L
Ifiltrmem
Ifromsupppresof h[1]. memwithart m
Keynan
Wskyr
W
and
Low-Cost
ITN has develration membrambranes with t Excellent
contamin High wat
produced Chlorine Anti-Fou Durabilty
or losing Low cost
ITN’s membram an inexpenport to provissure, which elhigh-pressure p
In additionmbrane ensurhout the foulinmembranes.
ywords: water pofiltration, nan
1 W
Worldwide demrocketed due to Fresh water Population Industrial e Contaminat Governmen
standards)
Water can be disinfection m Chemical a
impurities Ionic chem
kill viruses Membrane
blocking co
Membran
1ITN Ene2ITN Ene
3ITN En
ABSTRA
loped a propriane that outphe following at selectivity (pa
nants) ter flux (gallond)
Tolerance uling (extendedy (long lifespanfunctionality)
t ane design inclnsive polymer de good watliminates the epumps. Energyn, the advanes significant
ng (clogging) t
purification, mnocomposite m
WATER PUR
mand for wateo the followingr scarcity (climgrowth
expansion tion of surface nt regulation (to
purified withmethods, includadditives to coa
icals, ozone, anand bacteria filtration to se
ontaminants
nes for Nan
B. Be
ergy Systemergy Systemsnergy System
ACT
ietary nanocomperforms stateattributes: assing water w
ns of clean wat
d clog-free opern without leaki
ludes a selectivfabricated on
er flow at reenergy and equy savings can bced chemistrytly longer methat occurs wit
membranes, revmembrane
RIFICATIO
er purification cg factors:
mate change, dr
water (pollutioougher clean w
h various impuding: agulate and pre
nd ultraviolet t
lectively pass w
nofiltratio
erland1, K. H
ms, Inc., Littls, Inc. Littlet
ms, Inc., Litt
mposite water e of the art
while rejecting
ter per minute
rating times) ing, breaking,
ve layer made nto a robust elatively low uipment costs be up to 30% y of ITN’s embrane life th state of the
verse osmosis,
ON
capability has
rought)
on) water
urity removal
ecipitate
treatments to
water while
on and Rev
Huntley2 and
eton, CO, Uton, CO, USleton, CO, U
Proc
impuritiremove inorganiOf thesecomplet
MemtechnologrowingMembrawater apredomiapproac
In managemto moreto addre
Memwater sblockedsystemswater fisystemsetc. Advhigher convent
F
1.1
Memcategori(RO). Bsize sievfiner porequires
verse Osm
M. Misra3
USA, bberlanSA, kimjhuntUSA, mmisra
cesses can bies, but not oth
salts or arsic particulatese methods, onte purification mbrane treatmogy for providg global populane systems oand energy fooinately movin
ch. [2] addition to ment (removin
e regions. Memess desalinationmbrane filtratioselectivity, wh
d, while water is are availablefiltration to hos designed to rvanced water quality of wational water filt
Figure 1—Mem
Water Filt
mbrane filtratioies: 1) Nanofil
Both are pressuving as the sepore sizes for ms higher pressu
mosis Wate
[email protected]@[email protected]
be effective hers, i.e. they msenic, or theys without remnly membrane solution.
ment is the moding safe and hlation and for offer operatingotprints. New ng to a sus
waste waterng salt) is expembranes are seen issues. on systems cahich means is allowed to pe in different gome water sofreduce pollutanfiltration tech
ater when comtration technol
mbrane Filtrati
tration Tech
on technologieltration (NF), aure filtration teparation mecha
more stringent ure (Figure 2).
er Purifica
m om m
at removingmay kill bactery may detain
moving microofiltration can
ost reliable anhigh quality wa
industrial appg savings and
treatment sysstainable all-m
r processing, ected to becomen as the prefe
an be designedthat contamin
pass through. Mgrades, from u
fteners to less nts for agricul
hnologies yieldmpared to thelogies.
ion Application
hnologies
es are classifiand 2) Reverseechniques, andanism. RO incfiltration, and
ation
g certain ria but not n certain rganisms. provide a
nd proven ater to the plications. d reduced stems are membrane
salinity me critical erred way
d for high nants are Membrane ultra-pure selective
ltural use, d a much e existing
ns
ed into 2 e Osmosis d both use corporates
therefore
267Materials for Energy, Efficiency and Sustainability: TechConnect Briefs 2015
1.2
C
Mcont
1.3
Ilayerobupropselepresof hempthe
Figure 2—
The Op
Current memb They requir
of water, leenergy cost
Membraneswith organi
Membranes(primarily fdecreased f
Membrane ftaminants from Unlike wate
significant filtration el
Similarly, wactivated cawater qualiconsistent w
Membrane same quant
Membrane range of ma
Membrane-which enabneed for higchemical/m
ITN’s F
ITN’s membraer made from aust support (Fportional to thective layer enssure, which elhigh-pressure ployed with thinterfacial po
—Nanofiltration
pportunity
rane filtration re high pressur
eading to expents for pumps, es are prone to fic materials thas are susceptibfrom chlorine dflow, impaired filtration has m water. er treatment viamounts of cheiminates need
while water quaarbon technoloty, membrane water quality fosystems requir
tity of water thaprocesses are m
arket demands-based systemsbles low-cost opghly skilled lab
mechanical supp
Filtration In
ane design incan inexpensiveFigure 3). Sinhe membrane tnables high wliminates the epumps. Simi
hin film polyamolymerization p
vs Reverse Os
systems are exres to process lnsive infrastrucetc. frequent foulinat degrade watele to chemical disinfectants), function, and b
benefits fo
ia coagulation, emicals, membfor these chemality of coagul
ogies depend ontechnology canor a variety of re less space toan other filtratimodular to me. s are highly autperations and mbor force and/oply chains.
