International Filtration News – Issue 1, 2024

filtnews.com Issue 1 | 2024 TM

We push the limits of

what’s possible to help solve tomorrow’s

SHOW PREVIEW

most complex challenges.

Pure Polymer

FILTCON 24

Ensuring Quality Through Continuous Filtration

It’s how we’ve approached our calling since 1946. And why today you’ll find our filtration, separation and purification solutions at work in so many places.

SPAIN A Rising World Water Leader ONES TO WATCH Invenio Creates Process for Compostable Surgical Mask To learn more, visit pall.com

AIR FILTRATION Building Better Environments is a Key to Cleaner Air

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Email: Filters@RosedaleProducts.com Phone: 734.665.8201 • Fax: 734.665.2214

©2024 Rosedale Products Inc.

CONTENTS 2024 | VOL 43 | ISSUE 01

FEATURES

11 Showfloor Showcase: Filtcon 2024 12 Solution Centers Showcasing Solutions for Success

Beverlin Specialty Tube

Bringing Innovation to the Industry

Right: iiStockphoto/XXLPhoto. Cover – iStockphoto/Irina Vodneva

JCEM Rosedale

14 Ones to Watch: Neat Nanofibers 18 Solutions for Filtering Polymers of Thermophoresis 22 Impact on Filtration Efficiency 24 Spain – A New Global Water Leader 26 A Clear Path to Advanced GT Performance 18 30 New Polymer Membranes Proven with AI & Air Quality: 32 Environment Q&A with Dr. Iyad Al-Attar 36 Show Preview: Filtcon 2024

By Caryn Smith, IFN Chief Content Officer

By Adrian Wilson

By Felix Swamidoss

By Will Sarni

By Tim Nicholas

By Joshua Stewart

By Caryn Smith, IFN Chief Content Officer

COLUMNS & DEPARTMENTS

24

26

6 Viewpoint 8 Tech Spotlight

Filtering Opportunities for the Future

By Caryn Smith, IFN Chief Content Officer & Publisher Fiber Bond’s Enhanced VE3® Technology Inactivates Influenza, SARS-CoV-2 in HVAC Filtration Systems

9 Tech Notes 38 True Cost

New Technology Briefs Niche Focus Plus IIOW is the Most Profitable Option for Filter Companies

By Bob McIlvaine, President, The McIlvaine Company

40 M&A Insights 41 Movers & Shakers

The Role of the Management Presentation

By Len LaPorta, Managing Director, Wiley Bros.-Aintree Capital, LLC

30 2 IFN ISSUE 1 2024

32

Industry News & Notes

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CONTRIBUTORS | ISSUE 1 2024

Caryn Smith

Adrian Wilson

Dr. Felix Swamidoss

Will Sarni

Tim Nicholas

Dr. Iyad Al-Attar

Bob McIlvaine

Len LaPorta

International Correspondent, IFN +44 7897.913134 adawilson@gmail.com

Chief Content Officer & Publisher, INDA Media csmith@inda.org

PowerGen Market Manager Gas Turbine Filtration Division Parker-Hannifin timothy.nicholas@parker.com

Visiting Academic Fellow School of Aerospace, Transport, & Manufacturing, Cranfield Univ. i@driyadalattar.com

Head of Research & Development Spectrum Filtration, India felix@spectraco.in

Founder and CEO Water Foundry will@waterfoundry.com +1 720.341.7272

Managing Director Wiley Bros.-Aintree Capital, LLC llaporta@wileybros.com

President, The McIlvaine Company +1 847.784.0013 rmcilvaine@mcilvainecompany.com

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4 IFN ISSUE 1 2024

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Filtration Products

CSMITH@INDA.ORG +1 239.225.6137

VIEWPOINT Filtering Opportunities for the Future

S

CONTENT | EDITORIAL

CHIEF CONTENT OFFICER Caryn Smith Driven By Design LLC csmith@inda.org | +1 239.225.6137 EDITORIAL & PRODUCTION MANAGER Ken Norberg ken@filtnews.com | +1 202.681.2022

“It’s not about what it is, it’s about what it can become.” — Dr. Seuss from The Lorax

cience is the pursuit and application of knowledge and understanding of the natural and social world following a systematic methodology based on evidence.

For as long as time, people have been figuring out ways to filter the elements! We endeavor at IFN to capture different stages of science applied to filtration applications, processes, equipment and more.

In 2024 and beyond, my hope is that we are reporting on science that is focused on the depth of a discovery, but also, just as important – its long game. Filtering through the future, cause and effect, is as important as the discovery, but that’s just my opinion.

Take electric vehicles, for instance. Greenhouse gas emissions are significantly lower with EVs – its intended purpose and a win!

Yet, they created a chain reaction felt by the entire supply chain. Lack of electrical infrastructure, limited natural minerals, geopolitical control of said minerals, resurgence of mining that uses large amounts of water (already becoming in short supply around the globe as you will read in Will Sarni’s article on page 24), ground and air pollution at dig sites, and end-of-life disposal, as well as lack of second-life uses of forever batteries.

It is a lot to ponder, I know.

I believe things can sort themselves out.

Yet, I also believe we are at a time in history where we cannot afford to rely on the marketplace to correct long-range consequences.

With opportunity comes responsibility.

TM

This month, several companies with the future in mind to improve upon systems and processes share their science with us.

In our new column, Ones to Watch, we speak with Simona Pellegri, CEO & Founder of Invenio. For the last few years, Invenio has been developing a surgical mask that is 98% fully compostable and has a filtering capacity of 98.7%. Invenio sees greater opportunity for Neatess® nanofibres, seeking to take it from PPE to industrial filtration media. Read their story on page 14.

On page 18, known manufacturers share with Adrian Wilson the importance of the clean polymerization processes, and why the purity of polymer melt means clean is green.

