Meidensha Corporation (Meiden) received an order from Siemens in October 2018 to supply its ceramic flat-sheet membrane for the German industrial conglomerate’s newly developed PACT® MBR (Powdered Activated Carbon Treatment Membrane Bioreactor) system. The PACT® MBR system will treat very high strength, and difficult to treat wastewater at a large petrochemical complex in Tianjin, China. This is the first order from Siemens since the firm agreed in December 2016 to use Meiden’s ceramic flat-sheet membrane for its PACT® MBR solution.
Siemens’ PACT® MBR is the next generation powdered activated carbon-based wastewater treatment system that provides biological/physio-chemical/and ultrafiltration technology into a single, compact system. After extensive testing, Siemens approved Meiden’s ceramic flat-sheet membrane for use in its PACT® MBR system because of the membrane’s highly durable, abrasion resistant, and long service life characteristics, compared to conventional polymeric membranes typically used in membrane bioreactors.
With over a 40-year-long history, Siemens PACT® technology has been installed at more than 100 locations. Siemens’ adoption of our product for their new technology demonstrates confidence in and a high regard for Meiden’s ceramic flat-sheet membrane.
The Siemens PACT® MBR system that will utilize Meiden’s ceramic flat-sheet membrane will be installed at Tianjin Bohua Chemical Development’s (a subsidiary of Bohai Chemical Group) new propylene oxide-styrene monomer plant in Tianjin, P.R.C..
Water treatment projects using ceramic flat-sheet membrane can contribute to solving issues associated with “Clean water and sanitation,” which is Goal 6 of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as well as “Life Below Water,” Goal 14 of the SDGs. Meiden will continue to pursue manufacturing endeavors that can contribute to society, create values for sustainable growth and take on tasks for solving social challenges, including SDGs.
Ceramic flat-sheet membrane
Exterior of the ceramic flat-sheet membrane
Conceptual, cross-sectional drawing showing how membrane filters wastewater
- The ceramic flat-sheet membrane has a myriad of fine holes (pores) that cannot be seen by the naked eye. When wastewater passes through the holes, impurities are filtered out, producing clean water.
- The 6-millimeter-thick ceramic flat-sheet membrane has a hollow structure; filtered clean water is gathered via water-collecting channels and transported out of the membrane.
PACT MBR System
This next generation technology Siemens Water Solutions developed for treatment of refinery, petrochemical, and other challenging wastewaters can result in up to 50% savings in footprint compared to conventional approaches to achieve reusable quality water that employ conventional biological treatment, ultrafiltration (UF), and carbon adsorption technologies. The effluent quality produced is virtually free of suspended matter, and low in organic and other contaminants, allowing end users the opportunity to implement sustainable water reuse programs.