nnovations
cludes an ultrae polymer fabr
nce water fluxthickness, ITNater flow at renergy and eqular approache
mide membranprocess leads
smosis
xpensive. arge volumes
cture and high
ng (clogging er flow) degradation which causes breakage. or removing
which uses brane
micals. ation and n the feed n offer sourcing.
o produce the ion systems. et a wide
tomated minimizes or native
athin selective ricated onto a
x is inversely N’s submicron relatively low uipment costs es have been nes. However,
to expensive
membraover larthese prslurry us
Opersignificaownershmaterialwhile stcomposi
Figure
2.1
Tablrelative Typicallwith hitolerancgood fooffer a with hig
We polymerapplicatrejectionpreliminhigher membrahas enctransfer
Figur
La
PerChar
W(l/m
MgSO4
Tes
anes and difficrge area in maroblems as thesed to cast the ration of ITNantly reduceship. The membl that doesn’ttill providing tite membrane.
e 3—ITN’s Asyfor
2 TECH
ITN’s Mem
le 1 shows a cto commer
ly, one has toigh water fluce or lower cosouling and chunique combi
gh water flux Ahave demonstrr-based thin tions in NF wan, the expectednary experimenthan that of
anes cellulose couraging prethis technolog
re 4—ITN’s NFfavorably with
arge-scale test
rformance racteristics
Water flux m2-hr-bar)
4 rejection (%)sting condition
culty achievinganufacturing. ITe polymers areselective layer
N’s membranes the systembrane support et significantlythe needed me
ymmetric NanoWater Purifica
HNICAL DIS
mbrane Ma
comparison ofrcially availa
o choose eitherux and poor st membranes whlorine toleranination of a coAND fouling anrated the feasib
film compoater purificatiod water flux ofnts was found f industry lea
acetate (CA) liminary resu
gy to RO memb
F membrane ph commercial Cting (140 cm2 m
CellulosAcetate
commercNF Memb
2.5
98.5 ns: 200 psi, 200
g uniform perTN’s membrane already formr. es at reduced
m’s long-term employs a highy impeded waechanical streng
ocomposite Meation.
SCUSSION
aterials
f ITN’s NF mable NF mer high cost m
fouling and with low waternce. ITN’s most-effective mnd chlorine tolbility of fabricosite membraon. For the samf ITN membran
to be about 2ading comme
membranes.lts and a roabranes.
erformance coCA membranemembrane sh
se e cial rane
ITNMem
9
00 ppm MgSO4
rformance ne avoids
med in the
pressure cost of
hly porous ater flow gth to the
embrane
N
membranes embranes.
membranes chlorine
r flux and membranes membrane erance. cating our anes for me solute nes in the
2.75 times ercial NF ITN also
admap to
mpares es heets)
N’s NF mbrane
4.7
99.0 4 soln.
268 TechConnect Briefs 2015, TechConnect.org, ISBN 978-1-4987-4728-8
T
M
Salt
F
Me
2.2
Ipropfiltr
(costpolydepdepcoatprocunif
(the memasymrejecostmak
signcom
F
(
disinare
Table 1—ITN’
Character
Membrane con
Water f
t or contamina
Free chlorine t
embrane foulin
Compe
ITN’s membrperties that resration. These ad(i) Scalable, lat: In the casymer is made osit a thin filmosited onto a mting or spray cess is scalabform performan(ii) Higher watthickness of t
mbrane has hmmetric mem
ection propertits from elimikes the NF tech(iii) Lower su
nificantly lowemposites due to
igure 5—ITN’provid
(iv) Chlorine nfectants such
dangerous
s composite N
istics
nfiguration
lux
ant rejection
tolerance
ng tendency
etitive Adva
rane provides sult in the besdvantages incluarge area memse of polyam
in-situ on them. Thin filmsmicroporous sucoating, so IT
ble to large arnce and lower ter flux from ththe selective la
higher water fmbranes with es. Higher fluination of highnology economurface foulinger fouling tend lower surface
s NF membrande greater resist
tolerance: Mh as chlorine to
to humans
NF membrane pat low pressu
ITN’s CoMemb
Thin film cmemb
Hig
>99
≥ 1.0
lo
ntages
a unique comt overall solutude:
mbrane fabricaide TFC meme microporous
s of ITN’s polupport by eith
TN’s membranrea membranecost. hinner selectivayer is submicflux than cellu
similar soluux results in lgh-pressure pumically viable: ITN’s NF mdency than otroughness (Fig
ne, with a smootance to foulin
Many applicato kill micro-orand degrade
provides a uniqure AND antifo
mposite branes
composite brane
gh
9%
ppm
ow
mbination of tion for water
ation and low mbranes, the s substrate to lymer can be
her simple dip ne fabrication es with more
e layer: Since cron, the ITN ulose acetate
ute and salt lower energy umps, which .
