- Email: [email protected]
Oil refinery uses GE technology to clean all of its wastewater
NEWS and integrated water treatment systems based on membrane filtration technology for municipal, industrial, energy and natural resources end-users, has recently been awarded a series of contracts that will make use of its flexible membrane bioreactor technology (flexMBR). These involve three wastewater treatment contracts in Canada – two in Alberta and one in Quebec that also incorporates a five-year operation and maintenance (O & M) contract. According to the company, flexMBR (see Membrane Technology December 2016, page 2) is an open-source wastewater design that can accommodate and use MBR modules from different suppliers. In doing so, it provides flexibility to switch from one membrane to another without having to redesign the treatment plant. The first award covers a wastewater treatment system using a customised containerised MBR, designed on the flexMBR platform, and sludge dewatering systems for a waste management company located in Fort McMurray, Alberta. The system will treat up to 750 m3 (0.2 million gallons) of wastewater a day from several camps for workers. This project is the first of its kind in Alberta and will be installed within the reserve of Fort MacKay First Nation, where the local company will own and operate the system. The system owner will then recycle the composted biosolids for land reclamation projects in the region. H2O Innovation says that flexMBR technology will provide its owner with full flexibility to choose between multiple membrane products for the same system. In years to come, the owner will be able to choose which membrane to use for replacement, in a competitive bid to reduce costs. It will also enable the owner to take advantage of new membrane products that will become available in the future. The two other projects are MBRs that will service private developers. The second project in Alberta will also incorporate the flexMBR design and will include ceramic flat-sheet membranes. For the project in Quebec the corporation has been awarded the design and construction of the system in addition to a five-year operation and maintenance contract. ‘We are excited about the instantaneous uptake by our customers of our flexible approach to MBRs and the services of our new operation and maintenance team. We look forward to the continued development of a longstanding and trusting relationship from which we can all grow over the coming years’, commented Ryan Waldie, Director System Sales – Canada, H2O Innovation. 4
Membrane Technology
Contact: H2O Innovation Inc, 330 rue St-Vallier Est, Suite 340, Quebec City, Quebec G1K 9C5, Canada. Tel: +1 418 688 0170, www.h2oinnovation.com
Filter removes over 97% of chromium-6 from drinking water
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S-based filtration company Aquasana Inc says that its OptimH2O reverse osmosis (RO) system is certified by NSF International to remove over 97% of chromium-6 from drinking water. In response to the discovery of the chemical chromium-6 in the drinking water of over 200 million Americans, the company is encouraging concerned families across the country to be proactive in protecting their health by filtering water using the RO system. Also known as hexavalent chromium, chromium-6 is the same cancer-causing heavy metal made famous in the film Erin Brockovich. A safety limit for chromium-6 in drinking water has not been established by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and like lead, exposure is potentially dangerous at any level, especially in children and pregnant women. Until more is known, the easiest and most immediate approach to safe drinking water and peace of mind is to use a water filter. However, not all filters remove chromium-6. The only way to effectively remove the carcinogen is through RO, says Aquasana. According to the company, OptimH2O uses innovative RO, carbon filtration and remineralisation technology to remove more than 80 different contaminants – including over 97% of chromium-6 and 99% of lead. It also puts back healthy minerals removed by the RO process, such as calcium, magnesium and potassium. ‘Whether we are talking about the concerning lead poisoning in Flint, Michigan, PFOA (Teflon) or now chromium-6, this is a larger issue that has been building for years and affects the nation as a whole,’ said Todd Bartee, CEO, Aquasana, and a trained environmental engineer, specialising in water treatment. ‘As our water infrastructure continues to deteriorate we are going to see an increase in these types of water safety issues across the country. We want families to know that there are straightforward and immediate steps they can take to be proactive in protecting their health, and the most effective way to improve
