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Cross-flow market set for solid growth
NEWS
Cross-flow market set for solid growth The market for cross-flow membrane modules and equipment to purify water and other liquids will grow from US$7.6 billion in 2006 to in excess of $10 billion in 2010, according to a report entitled ‘RO/UF/MF World Markets’, which is available from US company McIlvaine Co. According to the company, the cross-flow membrane market is divided into three major segments. The largest is reverse osmosis (RO), which accounts for 50% of the total sales. This is the most efficient membrane and is used in desalination and the production of ultrapure water for electronics, power and pharmaceutical applications. The other 50% of the market is almost evenly split between ultrafiltration (UF) and microfiltration (MF). UF provides medium efficiency and is used as pre-filtration for RO, for process applications such as juice purification and the treatment of drinking water. MF is the least efficient of the three membrane technologies but also requires the lowest amount of energy. MF is proving to be superior to conventional technologies for drinking water purification and for the treatment of wastewater. In other areas, combining biological treatment and membrane filtration in one device has proved very cost-effective, says the study, and has led to the rapid growth of membrane bioreactors (MBRs). In 2009 the leading segment for cross-flow membranes will be desalination, with sales of equipment and membranes worldwide totalling more than $2.2 billion, says the company. Globalization and consolidation continue apace and General Electric and Siemens have become major participants through acquisitions. The recent purchase of Cuno by 3M is another example. The Asian market will grow at a faster rate than other regions, asserts the report. The lack of clean water and the rapid growth
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of the electronics and pharmaceutical industries in the region are major drivers. China will be the largest Asian purchaser in 2009, predicts the company. Contact: The McIlvaine Company, 191 Waukegan Road, Suite 208, Northfield, IL 60093, USA. Tel: +1 847 784 0012, www.mcilvainecompany.com
X-Flow trials latest generation of elements X-Flow of Enschede, The Netherlands, has released the results of integrity and performance trials conducted on its XIGA-SXL membrane elements. Membrane integrity and membrane performance are recognized as key parameters representing the quality of hollow-fiber membranes, says the Dutch company. During 2005, X-Flow installed its latest generation of XIGA-SXL membrane elements in three large ultrafiltration (UF) systems — with a total capacity in excess of 250 000 m 3/day — located in Australia, Germany and The Netherlands. Measurements taken over the period December 2005 to June 2006 show an average TMP of 0.025 MPa (0.25 bar), an average flux of 80 lmh, and no fiber defects. During the measurement period the performance of the three plants fell well within the guaranty values. The XIGA-SXL element is the successor to X-Flow’s XIGA-S membrane element which, according to the firm, has been used in hundreds of applications around the world since 1996. The XIGA-SXL has 15% more membrane surface area and can be installed in most UF systems that are currently equipped with the S225 units. X-Flow is part of Norit NV, an international company that develops and supplies membrane technology to the municipal and industrial markets. Contact: X-Flow BV, Marssteden 50, NL-7547 TC Enschede, The Netherlands. Tel: +31 53 4287 000, www.x-flow.nl
Severn Trent introduces turbidity meter Severn Trent Services, a supplier of water and wastewater treatment products, systems and services based in Fort Washington, Pennsylvania, has introduced the MicroScatter 90° turbidity meter at the ‘2006 AWWA Conference & Exposition’, which was held recently in San Antonio, Texas. The meter is ideal for use with clean water and all types of raw water, including wastewater discharge in both municipal and industrial applications, and is designed to monitor turbidity ranging from 0-200 NTU. This easy-to-use system is menuprompted to guide users through set-up, calibration and operation. The MicroScatter 90° turbidity sensors are US EPA Method 180.1 and ISO 7027 compliant. To make it easy to install, the turbidity meter is available already mounted on a back panel and includes all necessary wiring. It requires only sample water and return lines, says the company. The sensors can be located at a distance of up to 15.2 m (50 ft) from the analyser. Severn Trent Services is a member of the Severn Trent Plc group of companies. Contact: Severn Trent Services, Suite 300, 580 Virginia Drive, Fort Washington, PA 19034-2707, USA. Tel: +1 215 283 3478, www.severntrentservices.com