membrane has ther thin film gure 5).
oth surface, ng.
tions employ rganisms that e membrane
que combinationouling with chlo
CellulosMembranes
Asymmetr
L
9
Up to
l
performmembramembra
Figur
(v) have apropertiinitial fomarket d
(vi) cellulosITN’s N
Figurewhile co
n of a cost-effeorine tolerance
se Acetate s (Commercial)
ic membrane
Low
97%
1.0 ppm
ow
mance. Howevanes. Figure 6ane with 1 ppm
re 6—ITN’s moperat
Tunable memalready been ies for NF appformulations andemands for RGreater durab
e acetate memNF membrane r
e 7—ITN’s meompeting mem
fective membrae.
) Polya
Membra
Thin m
er, chlorine ashows stable
m chlorine.
membranes havetion in 1 ppm c
mbrane propertdemonstrated
plications. Furtnd established
RO membranesbility when d
mbranes tend toremains pliable
embrane remaimbranes crack a
ane with high fl
mide Composianes (Commer
film compositmembrane
High
>99%
< 0.1 ppm
high
also attacks poperation of I
e demonstratedchlorine.
ties: ITN’s md to have pther, ITN has p
a roadmap fo.
dry: While coo crack when de. (Figure 7)
ins intact after and wrinkle wh
flux
ite rcial)
te
polyamide ITN’s NF
d stable
membranes
promising promising or to meet
ommercial dried out,
drying, hen dried.
269Materials for Energy, Efficiency and Sustainability: TechConnect Briefs 2015
3.1
Inum(Fig
Fi
T
scalsurfMunbilliof tIn 2watto e
Iof thof existhromemoperdiretheysuppPuresystwat
Iprodyearthe year
3 CO
Market
ITN’s filtratiomerous water gure 8).
igure 8—Appl
The biggest mle water supplface water punicipal water uion gallons of this (approxima2012, global rer treatment rexceed $2.5 billITN’s technolohe competitiveITN’s efforts
sting market pough sales to mbranes will rators of large
ect replacemeny will be soldpliers. Compae Aqua can usetems as well aser filtration sysITN anticipateduction, and srs. ITN expectmembrane watrs of mass prod
OMMERCI
t Strategy
n membrane tfiltration and
ications for W
market for filtly systems forurification to use in the U.Swater per dayately 36 Bgal/
revenue from meached almost $lion by 2020. ogy will gain e advantages de
to work wipresence. We e
multiple cusbe sold direcscale NF wate
nt of current fid to filtration anies such as e ITN’s technos retrofitting mstems. es pilot scalescale-up to ms to be able to ter purificationduction and co
IALIZATIO
technology cand purification
ater Filtration M
tration membrr communities
meet their S alone is appry (Bgal/day). E/day) is from smembrane-bas$1.2 billion an
market penetraescribed in 2.2ith industry pexpect to genestomer classesctly to privateer purification iltration systemsystem manuDime Water,
ology in new wmore expensive,
e production, mass production
capture 5% mn market withinmmercializatio
ON
n be used for applications
Membranes
ranes is large s that rely on
daily needs. roximately 45
Eighty percent surface water. sed municipal nd is projected
ation because 2, and because partners with erate revenue s. First, the e and public facilities as a
ms. Secondly, ufacturers and
DAICO, and water filtration , less efficient
testing, pilot n within five arket share of n the first five on.
Figurestep
[1]
[2] N
e 9—ITN’s spion the roadma
R
A. Sagle anMembranes http://texaswatetechnology.pdNorth AmericTreatment CSolutions will Sullivan repor
iral membrane ap to large com
REFERENC
nd B. Freemafor W
ter.tamu.edu/redf an Industrial
Chemicals MDrive Growth
rt, NAE2-39, M
modules was tmmercial produ
CES
an, “FundameWater Treadings/desal/m
Water and WMarkets Costh in the MarketMay 2012
the first uction.
entals of reatment” membran
Wastewater t-effective t, Frost &
270 TechConnect Briefs 2015, TechConnect.org, ISBN 978-1-4987-4728-8