TPTec Introduces Zero Liquid Discharge Solutions, Receives ‘Distinction' Commendation At Global Water Summit

Thermal Purification Technologies (TPTec), an early stage clean-tech company focusing on developing new, clean and efficient technologies for multiple applications in the water sector, has introduced a robust, efficient and economical solution for Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) based on its award winning, patented LTDis (Low Temperature Distillation) and LTDry (Low Temperature Drying) technologies.

Increasingly, ZLD is required for water projects, whether conventional desalination, brine concentration or the cleaning of highly polluted industrial and oil and gas wastewater. TPTec’s approach to ZLD utilizing these technologies recently received a “Distinction” commendation during the prestigious Global Water Awards Technology Idol program, held in Athens as part of the 2015 Global Water Summit.

LTDis and LTDry can be used either alone or in combination in a ZLD system, including full separation of water and solids. On its own, LTDis can achieve a conversion ratio of 75-88% depending on whether seawater or brine from existing desalinations plants is used as feed. With an additional upgrade for isolating high saline water and precipitation loops / centrifuges, the conversion can be brought up to 90-92% and thus achieve ZLDwet. With the addition of LTDry, the remaining wet sludge can be dried, and the salt can be sold or disposed of, thus achieving ZLDdry. Another benefit of these technologies is that very efficient heat transfer allows usage of low grade heat (10-20 K above the recooling source).

LTDis uses direct evaporators and condensers (no tube bundles or membranes) to clean challenging feeds. Whereas conventional technologies such as RO or MED generally can go up to about 60’000 ppm of dissolved solids, are sensitive to pollution (hydrocarbons) and typically have conversion ratios of 40% (seawater), the LTDis technology can go up to and into precipitation of the dissolved solids (330’000 ppm, with or without hydrocarbons and other pollutants) and could have a conversion ratio of 88% (seawater). The main applications for LTDis are seawater desalination, brine concentration, wastewater from oil and gas exploration, industrial processes, etc. A full scale plant with a capacity of 500 m3/day was built in El Gouna, Egypt.

The LTDry (Low Temperature Drying) technology is built on the same principles as LTDis, where the dry material is used as a carrier for the process to take place. This greatly reduces the problems associated with other drying techniques including eliminating the issues of clogging (no glue phase), dust, explosion and smell. The process has a wide range of applications including the treatment of sewage sludge, drying of salt, pre-drying of lignite for coal fired power plants and various other industrial and agricultural applications. A full scale plant with a capacity of 20 t/day of sewage sludge (corresponding to a city of 50’000 inhabitants) was built in Würenlingen, Switzerland.

The business model for TPTec is to remain a technology developer forming strategic partnerships with competent systems integrators/industrial partners/investors covering specific geographies and or applications. Dubai-based Metito has made a significant investment in TPTec as part of a strategic partnership to exclusively introduce LTDis and LTDry in markets across Asia and Africa.

About TPTec
Established in 2013, Thermal Purification Technologies Limited (TPTec) is a clean-tech start-up focusing on developing new, clean and efficient technologies for multiple applications in the water sector. The company is focused on providing complete solutions for cleaning seawater, brine and polluted water including separation of water and solids. It uses advanced thermodynamics to build simple, robust and efficient plants that can use existing waste or low value streams to purify challenging feeds with a minimum of residual effluents. Headquartered in Guernsey, Great Britain, TPTec has an operating branch in Switzerland where a focused team continues developing, refining and implementing technologies for multiple applications in the water sector. For more information, visit http://www.t-p-tec.com/