In a call for action on page 32, Dr. Iyad Al-Attar is seeking an industry-wide initiative to “challenge and change” the status quo of air quality as a pillar of healthy buildings. He believes the success of the built environment lies in fostering our well-being, from the ground up. Patchwork filtration is not working – buildings need to be designed for filtration, not the opposite.

Our goal is to educate, inspire and inform.

Yet, we must also look for the small ideas that have potential for greater impact. If you have an idea for an article, please reach out to me at csmith@inda.org.

Caryn Smith Chief Content Officer & Publisher, INDA Media, IFN

ART DIRECTOR Julie Flynn INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT Adrian Wilson

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International Filtration News is published by INDA Media, the B2B publishing arm of INDA, Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry. +1 919.459.3700 info@filtnews.com | www.filtnews.com News & Press Releases to IFNNews@inda.media

INTERNATIONAL FILTRATION NEWS (ISSN: 1078-4136x), is published bi-monthly by INDA, Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry, +1 919.459.3700. Subscription price is $125 per year for non-U.S. subscribers. Periodicals postage paid at Novi, MI, and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to International Filtration News, PO Box 158 Cedar Rapids IA 52406-0158 USA.

MISSION

International Filtration News covers the topics and technologies that will shape the future of filtration and separation. Using subject matter experts from all parts of the industry, IFN is the leading source for the dialogues, debates and innovations across the full spectrum of filtration and separation applications and processes.

International Filtration News Editorial Advisory Board R. Vijayakumar, Ph.D., Chair

James J. Joseph

Robert W. McIlvaine

If you would like to utilize your expertise to help shape the content in

Tel: +1 315-506-6883 Email: vijay@aerfil.com

Tel/Fax: +1 757-565-1549 Emai: josephmarketing120@gmail.com

Tel: +1 847-784-0013 Email: rmcilvaine@mcilvainecompany.com

the IFN, consider applying for the IFN Editorial Advisory Board.

AERFIL

Joseph Marketing

The McIlvaine Company

Rahul Bharadwaj, Ph.D.

Wenping Li, Ph.D.

Rishit R. Merchant

Tel: +1 603-953-6318 Email: rbharadwaj@lydall.com

Tel: +1 337-421-6345 Email: wenpingl@agrilectric.com

P: +1 (805) 604-3519 E: rishit.merchant@parker.com

Lydall Performance Materials

Tom Justice, CAFS, NCT ZENE, LLC Filtration Tel: 757-378-3857 Email: justfilter@yahoo.com

6 IFN ISSUE 1 2024

Agriltech Research Company

Parker Hannifin

Ernest Mayer, Ph.D.

Thad Ptak, Ph.D.

Tel: +1 302-981-8060 Email: ernestmayer6@gmail.com

Tel: +1 414-514-8937 Email: thadptak@hotmail.com

E. Mayer Filtration Consulting, LLC

TJ Ptak & Associates

We welcome participation through input on trends and innovations, new story ideas and overall thought leadership. This is a collaborative board that meets quarterly to discuss the state of the industry.

Send an email to Caryn Smith at csmith@inda.org for consideration.

Only North America Technical Conference in 2024

We invite you to participate in AFS FiltCon 2024 as a presenter, exhibitor, sponsor, or attendee.

April 8–10, 2024 • Houston Marriott Westchase, Houston, TX Conference Features • 3 Plenary Presentations • Expo Hall • Student Poster Competition • Monday Evening Networking Reception (additional fee)

• Two Panel Sessions – New for FiltCon 2024 • Filtration Short Courses (additional fee) • Industry Tours (additional fee) • Four Tracks – Solid/Liquid, Air/Gas, Prof. Chase (1-day), Energy Track (1-day)

NEW FOR 2024: Latest & Greatest Product Preview (reservations required) Plenary Speakers Additive Manufacturing and Membranes for High Performance

Industrial Market Spending Outlook

Dr. Rigoberto Advincula

Particle Emissions and Air Quality - An Overview on Contribution of Various Sources and Future Emissions Regulations

Mr. Trey Hamblet

University of Tennessee

Dr. Imad Khalek

Industrial Info Resources

Southwest Research Institute

Panel Moderators Carbon Capture (Energy Aspect)

The Confluence of Sustainability and Performance in Filtration Media Made with Biobased Materials

Dr. Wu Chen

Mr. Koen Bastiaens

Retired

Natureworks, LLC

Conference Website: https://filtcon.joynconference.com/

TECH

u Fiber Bond’s enhanced VE3 technology can now inactivate influenza as well as SARS-CoV-2.

SPOTLIGHT

Fiber Bond’s Enhanced VE3 Technology Inactivates Influenza, SARS-CoV-2 in HVAC Filtration Systems ®

Air Filtration Pioneer Unveils Newest Innovation to Better Protect the Air We Share

F

iber Bond, a pioneer in air filtration solutions, is building on its earlier success in inactivating the SARS-CoV-2 virus with the company’s VE3® Technology, and has now proven its exceptional ability to combat influenza as well. This revolutionary advancement reinforces Fiber Bond’s commitment to providing state-of-the-art products that significantly contribute to safer indoor environments.

Unmatched Protection Against COVID-19 & Influenza Fiber Bond’s VE3® Technology is a cuttingedge, engineered chemistry developed inhouse by its researchers and engineers.

Extensive lab testing conducted in 2020 by Microbac Laboratories, Inc. demonstrated VE3® Technology achieves 99.99% inactivation of the airborne SARS-CoV-2 virus within just 15 minutes.

Further testing at CDC-certified Microbac has independently verified VE3® can effectively neutralize the flu virus as well. VE3® caused an astounding 99.9995% (5.3 Log10) reduction of the active influenza virus test challenge.

This testing proves VE3® can provide an additional layer of viral protection beyond the successes demonstrated against the virus that causes COVID-19.

