- Email: [email protected]
High-performance electrostatic filters for polishing water
TECHNlqLLY
speaorg
BY FRED TEPPER, FOUNDER AND PRESIDENT, ARGON IDE CORPORATION, SANFORD, FLA.
High-Performance Electrostatic Filters for Polishing Water Technology proves effective in removing sub-micron particles for an improved surface finish quality.
W
ater reduction and reuse is being driven by its growing scarcity. At the same time, there is a greater requirement for higher quality finishes, requiring soil-free parts for successful adhesion. In many cases, this drives the coating manufacturer to higher cost treatment processes, such as reverse osmosis (RO). A significant cost driver for the RO system is the need to prefilter to protect the membrane, as well as the costs (time, labor, materials) to clean it. Microporous membranes are often used as prefilters but they are costly, have a high pressure drop and also need to be frequently cleaned. On the other hand, non-woven fiber depth filters are inefficient for removing particles smaller than about 1 micron. (RO foulants are particles that are typically less than about 5nm.) Membranes are also sensitive to chlorine from municipal plants, so activated carbon is typical-
ly part of the pretreatment process. NanoCeram® electropositive filters are capable ofhigh flow rates, yet are able to retain particles as small as a few nanometers. The active component is a nano-alumina (AIOOH) fiber only 2 nm in diameter and about 300 nm long that are attached to a microglass fiber backbone. The fuzz on the microglass fiber, as seen in Figure 1, is the nano-alumina. Cellulose fibers are added, then this slurry is formed into a paper-like media by wet processing. The media is then pleated and converted into a cartridge depth filter. A newer media includes powdered activated carbon (PAC). The powder is infused into the non-woven matrix, and this very fine carbon is retained by electro-adhesive forces with far less washout than that of a granular carbon (GAC) bed or any type of GAC media. (Both filter media's are manufactured by Ahlstrom under our
license. We and other converters purchase the media mostly for cartridge manufacture.) The filter is capable of retaining bacteria, colloidal metals, oxides, and natural organic particles such as humic acid (- 5 nm). Figure 2 shows the retention of humic acid by filter discs of various membranes, with pore ratings from 25 nm to 1.2 microns and as compared to two of our filter types. The effluent was UV tested (Water, Wastewater EPA Method 5910) and the membranes were found ro be transparent to humic. Both the standard and PAC versions of our media showed no leakage of humic. In the case of the 25 nm membrane, which performed the best of all the membranes tested, tended to foul even while passing considerable humic. Membranes are also fouled by bacteria. NanoCeram filter cartridges will retain >99.9999% of most bacteria. Figure 3 shows the retention ofB. diminuta, a very small (-0.3 micron) size bacteria vs. another electropositive media. The effect of continued challenge water, increased pH and simulated sea water are also shown. Note that retention of bacteria by
UV 254 Absorption
0.14 O.t
5
r=================--.
