- Email: [email protected]
Strong growth forecast for MBRs and desalination
NEWS Aquasafe Water Filters that provide an effective barrier against contaminants in hospital water systems. Contact: Pall Corporation, 2200 Northern Boulevard, East Hills, NY 11548, USA. Tel: +1 516 484 5400, Fax: +1 516 484 3649, www.pall.com
Membrana expands its membrane contactor range Membrana of Charlotte, North Carolina has introduced a 14 × 28 Liqui-Cel membrane contactor to its product family. The company claims that this is the largest integrally potted membrane contactor available today for removing dissolved gasses from a variety of liquids. It contains an active membrane area of 220 m2, about 60% more than its current 10 × 28 Liqui-Cel contactor, and it is more cost-effective in higher liquid flow-rate applications. An individual 14 × 28 unit can process up to 91 m3/hr. Larger flows can be handled by piping multiple contactors in parallel. It uses commercially available plastics for the containment vessel and end-cap components, and epoxy is used as the potting material. This product is available with either X40 and X50 fibres for the cost-effective removal of dissolved CO2 and O2 from water. Membrane contactors offer a modular option for many applications and they can be put in virtually any area of a building, says Membrana. They are clean enough to be used in the make-up loop of a semiconductor plant. More specifically, they can be used to deoxygenate large water streams, and additionally they offer a perfect means of removing CO 2, before EDI technology is used, to eliminate or reduce chemical usage and improve water quality. Contact: Membrana-Charlotte, 13800 South Lakes Drive, Charlotte, NC 28273, USA. Tel: +1 704 587 8888, Fax: +1 704 587 8585, www.liquicel.com
4
Strong growth forecast for MBRs and desalination Research conducted by US company McIlvaine Co predicts that the market for cross-flow membrane equipment and membranes is set to grow from about US$6.3 billion worldwide in 2004 to over US$8.4 billion in 2007. Desalination alone will account for over one third of this growth and revenues in this sector will grow to US$1.8 billion in 2007. The fastest growing segment of the market is membrane bioreactors. Both municipal and industrial revenues will grow by more than 15% per year in this segment which combines biological treatment and membrane filtration, reveals the study ‘RO, UF, MF World Markets’, conducted by the company. The high growth rates and promising future of the cross-flow membrane industry have attracted some of the world’s largest companies, says McIlvaine. For example, General Electric is prioritizing water as its area of growth. It is already a major player in cross-flow membranes by acquiring Osmonics. ITT has also made several recent acquisitions to position itself in the membrane market place. Contact: McIlvaine Co, 191 Waukegan Road, Suite 208, Northfield, IL 60093, USA. Tel: +1 847 784 0012, Fax: +1 847 784 0061, www.mcilvainecompany.com
Technology aims to cut cost of catalytic converters Californian company Nanostellar Inc is developing what it claims are highly efficient nanocatalysts to significantly reduce platinum group metals required in conventional catalytic processes. This patent-pending clean energy technology uses proprietary quantum chemistry simulation and synthesis processes that replace the metals with other, less costly materials to create nano-particles that deliver a 30–70% catalyst cost reduction. Nanostellar says that its nanocatalysts will increase the efficiency
of automotive catalytic converters and dramatically reduce their cost. Other products will address the hydrogen fuel cell, solar power and battery markets. The company has filed five broad patent applications to date on proprietary technology for the rational design and rapid fabrication of efficient and low-cost nano-catalysts. Contact: Nanostellar Inc, 3603 Haven Avenue, Suite A, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA. Tel: +1 650 368 1010, Fax: +1 650 368 1101, www.nanostellar.com
Ion-exchange resin remove perchlorate USFilter has recently been awarded two projects that involve the removal of perchlorate from ground water in the Rancho Cordova area, near Sacramento, California. A Californian manufacturer is using the company’s services over the next five years to remove perchlorate from nearly a dozen contaminated groundwater wells. Both projects seek to prevent the existing underground ‘perchlorate plume’ from spreading into the surrounding community. The projects will protect uncontaminated drinking water supplies for both the Gold River housing project and future home development in the Rancho Cordova area. USFilter is using disposable ionexchange resin technologies to treat the water. Once the media has reached full capacity, the resin and captured perchlorate is thermally destroyed, preventing the perchlorate from recontaminating other water sources. Working with technology invented by Rohm and Haas Co of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the company is employing ion-specific resins that remove perchlorate from water supplies (contaminated with up to one part per million) to below non-detection levels. Contact: USFilter, 1501 E. Woodfield Road, Suite 215 West, Schaumburg, IL 60173, USA. Tel: +1 847 706 6947, Fax: +1 847 706 6933, www.usfilter.com
