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High-capacity purifiers rely on micro-channel membrane technology
NEWS reflecting continued weakness in the semiconductor and consumer electronics markets. Krasnoff concluded: ‘Strong cost-control measures, well-established business improvement initiatives and our pricing excellence programme have helped to attenuate the impact of a prolonged recession.’ ‘Some industrial markets, particularly microelectronics and industrial manufacturing, remain a challenge to forecast. We continue to take out costs even as we position the company for an economic rebound. Life Sciences remains healthy overall. In particular, we welcome the return of positive growth in the blood filtration market.’ Contact: Pall Corp, 2200 Northern Boulevard, East Hills, NY 11548, USA. Tel: +1 516 484 5400, www.pall.com
High-capacity purifiers rely on micro-channel membrane technology
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ower+Energy Inc (P+E) of Ivyland, Pennsylvania, USA, has shipped two high-capacity, micro-channel hydrogen purifiers to a customer located in the Middle East. Each of the two model PE91370S units has the capacity to purify 82 m3 (2900 ft3) of hydrogen per hour at standard operating conditions. The company says that using membrane technology developed under a series of US Department of Defense contracts, it has increased the maximum capacity of its PE9000S series purifiers by 300% while still maintaining the smallest system footprint among its competitors. The firm’s proprietary micro-channel membrane design greatly increases membrane area per unit volume and reduces floor space that is required by up to 75%. P+E also employs energy-saving technology, reducing power consumption by 80%, compared with similar systems that are currently available. In addition to a 98% hydrogen recovery efficiency the system has a low cost of ownership and consistently delivers high-purity hydrogen with less than one part per billion (ppb) total impurities. According to P+E, this purifier is ideal for supporting fuel cell applications – delivering hydrogen that complies with the SAE-J2719 guideline for automotive fuel cells. With the growing demand for hydrogen as an alternative fuel, the company is seeing significant growth in purifiers used to clean up electrolytic hydrogen and other low-purity sources. 6
Membrane Technology
P+E offers a wide range of micro-channel hydrogen purifier systems for semiconductor and photovoltaic device manufacturing, materials processing, and instrumentation and laboratory use. In addition to purifier products, it supplies hydrogen separation systems for removing hydrogen from reformed fuels, including ethanol, diesel and military logistic fuels. The company exhibited its purifiers at the CS ManTech Conference, which was held in Tampa, Florida, USA, during May 2009. Contact: Power+Energy Inc, 106 Railroad Drive, Ivyland, PA 18974, USA. Tel: +1 215 942 4600, www.powerandenergy.com
Test system rapidly analyses ionomers and membranes
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S-based Scribner Associates Inc has launched the Model 740 membrane test system (MTS) which, it claims, is the first commercial instrument designed specifically for easy, rapid and accurate measurement of the through-thickness resistance and conductivity of ionomer and polymer electrolyte membranes. The MTS is ideal for cost-effective, rapid analyses of new ionomers and membranes. Only a small sample of bare (non-catalysed) membrane is required, says the company. For example, this eliminates the time-consuming process and costly requirement of catalysing the membrane, and assembling and running a fuel cell. The instrument is described as a compact, bench-top unit and uses small, bare samples that can be easily loaded with membrane compressions up to 2760 kPa (400 psi). The environment in the closed cell can be controlled between 30°C and 120°C, a relative humidity (RH) ranging from dry to greater than 95%, and a pressure of 1 to 3 atm absolute. A typical test consists of a full-range cycle of RH at multiple temperatures in order to characterise the membrane through-thickness resistance and conductivity over a broad range of temperature and humidity conditions. Area specific resistance (ASR) and conductivity data gathered with the MTS system are consistent with reported values for a range of commercial membranes.
Contact: Scribner Associates Inc, 150 E. Connecticut Avenue, Southern Pines, NC 28387, USA. Tel: +1 910 695 8884, www.scribner.com
Rising energy demand drives water treatment in the power industry
A
study conducted by Frost & Sullivan reveals that in North America, water treatment in the power industry generated revenues of $580 million in 2006 and estimates that this will reach $1.17 billion in 2013. According to the report entitled ‘North American Market for Water Treatment in the Power Industry’, this sector is extremely competitive, with price being a key factor. In particular, the market for wastewater treatment systems is gaining momentum because of increasingly stringent surface discharge standards and growing concerns over declining fresh water resources. Advanced technologies such as zero liquid discharge (ZLD) and flue gas desulphurisation (FGD) blow-down treatment devices continue to be mainstays in the wastewater treatment sector, says the firm. ‘Gross domestic product (GDP) growth, rising energy demand and an increasing requirement for a reliable water treatment system in power plants are all driving the growth of the North American market for water treatment in the power industry,’ noted Frost & Sullivan research analyst Shilpa Tiku. ‘Although the cost of a water treatment system is quite small, relative to the total investment of the plant, power plants need to maintain an excellent water treatment unit, otherwise the plant would have to close, or water hardness could cause extensive damage to the plant prior to shutdown.’ Currently, there is a rise in the construction of coal-fired power plants, which consume large volumes of water for steam production and cooling. In addition, many plants that are over 30 years old must be retrofit with newer technologies. The water treatment systems for new plants are likely to depend on the feed-water source and the impurities in it, while for the old plants, the technology itself is determined by the age of the facility, says the study. Stringent discharge standards are, however, a crucial challenge for power plants as they necessitate the installation of expensive, advanced treatment technologies, adds the report. ‘While strict air emission norms led plants to install the flue gas desulphurisation (FGD) process using wet scrubbing, this creates wastewater discharge, which poses a challenge to the utilities,’ continued Tiku. ‘Discharging FGD blow-down water is not easy, as the constituents are complex and the standards are tough to meet.’ Thermal wastewater treatment processes help treat FGD blow down, enabling wastewater to
