Technology news16

Filtration+Separation November/December 2012

Apertured film offers improved adhesion

DelStar Technologies Inc. has introduced a new Delnet® apertured film product, designed to offer improved adhesion characteristics over a variety of substances. The new Delnet product has a coextruded layer of acrylic acid copoloymer that can be incorporated on one or both sides of the netting.

The company adds that the incorporation of an acrylic acid copolymer into an adhesive layer provides good adhesion to polyolefins, aluminium foil, nylon, paper, nonwovens, fabrics and polar substrates.

In comparison to existing coextruded Delnet products with similar configurations, the new skin achieved an average of 40% greater bond strength and can be activated at 10% lower temperatures than the existing skins. Delnet uses resins that are FDA compliant for food contact.

www.delstarinc.com

Netherlands-based companies Vitens and WE Consult have developed a new sustainable technology designed to clean membranes from biofouling.

Membrane filtration is used by the drinking water and food industry throughout the world. Vitens is currently using this filtration technology at multiple points in its production process.Membrane filters are currently

cleaned throughout the world with chemical products, such as caustic soda and citric acid. The cleaning process takes hours and consequently delays operations. Furthermore, the filters never become 100% clean, as a result of which product quality deteriorates and the membrane filters require more frequent replacement. By cleaning the filters with a mixture of water and CO2, the filters are effectively scrubbed clean by

small bubbles. In contrast to air, CO2 is easily soluble in water, as a result of which air-locking is no longer an issue. This process only takes 15 minutes and is four times better for the environment than cleaning with chemicals. The filters become cleaner, which increases the lifespan of the filters and the quality of the end-product.

www.vitens.nl

Carbon dioxide membrane flushing tackles biofouling

Wet Drum Separators for continuous recoveryWet Drum Separators from Eriez® have been designed for automatic, continuous recovery of magnetite or ferrosilicon in heavy media operations and concentration of ferrous and weakly magnetic ores.

The company says that the design of the Wet Drum Separators enables maximum magnetite recovery while operating with a minimum amount of wear and maintenance. Refinements in the magnetic circuit, tank design

and drive system have resulted in further improvements in metallurgical performance and operation.

Standard features include stainless steel construction and double row self-aligning ball bearings. There are various drive options available. Drive systems include synchronous (cog) belt and shaft mounted direct. Mill and chemical duty motors and Taconite seals are

also available. Eriez Magnetic Drum Separators are available in several models to cater to different operational challenges. All Eriez Wet Drum Magnetic Separators receive a complete inspection to evaluate magnetic field profile, mechanical integrity and appearance. The separators undergo a ‘run–in’ period to assure efficient operation of the drive system.

www.eriez.com

The Dow Chemical Company and the Saline Water Conversion Corporation (SWCC) have signed a commercial agreement for research collaboration.

Dow and SWCC’s first action after this agreement will be to launch a pilot project to test the suitability of innovative desalination technologies for conditions in the Arabian Gulf. The announcement follows a memorandum of understanding (MoU), in March 2012, between Dow and SWCC to conduct joint research in desalination technologies.

Dow and SWCC will partner to test desalination technologies developed by Dow Water &

Process Solutions (DW&PS), evaluating their performance in the Arabian Gulf ’s unique environment, including their ability to handle factors such as high salinity and high temperatures effectively. The tests will be conducted by the Saline Water Desalination Research Institute (SWDRI) in Al Jubail, Saudi Arabia, over a period of one year.

“We are looking forward to this opportunity to test the effectiveness of Dow’s innovative ultrafiltration and reverse osmosis technologies in the conditions we work with, in the Arabian Gulf,” said SWDRI Director Dr. Ibrahim Al Tisan. “As the sole producer of desalinated

water in Saudi Arabia, we are looking at cost-effective and environmentally friendly ways to boost our operational efficiencies and the quality of our product. Our decision to partner with Dow and explore the possibility of introducing new, more effective, technologies, reflects this commitment.”

SWCC is a Saudi government body responsible for desalinating seawater to augment the supply of potable water to coastal and inland cities in the Kingdom. It is the largest desalinated water producer in the world with 32 desalination plants that are responsible for 18% of the world’s desalinated water production.

DW&PS’ pilot project with SWCC is the latest in a series of water-related initiatives that Dow has announced in the Kingdom. In addition to the MoU signed with SWCC in March 2012, Dow entered into a comprehensive R&D collaboration agreement with the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), the region’s leading graduate-level research university, in 2009 with an initial focus on water and water treatment technologies. In July 2011, Dow announced plans to invest in a best-in-class manufacturing facility for DOW FILMTEC™ RO elements in the Kingdom.

www.dowwaterandprocess.com

Collaborative research agreed for desalination technologies in Arabian Gulf

FISE0612_technology news 16 27-11-12 16:38:19