000 0.04
002
o 0 .02 5
0 .1l
V SWP vcwp M nupore M ilhpore
MF
Figure 1
www.metalfinishing.com
MF
0 22
0 .45
GSWP HAWP M lllipore M llIipore
MF
12 RAWP
460 1-
96 30-
M Ulipore MF
Ceilljose
H981 Seal
79 9 -6~
799· 82·
Carbon
Carbon
Cel l~ose
Synlhetlc
MF
Figure 2
November 2008 I rnetalfinlshing I27
TECHNlqLLY
speaorg
Basic Weight
Thickness mm
Media
NanoCeram®
Other Electropositive Media
glm'
0.8
0.8
200
d
210
d
B. Diminuta removal, %
Challenge water
TDS gil
pH
BD. CFU/ml 5
0-10 ml
60-70 ml
130-140 ml 99.93
7.2
0
7.10
99.997
99.97
9.2
0
1.3.106
99.99
99.9
7.2
30
1.2.106
99.9
99.7
9.2
30
5.1.10 5
99
98.5
7.2
0
7.10
98.6
97.7
9.2
0
1.3.106
93.8
73
7.2
30
1.2.106
92
72
30
5.1.10 5
92
84
9.2
5
97.7
Figure 3
60 .,--
-
-
-
Input turbid
-
-
.. 55 NTU
-
-
-
-
-
-
Iron Remova l Pilot
----,
NanoCelllm Filter Media -Iron Regeneration (%) 100 -
-
-
- - - - -,
71% Reductio n of
Total Iron
j 40
~
c
011m .. ..CTdrupkrs1\dNd1~
-O- R~'"
; 30
of oil dropI~ from
_&1" b)- NlIKJC'ewn II.N ~ I b)
2
o
Iron
'0
~ 20
'i3
~
... 2 Cycle Number
i
Capacity " 50 9 oillm
1
10
o L--.-..-_-..=~~===_~ o
50
100
150
NanoCeram is superior over longer duration, or high pH or in presence of high salt. Colloidal oxides are readily removed by NanoCeram filters. Iron oxide and hydroxide are significant problems in metal piping because both of these contaminants serve as food sources for iron bacteria, which then serves to accelerate the corrosion of iron pipe. Such corrosion occurs in heat transfer and coolant
New Bionomic BIONOxSOLVER contro l chemis try is spec ially formulated for air scrubbe rs to clean up the highly visible 800-311-6767 (USA) NOx orange brown plume from metal FAX: 201·529-0252 solver@blonom lclnd.com finishing operat ions. www.bionomici nd.com • Safe to Handle and Use-contains no toxic sulfides and does not liberate dangerous hydrogen sulfide gas at lower pH use levels COntrol System$/or Uneq ua led Performance
300
350
. 00
. SO
• Highly Effective-can be used to clean scrubbe r emissions resulting from bright dip. etching, and pickling operations
Circle 008 on reader information card or go to www.metalfinishing.comfadvertisers
November 2008 I metalfinishing I 28
0.5 Micron Sand Filter
Nanoceram
Figure 6
loops. NanoCeram retains oxidized iron but it is a gummy deposit, limiting the capacity of the filter. To extend the effective lifetime and capacity of the filters for iron, we developed a process for cleaning the filter in place using sodium metabisulfite solution. Figure 3 shows the recovery over 15 cycles. This substantially improves the cost benefit for filtering colloidal iron. Results also show the filter is effec-
BIONOxSOLVER'" Control Chemistry...for High Efficiency Process NOx Control
Engl _ Air PoIluIIon
250
Figure 5
Figure 4
I; BI<2~~~IC
200
Filtered volum e through 25 mm diameter disc, mL
.= -_.
tive for filtering manganese. It is likely that many oxides may be reduced by the same process, including heavy metal oxides as well as tin, zinc, and copper oxides to produce concentrated extracts of the dissolved metal. Low levels ofoil or oil emulsions can often present additional challenges in metal finishing. Technology exists for oil skimming and coalescing systems, but polishing the water after such systems can be expensive in terms of
PLATING EQUIPMENT .
, -
E) :"" ~. . . ~ Gl'1 1~ -"-- ~ '~ . 1 ..,
. ,,..
~
,. ,..-_~ ~~
~ ~'l
:..!
~
"l;...