their drinking water is by using an NSFcertified water filter.’ Aquasana’s other drinking water filters are NSF-certified to remove more than 99% of lead and 65 other contaminants – including asbestos, pharmaceuticals, chloramines, herbicides, pesticides, industrial solvents, volatile organic compounds and mercury – and are available in countertop and undersink options that make clean, healthy water accessible to everyone. Contact: Aquasana Inc, 1609 Shoal Creek Boulevard, Suite 200, Austin, TX 78701, USA. Tel: +1 866 662 6885, www.aquasana.com
Oil refinery uses GE technology to clean all of its wastewater
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he Federated Co-Operatives Ltd’s Co-op Refinery Complex in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada, is using water recycling technology from General Electric Co (GE) in a wastewater improvement project that will enable the refinery to clean 100% of its wastewater on-site. The move means that it will be the only refinery in North America to recycle all of its wastewater for steam production, which is used for heating, hydrogen production, to power equipment and for cooling towers, says GE. ‘Water is a precious resource and our wastewater improvement project enables us to be efficient and sustainable by recovering every drop of water. With GE’s technology, the Co-op Refinery Complex will clean and recycle all of its wastewater in a socially responsible and environmentally sound way to conserve water for Regina and the entire province of Saskatchewan,’ explained Gil Le Dressay, Vice President, Refinery Operations, Federated Co-Operatives. Several years ago the refinery expanded its operations to produce 30 000 more barrels of oil per day (BPD) – taking it from a 100 000BPD to a 130 000-BPD facility – which increased its water usage. The refinery relied on a water source composed of a blend of well water and city water, but restrictions on water use mandated that it had to find a new source of water. GE combined its ZeeWeed membrane bioreactor (MBR) technology and a high-efficiency reverse osmosis system to recycle and reuse 2 million gallons of wastewater a day.
February 2017
NEWS/IN BRIEF In addition to the water reuse technology, GE provides the refinery with wastewater speciality chemicals and monitoring systems. By recycling 100% of its wastewater on-site the refinery complex is capable of significantly decreasing volatile organic compound emissions from its wastewater ponds and reducing associated nuisance odours. ‘Refineries require an enormous amount of water. Treating the wastewater and reusing it is economical and environment-friendly. In the case of the Co-op Refinery Complex, the expansion required a new source of water. GE’s MBR and RO technologies will help the refinery recycle 100% of its wastewater, which is a sustainable and environment-friendly option,’ said Kevin Cassidy, Global Leader, Engineered Systems – Water and Process Technologies, GE Power.
According to Evoqua, the Aberdeen Proving Ground chose it as its service supplier after a competitive evaluation to find a company with the best combination of cost, quick service response, depth of technical support and proven performance.
Contacts: GE Water & Process Technologies, 4636 Somerton Road, Trevose, PA 19053-6783, USA. Tel: +1 215 355 3300, www.gewater.com
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GE Power & Water, 1 River Road, Building 2-135D, Schenectady, NY 12345, USA. Tel: +1 518 385 2211, www.gepower.com
Evoqua receives laboratory water systems service contract from US Army
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voqua Water Technologies Llc, which specialises in water and wastewater treatment products, systems and services for industrial and municipal customers, was recently awarded a contract to provide maintenance services for more than 50 EMD Millipore laboratory benchtop water purification systems at the US Army Aberdeen Proving Ground laboratories in Aberdeen, Maryland. Evoqua is providing ongoing maintenance services to ensure that the facility’s stringent need for high-quality water is met. The contract includes ongoing service checks, calibration work and spare parts replacement. The Aberdeen Proving Ground – the US Army’s longest operating proving ground – is one of the US military’s most important research, training and testing locations. For the past 50 years all tanks and wheeled vehicles have been tested at its facilities, which employ more than 7500 civilians and 5000 military personnel.