Dow continues collaboration with Millennium Cell In the US, The Dow Chemical Company has elected to purchase $1.25 million of Millennium Cell Inc’s Series B-1 convertible preferred stock under an option which became exercisable upon the achievement of the first milestone under a joint development agreement formed by the two companies. Dow will also continue its human resource commitment
towards achieving the second milestone, and says that it intends maintaining an investment in Millennium and may periodically liquidate some or all of the shares it acquired at the inception of the joint development program. During the first quarter of 2005, Millennium Cell and Dow entered into a three-year, ‘milestone-driven’ joint development program to collaborate on the development and commercialization of portable fuelcell systems for use in consumer electronics and military applications [see Membrane Technology, April 2005, page 3]. These hydrogen batteries are based on Millennium Cell’s patented ‘Hydrogen on Demand’ technology and proton exchange membrane fuel-cells that convert hydrogen and oxygen into electricity. The milestones under the program include securing a development funding contract from the military and the subsequent development, manufacture and delivery of a prototype to meet the specifications of that contract. Since the program’s inception, Dow has been providing a combination of business and technical resources to aid in the achievement of these milestones. As each milestone is achieved, Dow’s resource commitment increases, as detailed in the definitive agreements signed by both companies. ‘We are encouraged by the performance of our respective technical and business teams this past year and look forward to Dow’s increasing involvement as we work with our licensees to develop hydrogen batteries for portable device markets. Dow’s capabilities will be instrumental as we work to significantly increase our performance advantage over traditional batteries,’ commented Millennium Cell’s Chief Executive Officer H. David Ramm. ‘Dow continues to focus on alternative energy technologies with a special emphasis on applications that can lead to early adoption in commercial applications. The use of hydrogen fuel cells is a promising area that requires improved technology for fuel handling and storage to support commercial applications.’ James Plonka, Dow Vice President, Corporate Venture Capital, said: ‘Millennium Cell has
Membrane Technology August 2006
Cross-flow market set for solid growth The market for cross-flow membrane modules and equipment to purify water and other liquids will grow from US$7.6 billion in 2006 to in excess of $10 billion in 2010, according to a report entitled ‘RO/UF/MF World Markets’, which is available from US company McIlvaine Co. According to the company, the cross-flow membrane market is divided into three major segments. The largest is reverse osmosis (RO), which accounts for 50% of the total sales. This is the most efficient membrane and is used in desalination and the production of ultrapure water for electronics, power and pharmaceutical applications. The other 50% of the market is almost evenly split between ultrafiltration (UF) and microfiltration (MF). UF provides medium efficiency and is used as pre-filtration for RO, for process applications such as juice purification and the treatment of drinking water. MF is the least efficient of the three membrane technologies but also requires the lowest amount of energy. MF is proving to be superior to conventional technologies for drinking water purification and for the treatment of wastewater. In other areas, combining biological treatment and membrane filtration in one device has proved very cost-effective, says the study, and has led to the rapid growth of membrane bioreactors (MBRs). In 2009 the leading segment for cross-flow membranes will be desalination, with sales of equipment and membranes worldwide totalling more than $2.2 billion, says the company. Globalization and consolidation continue apace and General Electric and Siemens have become major participants through acquisitions. The recent purchase of Cuno by 3M is another example. The Asian market will grow at a faster rate than other regions, asserts the report. The lack of clean water and the rapid growth
4
of the electronics and pharmaceutical industries in the region are major drivers. China will be the largest Asian purchaser in 2009, predicts the company. Contact: The McIlvaine Company, 191 Waukegan Road, Suite 208, Northfield, IL 60093, USA. Tel: +1 847 784 0012, www.mcilvainecompany.com