~
~' ''
I
:4
- ~·~t; .J
www.hardwoodline.com
i;J
Complete Product Information Download Brochures Request a Quote Technical Support
f£l Hardwood Line Call Toll Free 800-443-0093 Email: sales@hardwoodli ne.com Circle 031 on reader information card or go to www.metalfinishing.comfadvertisers
www.metalfinishing.com
TECHNlqLLY speal\.Ing Typ ical Cle an ing Frequen cy Ba s e d on SOl of RO Fee dwater
Nanoceram as Polishing Filte r for Waste Wate r Recycling RO
SOl
•
6
" .,
4
0'
10
S Ol
RO Pretreatment Pilot
I
SS% dati 'e n below th e 3.0
3
10
12
14
l'
Before NC
"
"~. o&.;
...__
_
_
6
is 2
4
1
2
en
------- a
8
0
0 BEFOR E
With Nanoceram
AFTER
Typ iul Cl. aning F,.que ncy • Montha
Figure 9
Figures 7 &8
water waste and energy consumption. A NanoCeram® filter cartridge (either a standard NanoCeram® or the n ewer NanoCeram-PACTM) can be in serted into an existi ng system and provide the efficien cy de sired to reduce these contaminants to a much more manageable level (Figure 4). The data suggests th at th e m icrodroplets of oil car ry a ch arge in water and are th us retained by the two new media. CASE STUDIES AT TOYOTA
Toyota has a major effort under way to shrink its wa ter " foo t prin t" by red ucing its internal consumption of water from about 900 gallons/aur o to 300, while still improving on quality characteristics such as surface finishes. Each water-using operation is scrutinized to see if there are opportunities for reuse or recovery.
NanoCeram cartridges have recently undergone several different tests to determine their utility in Toyota's green effort. Case 1: The first area of concern was a 5 m illion gallon ch illed water system, with 16 m iles of iron pipe that had a history of m ild corrosion. Iron levels in the recirculating water had peaked at 3.5 ppm , well over the 1.0 ppm target. Suspended iron in ch illed water systems can settle and cause deposition, encourag ing further corrosion and bacterial growth. Particle analysis data showed that the bulk of th e iron particles were submicron and in the 0.1 to 0.2 micron range. The current 0.5 micron sand filter had been working well, but the particle sizes were just too small for its capabilities. The NanoCeram® filter was able to
remove iron (including colloidal) to < 1.0 ppm with great success. Economic analysis, however, made the cleanup of this massive system unfavorable with a one-use filter . Unless the filter could be regenerated, it was likely not going to be a good fit. Today, through the process d escribed ab ove, the ab ility co recover and rerun the cartridge has made iron rem oval economically viable (Figure 6). Case 2: The next challenge involved the prefiltration portion o f an RO system that recycled water runoff fr om a s ro rmwacer retention pond on their si te. The existing hollo w-fiber m embrane system being u sed as th e fi n al RO membrane prefilt er was unreliable and would lead to unacceptable spikes in both turbidity and SOl (silt density index) levels, cau sed by (Figure 7) leakage
When Quality Counts Count on ITAN.
• • •
• Quality Experience • Quality Service • Quality Products The Nex t Generation in Corrosion Resistant Equipment
Hot Dip Strippable Plating Mask Kit CI~~n . \h.i'p. d isr in cl I COP off lines . Kit Wi t h I qUA,f po l and S ibs. of J berm o-Cor e N-4 Slripp ..ble co..ring. Cools fAU to Ci"c 'f f)U perfec t monk. Non -Conl .l1lnin .lI1. inc. Pee l off And re me lt fo r reuse. Wrilt for dcu il\ ",nd
.,;m.
