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Millipore settles patent suit with Idexx
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in a U S $ 2 . 5 m i l l i o n (£1.6 M) deal. G e n e r a l M o t o r s will u s e t h e B a l l a r d fuel cells in its r e s e a r c h p r o g r a m for t h e d e v e l o p m e n t of a z e r o - e m i s s i o n fuel cell p o w e r e d electric vehicle. Some observers have speculated that the contract c o u l d i n d i c a t e t h a t GM w a s e n c o u n t e r i n g difficulties, which would increase the likelihood that Ballard w o u l d w i n t h e r a c e to d e v e l o p t h e first c o m m e r c i a l l y v i a b l e fuel cell. B a l l a r d P o w e r h a s s e c u r e d a n u m b e r of c o n t r a c t s w i t h b l u e - c h i p c o m p a n i e s in b o t h t h e t r a n s p o r t a n d s t a t i o n a r y p o w e r i n d u s t r i e s w i t h i n t h e l a s t 12 m o n t h s including alliances with Daimler-Benz and GEC Alsthom. Consequently, Ballards share price has s o a r e d to a h i g h of C 8 1 8 2 from C $ 3 2 . 5 0 in a 12 month period. For f u r t h e r information contact: BaUard Power S y s t e m s Inc., 9000 Glenlyon P a r k w a y , Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada. Tel: +1 604 454 0900; Fax: +1 604 412 4700.
Fastek m e m b r a n e s NSF listed O s m o n i c s h a s s a i d t h a t its F a s t e k m e m b r a n e s a r e n o w l i s t e d w i t h N S F u n d e r s t a n d a r d 58 for r e v e r s e o s m o s i s s y s t e m s . It s t a t e s t h a t for t h e first t i m e O E M ' s c a n c o n s t r u c t c o m p l e t e s y s t e m s u s i n g certified components and Fastek membranes, as the elements a r e certified for m a t e r i a l s a n d h a v e b e e n p e r f o r m a n c e tested. O s m o n i c s s a y s N S F a p p r o v a l of t h e F a s t e k m e m b r a n e s will g r e a t l y r e d u c e t h e c o s t of s y s t e m c e r t i f i c a t i o n or r e c e r t i f i c a t i o n . O s m o n i c s a l s o offers p r o g r a m s to s u b s i d i s e c e r t i f i c a t i o n c o s t s a n d e x p e d i t e the process. For f u r t h e r information contact: Osmonics, 5951 Clearwater Drive, Minnetonka, Minnesota 55343-8995, USA. Tel: +1 612 933 2277; Fax: +1 612 933 0141.
R i v e r w a t e r for process use H o e c h s t AG is d e v e l o p i n g a n u l t r a f i l t r a t i o n p r o c e s s to p u r i f y w a t e r f r o m F r a n k f u r t ' s River M a i n for i n d u s t r i a l u s e . In so doing, H o e c h s t e s t i m a t e s t h a t u p to 2 0 0 , 0 0 0 m a / y r of g r o u n d a n d d r i n k i n g w a t e r c o u l d b e s a v e d . H o e c h s t t o g e t h e r w i t h t h e S t a t e of H e s s e n E n v i r o n m e n t a l M i n i s t r y ( W i e s b a d e n ) will t e s t t h e p r o c e s s a t a f l o w r a t e of 8 - 1 0 m a / h , in a 2 y e a r , DM 259,000 (US$144,000) project. H o e s c h t h a s s a i d it h a s c a r r i e d o u t b e n c h - s c a l e t e s t s w i t h v a r i o u s m e m b r a n e s a n d p l a n s to p i l o t a
M e m b r a n e T e c h n o l o g y No. 9 6
d e a d - e n d f i l t r a t i o n s y s t e m , u s i n g h o l l o w fibre m e m b r a n e s . T h i s is e x p e c t e d to c u t c o s t s a n d u s e much less energy than conventional cross-flow filtration, w h i c h w o u l d r e q u i r e m o r e piping, a recirculation pump, and additional controls. In t h e pilot test, t h e river flow will p r o v i d e t h e p r e s s u r e for t h e s y s t e m . T h e w a t e r is p r e - c l e a n e d b y a gravel filter, a n d t h e m e m b r a n e s will b e b a c k - f l u s h e d p e r i o d i c a l l y to p r e v e n t p l u g g i n g . For f u r t h e r information contact: Hoechst AG, B r u e n i n g s t r a s s e 50, D-65926 Frankfurt, Germany. Tel: +49 69 3050; Fax: +49 69 303 665.