In Brief Arab Water Council established The Arab Water Council (AWC) has been established in Cairo, Egypt, following many years of planning, discussions and consultations. It is described as a civil society, and a not-for-profit, regional organization that is dedicated to water issues in the Arab States. Its mission is to promote better understanding and management of the water resources in the area in a multi-disciplinary, non-political, professional and scientific manner. AWC says that it also aims to disseminate knowledge, and enhance the sharing of experience and information for the rational and comprehensive development of the region’s water resources for the benefits of its inhabitants. PEM fuel cell starts in sub-zero temperatures Developer of lithium batteries and fuel cell technologies Ener1 Inc has filed a US patent application for a new method and apparatus that enables the rapid startup of a proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell in subzero temperatures without the use of external devices. It says that cold-start performance capabilities are crucial to the development of fuel cells for automotive applications. The company’s approach for cold starting is to heat the fuel cell by a self-regulating exothermal chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen that takes place uniformly over the cathode catalyst. Donaldson reports record results For its third fiscal quarter ended 30 April 2004, US-based Donaldson Company Inc reported record net income of $29.6 million, up from US$25.3 million posted for the corresponding period of 2003. Record sales totalled $370.6 million, up from $302.5 million a year earlier. Ultrafilter sales in the third quarter totalled $30.5 million, which is over 5% higher than $28.9 million reported in 2003. Membrane sales increased by 47%, based on improvements in core industrial and technical markets, says the company.
Membrane Technology July 2004
Membrana expands its membrane contactor range Membrana of Charlotte, North Carolina has introduced a 14 × 28 Liqui-Cel membrane contactor to its product family. The company claims that this is the largest integrally potted membrane contactor available today for removing dissolved gasses from a variety of liquids. It contains an active membrane area of 220 m2, about 60% more than its current 10 × 28 Liqui-Cel contactor, and it is more cost-effective in higher liquid flow-rate applications. An individual 14 × 28 unit can process up to 91 m3/hr. Larger flows can be handled by piping multiple contactors in parallel. It uses commercially available plastics for the containment vessel and end-cap components, and epoxy is used as the potting material. This product is available with either X40 and X50 fibres for the cost-effective removal of dissolved CO2 and O2 from water. Membrane contactors offer a modular option for many applications and they can be put in virtually any area of a building, says Membrana. They are clean enough to be used in the make-up loop of a semiconductor plant. More specifically, they can be used to deoxygenate large water streams, and additionally they offer a perfect means of removing CO 2, before EDI technology is used, to eliminate or reduce chemical usage and improve water quality. Contact: Membrana-Charlotte, 13800 South Lakes Drive, Charlotte, NC 28273, USA. Tel: +1 704 587 8888, Fax: +1 704 587 8585, www.liquicel.com
4
Strong growth forecast for MBRs and desalination Research conducted by US company McIlvaine Co predicts that the market for cross-flow membrane equipment and membranes is set to grow from about US$6.3 billion worldwide in 2004 to over US$8.4 billion in 2007. Desalination alone will account for over one third of this growth and revenues in this sector will grow to US$1.8 billion in 2007. The fastest growing segment of the market is membrane bioreactors. Both municipal and industrial revenues will grow by more than 15% per year in this segment which combines biological treatment and membrane filtration, reveals the study ‘RO, UF, MF World Markets’, conducted by the company. The high growth rates and promising future of the cross-flow membrane industry have attracted some of the world’s largest companies, says McIlvaine. For example, General Electric is prioritizing water as its area of growth. It is already a major player in cross-flow membranes by acquiring Osmonics. ITT has also made several recent acquisitions to position itself in the membrane market place. Contact: McIlvaine Co, 191 Waukegan Road, Suite 208, Northfield, IL 60093, USA. Tel: +1 847 784 0012, Fax: +1 847 784 0061, www.mcilvainecompany.com