~-~,:c
6 ParkDrive - P.O. Box 365 • Franklin. NJ 07416 Tel: 973-209·6210 • Fax: 973-209·6435
Anode Basket s > Dipping Baskets Immersion Heating & Cooling Coils Tanks & Tank Liners Auxiliary Anodes Anode Hooks & Fasteners Shell & Tube Heat Exchangers C us to m Fabrications
Tltunium » Zirconium Niobium » Tantalum • Stainless Steel
TITAN METAL FABRICATORS
835Flynn Rd., Camarillo, CA 93012·8702· Ph: 805-487·5050 · Fax:805-487·5047 • www.litanmf.com Circle 061 on reader information card or go 10 www.metalfinishing.com/advertisers
www.metalfinishing.com
Circle 062 on reader informat ion card or go to www .metalfinishing.com/advertisers
November 2008 I metalfinishing I 29
TECHNlqLLY
speaorg
in the membrane bundles. Both of these parameters are crucial for an RO membrane's efficiency and lifetime. For best cleaning frequency, an SOl of less than 3.0 is recommended. Due to the extreme cost of replacement of the UF membranes, alternative polishing methods were investigated. Toyota installed a filter system (250 gallon/minute flow rate) containing Argonide's filters downstream of the hollow-fiber membrane. When operating with effective prefiltering provided by the hollow-fiber membrane unit, this new configuration produced very positive results-with the hollow-fibers providing the lion's share of the particulate reduction. However, broken fibers and internal failures allowed ever-so-slight leakage of solids around the UF. SOl readings were as high as 8.0 at times. Argonide's filters "polished" this water further providing SDI values of <2.0. This also provided the entire RO system with a level of reliability that was missing prior to the NanoCeram® installation. Case 3: The next challenge involved the prefiltration portion of an R.O. system (50-60 gallons/minute) located at Toyota that uses municipal water. Prior to installation of NanoCeram® filters, the SOlon the system's feed water averaged approximately 4.42 (see Figure 9). The RO membranes had to be replaced every second or
Dry 250 Ibs. of small parts in seconds New Hollanddryersare the right choice to dry your parts spot-freein 60 seconds. Heavy-duty construction gives youyears of dependable service. Model capacities: 7, 75, 150 and 2501bs.
MFN offers training courses for: shot peening, flap peening and mass finishing
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Phone: (717) 355-4747 or Fax: (717) 355-3440 CNH America LLC P. O. Box 262, New Holland, PA 17557 Email: [email protected] www. newholland.com/naiProducts/Dryers.html N:W HOLLAN::>
--
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November 2008 I meulfinishing I 30
F£MS
"l)I" _ OOI_ '" .............oc;.,..
MFN h ~,¥r InEducation In Nodc:ap
-Wcap
-.
www.af-expo.cn
MFN is.... 0IiciaI Coope-allal PlI1ner ofSFEXPo
Circle 002 on reader information card or go to www.metalfinishing.com/advertisers
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TECHNlqLLY
speaorg
third month at great expense. After replacement with NanoCeram® filters, the SDI now averages approximately 1.19. Initial pilot scale testing utilized 2.5" x 10" NanoCeram® cartridges with 5micron pleated polypropylene cartridge prefilters. This configuration yielded approximately four days of effective life for the NanoCeram® filters. After replacing the 5 micron filters with I-rnicron pleated filters, the effective life of the NanoCeram® filters increased to six to seven days. Toyota has now installed two large-capacity Argonide HyFlo housings in series which incorporate three 4.5" x 20" NanoCeram® filters with I-rnicron prefilters in the first housing. The revamped system was installed in September 2007 and it was presumed that they would extend cleaning cycles to six months. Since that time there has been no need to clean the RO (10 months and still running!!). And during that time, measurements have shown that there is no detectable reduction in the permeate flow. The payback through six months of service was estimated at 5:1, exclusive of the benefits of improved product water flow through the RO.
Other Toyota Cases: Initial success in these applications has led to installations and/or pilot programs at other Toyota sites in North America While data are still being collected at these other pilot sites, they are very promising. These include:
Chilled water loop iron removal • RO prefiltration (well water and municipal water) for washing and final rinse of car bodies • Die cooling iron removal Future testing is planned for: • Catalytic platinum recovery • Rinse water recycling • Weld water loop iron removal • low-level oil removal (using NanoCeram PAC) CONCLUSIONS NanoCeram and NanoCeram PACcartridges are higWy efficient for polishing water, removing sub-micron and even nano-size particles at high rates of flow. They remove sub-micron particles resulting in an improved quality surface finish. They will operate effectivelyat a pH from about 4.5 to 9.5, but the alumina will dissolve in highly acid or alkaline streams. While they are capable offiltering a very wide range of particle sizes, it is more economically desirable to use a 1 micron Absolute prefilter upstream of these cartridges. The PACversion is useful for removing chlorine from municipal sources to minimize damage to the RO.