Millipore settles patent suit with Idexx Millipore Corp, h a s s e t t l e d two p a t e n t i n f r i n g e m e n t s u i t s b r o u g h t b y I d e x x L a b o r a t o r i e s Inc. b y t r a n s f e r r i n g its C o l i s u r e b u s i n e s s , w h i c h m a k e s t e s t k i t s to d e t e c t E, coli b a c t e r i a , to Idexx. T h e C o l i s u r e b u s i n e s s g e n e r a t e s a b o u t US$1 m i l l i o n in a n n u a l r e v e n u e s , a Millipore s p o k e s m a n s a i d . As p a r t of t h e s e t t l e m e n t , Millipore r e c o g n i s e d two Idexx p a t e n t s on t h e t e c h n o l o g y to d e t e c t E.coli b a c t e r i a in w a t e r a n d food. Millipore a l s o a g r e e d n o t to sell o t h e r m e d i a b a s e d t e c h n o l o g y p r o d u c t s u s e d to d e t e c t E.coli a n d o t h e r b a c t e r i a in food a n d water. For fitrther information contact: Millipore Corp., 80 A s h b y Road, Bedford, MA 01730-2271, USA. Tel: +1 781 275 9200; Fax: +1 781 275 5550.
TriSep's low fouling membrane element US C o m p a n y T r i S e p Corp., h a s d e v e l o p e d a s p i r a l w o u n d m e m b r a n e e l e m e n t for u l t r a c l e a n o p e r a t i o n s in b i o l o g i c a l l y s e n s i t i v e a p p l i c a t i o n s . T r i S e p s a y s t h e n e w T u r b o C l e a n m e m b r a n e e l e m e n t fits c l o s e l y i n s i d e t h e p r e s s u r e v e s s e l e l i m i n a t i n g t h e n e e d for b r i n e s e a l s . A c c o r d i n g to T r i S e p , t h i s d e s i g n a l l o w s t h e b y p a s s flow a r o u n d t h e o u t s i d e of t h e e l e m e n t to b e carefully controlled. S t a n d a r d s p i r a l - w o u n d e l e m e n t s do n o t r u n c l e a n l y e n o u g h for m o s t m i c r o b i o l o g i c a l l y s e n s i t i v e a p p l i c a t i o n s . B r i n e s e a l s t e n d to t r a p t h e b y p a s s flow a r o u n d t h e o u t s i d e of t h e e l e m e n t , c r e a t i n g a d e a d
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in a U S $ 2 . 5 m i l l i o n (£1.6 M) deal. G e n e r a l M o t o r s will u s e t h e B a l l a r d fuel cells in its r e s e a r c h p r o g r a m for t h e d e v e l o p m e n t of a z e r o - e m i s s i o n fuel cell p o w e r e d electric vehicle. Some observers have speculated that the contract c o u l d i n d i c a t e t h a t GM w a s e n c o u n t e r i n g difficulties, which would increase the likelihood that Ballard w o u l d w i n t h e r a c e to d e v e l o p t h e first c o m m e r c i a l l y v i a b l e fuel cell. B a l l a r d P o w e r h a s s e c u r e d a n u m b e r of c o n t r a c t s w i t h b l u e - c h i p c o m p a n i e s in b o t h t h e t r a n s p o r t a n d s t a t i o n a r y p o w e r i n d u s t r i e s w i t h i n t h e l a s t 12 m o n t h s including alliances with Daimler-Benz and GEC Alsthom. Consequently, Ballards share price has s o a r e d to a h i g h of C 8 1 8 2 from C $ 3 2 . 5 0 in a 12 month period. For f u r t h e r information contact: BaUard Power S y s t e m s Inc., 9000 Glenlyon P a r k w a y , Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada. Tel: +1 604 454 0900; Fax: +1 604 412 4700.
Fastek m e m b r a n e s NSF listed O s m o n i c s h a s s a i d t h a t its F a s t e k m e m b r a n e s a r e n o w l i s t e d w i t h N S F u n d e r s t a n d a r d 58 for r e v e r s e o s m o s i s s y s t e m s . It s t a t e s t h a t for t h e first t i m e O E M ' s c a n c o n s t r u c t c o m p l e t e s y s t e m s u s i n g certified components and Fastek membranes, as the elements a r e certified for m a t e r i a l s a n d h a v e b e e n p e r f o r m a n c e tested. O s m o n i c s s a y s N S F a p p r o v a l of t h e F a s t e k m e m b r a n e s will g r e a t l y r e d u c e t h e c o s t of s y s t e m c e r t i f i c a t i o n or r e c e r t i f i c a t i o n . O s m o n i c s a l s o offers p r o g r a m s to s u b s i d i s e c e r t i f i c a t i o n c o s t s a n d e x p e d i t e the process. For f u r t h e r information contact: Osmonics, 5951 Clearwater Drive, Minnetonka, Minnesota 55343-8995, USA. Tel: +1 612 933 2277; Fax: +1 612 933 0141.
