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

nd@itnes.comtley@aol.coa@itnes.com

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