“Back in 2020, we knew we were onto something special,” said Greg Wilkerson, president and CEO of Fiber Bond and Blocksom & Company.

“This additional research by the Fiber Bond technical team shows our continued efforts

8 IFN ISSUE 1 2024

to protect the air we all share. The team was elated, though not surprised, that VE3® has proven to be even more effective against influenza than SARS-CoV2. With the combination of VE3® and Spor-Ax®, Fiber Bond products can really provide peace of mind in difficult settings like schools, mass transit vehicles and certain agricultural environments. Cleaner air helps to maintain a safer environment for all of us, and humans aren’t the only direct beneficiaries. VE3® is also well suited to help protect against the financially devastating and needless loss of animals due to influenza in the livestock and poultry operations that are so integral to our food supply.”

Advantages of VE3® Technology There are several advantages of the company’s new technology: Dual Defense Against Viruses: Fiber Bond’s VE3® Technology offers a comprehensive solution, providing unparalleled protection against both SARS-CoV-2 and influenza. Its effectiveness has been validated through rigorous independent testing, and it’s now a powerful tool in your fight against airborne pathogens.

Rapid Inactivation: Within 15 minutes of contact, Fiber Bond VE3® Technology ensures certain viral threats are effectively neutralized at levels nearing 100%, significantly reducing the risk of transmission within your indoor space.

Proven Expertise: With more than 40 years of expertise in air filtration and specialty nonwovens, Fiber Bond has earned a reputation for designing and manufacturing custom

media and products for HVAC, transportation, aerospace and geotextiles. Our experience and reputation promise you the utmost quality and reliability.

EPA-Registered Spor-Ax Antimicrobial Agent: To further enhance protection, Fiber Bond VE3® Technology includes our exclusive EPA-registered Spor-Ax® antimicrobial agent.

A biocide rather than common biostat, SporAx® is effective at preventing and stopping fungal and bacterial growth on the filter media.

Take Charge of Your Indoor Air Quality Fiber Bond’s VE3® Technology is designed for use in residential, commercial, industrial and agricultural air handling systems. The enhanced technology is integrated into the adhesive bonding agent used in the manufacturing of Fiber Bond’s nonwoven filtration media and won’t dissipate.

Fiber Bond Expertise With a proven track record spanning four decades, Fiber Bond is a leading expert in air filtration and specialty nonwovens. The company’s commitment to innovation and unwavering standards drives them to develop products that optimize air quality and create healthier, safer environments for everyone.

For more information about Fiber Bond and its revolutionary VE3® Technology, please visit www.fiberbond.net.  For details on how to submit your company’s technology for consideration as a “Technology Spotlight” in IFN, contact Ken Norberg at ken@filtnews.com or +1 202.681.2022.

TECH NOTES

Spiral Water Technologies Introduces New Filtration System for Biogas Production Spiral Water Technologies, a leader in advanced automatic self-cleaning filtration and separation, has introduced a new wastewater treatment system for the production of biogas. This system, which integrates the company’s proven technology with specialized process flow conditioning, is in use at several dairy farms around the U.S. As part of a multi-stage separation approach, it has been shown to condition feedstocks for higher yield gas production and lower operating expenses (OpEx).

Biogas results from decomposition of organic matter in anaerobic conditions. This organic matter comes from various sources, including farm animal waste products such as manure. Spiral Water’s products effectively filter this wastewater stream and also concentrate solids, which can then be converted to fertilizer and sold.

Placed before an anaerobic digester, the new Spiral Water system also conditions and optimizes volatile Total Suspended Solids (TSS) and Volatile Suspended Solids (VSS) by breaking down deformable solids and making for a more nutrient-rich feedstock liquor that then goes through the specifically selected micron screens to the digester. Depending on the feedstock, with this system the anaerobic digesters are expected to create 10-30 percent more methane in the same footprint in a shorter digestion cycle time.

In addition, because the filters clean mechanically, they also remove non-digestibles from the wastewater stream. By keeping digester tanks cleaner, the filters also help to reduce OpEx. www.spiralwater.com

GESSNER’s Naltex™ Extruded Sleeves GESSNER, a trailblazer in the world of filtration technology, has consistently provided cutting-edge and high-performing solutions for diverse industries.

Among their innovations is the Naltex™ extruded sleeves. These sleeves are uniquely engineered components utilized for the outer casing of filter elements. They are crafted from high-performance materials that deliver superior endurance against varying environmental conditions and are available in diameters ranging from 1”-8”.

The sleeves’ material exhibits remarkable resilience, promoting the durability and efficiency of the filter elements. The material’s robust nature allows it to resist diverse environmental conditions, making it versatile across numerous applications.

They have been widely adopted across various sectors in need of media protection.

They have demonstrated their efficiency in industries ranging from food and beverages to industrial applications, ensuring reliable pleat protection. www.gessner-filtration.com

Blueair Introduces Powerful Tabletop Air Purifier – Blue Pure Mini Max Blueair, a global leader in indoor air purification solutions, has introduced the Blue Pure Mini Max, a tabletop air purifier designed to efficiently clean the air in small spaces with minimum noise and energy use. Blueair’s smallest air purifier to date, Blue Pure Mini Max uses proprietary HEPASilent™ technology to deliver maximum filtration with minimum noise for compact spaces by removing at least 99.97% of airborne particles down to 0.1 micron, such as dust, pet dander, pollen and smoke. Its sleek, compact and lightweight design makes it ideal for small spaces, on desktops, nightstands and in nurseries so you can always keep clean air close. www.blueair.com ISSUE 1 2024 FILTNEWS.COM 9

TECH

QUA Group Expands Water Treatment Offering

NOTES

Eaton Optimizes Its Extensive Program of Filter Cartridges Strong performance, best product quality and rapid availability – the demands on solutions for filtration processes are high in all industries. Eaton understands the industry-specific characteristics of the markets and is now evolving its filter cartridge portfolio to better align with market needs. Also, delivery times for ideal supply have also been significantly reduced.