February 2017
Contact: Evoqua Water Technologies Llc, 4800 North Point Parkway, Suite 250, Alpharetta, GA 30022, USA. Tel: +1 978 614 7111, www.evoqua.com
Aquaporin Inside membranes undergo second round of tests in space quaporin Space Alliance ApS (ASA), a joint venture between Aquaporin A/s – a global cleantech company located in Kongens Lyngby, Denmark – and Danish Aerospace Co ApS (DAC), has carried out a second round of testing of the Aquaporin Inside water filtration membrane in space. Aquaporin says that this is another important step in developing filtration technology to efficiently reuse water on board space stations. The “Aquamembrane-2” test set-up hardware with the Aquaporin Inside membranes was launched to the International Space Station (ISS) during October on the Cygnus transport vehicle via Orbital ATK Antares-230 rocket. The Aquamembrane-2 experiment involved an Aquamembrane Osmotic Driven Test performed by ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet. The results and samples from the experiment are expected to be returned to Earth on Soyuz48S this month (February 2017). The second round of testing seeks to provide more detailed results of the effectiveness of the membranes under microgravity and to develop a natural, lightweight and
The Aquaporin Inside water filtration membrane recently underwent a second round of testing in space – in another important step in the development of filtration technology to efficiently reuse water on board space stations.
In Brief LiqTech receives NSF61 certification Danish cleantech company LiqTech International A/s has announced that its products have been certified according to NSF61 for drinking water products. ‘Earlier this year our products were certified according to NSF50 for swimming pool products. This enabled us to start the marketing of our products in North America and we are encouraged by the progress we have made so far,’ remarked Sune Mathiesen, CEO, LiqTech. ‘With this new certification for drinking water we can start our efforts of establishing ourselves in the North American drinking water industry using the experience we gained from European projects.’ Citic Envirotech announces incorporation of subsidiary in the USA Citic Envirotech Ltd reports that Memstar Holding has incorporated a new subsidiary, Memstar USA Inc, in the USA. According to Citic, the move follows a previous announcement in November 2016 when it announced the incorporation of a new subsidiary Memstar Holding Pte Ltd (Memstar Holding), pursuant to a joint venture agreement between the company, Dr Lin Yucheng, Dr Ge Hailin and Aquarius Membrane Llc. Greeley and Hansen opens office in San Francisco Greeley and Hansen Llc, a major civil and environmental engineering, architectural and management consulting firm in water infrastructure, recently opened a new office location in San Francisco, California, USA, to further advance the expansion of the firm’s business operations on the West Coast. The new office is being run by Dr Val Frenkel, the managing director of Greeley and Hansen’s Pacific Coast operating group, and an industry expert on process design, desalination and membrane technologies. ‘With the opening of this new local office, Greeley and Hansen will be even better positioned to serve the needs of clients in this region and to address their unique water infrastructure challenges,’ commented John Robak, President, Greeley and Hansen. Symbios Technologies awarded patent The United States Patent and Trademark Office has awarded Symbios Technologies Inc a patent for its tubular high-density plasma reactor (US patent 9,346,691). The reactor provides improved, lower-cost oxidation methods for ultrapure and process water, and wastewater applications, by simultaneously eliminating organic and microbial contamination without the need for added chemicals or producing a waste stream.