July 2009
High-capacity purifiers rely on micro-channel membrane technology
P
ower+Energy Inc (P+E) of Ivyland, Pennsylvania, USA, has shipped two high-capacity, micro-channel hydrogen purifiers to a customer located in the Middle East. Each of the two model PE91370S units has the capacity to purify 82 m3 (2900 ft3) of hydrogen per hour at standard operating conditions. The company says that using membrane technology developed under a series of US Department of Defense contracts, it has increased the maximum capacity of its PE9000S series purifiers by 300% while still maintaining the smallest system footprint among its competitors. The firm’s proprietary micro-channel membrane design greatly increases membrane area per unit volume and reduces floor space that is required by up to 75%. P+E also employs energy-saving technology, reducing power consumption by 80%, compared with similar systems that are currently available. In addition to a 98% hydrogen recovery efficiency the system has a low cost of ownership and consistently delivers high-purity hydrogen with less than one part per billion (ppb) total impurities. According to P+E, this purifier is ideal for supporting fuel cell applications – delivering hydrogen that complies with the SAE-J2719 guideline for automotive fuel cells. With the growing demand for hydrogen as an alternative fuel, the company is seeing significant growth in purifiers used to clean up electrolytic hydrogen and other low-purity sources. 6
Membrane Technology
P+E offers a wide range of micro-channel hydrogen purifier systems for semiconductor and photovoltaic device manufacturing, materials processing, and instrumentation and laboratory use. In addition to purifier products, it supplies hydrogen separation systems for removing hydrogen from reformed fuels, including ethanol, diesel and military logistic fuels. The company exhibited its purifiers at the CS ManTech Conference, which was held in Tampa, Florida, USA, during May 2009. Contact: Power+Energy Inc, 106 Railroad Drive, Ivyland, PA 18974, USA. Tel: +1 215 942 4600, www.powerandenergy.com
Test system rapidly analyses ionomers and membranes
U
S-based Scribner Associates Inc has launched the Model 740 membrane test system (MTS) which, it claims, is the first commercial instrument designed specifically for easy, rapid and accurate measurement of the through-thickness resistance and conductivity of ionomer and polymer electrolyte membranes. The MTS is ideal for cost-effective, rapid analyses of new ionomers and membranes. Only a small sample of bare (non-catalysed) membrane is required, says the company. For example, this eliminates the time-consuming process and costly requirement of catalysing the membrane, and assembling and running a fuel cell. The instrument is described as a compact, bench-top unit and uses small, bare samples that can be easily loaded with membrane compressions up to 2760 kPa (400 psi). The environment in the closed cell can be controlled between 30°C and 120°C, a relative humidity (RH) ranging from dry to greater than 95%, and a pressure of 1 to 3 atm absolute. A typical test consists of a full-range cycle of RH at multiple temperatures in order to characterise the membrane through-thickness resistance and conductivity over a broad range of temperature and humidity conditions. Area specific resistance (ASR) and conductivity data gathered with the MTS system are consistent with reported values for a range of commercial membranes.
Contact: Scribner Associates Inc, 150 E. Connecticut Avenue, Southern Pines, NC 28387, USA. Tel: +1 910 695 8884, www.scribner.com
Rising energy demand drives water treatment in the power industry
A
study conducted by Frost & Sullivan reveals that in North America, water treatment in the power industry generated revenues of $580 million in 2006 and estimates that this will reach $1.17 billion in 2013. According to the report entitled ‘North American Market for Water Treatment in the Power Industry’, this sector is extremely competitive, with price being a key factor. In particular, the market for wastewater treatment systems is gaining momentum because of increasingly stringent surface discharge standards and growing concerns over declining fresh water resources. Advanced technologies such as zero liquid discharge (ZLD) and flue gas desulphurisation (FGD) blow-down treatment devices continue to be mainstays in the wastewater treatment sector, says the firm. ‘Gross domestic product (GDP) growth, rising energy demand and an increasing requirement for a reliable water treatment system in power plants are all driving the growth of the North American market for water treatment in the power industry,’ noted Frost & Sullivan research analyst Shilpa Tiku. ‘Although the cost of a water treatment system is quite small, relative to the total investment of the plant, power plants need to maintain an excellent water treatment unit, otherwise the plant would have to close, or water hardness could cause extensive damage to the plant prior to shutdown.’ Currently, there is a rise in the construction of coal-fired power plants, which consume large volumes of water for steam production and cooling. In addition, many plants that are over 30 years old must be retrofit with newer technologies. The water treatment systems for new plants are likely to depend on the feed-water source and the impurities in it, while for the old plants, the technology itself is determined by the age of the facility, says the study. Stringent discharge standards are, however, a crucial challenge for power plants as they necessitate the installation of expensive, advanced treatment technologies, adds the report. ‘While strict air emission norms led plants to install the flue gas desulphurisation (FGD) process using wet scrubbing, this creates wastewater discharge, which poses a challenge to the utilities,’ continued Tiku. ‘Discharging FGD blow-down water is not easy, as the constituents are complex and the standards are tough to meet.’ Thermal wastewater treatment processes help treat FGD blow down, enabling wastewater to
July 2009