Conwed RO Feed Spacers Shown At 2015 Membrane Technology Conference

Conwed showcases membrane technology at the 2015 Membrane Technology Conference & Expo in Orlando, FL.

Minneapolis, MN (PRWEB) - Conwed, the leading plastic netting manufacturer in the world, will display its latest reverse osmosis (RO) feed spacer technology at the 2015 Membrane Technology Conference & Expo in Orlando, FL (Booth #413 – March 2-5,2015). Organized by the American Water Works Association (AWWA) and the American Membrane Technology Association (AMTA) this event will showcase how membrane technology can enhance water reliability and water quality while revealing new directions in water treatment technologies and wastewater membrane bioreactor applications. With over 1,200 attendees, it is the premier event for membrane and materials technology and their applications in water, wastewater and industrial treatments in North America.

Conwed manufactures RO feed spacers for reverse osmosis applications. The RO process involves pressure application of dissolved species water solution against a float sheet semipermeable membrane. The water passes through the membrane as permeate. All particulate species and majority of dissolved ions existent in the feed water, are rejected and flushed out to the drain as a concentrate stream. In order to function as a desalination device, the flat sheet membrane is configured as a spiral wound membrane element. The membrane element structure contains also a feed spacer that separates the surfaces of adjacent membrane envelopes. The feed spacer, also known as scrim, mesh, net or netting keeps the feed channel open, allowing feed water to flow inside the feed channels, along the membrane element. The objective of the feed spacer, in addition to keeping the feed channel open, is to promote turbulence of the feed stream.

“Feed spacers are an essential component of RO spiral wound elements but for many years the focus of innovation has been membrane development. Conwed is now proactively studying and testing how feed spacers can impact reverse osmosis performance; primarily pressure drop, membrane damage and biofouling” said, Ivan Soltero, Strategic Marketing Manager at Conwed.

The scarcity of drinkable water worldwide remains a global concern and countries are increasingly supporting seawater and brackish water desalination technology. The International Water Management Institute, a non-profit scientific research organization that focuses on sustainable water use in developing countries, estimates that by 2025 nearly 1 billion people will lack access to fresh, drinkable water. “As a company, we understand the importance of addressing a global concern such as providing drinkable water to all. We are committed to collaborating with membrane manufacturers, winders and RO plant professionals to research and identify potential improvements to feed spacers and their potential impact in RO performance”, said James Kidwell, Director of Technology & Innovation at Conwed.

In addition to a full line of feed spacers, Conwed also manufactures extruded cylinder tubes, sleeves, diamond and square extruded netting for filter pleat support and core protection with a wide range of customization options.

For a complete overview of Conwed in reverse osmosis applications visit http://www.conwedplastics.com/ro.

About CONWED 
Conwed is the leading plastic netting manufacturer in the world. Conwed manufactures extruded, oriented and knitted netting with unique customization capabilities. Headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Conwed has five manufacturing locations on two continents and a global distribution network.