N e w s a n d V i e w s

with a t h r o u g h p u t of u p to 21 m a / h r , will come o n - s t r e a m in Augus t .

The p l a n t will cons i s t of a n Envi ro-X28 m e m b r a n e f i l t ra t ion sys tem, in c o m b i n a t i o n with cent r i fuge a n d ion exchange u n i t s . The four s tage t r e a t m e n t process will remove solids a n d d i spe r sed oil, t h e n emulsif ied oils a n d micro solids, followed by so luble h y d r o c a r b o n s , de t e rgen t s a n d volati le organic c o m p o u n d s (VOCs), a n d f inal ly heavy metals .

For further information, contact: Kalsep Ltd, Doman Road, Yorktown Industrial Estate, Camberley, Surrey, GU15 3DF, UK. Tel" +44 1276 675675;fax: +44 1276 676276.

Energy s a v i n g so lar d e s a l i n a t i o n To m a k e d e s a l i n a t i o n more affordable for ru ra l c o m m u n i t i e s , UK e n v i r o n m e n t a l eng inee r ing concern , Dulas , is u s i n g wa te r hyd rau l i c s to r educe the energy d e m a n d by a l m o s t 65%.

The reverse osmos i s m o d u l e developed, k n o w n as the 'Village Scale, Water Desa l i na t i on uni t ' , was p roduced wi th the help of a UK G o v e r n m e n t Overseas Deve lopmen t Agency (ODA) g r an t of £70 000. It was des igned as the pilot s t u d y for a s c h e m e to provide a n o n - i s l a n d s u s t a i n a b l e source of d r i n k i n g water for Er i ter ia ' s b a r r e n Dalek I s lands , in the Red Sea off the Nor the rn coas t of Ethiopia .

The m a c h i n e p r o d u c e s over 3 m 3 of d r ink ing water a day - - e n o u g h for be tween 150 a n d 300 people u s i n g be tween 10 a n d 20 1 per day - - a n d opera tes u n s u p e r v i s e d u s i n g solar energy as the power source.

Sea wa te r is p u m p e d in to the u n i t a t 60 b a r by a s imple p l u n g e r wa te r p u m p . It t ravels t h o u g h three osmos i s t u b e s which filter the sal t from be tween 10% a n d 40% of the water. The r e m a i n i n g sa l t - en r i ched water, now at app rox ima te ly 58 bar, is d i scharged b a c k in to the sea. Before it r eaches the sea, the water p a s s e s t h r o u g h a Nessie wa te r hyd rau l i c motor, supp l i ed by Danfoss , which provides be tween 50% a n d 70% of the power requ i red for the p u m p at the b e g i n n i n g of the sequence . The r e m a i n d e r of the power is provided by sun- fo l lowing solar pane l s .

"This is vi tal s ince the solar electric pane l s , which provide the power are except ional ly expensive," expla ined Du la s d i rec tor a n d r e sea rch engineer , Bill Langley. "Our a im was to p roduce a m a c h i n e t ha t was very energy efficient a n d requ i red the m i n i m u m of m a i n t e n a n c e a n d superv i s ion .

At this scale, u s i n g wa te r hyd rau l i c s to recycle the energy h a s several a d v a n t a g e s over u s i n g t u rb ines , pa r t i cu la r ly in t e r m s of cost-eff iciency a n d availabil i ty. The u n i t s are compara t ive ly smal l a n d light, and , once ins ta l led , they can s imply be left in place - - there is n o t h i n g to go wrong."

For further information, contact: Dulas Ltd, Machyrilleth, Powys, SY20 8SX, UK. Tel: +44 1654 781332; fax:+44 1654 781390.

Singapore R&D s i te for Kurita Kuri ta Water I ndus t r i e s is to set u p a n R & D cen t re for w a t e r - t r e a t m e n t sy s t e ms a n d a des ign u n i t to develop u l t r a pu re wa te r sy s t e ms in Singapore , repor ts the Nikkei Weekly.

I n v e s t m e n t in the cen t re is e s t ima ted to be $1 .8-2 .7 mill ion. The move is a imed at offering improved service to As ia -based cus tomers . Al though d e m a n d for w a t e r - t r e a t m e n t is r i s ing in the region, especial ly from large steel a n d chemica l p l an t s , c u s t ome r s are d e m a n d i n g lower pr ices a n d quicker delivery.

For further information, contact: Kurita (Singapore) Pte Ltd, 30 Joo Koon Road, Singapore 2262. Tel: +65 8613036;fax: +65 8612622.

M e m t e c and G e l m a n S c i e n c e s u n i t e Memtec Ltd a n d G e l m a n Science Inc have s igned a n a g r e e me n t to merge the two compan ies . The t r a n s a c t i o n is expected to be formal ised by the end of this year. They predic t t ha t the t r a n s a c t i o n will add approx imate ly US$114 mil l ion to a n n u a l sales.

The two o rgan i sa t ions believe t ha t the c o m b i n a t i o n of Memtec 's worldwide pur i f ica t ion a n d s epa ra t i on in te res t s wi th G e l m a n ' s microf i l t ra t ion a n d m e m b r a n e b u s i n e s s will create a c o m p a n y with p rospec t s for s t rong growth.

For further information, contact: Memtec Europe Limited, Haarlem Mill, Derby Road, Wirksworth, Derbyshire DE4 4BG, UK. Tel: +44 1629 826258; fax: +44 1629 825017.

PTFE fi l ter for gas s t e r i l i s a t i o n Pall Ultraf ine F i l t ra t ion C o m p a n y h a s i n t r o d u c e d the Emflon PFA for use in pa r t i cu la t e removal a n d s ter i l i sa t ion of process air a n d gas s t r e a m s in app l i ca t ions s u c h as large scale f e rmen te r air a n d i n t e rmed ia t e p r oduc t vent ing .

C ons t r uc t e d wi th Pail 's p ropr ie ta ry PTFE m e m b r a n e , the f l t e r s are certified to mee t p h a r m a c e u t i c a l a n d f e r m e n t a t i o n i n d u s t r y r e q u i r e m e n t s for bac ter ia l aerosol r e ten t ion ,

4 M e m b r a n e Techno logy No. 76