BIO Fred Tepper is the founder ofand president of Sandford, Fla.-based Argonide Corp., which specializes in the development of nano products, with a substantial focus on filtration technology and devices. Prior to founding the company, Tepper worked for the Mine Safety Appliance Co., starting as a research chemist in filtration related to military gas masks. He may be reached at (407) 322-2500, ext. 102.
Ion Exchange Resin Regeneration • Systems • Service • Sales
CETCO (OSC) Industrial Wastewater Treatment Products treat Industrial wastestreams on-site In one-stmple step , backed by the outstanding technical support customers have relied on for over 80 years. CETCO (OSC) provides a rcw-cost alternative to off-site treatment -
reducing your disposal costs
while meeting local POTW regulations. Our experts are available 24/7.
Phone: 410·420·8001 Fax: 410·420·8003 Forest Hills,MD • Plantation, FL
Clay·Based Wastewater Treatment Fleeculant
www.cetcoollfleldservlces.com removes: heavy metals, oils & grease, suspended solids
Circle 009 on reader information card or go to www.metalfinishing.com/advertisers
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www.acmix.com FOOB Approred
Circle OOS on reader information card or go to www.metalfinishing.com/advertisers
November 2008 I metalfinishing I 31
speaorg
BY FRED TEPPER, FOUNDER AND PRESIDENT, ARGON IDE CORPORATION, SANFORD, FLA.
High-Performance Electrostatic Filters for Polishing Water Technology proves effective in removing sub-micron particles for an improved surface finish quality.
W
ater reduction and reuse is being driven by its growing scarcity. At the same time, there is a greater requirement for higher quality finishes, requiring soil-free parts for successful adhesion. In many cases, this drives the coating manufacturer to higher cost treatment processes, such as reverse osmosis (RO). A significant cost driver for the RO system is the need to prefilter to protect the membrane, as well as the costs (time, labor, materials) to clean it. Microporous membranes are often used as prefilters but they are costly, have a high pressure drop and also need to be frequently cleaned. On the other hand, non-woven fiber depth filters are inefficient for removing particles smaller than about 1 micron. (RO foulants are particles that are typically less than about 5nm.) Membranes are also sensitive to chlorine from municipal plants, so activated carbon is typical-
ly part of the pretreatment process. NanoCeram® electropositive filters are capable ofhigh flow rates, yet are able to retain particles as small as a few nanometers. The active component is a nano-alumina (AIOOH) fiber only 2 nm in diameter and about 300 nm long that are attached to a microglass fiber backbone. The fuzz on the microglass fiber, as seen in Figure 1, is the nano-alumina. Cellulose fibers are added, then this slurry is formed into a paper-like media by wet processing. The media is then pleated and converted into a cartridge depth filter. A newer media includes powdered activated carbon (PAC). The powder is infused into the non-woven matrix, and this very fine carbon is retained by electro-adhesive forces with far less washout than that of a granular carbon (GAC) bed or any type of GAC media. (Both filter media's are manufactured by Ahlstrom under our
license. We and other converters purchase the media mostly for cartridge manufacture.) The filter is capable of retaining bacteria, colloidal metals, oxides, and natural organic particles such as humic acid (- 5 nm). Figure 2 shows the retention of humic acid by filter discs of various membranes, with pore ratings from 25 nm to 1.2 microns and as compared to two of our filter types. The effluent was UV tested (Water, Wastewater EPA Method 5910) and the membranes were found ro be transparent to humic. Both the standard and PAC versions of our media showed no leakage of humic. In the case of the 25 nm membrane, which performed the best of all the membranes tested, tended to foul even while passing considerable humic. Membranes are also fouled by bacteria. NanoCeram filter cartridges will retain >99.9999% of most bacteria. Figure 3 shows the retention ofB. diminuta, a very small (-0.3 micron) size bacteria vs. another electropositive media. The effect of continued challenge water, increased pH and simulated sea water are also shown. Note that retention of bacteria by
UV 254 Absorption
0.14 O.t
5
r=================--.
