Articles
Veolia Water Solutions & Technologies Acquires Rights To New Desalination Technology
June 4, 2009
Veolia Water Solutions & Technologies has acquired worldwide rights to commercialize a new patented Zero Discharge Desalination (ZDD) technology developed at the University of South Carolina by ZDD, Inc.
The technology utilizes a combination of separation processes, including an electrodialysis device in an ion substitution mode to remove divalent salts from water. This process prevents the salts from precipitating during the process of producing purified water and allows greater water recovery than would otherwise be achieved.
Recent pilot testing has proven that the technology can achieve 97% recovery on brackish water over an extended time period. Large-scale piloting will be completed in 2009 to validate life cycle costs prior to a 0.5-MGD demonstration plant being built. As part of the larger-scale piloting, a separate cost analysis will determine the marketability of beneficial byproducts produced by the process.
Applications of the technology include greenfield desalination sites and retrofit of existing Reverse Osmosis (RO) facilities, where ZDD is expected to increase recovery rates from 75 to 97%; various industrial applications to enhance water reuse capabilities; and seawater desalination to improve water recovery rates and produce multiple byproducts.
About Veolia Water Solutions & Technologies
Veolia Water Solutions & Technologies is the technological subsidiary of Veolia Water.
Veolia Water Solutions & Technologies (VWS), which includes seven subsidiaries in North
America (Biothane, Crown Solutions, HPD, John Meunier, Kruger, N.A. Water Systems, and
Whittier Filtration), is a world leader in engineering and technological solutions in water treatment
for industrial companies and municipal authorities. VWS is also one of the world's major designbuild
providers of water and wastewater treatment facilities. Present in more than 57 countries,
with 8900 employees, Veolia Water Solutions & Technologies had revenues of $3.7B in
2008.
About VEOLIA WATER
VEOLIA WATER, the water division of Veolia Environnement, is the world leader in water
services. Veolia Water specializes in managing water services outsourced by municipal
authorities, industry and tertiary sector companies. Veolia Water operates in 57 countries, serves
139 million people, employs 93,400 employees, and had revenues of $18.6B in 2008.
