NEWS company. To support finer pore sizes, Impact 2 filters use an ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UPE) flat-sheet membrane. In addition to the new 0.02-µm product, these filters are also available in pore sizes of 0.03 µm, 0.05 µm, 0.1 µm and 0.2 µm. Customers who have converted to the Impact 2 product say that they are experiencing process advantages such as reduced onwafer defects, claims Mykrolis. Contact: Craig Lazinsky, Mykrolis Corp, 129 Concord Road, Billerica, MA 01821, USA. Tel: +1 978 436 6500, Email:
[email protected].
Positive outlook for European MBR market Membrane bioreactor (MBR) technology offers an exciting future for wastewater treatment, claims a new report entitled ‘European Membrane Bioreactor Market’, by international marketing consulting company Frost & Sullivan. A technology that has been in commercial use for little over 10 years is finally beginning to show some of the initial market promise and is attracting the attention of municipal and industrial facilities in search of effective wastewater recycling processes, says the company. This technology’s ability to comply with strict effluent requirements, to be easily retrofitted, and to occupy far less space than traditional systems emphasizes its growing importance to such facilities. Companies looking to succeed in this marketplace must strive to understand the needs of each industrial end-user, the workings of the particular industrial sector, as well as the demands that the end users’ effluents will place on the equipment, says Frost & Sullivan. It says that Zenon and Kubota stand out as the most important and influential participants. Indeed, the main technologies in this market are largely based around Kubota’s submerged flat-sheet technology and Zenon’s hollow-fibre configuration, although other companies such as Norit X-flow and Wehrle Werk now
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offer their own proprietary membranes for use in the bioreactors. The European municipal and industrial wastewater markets are slated to be important sources of demand for MBRs, predicts the study. Strict European regulations, such as the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive, which has a deadline of 2005, are expected to spur continued investment in wastewater treatment works by small and mid-sized municipalities. The growing acceptance of MBRs, escalating interest in water reuse and recycling technology, and the increased demand for advanced wastewater treatment equipment and systems assure MBRs a bright future, says Frost & Sullivan. Contact: Frost & Sullivan, 4 Grosvenor Gardens, London SW1W 0DH, UK. Tel: +44 20 7730 3438, Fax: +44 20 7730 3343. Frost & Sullivan, Clemensstrasse 9, 60487 Frankfurt am Main, Germany. Tel: +49 69 770 330, Fax: +49 69 234 566.
Water reuse programme wins award A water treatment facility, based in Hawaii, that recycles wastewater for manufacturing and irrigation has received an award from the USbased WateReuse Association. A partnership between the Honolulu Board of Water Supply (HBWS) and USFilter Operating Services Inc was presented with the ‘Outstanding Contribution to Sustainable Water Use’ award. This recognizes programmes that advance water recycling and preservation, sustain the environment and increase public education of water reuse. “Despite the fact that we are surrounded by an ocean, water is one of Hawaii’s most precious natural resources. Our wastewater reclamation facility enables us to maximize the use of reclaimed water, which allows us to then preserve and protect Hawaii’s drinking water supplies,” said HBWS manager and chief engineer Clifford Jamile. Faced with prolonged droughts, dry winters and hot summers, groundwater aquifers have been his-
torically challenged in meeting the island’s needs. USFilter designed, built and now operates a 76-million litre (13-million gallon) per day facility that uses microfiltration, reverse osmosis, ultraviolet and other technologies to recycle treated wastewater effluent and generate two grades of water. One grade is high in purity and is sold to power and refining companies. The second one is treated to the highest levels as regulated by the Hawaii State Department of Health and is used by the City and County of Honolulu for irrigation purposes. Contact: Scott Edwards, USFilter Operating Services Inc, 14950 Heathrow Forest Parkway, Suite 200, Houston, TX 77032-3842, USA. Tel: +1 281 985 5479, Fax: +1 281 985 5630, Email:
[email protected].
Cuno reports record Q3 results Cuno Inc has reported record results for its third quarter ended 31 July 2003. The company, which is based in Meriden, Connecticut, USA, posted sales of US$75.0 million, which represents an increase of 9%, compared with the corresponding period of 2002, and up 4% in local currency terms. Net income for the third quarter increased by 13% to US$7.5 million from US$6.6 million, reported for the equivalent period of 2002. Commenting on the third-quarter results, the company’s chairman and chief executive officer Mark Kachur said: “Our record third-quarter results reflect the strength and resilience of our business model, particularly considering the current challenging macroeconomic environment. Our sales growth was led by double-digit increases in both our Healthcare and Potable Water businesses. Our geographic diversity also contributed to our strong overall results, as international sales rose by 19% (up 8% in local currency terms), reflecting double-digit growth in Europe, the Asia/Pacific region and Latin America.” Contact: Cuno Inc, 400 Research Parkway, Meriden, CT 06450, USA. Tel: +1 203 237 5541, Fax: +1 203 238 8977.
UK Memcor plant begins operation Microfiltration company Memcor has successfully completed the delivery and start-up of a 41-million litre per day membrane filtration system for Three Valleys Water at Chertsey Water Treatment Works in Surrey, UK. Designed to treat water from two sources, the membrane filtration system is an integral part of a project worth £4 million, predominately treating raw water from groundwater wells. In reducing the risk of Cryptosporidium entering water supplies, Memcor says that its continuous microfiltration-submerged (CMF-S) system and downstream ozonization and carbon filtration provide high-quality drinking water for Three Valleys customers in West London. In the event of groundwater sources being unavailable, the plant is also designed to temporarily treat water taken from the River Thames. The system is made up of six filtration cells, each comprising polyvinylidene fluoride membrane modules. Discharge from the plant has to be limited as it is fed into the local ‘Withes’ lake. Memcor says that its CMF-S plant was ideally suited to this requirement because of its low backwash discharge. The plant uses five cells for filtration, while the sixth one is used while one of the operating cells is in backwash mode or undergoes chemical cleaning. The water is then forwarded at a constant flow to the downstream ozone contact tanks. The new plant is a vital part of a programme to improve water quality throughout the Three Valleys territory, which stretches from Surrey in the south to Bedfordshire in the north, and from Harlow in the east to parts of Buckinghamshire in the west. Across the area, the water company provides about 800 million litres of water each day to 3 million domestic, commercial and industrial customers. Contact: Memcor, Derby Road, Wirksworth, Derbyshire DE4 4BG, UK. Tel: +44 1629 823 811, Fax: +44 1629 825169, Email:
[email protected].
Membrane Technology October 2003