdom’s dependence on oil and diversify its economy – which is also receiving support from the Japanese government. Shoaibah, Saudi Arabia’s second largest city, which is located around 120 km (75 miles) south of Jeddah, also employed RO technology in its first expansion of the Shoaibah 3 desalination complex. After going online in 2009 it had a capacity of up to 150 000 m3 (around 40 million gallons) of water a day Toray Membrane Middle East Llc, the Japanese company’s local subsidiary, is supplying the RO membranes and the technical services to fulfil the latest order. In 2012, Toray supplied its ROMEMBRA RO membranes for use in two sea-water desalination plants that were being constructed in the United Arab Emirates (Membrane Technology October 2012, pages 2–3). For further information, visit: www.toray.com
November 2019
H2O Innovation’s O&M business renews five contracts in the USA
U
tility Partners Llc (UP) – H2O Innovation’s business that provides operation and maintenance services (O&M) in North America – has recently renewed five contracts in the USA, valued at C$5.6 million. Canada’s H2O Innovation Inc, which designs and provides custom-built and integrated water treatment systems based on membrane filtration technology, for municipal, industrial, energy and natural resources end-users, says that these contract renewals bring its O&M business backlog to C$85.5 million. UP has renewed three municipal contracts in the state of New Hampshire. Two of these were renewed for five years, whilst the third was extended for three additional years. All of the companies involved are long-time clients of UP. The remaining two contracts – for work in Vermont and New York – were renewed for five years and 13 months, respectively. Finally, UP increased the scope of its work on two existing projects, which has increased their annual value. For further information, visit: www.h2oinnovation.com & www.utilitypartnersllc.com
Porvair uses FILTECH 19 to promote metal FMC media
S
pecialist filtration and environmental technologies group Porvair Plc used the FILTECH exhibition that was held recently in Cologne, Germany, as an opportunity to promote a metal fibre mesh composite for filter elements, which recently has been added to its Sinterflo® range of products. According to Porvair, the Sinterflo FMC media is specifically designed to deliver performance, strength and practicality in cleaning. The company says that this media boasts many benefits, including resistance to high temperatures and corrosive environments, design and engineering versatility and minimal maintenance costs. Its fine pore surface layer enhances surface filtration. The FMC structure, with integrated Bekaert Bekipor® technology, is composed of random fibre webs and woven mesh structures
In Brief CEO Werner Lieberherr leaves MANN+HUMMEL German filtration company MANN+HUMMEL, and global supplier of membrane products through its water treatment business unit Microdyn-Nadir, reports that its CEO, Werner Lieberherr, has left the company by mutual agreement. Different views on the future strategic direction of the firm are cited as the reason for leaving. Lieberherr joined the family business in October 2018 in order to keep the company on course for success. Nicolaas Zerbst has been appointed as interim managing director and will, for the time being, manage the group together with managing director Emese Weissenbacher. Asahi Kasei honorary fellow chosen to receive the Nobel Prize Dr Akira Yoshino, Honorary Fellow, Asahi Kasei Corp, has been chosen for the 2019 Nobel Prize in Chemistry in recognition of his achievements in the R&D of the lithiumion battery (LIB). Asahi Kasei says that he invented the combined structure of carbon for the negative electrode and lithium cobalt oxide (LiCoO2) for the positive electrode; developed the fundamental technology for the LIB, which uses aluminium as positive current collector material; and fabricated the world’s first LIB cell. He also developed other technologies that were essential for the successful commercialisation of the LIB, including technology for fabricating electrodes and assembling batteries, and other technology that made the LIB possible as a small, lightweight rechargeable battery. TriLux and UniLux fluorometers form part of water sensor network in Korea Chelsea Technologies’ TriLux and UniLux fluorometers are being used in a water sensor network that has been constructed in South Korea by the National Institute of Environmental Research (NIER), in collaboration with government-affiliated water utility K Water. It aims to monitor a number of prominent river watersheds, to provide continuous real-time data on the water quality through key environmental parameters. The network consists of numerous sensors, deployed on individual “mini-pontoons”, to measure key water parameters. De.mem awarded contract to deliver containerised membrane-based plant Australian-Singaporean water and wastewater treatment company De.mem recently secured a contract, for an undisclosed sum, from ACCIONA, an international group that is involved in the development and management of infrastructure and renewable energy. The project will see De.mem delivering a membrane-based water treatment plant as a containerised unit.
Membrane Technology
3