Waterlink extends reach into membrane markets

News and Views c o n t a c t w i t h h y d r o c a r b o n s a n d c o n t a m i n a n t s f o u n d in a i r e q u i p m e n t m a k e s it p o t e n t i a l h a z a r d o u s . F o r continuous blending and pressure swing absorption, o x y g e n f r o m h i g h p r e s s u r e 0 2 c y l i n d e r s or from PSA is p a s s e d t h r o u g h g a s m i x i n g coils i n t o a h i g h p r e s s u r e c o m p r e s s o r s y s t e m . T h e o p e r a t o r m u s t t a k e c a r e to e n s u r e t h a t t h e facility's s y s t e m is oil free a n d c l e a n e d for u s e w i t h o x y g e n , o t h e r w i s e a low level b u i l d - u p of contaminants can create residues that cause oxygen ignition problems. In t h e s y s t e m d e v e l o p e d b y U n d e r w a t e r B r e a t h i n g S y s t e m s (UBS), p e r m e a b l e h o l l o w fibre m e m b r a n e s a r e u s e d . I n s t e a d of e n r i c h i n g t h e a i r b y a d d i n g oxygen, t h e s y s t e m e n h a n c e s t h e a i r b y r e m o v i n g n i t r o g e n . Nitrox is d e f i n e d a s g a s m i x e s of N2 a n d 0 2 t h a t g e n e r a l l y c o n t a i n m o r e t h a n 2 1 % oxygen. A diver using de-nitrogenated air nitrox absorbs less nitrogen d u r i n g t h e c o u r s e of t h e dive. T h i s r e d u c e s t h e r i s k of d e c o m p r e s s i o n i l l n e s s , i n c r e a s e s dive t i m e a n d e l i m i n a t e s p o s t dive fatigue. Unlike oxygen mixing and blending operations, where high oxygen concentrations require oxygen clean equipment, this system never has higher than a 4 0 % c o n c e n t r a t i o n of o x y g e n , r e d u c i n g t h e r i s k of e x p l o s i o n a n d fire. For f u r t h e r information, contact: U n d e r s e a B r e a t h i n g S y s t e m s , 1 9 6 8 L a k e Worth Road, #201 , L a k e Worth, FL 3 3 4 6 1 , USA. Tel: +1 4 0 7 5 8 8 7 6 9 8 , f a x : +1 4 0 7 5 8 8 0608.

Membrane b i o r e a c t o r s for

wastewater treatment T h e W a t e r B i o t r e a t m e n t C l u b a n d t h e S c h o o l of W a t e r S c i e n c e s a t C r a n f l e l d U n i v e r s i t y , UK a r e to h o l d a one day international meeting on membrane bioreactors on W e d n e s d a y 5 M a r c h 1997. T h e p r o v i s i o n a l p r o g r a m m e of 10 p a p e r s , c o v e r s all a s p e c t s of m e m b r a n e b i o r e a c t o r s , from t h e s e l e c t i o n a n d o p e r a t i o n of m e m b r a n e s in b i o r e a c t o r s to t h e d i s c u s s i o n of o p e r a t i o n a l e x p e r i e n c e s in biomass separation, industrial effluent treatment and compound degradation. T h e W a t e r B i o t r e a t m e n t C l u b is a f o r u m for t e c h n o l o g y t r a n s f e r in t h e a r e a of b i o t r e a t m e n t of soil a n d w a t e r . T h e C l u b h a s over 50 m e m b e r s i n c l u d i n g universities, statutory bodies and industry. For f u r t h e r information, contact: Clive Temple, C o u r s e s Manager, School o f W a t e r Sciences, Cranfield University, Cranfield, Bedford, M K 4 3 OAL, UK. Tel: +44 1234 7 5 4 0 5 6 ; f a x : +44 1234 751671.

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Waterlink extends reach into membrane markets W a t e r l i n k , a n i n t e g r a t e d s u p p l i e r of w a t e r a n d wastewater treatment technologies, has acquired W a t e r T r e a t m e n t T e c h n o l o g i e s of W e s t P a l m B e a c h , Florida, through a merger acquisition. The acquisition significantly extends Waterlink's c a p a b i l i t i e s in w a t e r t r e a t m e n t . W a t e r E q u i p m e n t T e c h n o l o g i e s p r o v i d e a r a n g e of a d v a n c e d w a t e r t e c h n o l o g i e s from s e a w a t e r d e s a l i n a t i o n to u l t r a p u r e w a t e r t r e a t m e n t for u s e in t h e s e m i c o n d u c t o r i n d u s t r y and kidney dialysis. In t h e e i g h t e e n m o n t h s s i n c e its f o u n d i n g , W a t e r l i n k h a s j u m p e d from n e a r t h e b o t t o m of m o r e than 800 water and wastewater treatment companies in t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s to t h e t o p t w e n t y , a c c o r d i n g to the Environmental Business Journal. The company a t t r i b u t e s its d r a m a t i c g r o w t h to its s t r a t e g y of b u i l d i n g a b r o a d b a s e of c o m p l e m e n t a r y t e c h n o l o g i e s , t h r o u g h a c q u i s i t i o n of a d v a n c e d w a t e r treatment companies. For f u r t h e r information, contact: Waterlink, Inc., 115 D e w a l t A v e n u e , N.W. Canton, OH 4 4 7 0 2 USA. Tel: +1 2 1 6 4 5 5 7 3 3 3 ; f a x : +1 2 1 6 4 5 5 8134.

C o n t i n u o u s RO polishing offers adjustable

conductivity U n i t e d S t a t e s F i l t e r C o r p o r a t i o n h a s i n t r o d u c e d a line of c o n t i n u o u s d e i o n i s a t i o n (CDI) s y s t e m s d e s i g n e d to p o l i s h r e v e r s e o s m o s i s (RO) s y s t e m p r o d u c t w a t e r a n d e n s u r e c o m p l i a n c e w i t h t h e n e w US P h a r m a c o p o e i a (USP) 23 S t a g e 1 w a t e r q u a l i t y r e g u l a t i o n s . T h e s y s t e m s i n c o r p o r a t e u l t r a v i o l e t (UV) s a n i t i s a t i o n , c o n t i n u o u s d e i o n i s a t i o n a n d final f i l t r a t i o n for o p t i m u m b a c t e r i o l o g i c a l control. U.S. F i l t e r ' s CDI t e c h n o l o g y is a c o n t i n u o u s p r o c e s s for p r o d u c i n g h i g h - p u r i t y w a t e r w i t h o u t t h e problems and costs associated with regeneration c h e m i c a l s a n d w a s t e n e u t r a l i s a t i o n . It is u s e d to f u r t h e r d e i o n i s e RO p e r m a n e n t w a t e r a n d r e m o v e c a r b o n dioxide, silica a n d t o t a l o r g a n i c c a r b o n (TOC). W h e n p r e t r e a t e d w i t h RO water, CDI s y s t e m s a c h i e v e

Membrane

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