The expanded portfolio includes four filter cartridge types: •M eltblown depth filter cartridges: Wide range of applications for the retention of contaminants across a broad spectrum of particle sizes.

Depending on the application, they effectively remove particles based on specific pore sizes.

• P leated filter cartridges: With their large filter surface area, they are particularly suitable for retention with a uniform grain size distribution.

•M embrane filter cartridges: These are used for filtration according to absolute retention rates.

•M etal filter cartridges: Solutions are particularly suitable for applications with very high temperatures.

“The filter cartridge most suitable for an application depends heavily on the process media, the specific application conditions as well as the requests of the operator,” explained Ulrich Latz, Global Industrial Filtration Product Manager at Eaton. “For example, in the area of water, chemical, and paint and coatings filtration, meltblown depth filter cartridges made of polypropylene and polyamide serve as pre-filters to separate particles with different size distributions. However, for water and other applications where high flow rates are required, pleated high-flow filter cartridges with absolute retention efficiency are more suitable.”

Broad product portfolio and application-specific service: To always provide users with the best filtration solution for their needs, Eaton filter cartridges are available with the following common adapter codes: • Code 1, 2, 3, 4: single open end with different adapters • Code DOE, (), G: double open end with or without end caps or with flat gaskets • Code M1, M2: single open end with threaded ends for porous titanium filter c, cartridges Eaton also offers applicable filter cartridge housings. “Just like the filter cartridges, the cartridge housings must also fit the respective application. We support operators with industry know-how and local expert service,” added Latz.

Eaton’s filter cartridges for industrial processes include the LOFTREX, LOFPLEAT, LOFMEM and LOFMET product series. They are consistently highperforming and economical solutions for general and demanding industrial applications. www.eaton.com

10 IFN ISSUE 1 2024

QUA Group, a leading innovator in advanced membrane solutions for water treatment applications, recently introduced three advanced membrane technologies to diversify its product line.

• FEDI® GIGA: Revolutionary High Flow Electrodeionization Technology FEDI GIGA is a next-generation Fractional Electrodeionization (FEDI) technology engineered for high-flow ultrapure water production with minimal space requirements. Its unique port design reduces associated piping and instruments, featuring one inlet and two outlet ports. It is the first electrodeionization stack with just three ports – feed, product and reject. FEDI GIGA consistently delivers highpurity product water, effectively removing hardness, silica, and boron. This environmentally friendly technology is most suitable for larger flow applications in industries such as semiconductors, microelectronics, hydrogen, solar, power, and refining, offering high flows with reduced footprint demands.

• EnviQ® RF: Simplifying Membrane Bioreactor Facilities Operations EnviQ RF is a submerged ultrafiltration membrane designed to enhance membrane bioreactor (MBR) facility operation and maintenance. This addition to QUA’s EnviQ product line features durable PVDF hollow fiber membranes with a unique airflow distribution design. It ensures consistent, high-quality ultrafiltration effluent thanks to its reinforced PVDF membrane fibers with high mechanical strength and tolerance to chlorine and chemicals. EnviQ RF’s compact and adaptable design is ideal for handling high-feed turbidity across challenging wastewater applications.

• Q -SEP ® Q-Connect™ Outside-In Ultrafiltration Modules Series Q-SEP Q-Connect offers a pre-engineered outside-in ultrafiltration rack solution with a reduced footprint, high flow, ease of installation, efficient delivery, and containerization ability. Suitable for industrial and municipal water and wastewater treatment applications requiring ultrafiltrationquality water with a Silt Density Index (SDI) <3, Q-Connect is a versatile solution meeting diverse customer requirements. www.quagroup.com

ADVERTORIAL | SHOWFLOOR SHOWCASE: FILTCON 2024

Beverlin Is at the CORE of What You Do

A

t Beverlin, we’ve been innovating ever since we proudly opened our doors in 1976. From our home base in Grand Rapids, Michigan, we source materials from DFARS-approved countries and deliver finished perforated products and assemblies to our valued customers around the globe.

Our values set us apart from other manufacturers and our experience, deep market knowledge, and exceptional customer service enable us to deliver world-class precision-quality perforated solutions.

We employ industry-leading techniques – along with highly-skilled technicians using best-in-class equipment – to manufacture perforated cores, tubes, cones, strainer baskets, end caps, flanges, fittings and assemblies. We combine a full range of vertically integrated tube manufacturing, finishing and assembly options with complete in-house tooling capabilities to assure our customers’ success.

We Are “Customer Fanatics” Our customer-centric focus enables us to serve everything between Fortune 500 international companies to small family-owned businesses. We are fortunate Beverlin has been able to grow and change, as well as continue to thrive and set industry standards. Our mantra is, “Built to last, right from the start.” We have a zero PPM mindset and strive for perfection.

Beverlin’s new Infinity Core is a seamless construction tube that is harder and stronger than stainless steel, and also highly corrosion-resistant – perfect for harsh environments.

TM

 Beverlin Launches New Product – Infinity Core™

Our customers find that we are as much a resource as we are a filter core provider.

Our new website offers information and education so all our clientele is fully informed on filter core solutions.

While customer service is our core value, customer satisfaction reigns supreme with our ISO 9001:205 certified QMS. We also employ a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) to help carry out a flawless execution.

Versatile Perforated Products and Custom Perforation Patterns Our exceptional range of perforated products – which includes filtration cores, exhaust housings, flanges and end caps, welded assemblies and strainer baskets – is available in nearly any diameter, length, perforation pattern and hole size. We specialize in creating custom perforation patterns tailored to your specifications.

