Dow Water & Process Solutions Showcases New Water Scarcity Technologies At IDA World Congress In Dubai
Dow Water & Process Solutions (DW&PS) a division of The Dow Chemical Company (Dow), and a leading global supplier of advanced technologies for purification and separation processes designed to make water safer, cleaner and more available, recently announced its launch of four new DOW™ FILMTEC™ elements for seawater treatment at the IDA World Congress in Dubai, UAE.
"As part of our corporate commitment to help solve the global water crisis, Dow Water & Process Solutions is continuing to invest in cutting-edge research and development creating solutions for industry, business and life in established and emerging industrialized areas," said Ian Barbour, general manager of Dow Water & Process Solutions. "All four seawater elements have an active membrane area of 440 square feet maximizing productivity and enabling accurate and predictable system design and operating flux. Utilization of the distinct iLEC™ (interlocking end caps) technology helps reduce system operating costs and the risk of o-ring leaks that can cause poor water quality."
The new 440i seawater family of elements offers high rejection, low energy requirements and exceptional flow rates. The DOW™ FILMTEC™ SW30XHR-440 and SW30XHR-440i elements have the highest seawater rejection in the FILMTEC product range, enabling stringent water quality requirements to be met with single pass seawater systems in most situations. For a combination of high rejection and low energy requirements, the DOW™ FILMTEC™ SW30HRLE-440 and SW30HRLE-440i element offer lower total costs for medium and high salinity feedwater. The highest active area of 440 ft2 (41 m2) permits low system cost.
The lowest energy seawater element available in the industry today, the DOW FILMTEC SW30XLE-440 and SW30XLE-440i offers a remarkable combination of productivity, rejection and low operational cost. The high active area of 440 ft2 (41 m2) permits low system cost. It is also an ideal choice for two-pass seawater designs and high total dissolved solids (TDS) brackish water applications.
The DOW™ FILMTEC™ SW30ULE-440 and SW30ULE-440i have one of the highest flow rates in the industry and high rejection of NaCl and boron. This performance can lead to significant capital and operation cost savings, especially when this element is used with other element types in the same pressure vessel, using the "internally staged design" approach.
High-performance DOW™ FILMTEC™ components are operational in some of the most water-challenged areas of the world including Australia and the Middle East. The Shoaiba barge seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) plant is one of Saudi Arabia's largest RO seawater desalination plants and the world's largest sea-based desalination plant. The Shoaiba barge produces more than 50,000 m3/day using DOW™ FILMTEC™ membrane elements.
The redesigned DOW™ Ultrafiltration SFP2880 (UF) module will also be on exhibit at IDA in DW&PS' exhibit booth #23-26. This new element design has 50 percent more membrane active area in a smaller, more compact membrane design, shrinking the overall footprint of the installation by as much as one-half.
Commenting on Dow's participation at IDA Dubai 2009, Ian Lomax, strategic marketing manager, Dow Water & Process Solutions, said: "The Middle East is a key market for Dow. At IDA, we are looking forward to sharing our progress and highlighting our ability to deliver advanced, affordable and sustainable water sourcing or treatment options for desalination, wastewater treatment, and other applications that contribute to address the vital water conservation and purification needs of the region."
Dow recently announced that initial research at the planned Dow R&D Center at the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) in Saudi Arabia would focus on water and water treatment technologies. Substantial completion of the proposed state-of-the-art R&D center, to be jointly designed by the partners, is expected by the end of 2010.
About Dow Water & Process Solutions
Dow Water & Process Solutions has a 50 year legacy of providing innovative water and process solutions to both communities and industries alike. A differentiated business unit of The Dow Chemical Company, Dow Water & Process Solutions offers a broad portfolio of ion exchange resins, reverse osmosis membranes, ultrafiltration membranes and electrodeionization products, with strong positions in a number of major application areas, including industrial and municipal water, industrial processes, pharmaceuticals, power, residential water and waste, and water reuse. For more information, visit www.dowwatersolutions.com.
About Dow In The Middle East
Dow has several current and proposed Middle East joint ventures in the UAE, Egypt, Kuwait and Libya as well as in Saudi Arabia, where Saudi Aramco and Dow are in the formation process of a joint venture to build, own and operate a world-scale chemicals and plastics production complex in the Eastern Province. From the opening of its first commercial office in Cairo in the early 1970's to its facility in Jebel Ali in Dubai and its 10-year partnership in Kuwait with EQUATE, Dow has managed to establish a solid presence in the Middle East petrochemicals industry. For more information, visit www.dowmiddleeast.com
About Dow
Dow is a diversified chemical company that combines the power of science and technology with the "Human Element" to constantly improve what is essential to human progress. The Company delivers a broad range of products and services to customers in approximately 160 countries, connecting chemistry and innovation with the principles of sustainability to help provide everything from fresh water, food and pharmaceuticals to paints, packaging and personal care products. In 2008, Dow had annual sales of $57.5 billion and employed approximately 46,000 people worldwide. The Company has 150 manufacturing sites in 35 countries and produces approximately 3,300 products. On April 1, 2009, Dow acquired Rohm and Haas Company, a global specialty materials company with sales of $10B in 2008, 98 manufacturing sites in 30 countries and approximately 15,000 employees worldwide. References to "Dow" or the "Company" mean The Dow Chemical Company and its consolidated subsidiaries unless otherwise expressly noted. For more information, visit www.dow.com.
SOURCE: Dow Water & Process Solutions