Ultra pure technology makes its mark
28 Nov 2006
UPW systems can remove dissolved oxygen to less than 1 part per billion
An important emerging market for membranes is in ultrapure water (UPW) systems, which, for example, can be used to remove dissolved oxygen to less than 1 part per billion. Such capabilities are now in demand in industries such as pharmaceuticals, semiconductors.
UPW is also finding growing use in the power sector, particularly for supercritical coal-fired boiler steam systems, which have high purity requirements because of the higher temperatures and pressures involved.
Christ Ultrapure Water, for example, has recently gained a contract to supply a turnkey water treatment plant for RWE Power's lignite-fired power plant in Neurath, Germany, which is scheduled for start up in 2010.
Another user of this technology ZLB Behring of Berne manufactures medicinal products from human blood plasma. The company is particularly interested in proteins, which exist in only very small amounts in the plasma and require processing to extremely strict safety and quality standards.
ZLB had operated two single-stage RO systems with full demineralisation and a two-stage RO system with a pure water capacity of 17.5 m3/hr. For a recent expansion programme, it added a cross-connected water softener and an Osmotron RO/EDI system from Christ UPW to increase capacity by 6m3/hour.
The Swiss operation uses water in different qualities, including purified water for the laboratories and in production and in diluting CIP solutions, where ZLB has a strict limit of 10 CFU per millilitre.
Highly purified water is used for the final rinsing of equipment and systems at ZLB, while water of the highest quality, Water for Injection, is used in the actual medicinal products and also for CIP processes.
UPW is also finding growing use in the power sector, particularly for supercritical coal-fired boiler steam systems, which have high purity requirements because of the higher temperatures and pressures involved.
Christ Ultrapure Water, for example, has recently gained a contract to supply a turnkey water treatment plant for RWE Power's lignite-fired power plant in Neurath, Germany, which is scheduled for start up in 2010.
Another user of this technology ZLB Behring of Berne manufactures medicinal products from human blood plasma. The company is particularly interested in proteins, which exist in only very small amounts in the plasma and require processing to extremely strict safety and quality standards.
ZLB had operated two single-stage RO systems with full demineralisation and a two-stage RO system with a pure water capacity of 17.5 m3/hr. For a recent expansion programme, it added a cross-connected water softener and an Osmotron RO/EDI system from Christ UPW to increase capacity by 6m3/hour.
The Swiss operation uses water in different qualities, including purified water for the laboratories and in production and in diluting CIP solutions, where ZLB has a strict limit of 10 CFU per millilitre.
Highly purified water is used for the final rinsing of equipment and systems at ZLB, while water of the highest quality, Water for Injection, is used in the actual medicinal products and also for CIP processes.