000 0.04
002
o 0 .02 5
0 .1l
V SWP vcwp M nupore M ilhpore
MF
Figure 1
www.metalfinishing.com
MF
0 22
0 .45
GSWP HAWP M lllipore M llIipore
MF
12 RAWP
460 1-
96 30-
M Ulipore MF
Ceilljose
H981 Seal
79 9 -6~
799· 82·
Carbon
Carbon
Cel l~ose
Synlhetlc
MF
Figure 2
November 2008 I rnetalfinlshing I27
TECHNlqLLY
speaorg
Basic Weight
Thickness mm
Media
NanoCeram®
Other Electropositive Media
glm'
0.8
0.8
200
d
210
d
B. Diminuta removal, %
Challenge water
TDS gil
pH
BD. CFU/ml 5
0-10 ml
60-70 ml
130-140 ml 99.93
7.2
0
7.10
99.997
99.97
9.2
0
1.3.106
99.99
99.9
7.2
30
1.2.106
99.9
99.7
9.2
30
5.1.10 5
99
98.5
7.2
0
7.10
98.6
97.7
9.2
0
1.3.106
93.8
73
7.2
30
1.2.106
92
72
30
5.1.10 5
92
84
9.2
5
97.7
Figure 3
60 .,--
-
-
-
Input turbid
-
-
.. 55 NTU
-
-
-
-
-
-
Iron Remova l Pilot
----,
NanoCelllm Filter Media -Iron Regeneration (%) 100 -
-
-
- - - - -,
71% Reductio n of
Total Iron
j 40
~
c
011m .. ..CTdrupkrs1\dNd1~
-O- R~'"
; 30
of oil dropI~ from
_&1" b)- NlIKJC'ewn II.N ~ I b)
2
o
Iron
'0
~ 20
'i3
~
... 2 Cycle Number
i
Capacity " 50 9 oillm
1
10
o L--.-..-_-..=~~===_~ o
50
100
150
NanoCeram is superior over longer duration, or high pH or in presence of high salt. Colloidal oxides are readily removed by NanoCeram filters. Iron oxide and hydroxide are significant problems in metal piping because both of these contaminants serve as food sources for iron bacteria, which then serves to accelerate the corrosion of iron pipe. Such corrosion occurs in heat transfer and coolant
New Bionomic BIONOxSOLVER contro l chemis try is spec ially formulated for air scrubbe rs to clean up the highly visible 800-311-6767 (USA) NOx orange brown plume from metal FAX: 201·529-0252 solver@blonom lclnd.com finishing operat ions. www.bionomici nd.com • Safe to Handle and Use-contains no toxic sulfides and does not liberate dangerous hydrogen sulfide gas at lower pH use levels COntrol System$/or Uneq ua led Performance
300
350
. 00
. SO
• Highly Effective-can be used to clean scrubbe r emissions resulting from bright dip. etching, and pickling operations
Circle 008 on reader information card or go to www.metalfinishing.comfadvertisers
November 2008 I metalfinishing I 28
0.5 Micron Sand Filter
Nanoceram
Figure 6
loops. NanoCeram retains oxidized iron but it is a gummy deposit, limiting the capacity of the filter. To extend the effective lifetime and capacity of the filters for iron, we developed a process for cleaning the filter in place using sodium metabisulfite solution. Figure 3 shows the recovery over 15 cycles. This substantially improves the cost benefit for filtering colloidal iron. Results also show the filter is effec-
BIONOxSOLVER'" Control Chemistry...for High Efficiency Process NOx Control
Engl _ Air PoIluIIon
250
Figure 5
Figure 4
I; BI<2~~~IC
200
Filtered volum e through 25 mm diameter disc, mL
.= -_.
tive for filtering manganese. It is likely that many oxides may be reduced by the same process, including heavy metal oxides as well as tin, zinc, and copper oxides to produce concentrated extracts of the dissolved metal. Low levels ofoil or oil emulsions can often present additional challenges in metal finishing. Technology exists for oil skimming and coalescing systems, but polishing the water after such systems can be expensive in terms of
PLATING EQUIPMENT .