Technology aims to cut cost of catalytic converters Californian company Nanostellar Inc is developing what it claims are highly efficient nanocatalysts to significantly reduce platinum group metals required in conventional catalytic processes. This patent-pending clean energy technology uses proprietary quantum chemistry simulation and synthesis processes that replace the metals with other, less costly materials to create nano-particles that deliver a 30–70% catalyst cost reduction. Nanostellar says that its nanocatalysts will increase the efficiency
of automotive catalytic converters and dramatically reduce their cost. Other products will address the hydrogen fuel cell, solar power and battery markets. The company has filed five broad patent applications to date on proprietary technology for the rational design and rapid fabrication of efficient and low-cost nano-catalysts. Contact: Nanostellar Inc, 3603 Haven Avenue, Suite A, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA. Tel: +1 650 368 1010, Fax: +1 650 368 1101, www.nanostellar.com
Ion-exchange resin remove perchlorate USFilter has recently been awarded two projects that involve the removal of perchlorate from ground water in the Rancho Cordova area, near Sacramento, California. A Californian manufacturer is using the company’s services over the next five years to remove perchlorate from nearly a dozen contaminated groundwater wells. Both projects seek to prevent the existing underground ‘perchlorate plume’ from spreading into the surrounding community. The projects will protect uncontaminated drinking water supplies for both the Gold River housing project and future home development in the Rancho Cordova area. USFilter is using disposable ionexchange resin technologies to treat the water. Once the media has reached full capacity, the resin and captured perchlorate is thermally destroyed, preventing the perchlorate from recontaminating other water sources. Working with technology invented by Rohm and Haas Co of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the company is employing ion-specific resins that remove perchlorate from water supplies (contaminated with up to one part per million) to below non-detection levels. Contact: USFilter, 1501 E. Woodfield Road, Suite 215 West, Schaumburg, IL 60173, USA. Tel: +1 847 706 6947, Fax: +1 847 706 6933, www.usfilter.com
In Brief Arab Water Council established The Arab Water Council (AWC) has been established in Cairo, Egypt, following many years of planning, discussions and consultations. It is described as a civil society, and a not-for-profit, regional organization that is dedicated to water issues in the Arab States. Its mission is to promote better understanding and management of the water resources in the area in a multi-disciplinary, non-political, professional and scientific manner. AWC says that it also aims to disseminate knowledge, and enhance the sharing of experience and information for the rational and comprehensive development of the region’s water resources for the benefits of its inhabitants. PEM fuel cell starts in sub-zero temperatures Developer of lithium batteries and fuel cell technologies Ener1 Inc has filed a US patent application for a new method and apparatus that enables the rapid startup of a proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell in subzero temperatures without the use of external devices. It says that cold-start performance capabilities are crucial to the development of fuel cells for automotive applications. The company’s approach for cold starting is to heat the fuel cell by a self-regulating exothermal chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen that takes place uniformly over the cathode catalyst. Donaldson reports record results For its third fiscal quarter ended 30 April 2004, US-based Donaldson Company Inc reported record net income of $29.6 million, up from US$25.3 million posted for the corresponding period of 2003. Record sales totalled $370.6 million, up from $302.5 million a year earlier. Ultrafilter sales in the third quarter totalled $30.5 million, which is over 5% higher than $28.9 million reported in 2003. Membrane sales increased by 47%, based on improvements in core industrial and technical markets, says the company.
Membrane Technology July 2004