Our range of options include but are not limited to: • Stainless Steel • Carbon Steel, Cold and Hot Rolled • Duplex and Super Duplex • Aluminum and Specialized Alloys From 0.018” to 0.12” Thick But wait, there’s more!

To Infinity and Beyond We have a new product that is now available early 2024 – Infinity CoreTM! Beverlin’s new Infinity CoreTM is a seamless construction tube that is harder and stronger than stainless steel, and also highly corrosion-resistant – perfect for harsh environments.

A key benefit of Infinity CoreTM includes the use of pure nickel material. Nickel is also magnetic until it reaches 354C and can be chromed to provide even more hardness. Other benefits include: • Hole size down to 80 micron (.003’’) – depends on material thickness • Material thickness from .008’’ - .035’’ • C AD design allows for multiple pattern(s) all in one part • D iameter tolerance is +/-.0005’’ (air gauge measurement) Infinity CoreTM is inherently straight, round and repeatable. Plus, there will never be any burrs!

Finally, as your one-stop solution provider, we also offer a range of valueadded services that customers can access to streamline their projects. www.beverlin.com

 To learn more, please visit our booth at FiltCon 2024 or online at www.beverlin.com.

ISSUE 1 2024 FILTNEWS.COM 11

w

ADVERTORIAL | SOLUTION CENTER: FILTER MEDIA SOLUTIONS

Banner_900x1200.indd 1

28.02.18 07:12

JCEM Group Announces All-New, High Performance, High-Speed Combi-Line Pleating System

I

n 2017, JCEM introduced its P7 HighSpeed Blade Pleating machine, the world’s fastest blade pleating machine to date, with speeds of up to 350 pleats/ minute. And now, JCEM showcases its latest high-speed pleating machine, the all-new P8 with speeds of up to 500 pleats/minute!

The new P8 uses the latest Bosch Rexroth magnetic levitation technology that allows for record-breaking speeds previously thought to never be achieved in a blade pleating application. The P8 design has tremendously reduced the number of mechanical/moving parts that eliminate the need for greasing or cleaning, while still offering very good strength characteristics. The result is world-record pleating speeds with excellent pleat height tolerance and quality.

Simultaneously, TAG, part of the JCEM Group, has also just released its latest Mini-Pleating machine with completely new Beckhoff controls and Bosch Rexroth motors and drives. For customers, the

u The JCEM P8 pleating machine with speeds up tp 500 pleats per minute.

12 IFN ISSUE 1 2024

new platform offers many updates, such as higher pleating speeds (up to 30 meters/minute), improved web tension control, a new Servo Unwinder, full synchronization between Mini-Pleater and Blade Pleater, and much simpler integration of additional accessories or features in the future.

Another big advantage is the ability to change pleat heights completely onthe-fly without stopping the machine, which is quite revolutionary as this is a huge time saver, as well as a tremendous reduction in scrap. This allows the user to load an entirely new recipe with a

The P8 design has tremendously reduced the number of mechanical/moving parts that eliminate the need for greasing or cleaning, while still offering very good strength characteristics.

different pleat height, glue pattern, pleat spacing, and pleat count without having to stop the machine to “reload.”

Customers can also opt for an automated slitting system that adjusts slitting knives to desired slit-width positions with no operator involvement at all.

Together, the new P8 and updated TAG machine create an extremely highperformance Combi-Line Pleating system for applications requiring synthetic media with glue-bead separators. This was part of the overall strategy when JCEM acquired TAG GmbH, to create software, programming, and component commonality between all machinery for a more streamlined customer experience and offering the evermore popular Industrie 4.0 compatibility.

JCEM Group, including JCEM GmbH (Switzerland), TAG (Germany), and JCEM Inc. (USA), is the global leader for all types of pleating equipment, offering the world’s most innovative, efficient, and robust pleating systems available. www.jcem.group

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p Rosedale Products Multi-Bag Filter Housing.

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ISSUE 1 2024 FILTNEWS.COM 13

ONES TO WATCH

Neat Nanofibers

As COVID Shut Down the World, Invenio Founders Used the Circumstances to Create a Compostable Surgical Mask from Cotton

By Caryn Smith, IFN Chief Content Officer

S

imona Pellegri, CEO & Founder of Invenio, spent the year of the global pandemic researching and testing the idea to make air filtration media sustainable. Her background in agricultural sciences, and research in sustainable yarns, fed her desire to find innovative solutions to increasingly ambitious projects. Co-founder Annalisa Gaimarri has a medical biotechnology degree, and is a PhD in Pharmacology, Chemotherapy and Medical Toxicology. Between the two, their skillset was the perfect combination to tackle the vision for their innovation – a fully compostable face mask.

Their mission now is to take the concept of compostability and sustainability to industrial filtration media.

Based near Milan, Italy, the founders of Invenio – with corporate tagline of New Innovation Dreams – are busy building the infrastructure to support companies on their path to environmentally sustainable growth, considering three parallel guidelines, all equally important: high material performance, environmental protection and process improvement.

We interviewed Simona Pellegri to find out how this innovation came about, and where it is headed.

International Filtration News: Give us some background information on the company, and how your invention came about?

Simona Pellegri: In 2017, I had the dream, if you want to call it that, of a compostable surgical mask when I was still studying at the university. Because of the 2020 pandemic and time on my hands,

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Q+A IN THIS ISSUE:

SIMONA PELLEGRI

CEO & Founder of Invenio (at right) With

ANNALISA GAIMARRI Co-Founder of Invenio

cally the filtration in masks to try to mitigate the spreading of the disease. That’s how it started. It was a very unhappy time, but it gave us this spark to do something about it.

We combined our two different fields of expertise – my knowledge of agrotechnology, and my partner’s research in medical biotechnology. I’ve always been very keen on the environmental side of things, having worked with agricultural products, as well as legal sciences. Having the knowledge of the current legislation has enabled me to fully understand what the requirements are for any sort of medical filtration product. Also, my colleague’s extensive research capability compelled us forward and after two years of research, we came up with our Neatess® filtering membrane.

