Arsenic Removal Process for Drinking Water Production: Benefits of R-SiC Microfiltration Membranes

February 4th, 2016

Membrane Technology Conference and Exposition San-Antonio, Texas, USA

A. Vincent1, N. Elkhiati2, R. Neufert3, M. Moeller3,

D. Ragazzon4, M. Santalucia4, R. Bausani4

1Saint-Gobain, CREE, Cavaillon, France 2 Saint-Gobain Ceramics Materials, Les Miroirs, Paris, France

3Saint-Gobain IndustrieKeramik, Rödental, Germany 4Gruppo Zilio, Italy

Presented by: Adrien VINCENT

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Saint-Gobain Group / Gruppo Zilio

R-SiC membranes for liquid filtration

Application tests

Conclusions

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Saint-Gobain Group / Gruppo Zilio

R-SiC membranes for liquid filtration

Application tests

Conclusions

SAINT-GOBAIN, ONE OF THE WORLD’S TOP 100 LEADING INDUSTRIAL CORPORATIONS

Sustainability – a cornerstone

41.1 €bn Sales (2014)

Sold in 2015

INNOVATION AT SAINT-GOBAIN

5

sold today by Saint-Gobain did not exist 5 years ago More than

patents in 2014

cross-business

R&D centers

*Source: Thomson Reuters

One of the

most innovative

companies in the world*

SAINT-GOBAIN EXPERIENCE IN SILICON CARBIDE MATERIALS

Vertical Integration of SiC - a key Differentiator: Manufacturing

SiC, Processing of raw materials, Structure - property control of

SiC

Porous SiC ceramics ● Crystar®: Recrystallized SiC (RSiC)

● Advancer® Annasicon® RTH: Nitride bonded SiC (NSiC)

● Oxide bonded SiC

Dense SiC ceramics ● Silit®: Reaction bonded, infiltrated (SiSiC)

● Hexoloy®: Directly sintered (SSiC)

Gruppo Zilio

EPC WATER

PRODUCTS

RECENT EPC

Livorno (Boron) - 350 l/s.

Latina (Arsenic) - 360 l/s. Latina (Arsenic) - 340 l/s.

Biggest Boron removal plant of the world.

First and second biggest Arsenic removal plants in Europe.

Filter masses:

- IRON OXIDE-HYDROXIDE for Arsenic removal

- ION EXCHANGE RESIN for Boron removal

- HYDROXYLAPATITE for Fluorides removal

Design and Construction of water treatment plants.

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Saint-Gobain Group / Gruppo Zilio

R-SiC membranes for liquid filtration

Application tests

Conclusions

RECRYSTALLIZED SILICON CARBIDE

Material consolidated at high T (> 2200°C) through sublimation of fine SiC

particles that condense at large SiC grains boundaries

Pure (>99%), strong SiC grain boundaries

● High temperature stability and good thermal shock resistance

● Chemical stability (pH 0 to pH 14)

● High corrosion resistance for harsh chemical cleaning

High porosity structure (OP > 40%) high flux

Weak organic matter adsorption low reversible and irreversible fouling

SAINT-GOBAIN R-SiC MEMBRANES

Membrane Pore size = 250-1000 nm

Carrier Pore size = 5-30 µm

FILTRATION

SG SiC membranes

250 nm – 3 µm

DEAD-END VS CROSS-FLOW SiC FILTERS

Higher compactness

Lower energy consumption

(only 1 pump)

More sensitive to cleaning

operations

Light fouling water, e.g.

swimming pools and drinking

water

Self-cleaning action from axial

flow

Water with high solid loadings

Higher energy consumption

(recirculation pump)

Hard fouling water, e.g.

produced water and industrial

wastewater

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tlin

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Saint-Gobain Group / Gruppo Zilio

R-SiC membranes for liquid filtration

Application tests

Conclusions

ARSENIC REMOVAL PROCESS FOR DRINKING WATER PRODUCTION

ESTIMATED RISK OF ARSENIC IN DRINKING WATER

(based on hydrogeological conditions) WORLDWIDE CONCERN

Overall Zilio’s process description:

ARSENIC REMOVAL PROCESS FOR DRINKING WATER PRODUCTION

After MF: As < 10 μg/L

SiC filter with 600 nm membrane at 11 m² in dead end vacuum mode: ● Arsenic removal efficiency 98% (permeate at 2 µg/L)

● Permeate flow rate average at 500 LMH

● TMP (Trans-membrane pressure) as a function of filtration time

- Up to 500 mbar for 10 min of filtration

- Up to 700 mbar for 20 min of filtration

● Backwash efficiency

- Systematic initial flow rate recovery over 8 h of filtration no irreversible fouling encountered

- Backwash water consumption: around 1% of the filtrated water

ARSENIC REMOVAL PROCESS FOR DRINKING WATER PRODUCTION FIELD TESTING

Flow rate evolution for 20 min of filtration

ARSENIC REMOVAL PROCESS FOR DRINKING WATER PRODUCTION LAB TESTING

SiC filter with 600 nm membrane at 1.9 m² in dead end pressurized mode: ● Flocculent content increasing by 2.5 to simulate stronger fouling properties

- Iron removal efficiency 99.7%

● Filtration time: ~20 h

● Permeate flow rate average at 600 LMH

● TMP from 100 mbar up to 350 mbar

● Turbidity at 1.5 NTU with pics at 6-8 NTU during few seconds just after BW

● Backwash every 10 minutes

- Systematic initial flow rate recovery over 24 h of filtration no irreversible fouling encountered

Ou

tlin

e

Saint-Gobain Group / Gruppo Zilio

R-SiC membranes for liquid filtration

Application tests

Conclusions

CONCLUSIONS

Saint-Gobain – Extensive Investments in: ● Developing application expertise in water filtration

● Optimizing membrane designs

● Expanding testing of membranes across multiple industries

Drinking water ● Saint-Gobain R-SiC dead-end filters used as part of Zilio’s process

● Very good Arsenic removal efficiency (98%) demonstrated in the field

● Large and stable permeate flow rate (~500-600 LMH) demonstrated in the field and in the lab under more stringent conditions

Thank You

R-SiC AS A MEMBRANE MATERIAL

Controlled porosity high flux

Chemical stability (pH 0 to pH 14)

High corrosion resistance for harsh chemical cleaning

Weak organic matter adsorption for low reversible and irreversible

fouling

Separation and Purification Technology 79 (2011) 365-374