X-Flow trials latest generation of elements X-Flow of Enschede, The Netherlands, has released the results of integrity and performance trials conducted on its XIGA-SXL membrane elements. Membrane integrity and membrane performance are recognized as key parameters representing the quality of hollow-fiber membranes, says the Dutch company. During 2005, X-Flow installed its latest generation of XIGA-SXL membrane elements in three large ultrafiltration (UF) systems — with a total capacity in excess of 250 000 m 3/day — located in Australia, Germany and The Netherlands. Measurements taken over the period December 2005 to June 2006 show an average TMP of 0.025 MPa (0.25 bar), an average flux of 80 lmh, and no fiber defects. During the measurement period the performance of the three plants fell well within the guaranty values. The XIGA-SXL element is the successor to X-Flow’s XIGA-S membrane element which, according to the firm, has been used in hundreds of applications around the world since 1996. The XIGA-SXL has 15% more membrane surface area and can be installed in most UF systems that are currently equipped with the S225 units. X-Flow is part of Norit NV, an international company that develops and supplies membrane technology to the municipal and industrial markets. Contact: X-Flow BV, Marssteden 50, NL-7547 TC Enschede, The Netherlands. Tel: +31 53 4287 000, www.x-flow.nl
Severn Trent introduces turbidity meter Severn Trent Services, a supplier of water and wastewater treatment products, systems and services based in Fort Washington, Pennsylvania, has introduced the MicroScatter 90° turbidity meter at the ‘2006 AWWA Conference & Exposition’, which was held recently in San Antonio, Texas. The meter is ideal for use with clean water and all types of raw water, including wastewater discharge in both municipal and industrial applications, and is designed to monitor turbidity ranging from 0-200 NTU. This easy-to-use system is menuprompted to guide users through set-up, calibration and operation. The MicroScatter 90° turbidity sensors are US EPA Method 180.1 and ISO 7027 compliant. To make it easy to install, the turbidity meter is available already mounted on a back panel and includes all necessary wiring. It requires only sample water and return lines, says the company. The sensors can be located at a distance of up to 15.2 m (50 ft) from the analyser. Severn Trent Services is a member of the Severn Trent Plc group of companies. Contact: Severn Trent Services, Suite 300, 580 Virginia Drive, Fort Washington, PA 19034-2707, USA. Tel: +1 215 283 3478, www.severntrentservices.com
Dow continues collaboration with Millennium Cell In the US, The Dow Chemical Company has elected to purchase $1.25 million of Millennium Cell Inc’s Series B-1 convertible preferred stock under an option which became exercisable upon the achievement of the first milestone under a joint development agreement formed by the two companies. Dow will also continue its human resource commitment
towards achieving the second milestone, and says that it intends maintaining an investment in Millennium and may periodically liquidate some or all of the shares it acquired at the inception of the joint development program. During the first quarter of 2005, Millennium Cell and Dow entered into a three-year, ‘milestone-driven’ joint development program to collaborate on the development and commercialization of portable fuelcell systems for use in consumer electronics and military applications [see Membrane Technology, April 2005, page 3]. These hydrogen batteries are based on Millennium Cell’s patented ‘Hydrogen on Demand’ technology and proton exchange membrane fuel-cells that convert hydrogen and oxygen into electricity. The milestones under the program include securing a development funding contract from the military and the subsequent development, manufacture and delivery of a prototype to meet the specifications of that contract. Since the program’s inception, Dow has been providing a combination of business and technical resources to aid in the achievement of these milestones. As each milestone is achieved, Dow’s resource commitment increases, as detailed in the definitive agreements signed by both companies. ‘We are encouraged by the performance of our respective technical and business teams this past year and look forward to Dow’s increasing involvement as we work with our licensees to develop hydrogen batteries for portable device markets. Dow’s capabilities will be instrumental as we work to significantly increase our performance advantage over traditional batteries,’ commented Millennium Cell’s Chief Executive Officer H. David Ramm. ‘Dow continues to focus on alternative energy technologies with a special emphasis on applications that can lead to early adoption in commercial applications. The use of hydrogen fuel cells is a promising area that requires improved technology for fuel handling and storage to support commercial applications.’ James Plonka, Dow Vice President, Corporate Venture Capital, said: ‘Millennium Cell has
Membrane Technology August 2006