, -
E) :"" ~. . . ~ Gl'1 1~ -"-- ~ '~ . 1 ..,
. ,,..
~
,. ,..-_~ ~~
~ ~'l
:..!
~
"l;...
~
~' ''
I
:4
- ~·~t; .J
www.hardwoodline.com
i;J
Complete Product Information Download Brochures Request a Quote Technical Support
f£l Hardwood Line Call Toll Free 800-443-0093 Email: sales@hardwoodli ne.com Circle 031 on reader information card or go to www.metalfinishing.comfadvertisers
www.metalfinishing.com
TECHNlqLLY speal\.Ing Typ ical Cle an ing Frequen cy Ba s e d on SOl of RO Fee dwater
Nanoceram as Polishing Filte r for Waste Wate r Recycling RO
SOl
•
6
" .,
4
0'
10
S Ol
RO Pretreatment Pilot
I
SS% dati 'e n below th e 3.0
3
10
12
14
l'
Before NC
"
"~. o&.;
...__
_
_
6
is 2
4
1
2
en
------- a
8
0
0 BEFOR E
With Nanoceram
AFTER
Typ iul Cl. aning F,.que ncy • Montha
Figure 9
Figures 7 &8
water waste and energy consumption. A NanoCeram® filter cartridge (either a standard NanoCeram® or the n ewer NanoCeram-PACTM) can be in serted into an existi ng system and provide the efficien cy de sired to reduce these contaminants to a much more manageable level (Figure 4). The data suggests th at th e m icrodroplets of oil car ry a ch arge in water and are th us retained by the two new media. CASE STUDIES AT TOYOTA
Toyota has a major effort under way to shrink its wa ter " foo t prin t" by red ucing its internal consumption of water from about 900 gallons/aur o to 300, while still improving on quality characteristics such as surface finishes. Each water-using operation is scrutinized to see if there are opportunities for reuse or recovery.
NanoCeram cartridges have recently undergone several different tests to determine their utility in Toyota's green effort. Case 1: The first area of concern was a 5 m illion gallon ch illed water system, with 16 m iles of iron pipe that had a history of m ild corrosion. Iron levels in the recirculating water had peaked at 3.5 ppm , well over the 1.0 ppm target. Suspended iron in ch illed water systems can settle and cause deposition, encourag ing further corrosion and bacterial growth. Particle analysis data showed that the bulk of th e iron particles were submicron and in the 0.1 to 0.2 micron range. The current 0.5 micron sand filter had been working well, but the particle sizes were just too small for its capabilities. The NanoCeram® filter was able to
remove iron (including colloidal) to < 1.0 ppm with great success. Economic analysis, however, made the cleanup of this massive system unfavorable with a one-use filter . Unless the filter could be regenerated, it was likely not going to be a good fit. Today, through the process d escribed ab ove, the ab ility co recover and rerun the cartridge has made iron rem oval economically viable (Figure 6). Case 2: The next challenge involved the prefiltration portion o f an RO system that recycled water runoff fr om a s ro rmwacer retention pond on their si te. The existing hollo w-fiber m embrane system being u sed as th e fi n al RO membrane prefilt er was unreliable and would lead to unacceptable spikes in both turbidity and SOl (silt density index) levels, cau sed by (Figure 7) leakage
When Quality Counts Count on ITAN.
• • •
• Quality Experience • Quality Service • Quality Products The Nex t Generation in Corrosion Resistant Equipment
Hot Dip Strippable Plating Mask Kit CI~~n . \h.i'p. d isr in cl I COP off lines . Kit Wi t h I qUA,f po l and S ibs. of J berm o-Cor e N-4 Slripp ..ble co..ring. Cools fAU to Ci"c 'f f)U perfec t monk. Non -Conl .l1lnin .lI1. inc. Pee l off And re me lt fo r reuse. Wrilt for dcu il\ ",nd
.,;m.