R i v e r w a t e r for process use H o e c h s t AG is d e v e l o p i n g a n u l t r a f i l t r a t i o n p r o c e s s to p u r i f y w a t e r f r o m F r a n k f u r t ' s River M a i n for i n d u s t r i a l u s e . In so doing, H o e c h s t e s t i m a t e s t h a t u p to 2 0 0 , 0 0 0 m a / y r of g r o u n d a n d d r i n k i n g w a t e r c o u l d b e s a v e d . H o e c h s t t o g e t h e r w i t h t h e S t a t e of H e s s e n E n v i r o n m e n t a l M i n i s t r y ( W i e s b a d e n ) will t e s t t h e p r o c e s s a t a f l o w r a t e of 8 - 1 0 m a / h , in a 2 y e a r , DM 259,000 (US$144,000) project. H o e s c h t h a s s a i d it h a s c a r r i e d o u t b e n c h - s c a l e t e s t s w i t h v a r i o u s m e m b r a n e s a n d p l a n s to p i l o t a
M e m b r a n e T e c h n o l o g y No. 9 6
d e a d - e n d f i l t r a t i o n s y s t e m , u s i n g h o l l o w fibre m e m b r a n e s . T h i s is e x p e c t e d to c u t c o s t s a n d u s e much less energy than conventional cross-flow filtration, w h i c h w o u l d r e q u i r e m o r e piping, a recirculation pump, and additional controls. In t h e pilot test, t h e river flow will p r o v i d e t h e p r e s s u r e for t h e s y s t e m . T h e w a t e r is p r e - c l e a n e d b y a gravel filter, a n d t h e m e m b r a n e s will b e b a c k - f l u s h e d p e r i o d i c a l l y to p r e v e n t p l u g g i n g . For f u r t h e r information contact: Hoechst AG, B r u e n i n g s t r a s s e 50, D-65926 Frankfurt, Germany. Tel: +49 69 3050; Fax: +49 69 303 665.
Millipore settles patent suit with Idexx Millipore Corp, h a s s e t t l e d two p a t e n t i n f r i n g e m e n t s u i t s b r o u g h t b y I d e x x L a b o r a t o r i e s Inc. b y t r a n s f e r r i n g its C o l i s u r e b u s i n e s s , w h i c h m a k e s t e s t k i t s to d e t e c t E, coli b a c t e r i a , to Idexx. T h e C o l i s u r e b u s i n e s s g e n e r a t e s a b o u t US$1 m i l l i o n in a n n u a l r e v e n u e s , a Millipore s p o k e s m a n s a i d . As p a r t of t h e s e t t l e m e n t , Millipore r e c o g n i s e d two Idexx p a t e n t s on t h e t e c h n o l o g y to d e t e c t E.coli b a c t e r i a in w a t e r a n d food. Millipore a l s o a g r e e d n o t to sell o t h e r m e d i a b a s e d t e c h n o l o g y p r o d u c t s u s e d to d e t e c t E.coli a n d o t h e r b a c t e r i a in food a n d water. For fitrther information contact: Millipore Corp., 80 A s h b y Road, Bedford, MA 01730-2271, USA. Tel: +1 781 275 9200; Fax: +1 781 275 5550.
TriSep's low fouling membrane element US C o m p a n y T r i S e p Corp., h a s d e v e l o p e d a s p i r a l w o u n d m e m b r a n e e l e m e n t for u l t r a c l e a n o p e r a t i o n s in b i o l o g i c a l l y s e n s i t i v e a p p l i c a t i o n s . T r i S e p s a y s t h e n e w T u r b o C l e a n m e m b r a n e e l e m e n t fits c l o s e l y i n s i d e t h e p r e s s u r e v e s s e l e l i m i n a t i n g t h e n e e d for b r i n e s e a l s . A c c o r d i n g to T r i S e p , t h i s d e s i g n a l l o w s t h e b y p a s s flow a r o u n d t h e o u t s i d e of t h e e l e m e n t to b e carefully controlled. S t a n d a r d s p i r a l - w o u n d e l e m e n t s do n o t r u n c l e a n l y e n o u g h for m o s t m i c r o b i o l o g i c a l l y s e n s i t i v e a p p l i c a t i o n s . B r i n e s e a l s t e n d to t r a p t h e b y p a s s flow a r o u n d t h e o u t s i d e of t h e e l e m e n t , c r e a t i n g a d e a d
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