IFN: What is Neatess® and what is its function?

I decided it was the right time to pursue the idea. I began to aggressively research this idea. I felt I had to do something positive to come out of this pandemic storm.

I consulted with my friend, Annalisa Gaimarri, who is now the co-founder and Invenio chief R&D manager, and we developed the idea of how to improve basi-

Pellegri: The interesting thing is that it starts from simple cotton. We modified it through a special process and came up with this filtering membrane. It is currently only for face mask use, but we do see extended uses for the product in the future.

Neatess® is created through a special production process with a low environmental impact. Starting from nature, we can develop a new extremely highperforming, sustainable technical textile, thanks to their combination with nanofibers.

Neatess® is a cotton-based filter membrane that combines the natural characteristics of cotton with excellent filtering efficiency and high breathability.

It is currently intended for air filtration in personal protective equipment. Thin and very light, Neatess® provides high protection of the upper respiratory tract as a Type II surgical mask.

It filters 98.7% of bacteria (tested for determination of bacterial filtration efficiency for face masks for medical use, BFE, according to standard UNI EN 14683).

Due to the unique combination of materials, Neatess® provides excellent comfort and ease of breathing for many hours, unlike protective devices made of synthetic materials. The pressure difference deltaP (Pa/cm2) of Neatess® is 16.7.

The acceptance criteria according to UNI EN 14683 is deltaP< 40. The thickness of Neatess® filtering material is 500 microns or 0.5 mm.

Accredited by a third-party lab, the most unique aspect of this material is the composability and effectiveness. It is 98% fully compostable and has a filtering capacity of 98.7%.

This is the first product of its kind, and now we are looking to expand it into air filtration products that filter rooms, factories, environments like that. Through our company, Invenio, Neatess® is patentpending.

IFN: How is Neatess® constructed?

Pellegri: We use a variety of carefully selected raw materials for the production of our high-performance eco-innovative electrospun materials, all of which are characterized by respect for the environment and people and a business philosophy that is concretely oriented toward sustainability.

The first element are biopolymers, which are highly biodegradable molecules with characteristics similar to conventional plastics. Also used are natural polymers, macromolecules spontaneously synthesized by living organisms. These can include proteins such as keratin found in hair and wool, and fibroin in silk; polysaccharides such as cellulose, starch, chitin and hyaluronic acid; nucleic acids such as DNA and RNA. Polysaccharides are considered among the most interesting natural polymers for use.

Neatess® is a cottonbased filter membrane (right) that the natural characteristics of cotton with excellent filtering efficiency and high breathability. It is currently intended for air filtration in personal protective equipment.

Invenio

Finally, the electrospinning technique allows two ways to operate with regard to the layering of the final material where the fibers are formed by evaporating the solvent while the solution is passing through a high electric field.

By controlling processing times or performing repeated passes, it is possible to generate self-standing membranes, con-

sisting only of the nanofibers of the polymer in use. They are structures that have physical characteristics that depend on the polymer chosen.

Alternatively, nanofibers can be deposited on substrates of different nature. In this case, the substrate is mounted on the collector and the nanofibers are deposited directly on the chosen material.

t Neatess® is a filtering material.

It can be used to create a surgical mask but also as replaceable filter in reusable masks. At left are replaceable filters made with Neatess®.

Invenio

ISSUE 1 2024 FILTNEWS.COM 15

Neatess® is a composite material that combines the physical characteristics of the nanofibers with those of the substrate. The Neatess® filter membrane currently uses cotton as the substrate for the nanofibers and process it with electrospinning to the obtain the end result filtering membrane.

t Invenio Founder Simona Pellegri accepts the “America Innovazione Award,” presented in 2023 to the best Italian Innovative Startups.

Invenio

IFN: Where are you with product development?

Pellegri: We are currently working through how to apply this technology to an industrial scale product. We are applying for government contributions to further the research, and ideally, we would like to have machinery in our own factory producing the outcomes. But, of course, if it comes to it, we will look for partners to expand.

We are beginning to have some interests from multinational firms for creating different new innovative filtering media for environmental filtration. In just three

years, my partner and I are proud that we have built market interest for the masks; and now we are looking to expand into larger scale production and filtration opportunities.

It is a slow and steady process since we started on this whole concept from scratch.

IFN: Do you see this process working with other fibers beyond cotton?

Pellegri: We are looking into to using other natural fibers, for instance bamboo-based

pulp, which will also be compostable.

The masks are obviously a disposable product, which makes it better that it is compostable. Yet, more work needs to be done about using other fibers at this time.

IFN: Is there anything else you would like to share about the company?

Pellegri: We won the “America Innovazione Award” in 2023, presented to the best Italian Innovative Startups. We were also invited to NanoInnovation Conference and Exhibition 2023, held in September in Rome, as a presenter sharing on, “Production from electrospinning of innovative, highly performing and ecofriendly electrospun materials.”

Sustaining Leaders in the Filtration Industry DECISION MAKERS & THOUGHT LEADERS GLOBALLY READ INTERNATIONAL FILTRATION NEWS International Filtration News covers the topics and technologies that will shape the future of filtration and separation.

Using subject matter experts from all parts of the industry, IFN is the leading source for the dialogues, debates and innovations across the full spectrum of filtration and separation applications and processes.

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16 IFN ISSUE 1 2024

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EQUIPMENT

Solutions for Filtering

Polymers Ensuring Pure Polymers Through Continuous Filtration

By Adrian Wilson, International Correspondent, IFN

I

t is only within the past two decades that the critical role played by the filtration of molten polymers employed in the production of plastics and synthetic fibres has been fully acknowledged.