~-~,:c
6 ParkDrive - P.O. Box 365 • Franklin. NJ 07416 Tel: 973-209·6210 • Fax: 973-209·6435
Anode Basket s > Dipping Baskets Immersion Heating & Cooling Coils Tanks & Tank Liners Auxiliary Anodes Anode Hooks & Fasteners Shell & Tube Heat Exchangers C us to m Fabrications
Tltunium » Zirconium Niobium » Tantalum • Stainless Steel
TITAN METAL FABRICATORS
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in the membrane bundles. Both of these parameters are crucial for an RO membrane's efficiency and lifetime. For best cleaning frequency, an SOl of less than 3.0 is recommended. Due to the extreme cost of replacement of the UF membranes, alternative polishing methods were investigated. Toyota installed a filter system (250 gallon/minute flow rate) containing Argonide's filters downstream of the hollow-fiber membrane. When operating with effective prefiltering provided by the hollow-fiber membrane unit, this new configuration produced very positive results-with the hollow-fibers providing the lion's share of the particulate reduction. However, broken fibers and internal failures allowed ever-so-slight leakage of solids around the UF. SOl readings were as high as 8.0 at times. Argonide's filters "polished" this water further providing SDI values of <2.0. This also provided the entire RO system with a level of reliability that was missing prior to the NanoCeram® installation. Case 3: The next challenge involved the prefiltration portion of an R.O. system (50-60 gallons/minute) located at Toyota that uses municipal water. Prior to installation of NanoCeram® filters, the SOlon the system's feed water averaged approximately 4.42 (see Figure 9). The RO membranes had to be replaced every second or
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third month at great expense. After replacement with NanoCeram® filters, the SDI now averages approximately 1.19. Initial pilot scale testing utilized 2.5" x 10" NanoCeram® cartridges with 5micron pleated polypropylene cartridge prefilters. This configuration yielded approximately four days of effective life for the NanoCeram® filters. After replacing the 5 micron filters with I-rnicron pleated filters, the effective life of the NanoCeram® filters increased to six to seven days. Toyota has now installed two large-capacity Argonide HyFlo housings in series which incorporate three 4.5" x 20" NanoCeram® filters with I-rnicron prefilters in the first housing. The revamped system was installed in September 2007 and it was presumed that they would extend cleaning cycles to six months. Since that time there has been no need to clean the RO (10 months and still running!!). And during that time, measurements have shown that there is no detectable reduction in the permeate flow. The payback through six months of service was estimated at 5:1, exclusive of the benefits of improved product water flow through the RO.
Other Toyota Cases: Initial success in these applications has led to installations and/or pilot programs at other Toyota sites in North America While data are still being collected at these other pilot sites, they are very promising. These include:
Chilled water loop iron removal • RO prefiltration (well water and municipal water) for washing and final rinse of car bodies • Die cooling iron removal Future testing is planned for: • Catalytic platinum recovery • Rinse water recycling • Weld water loop iron removal • low-level oil removal (using NanoCeram PAC) CONCLUSIONS NanoCeram and NanoCeram PACcartridges are higWy efficient for polishing water, removing sub-micron and even nano-size particles at high rates of flow. They remove sub-micron particles resulting in an improved quality surface finish. They will operate effectivelyat a pH from about 4.5 to 9.5, but the alumina will dissolve in highly acid or alkaline streams. While they are capable offiltering a very wide range of particle sizes, it is more economically desirable to use a 1 micron Absolute prefilter upstream of these cartridges. The PACversion is useful for removing chlorine from municipal sources to minimize damage to the RO.
BIO Fred Tepper is the founder ofand president of Sandford, Fla.-based Argonide Corp., which specializes in the development of nano products, with a substantial focus on filtration technology and devices. Prior to founding the company, Tepper worked for the Mine Safety Appliance Co., starting as a research chemist in filtration related to military gas masks. He may be reached at (407) 322-2500, ext. 102.
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