Membrane Technology
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Membrane Technology
Contact: H2O Innovation Inc, 330 rue St-Vallier Est, Suite 340, Quebec City, Quebec G1K 9C5, Canada. Tel: +1 418 688 0170, www.h2oinnovation.com
Filter removes over 97% of chromium-6 from drinking water
U
S-based filtration company Aquasana Inc says that its OptimH2O reverse osmosis (RO) system is certified by NSF International to remove over 97% of chromium-6 from drinking water. In response to the discovery of the chemical chromium-6 in the drinking water of over 200 million Americans, the company is encouraging concerned families across the country to be proactive in protecting their health by filtering water using the RO system. Also known as hexavalent chromium, chromium-6 is the same cancer-causing heavy metal made famous in the film Erin Brockovich. A safety limit for chromium-6 in drinking water has not been established by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and like lead, exposure is potentially dangerous at any level, especially in children and pregnant women. Until more is known, the easiest and most immediate approach to safe drinking water and peace of mind is to use a water filter. However, not all filters remove chromium-6. The only way to effectively remove the carcinogen is through RO, says Aquasana. According to the company, OptimH2O uses innovative RO, carbon filtration and remineralisation technology to remove more than 80 different contaminants – including over 97% of chromium-6 and 99% of lead. It also puts back healthy minerals removed by the RO process, such as calcium, magnesium and potassium. ‘Whether we are talking about the concerning lead poisoning in Flint, Michigan, PFOA (Teflon) or now chromium-6, this is a larger issue that has been building for years and affects the nation as a whole,’ said Todd Bartee, CEO, Aquasana, and a trained environmental engineer, specialising in water treatment. ‘As our water infrastructure continues to deteriorate we are going to see an increase in these types of water safety issues across the country. We want families to know that there are straightforward and immediate steps they can take to be proactive in protecting their health, and the most effective way to improve
their drinking water is by using an NSFcertified water filter.’ Aquasana’s other drinking water filters are NSF-certified to remove more than 99% of lead and 65 other contaminants – including asbestos, pharmaceuticals, chloramines, herbicides, pesticides, industrial solvents, volatile organic compounds and mercury – and are available in countertop and undersink options that make clean, healthy water accessible to everyone. Contact: Aquasana Inc, 1609 Shoal Creek Boulevard, Suite 200, Austin, TX 78701, USA. Tel: +1 866 662 6885, www.aquasana.com
Oil refinery uses GE technology to clean all of its wastewater
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he Federated Co-Operatives Ltd’s Co-op Refinery Complex in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada, is using water recycling technology from General Electric Co (GE) in a wastewater improvement project that will enable the refinery to clean 100% of its wastewater on-site. The move means that it will be the only refinery in North America to recycle all of its wastewater for steam production, which is used for heating, hydrogen production, to power equipment and for cooling towers, says GE. ‘Water is a precious resource and our wastewater improvement project enables us to be efficient and sustainable by recovering every drop of water. With GE’s technology, the Co-op Refinery Complex will clean and recycle all of its wastewater in a socially responsible and environmentally sound way to conserve water for Regina and the entire province of Saskatchewan,’ explained Gil Le Dressay, Vice President, Refinery Operations, Federated Co-Operatives. Several years ago the refinery expanded its operations to produce 30 000 more barrels of oil per day (BPD) – taking it from a 100 000BPD to a 130 000-BPD facility – which increased its water usage. The refinery relied on a water source composed of a blend of well water and city water, but restrictions on water use mandated that it had to find a new source of water. GE combined its ZeeWeed membrane bioreactor (MBR) technology and a high-efficiency reverse osmosis system to recycle and reuse 2 million gallons of wastewater a day.
February 2017
NEWS/IN BRIEF In addition to the water reuse technology, GE provides the refinery with wastewater speciality chemicals and monitoring systems. By recycling 100% of its wastewater on-site the refinery complex is capable of significantly decreasing volatile organic compound emissions from its wastewater ponds and reducing associated nuisance odours. ‘Refineries require an enormous amount of water. Treating the wastewater and reusing it is economical and environment-friendly. In the case of the Co-op Refinery Complex, the expansion required a new source of water. GE’s MBR and RO technologies will help the refinery recycle 100% of its wastewater, which is a sustainable and environment-friendly option,’ said Kevin Cassidy, Global Leader, Engineered Systems – Water and Process Technologies, GE Power.
According to Evoqua, the Aberdeen Proving Ground chose it as its service supplier after a competitive evaluation to find a company with the best combination of cost, quick service response, depth of technical support and proven performance.
