New Break-Proof Membrane With One-Third More Permeability And High Retention
The German ultrafiltration specialist inge watertechnologies AG will be presenting a new generation of its patented and break-proof Multibore membranes at WEFTEC in Orlando, Florida, from October 12-14, 2009. With permeability boosted by almost one third while maintaining the same superb levels of virus and bacteria retention, this new membrane design is not only safe, but also extremely effective and energy-efficient.
inge watertechnologies AG has already made a name for itself as a global technology leader thanks to the systems it has developed in the field of water treatment. Regarded as the industry's leading exponent of this technology, it has maintained a clear competitive edge due to the ability of its Multibore membrane to withstand fiber breakage, a feature that the company guarantees. The changes that have now been made to the membrane's chemical composition have also had an impact on its mechanical properties. That means that the membrane is now even more flexible and resistant under heavy loads, making the ultrafiltration process even more reliable. Martin Heijnen, head of membrane development at inge watertechnologies AG explains further: "We are now even more confident than before that our membrane can withstand even the heaviest loads, which is why we have decided to offer a ‘No Membrane Breakage' guarantee. Should fiber breakage occur, we will replace the module at no cost, meaning that the customer involved would not be required to pay any repair costs."
The increased permeability of the new membrane marks another milestone in ultrafiltration technology. Heijnen continues: "The permeability and virus retention of ultrafiltration membranes depends not only on pore size, but also on pore length, pore density and pore distribution. We have made major improvements to all these factors." Flow rate has been increased by almost one-third while maintaining the same high rate of virus and bacteria retention. Tests carried out by the independent IWW Water Centre in Mühlheim an der Ruhr, Germany, have shown that the new Multibore membrane provides retention levels for MS2 phages even greater than log 4, which corresponds to a retention rate of more than 99.99 percent. This superb retention performance is a decisive criteria, particularly for the task of drinking water purification.
Lower TMP increases system uptime and saves energy
Higher permeability means that lower transmembrane pressure (TMP) is required for treatment plant operations – and that means longer uptimes between backwashing. This makes the plant more effective and energy-efficient. Chief Technology Officer Dr. Peter Berg sums up: "inge watertechnologies is a global technology leader in the field of ultrafiltration technology, and we are constantly enhancing our products in order to maintain and expand our competitive edge. The new membrane is the result of some truly top-class research and testing work carried out by our team." Berg is convinced that the new membrane will give fresh impetus to the deployment of ultrafiltration technology worldwide.
inge watertechnologies AG is represented at WEFTEC at joint booth 2451 "Research in Germany - Lands of Ideas".
About inge watertechnologies AG
The company inge watertechnologies AG - based in the town of Greifenberg on the Ammersee lake in Bavaria, Germany - employs more than 80 staff and is the world's leading provider of ultrafiltration technology, a membrane process used to treat drinking water, process water, wastewater and sea water.
With a global reach enhanced by its network of partners, the company has completed numerous reference products around the globe featuring its cutting-edge technology. Its range of products include highly-efficient ultrafiltration modules and cost-effective, space-saving rack designs as the core components of water treatment plants, rounded off by the superb technical support it provides to its customers. All the company's products are based on the in-house development of its patented Multibore® membrane technology, providing the top-quality standards for which German-made goods are famous. The extremely small-pore filters of the Multibore® membrane reliably intercept not only particles, but also microorganisms such as bacteria and viruses, thereby providing a dependable source of clean water. Deployment of the inge technology also offers significant advantages over conventional water treatment methods, such as rapid and easy module installation and stable, highly resilient membranes. This makes planning a water treatment facility much simpler, enabling customers to achieve low-cost installation and operation. And all this comes with a guarantee of long-lasting reliability.
SOURCE: inge watertechnologies AG