For a long time, the assumption by many manufacturers was that since they were dealing with “pure” raw materials – already filtered for impurities prior to polymerization – a filtration system at the melt extrusion stage represented an unnecessary expense, not only in terms of the initial investment, but also in the additional costs of spare parts and maintenance. Operators also often lacked the knowledge of the influencing variables on the final product to appreciate the full benefits that tailor-made melt filtration brings.

Contamination In a comprehensive paper on the subject, Thomas Grimm-Bosbach, portfolio director for John Crane, a provider of a wide range of engineered products and services including filtration systems, head-quartered in Morton Grove,

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Illinois, has outlined the sources of contamination that needs to be eliminated by the melt filter.

A polymerization line firstly contains a large number of moving mechanical components which are subject to natural wear and tear, and particles can be released regularly as a result of the abrasion or wear of line components.

Most polymer melts also react very sensitively to strong changes in velocity gradients and can pool and degenerate at certain points in a line. Due to friction with fresh melt flowing past these dead spots, further particles can be repeatedly detached, leading to contamination.

Equilibrium Reactions Like almost all chemical reactions, Grimm-Bosbach explains, polymerizations are equilibrium reactions – the starting materials and the end products are present in a certain ratio, depending on the energy balance of the reaction, the states of aggregation of the ingredients involved and the system parameters.

Depending on the polymer, a varied mixture of monomers and oligomers

(or products of side reactions) can be found in the polymer melt. These organic compounds cause the greatest problems in filtration. Such compounds are often activated by interactions with solid particles and then form slightly colored, flexible particles.

“Contaminated raw material is always a problem in further processing and in the past decade, the pressure from customers on manufacturers has ensured that poor quality raw material is becoming increasingly rare,” says GrimmBosbach. “However, even modern, wellmaintained production lines sometimes produce polymers that fluctuate in quality, which is made readily apparent from the filter service life. Modern polymer processing equipment needs filters that can remove solid particles, degenerated material and flexible particles in order to ensure superior product quality.”

Filter Media The porous filter media employed in melt filtration has to withstand temperatures of up to 400°C in continuous operation and provide pore sizes ranging from

1-100 microns. It needs to provide as little resistance against fluid flow as possible, demanding the highest number of pores per unit area.

These requirements limit the filter media that can be employed, since operational conditions are above the melting point of common polypropylene or polyester materials. As a result, the majority of filter media for polymer melt filtration are based on stainless steels, in the forms of either metal wire mesh, wire mesh laminates or nonwovens. These are supplied to the market by specialist companies including Bekaert, Spörl KG, Pall and Porvair.

Rotary Screens An important development in making polymer melt filtration more efficient by ensuring continuous production of the

iStockphoto/XXLPhoto

u Gneuss RSFgenius modules in operation at a production plant

Gneuss

extrusion system, has been the introduction of the rotary screen changer, as pioneered by Gneuss Kunststofftechnik, headquartered in Bad Oeynhausen, Germany.

The well-known Gneuss RSFgenius is a fully-automatic and pressure-constant rotary filtration system that incorporates a high-pressure segmental backflushing system. This purges the screen packs to ensure they are fully clean shortly before their re-entry into the melt channel.

Continuous Cleaning and Filtration Small, measured portions of filtered polymer are continuously taken from the filtered side of the screen changer and injected with an adjustable pressure of between 30-80 bar backwards across the screen pack. The backflush is then ejected through the screen changer inlet block

to the outside. Only a small segment of the screen area is being cleaned at any one time.

The filter disk, on which the screen cavities are located in a ring pattern, is completely encapsulated by the two filter blocks. Screens can be inserted into the cavities by opening a small hatch door giving access to them. As a result, the production process is not disturbed by the screen change procedure and thanks to the modular design of the filtration system, it is possible to replace the few wearing parts such as heater elements and bearing bushings during operation.

Depending on the contamination level, a full screen change – which takes approximately 20-30 minutes – only needs to be carried out on a weekly or even monthly basis, with no influence on the production process or product quality.

ISSUE 1 2024 FILTNEWS.COM 19

t The Gneuss filter media in the RSFgenius combines square meshes and an optimized Dutch weave. q The Gneuss RSFgenius is a fully-automatic and pressure-constant rotary filtration system.

Gneuss

The filter media combines square meshes and an optimized Dutch weave to ensure sufficient stability and optimum permeability enabling the back-flushing properties.

Constant Quality By always keeping the size of the active filter screen area constant, the pressure, temperature, viscosity and throughput of the melt also remain constant, to guarantee the highest end product quality.

The short dwell time of the melt in the filtration system of less than a minute also enables rapid material or color changes to be carried out and filtration finenesses down to 1 micron are possible.

Gneuss supplies various RSFgenius models including versions with a very high filter surface exchange rate for highly contaminated materials and those with continuous back-flushing for extremely sensitive processes and polymers.

The small and compact design of the RSFgenius makes simple and costefficient integration possible even in very confined spaces while also ensuring extremely low energy consumption.

Industrial Waste The purity of polymer melt becomes even more critical when recycling polymers and alongside the K Show in Düsseldorf in October 2022, Gneuss demonstrated its complete new OMNIboost recycling system for processing PET industrial fiber

20 IFN ISSUE 1 2024

waste (POY) at its technical center in Westphalia, Germany.

Successful demonstrations of the system were carried out using fiber waste with a residual moisture level of 6% and an intrinsic viscosity of 0.64 dl/g.

The OMNIboost system is designed for recycling both post-industrial and postconsumer PET waste with a low bulk density, such as waste fibers or thin films.

Without the need for any thermal pretreatment, the material is fed into the 3C rotary feeder, which cuts and compacts the material as well as feeding it directly into the MRS extruder screw.

The Gneuss MRS extruder is based on a simple and rugged single screw extruder, but is also equipped with a multiple screw section for optimized degassing.