Contacts: GE Water & Process Technologies, 4636 Somerton Road, Trevose, PA 19053-6783, USA. Tel: +1 215 355 3300, www.gewater.com
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GE Power & Water, 1 River Road, Building 2-135D, Schenectady, NY 12345, USA. Tel: +1 518 385 2211, www.gepower.com
Evoqua receives laboratory water systems service contract from US Army
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voqua Water Technologies Llc, which specialises in water and wastewater treatment products, systems and services for industrial and municipal customers, was recently awarded a contract to provide maintenance services for more than 50 EMD Millipore laboratory benchtop water purification systems at the US Army Aberdeen Proving Ground laboratories in Aberdeen, Maryland. Evoqua is providing ongoing maintenance services to ensure that the facility’s stringent need for high-quality water is met. The contract includes ongoing service checks, calibration work and spare parts replacement. The Aberdeen Proving Ground – the US Army’s longest operating proving ground – is one of the US military’s most important research, training and testing locations. For the past 50 years all tanks and wheeled vehicles have been tested at its facilities, which employ more than 7500 civilians and 5000 military personnel.
February 2017
Contact: Evoqua Water Technologies Llc, 4800 North Point Parkway, Suite 250, Alpharetta, GA 30022, USA. Tel: +1 978 614 7111, www.evoqua.com
Aquaporin Inside membranes undergo second round of tests in space quaporin Space Alliance ApS (ASA), a joint venture between Aquaporin A/s – a global cleantech company located in Kongens Lyngby, Denmark – and Danish Aerospace Co ApS (DAC), has carried out a second round of testing of the Aquaporin Inside water filtration membrane in space. Aquaporin says that this is another important step in developing filtration technology to efficiently reuse water on board space stations. The “Aquamembrane-2” test set-up hardware with the Aquaporin Inside membranes was launched to the International Space Station (ISS) during October on the Cygnus transport vehicle via Orbital ATK Antares-230 rocket. The Aquamembrane-2 experiment involved an Aquamembrane Osmotic Driven Test performed by ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet. The results and samples from the experiment are expected to be returned to Earth on Soyuz48S this month (February 2017). The second round of testing seeks to provide more detailed results of the effectiveness of the membranes under microgravity and to develop a natural, lightweight and
The Aquaporin Inside water filtration membrane recently underwent a second round of testing in space – in another important step in the development of filtration technology to efficiently reuse water on board space stations.
In Brief LiqTech receives NSF61 certification Danish cleantech company LiqTech International A/s has announced that its products have been certified according to NSF61 for drinking water products. ‘Earlier this year our products were certified according to NSF50 for swimming pool products. This enabled us to start the marketing of our products in North America and we are encouraged by the progress we have made so far,’ remarked Sune Mathiesen, CEO, LiqTech. ‘With this new certification for drinking water we can start our efforts of establishing ourselves in the North American drinking water industry using the experience we gained from European projects.’ Citic Envirotech announces incorporation of subsidiary in the USA Citic Envirotech Ltd reports that Memstar Holding has incorporated a new subsidiary, Memstar USA Inc, in the USA. According to Citic, the move follows a previous announcement in November 2016 when it announced the incorporation of a new subsidiary Memstar Holding Pte Ltd (Memstar Holding), pursuant to a joint venture agreement between the company, Dr Lin Yucheng, Dr Ge Hailin and Aquarius Membrane Llc. Greeley and Hansen opens office in San Francisco Greeley and Hansen Llc, a major civil and environmental engineering, architectural and management consulting firm in water infrastructure, recently opened a new office location in San Francisco, California, USA, to further advance the expansion of the firm’s business operations on the West Coast. The new office is being run by Dr Val Frenkel, the managing director of Greeley and Hansen’s Pacific Coast operating group, and an industry expert on process design, desalination and membrane technologies. ‘With the opening of this new local office, Greeley and Hansen will be even better positioned to serve the needs of clients in this region and to address their unique water infrastructure challenges,’ commented John Robak, President, Greeley and Hansen. Symbios Technologies awarded patent The United States Patent and Trademark Office has awarded Symbios Technologies Inc a patent for its tubular high-density plasma reactor (US patent 9,346,691). The reactor provides improved, lower-cost oxidation methods for ultrapure and process water, and wastewater applications, by simultaneously eliminating organic and microbial contamination without the need for added chemicals or producing a waste stream.
Membrane Technology
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