Technologies & Products

New method regenerates zinc-nickel electrolytes

A new recycling method developed by Goema of the Christ Water Technology Group enables process baths containing zinc-nickel alloys to be regenerated without chemicals, thus making the regular preparation of new baths unnecessary.

Rinsing water containing the zinc-nickel alloy is passed through a specially designed vacuum evaporator. Organic waste substances, dirt particles and valuable substances are separated from each other and can be disposed separately or re-used. The distilled water and zinc-nickel electrolyte are returned to the bath, resulting in a fully closed circuit.

About 90% of the valuable substances are recycled, and no additional chemicals are needed. The system needs no additional rinsing water and generates no wastewater. The compact, stainless steel system is available in various versions with outputs of 50 to 5,000 l/hr. The continuous regeneration of the zinc-nickel electrolyte ensures uniform precipitation of the zinc-nickel alloy and a constantly good bath and coating quality. The vacuum evaporator operates independently with its own heat pump or conventionally from the mains supply with a power consumption of about 18 kWhr/m3. The German Federal Ministry for Education and Research sponsored the development of this method.

Goema AG
Vaihingen, Germany

RO membrane lowers energy costs

The FilmTec™ SW30XLE-400i element, a reverse osmosis membrane, requires the lowest energy in the industry to deliver the lowest total cost of water in seawater desalination applications, claims FilmTec, a subsidiary of The Dow Chemical Company.

Company research and design resulted in improved membrane properties and advances in element construction, setting a new benchmark in the trade-off between high rejection and low energy use. The element's permeate flow rate of 9,000 gallons per day and stabilised salt rejection of 99.7% meet water quality requirements and minimise energy consumption. The element features iLEC™ interlocking endcaps, a new patented element-coupling technology that reduces flow resistance and the potential for seal leakage.

Dow Liquid Separations
Midland, Michigan, USA

Electrofusion joining machine uses bar codes

George Fischer Sloane, Inc.'s MSA 250SE Electrofusion Joining Machine features a bar code system and multiple joint fusion technology to reduce installation time and costs. The machine was designed to maximise the efficiency of electrofusion joining of the company's Fuseal™ II, Fuseal Squared, Fuseal 25/50 PVDF and PPro-Seal™ Piping Systems.

The MSA 250SE uses a bar code system with fusion parameters preprogrammed into the machine. Using the machine's wand, the installer scans the specific bar code for fusion. If parameter changes are needed in the future, the company sends new bar codes containing new parameters to the owner without requiring the machine to be returned, providing interrupted installation. The machine can fuse up to four joints at one time.

George Fischer Sloane, Inc.
Little Rock, Arkansas, USA

Membrane contactor improves O₂ and CO₂ removal

The new integrally potted 14 x 28 Liqui-Cel® Membrane Contactor, used to remove dissolved gasses from a variety of liquids, contains 220 m2 or 60% more membrane area than the current 10 x 28 Liqui-Cel membrane contactor, proving more cost effective in higher liquid flow rate applications.

This contactor is currently being bid and selected for systems with flow rates as high as 2,000 m3/hr. An individual 14 x 28 membrane contactor can process up to 91 m3/hr in one device. Larger flows can be handled by piping multiple contactors in parallel and system modelling will be completed in the GasCADTM sizing program. Ths membrane contactor with X40 membrane has a liquid pressure rating of 8.2 bar (120 psi).

Membrane contactors use thousands of Celgard® microporous polypropylene hollow fibres knitted into an array that is wound around a distribution tube with a central baffle. During operation, the liquid flows over the shellside (outside) of the hollow fibres. Liqui-Cel membrane contactors are used to add or remove oxygen, carbon dioxide and nitrogen to or from different liquids in many industries.

Membrana
Charlotte, North Carolina, USA