December 20,
2005
Asahi Kasei Chemicals Corporation
|
|
Microza™ MF selected for Singapore's largest wastewater treatment plant
|
The Microza™ MF microfilter of Asahi Kasei Chemicals Corporation ("AKCC") has been selected for the Ulu Pandan Project plant in Singapore, the fourth and largest in Singapore's national NEWater Project plant series for the recovery of wastewater secondary effluent.
Ulu Pandan Project
The Ulu Pandan Project is the fourth in the Singaporean government's NEWater Project series which was initiated in 2002 for the construction and operation of plants for the recovery of wastewater secondary effluent by membrane filtration. It was preceded by the Bedok, Kranji, and Seletar Projects. The Ulu Pandan Project plant is the largest in the project series, and the first to incorporate the Microza™ MF microfilter.
| Ulu Pandan Project plant |
| |
Location |
Ulu Pandan Wastewater Treatment facility |
| |
Construction |
Kepel Seghers Engineering Singapore Pte. Ltd. |
| |
Water purveyance |
Singapore Public Utilities Board (PUB) |
| |
Water usage |
Semiconductor industry, indirect potable water reservoir, Jurong Industrial Park chemical plants |
| |
Design capacity |
191,000 m3/day of microfiltration-processed water |
| |
Scheduled start-up |
December 2006 |
The Microza™ MF microfiltration membrane
The AKCC Microza™ MF is a hollow-fiber membrane composed of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF). It is characterized by outstanding physical strength, chemical resistance, uniformly low filtrate turbidity (0.1 NTU or less), and complete removal of bacteria and pathogenic microorganisms such as cryptosporidium. AKCC pioneered the development and utilization of PVDF microfiltration membranes, which have now become predominant among membrane filters for large-volume water treatment.
The long-term performance and stability of the membrane filtration process for water clarification using the Microza™ MF, in place of the conventional processes employing coagulation, sedimentation, and sand filtration, has been demonstrated in operations at approximately 500 facilities worldwide. Some of these have been in operation for more than eight years, and three are among the world's largest, with capacities of 80,000 m3/year or more. This performance has brought an outstanding level of customer reliance and trust, and a preeminent position among Japanese suppliers of the membrane filtration process for the worldwide market.
Distinguishing characteristics of Microza™ MF for water recovery
| |
• |
Outstanding service life, through enhancement of the inherent physical strength and chemical resistance of PVDF membranes by AKCC membrane production technology. |
| |
• |
Superior microparticle removal characteristics, through highly uniform membrane structure and pore size of 0.1 µm. |
| |
• |
Freedom from surface-layer peeling associated with the coated-layer structure of other microfiltration membranes. |
| |
• |
High membrane void ratio, enabling superior trans-membrane flux rates. |
| |
• |
Outside-in transmembrane flow direction, enabling stable, high-flux filtration even with highly turbid feedwater. |
| |
• |
Effective optimization of the membrane filtration process operations for specific feedwaters, based on established technology and know-how for an extensive range of feedwater types and characteristics. |
Strategic position of AKCC operations for water treatment
For AKCC, membrane separation is a key value-added, high-growth sector. Water treatment is at the core of its operations in this sector, and its Microza™ MF and Microza™ UF microfiltration and ultrafiltration membranes are at the forefront of advanced filtration materials, processes and technologies, as shown by their worldwide, fast-growing adoption and proven performance in large-volume water treatment and in many other applications for the electronics, automotive, and pharmaceuticals industries, as well as for environmental preservation.
Microza™ MF membranes are also at the heart of the Microza™ MBR, the advanced AKCC membrane bioreactor technology and process for membrane-separation activated-sludge treatment and recovery of waste water. Microza™ MBR has been selected this year for wastewater treatment at two large-scale petrochemical complexes in China, and its adoption is growing worldwide in accordance with the pervasive and increasing need for effective wastewater recovery.
The growth of the AKCC water treatment operations is being accelerated, in response to severe and increasing water shortages in Asia and North America, the urgent requirement for environmental protection measures in Europe, and similar needs which are emerging in many parts of the world.
This autumn, the Microza™ MF production capacity at the Microza Plant at Fuji City in Shizuoka Prefecture was increased by 50%, from 20,000 modules (thus 1,000,000 m2 in terms of membrane area) per year to 30,000 modules (1,500,000 m2), making it one of the world's largest, and the construction of a new module assembly plant in China is currently under study. Further increases in production capacity, research and development for new membranes in concert with strengthening and expansion of the sales and marketing effort will ensure the continuing growth and position of AKCC as one of the top world leaders in this sector.
|
|