The patented multiple screw design has a section of extruder screw with a number of satellite screws, which rotate in the opposite direction to the main screw, creating a huge surface area and ensuring an extremely rapid surface area exchange rate. This ensures unparalleled degassing performance in the melt phase, with minimal stress on the material. It can decontaminate post-consumer PET to

food contact standard requirements without the need for thermal pre-treatment of the material prior to extrusion.

After passing through the extruder, the polymer melt is filtered with an RSFgenius which ensures that even with high contamination loads, fine filtration is possible without pressure or flow disturbances and with minimized polymer loss.

Controlled Viscosity Still in the melt phase, the polymer flows into the Jump Liquid Phase IV booster reactor. The viscosity of the melt is measured both at the inlet and outlet of the reactor. The viscosity is boosted to the required level by regulating the vacuum level, residence time and surface area exchange rate in the reactor vessel.

With an assured, constant output viscosity the material can be fed to the production process while still in the melt phase. By ensuring the polymer remains in the melt phase from the extruder to the final processing stage, the OMNIboost recycling process represents a fast and efficient way for reprocessing PET where a viscosity boost is required.

Extraction Under Vacuum Gneuss reports that in 2011 that the Belarussian fiber producer Mogilev Khimvolokno pioneered the processing of agglomerated wet and spin finish oil-treated PET industrial fiber waste with its MRS extruder. This very successful application of the MRS extruder showed how both the moisture and the spin finish oils could be efficiently and reliably extracted under vacuum in the extruder.

It was this and successive installations that led to the latest PET recycling system being delivered by Gneuss to the Korea Textile Development Institute (KTDI), based near to Daegu, in South Korea, during 2023.

The emphasis at KTDI will be on manufacturing pellet/chip for high quality fibers, which require fine filtration and naturally, an RSFgenius was specified.

Big Bags Another producer of extrusion and recycling systems for polymers and plastics is Starlinger, headquartered in Vienna, Austria, which reports that Prof Sentetik, a manufacturer of big bags (FIBCs) from recycled polypropylene, based in Gaziantep, Turkey, is now employing its eqoCLEAN melt filter on a tape extrusion line to ensure the purity of the melt in the production of heavy-duty tape fabrics.

FIBCs – flexible intermediate bulk containers – are omnipresent in logistics as a lightweight and economical type of packaging for free-flowing bulk goods. Made predominantly from polypropylene (PP), they show a CO2 balance per 1,000 liters of transported goods that is far below that of rigid containers such as drums or octabins.

Prof Sentetik is making them even more sustainable by adding post-industrial and post-consumer PP waste in the production of various types of big bags.

The company has recently installed Starlinger equip-

ment for woven PP FIBC production, including the PP tape production line equipped with the eqoCLEAN filter system.

As a result, Prof Sentetik’s PP tapes for FIBC fabric with recycled polypropylene meet all the specifications required for heavy-duty packaging applications.

Waste Streams The company currently processes in-house production waste and additionally buys recycled PP granulate from post-consumer plastic packaging waste.

The share of recycled PP materials which

p Starlinger tape extrusion line with eqoCLEAN melt filter at Prof Sentetik, in Gaziantep, Turkey.

Starlinger

can be processed depends on various factors such as which waste stream the material comes from or how it was handled during collection and storage.

Fine filtration tape extrusion during the recycling process is also crucial. Solid contaminants which can occur in postconsumer recycled materials, as well as foreign polymer particles in the melt – e.g., from polyester sewing yarn – compromise tape quality and cause problems in the tape production process.

The eqoCLEAN filter module developed by Starlinger takes into account all of the requirements for producing highquality PP tapes with post-consumer recycled PP. It consists of a SPB single-piston powerbackflush filter, a melt pump, and a second HS 2.0 filter unit. The SPB filter has one piston and four cavities for filter screens. During the hydraulic powerbackflush procedure the line operates at full production speed without interruption of the production process.

The regular automatic high-pressure backflushing procedure cleans the filter screens thoroughly, increasing their lifetime and reducing machine downtime significantly. The melt pump in combination with the additional HS 2.0 filter – which is positioned directly before the extrusion die – ensure stable production and high operational reliability.

“Plastic waste is a valuable resource, and instead of depositing it in landfills or incinerating it, it should be used in the best possible way,” says Fahri Sengül, general manager of Prof Sentetik. “The Starlinger tape extrusion line with the eqoCLEAN filter module ensures that the tapes we produce meet all specifications in respect of the tensile strength and elongation required for big bags in heavyduty applications.”

Adrian Wilson is an international correspondent for International Filtration News. He is a leading journalist covering fiber, filtration, nonwovens and technical textiles. He can be reached at adawilson@gmail.com.

ISSUE 1 2024 FILTNEWS.COM 21

SCIENCE

Impact of Thermophoresis on Filtration Efficiency An Understanding of Thermophoresis in a Filtration System Requires a Comprehensive Analysis for Effective Filtration

By Felix Swamidoss

T

hermophoresis is a phenomenon related to particle motion in a fluid due to temperature gradients. In the context of filtration, especially in the field of air filtration, thermophoresis can have an impact on filtration efficiency (may increase or decrease depends on the factors of influence).

The effect of thermophoresis on filtration efficiency depends on various factors, including the size of aerosol, characteristics of the particles, the filtration medium, and the operating conditions. Here are some general points to consider:

Particle Size and Composition Thermophoresis tends to be more significant for smaller particles. As particle size decreases, the influence of thermophoresis becomes more pronounced. Variations in filtration efficiency are anticipated with temperature fluctuations.

At elevated temperatures, heightened Brownian motion intensifies diffusive deposition of aerosol particles onto the filter. This is due to the increase in viscosity of air as we know the basics. “With increase in temperature, gas molecules

22 IFN ISSUE 1 2024

attain more kinetic energy and the rate of collision is more (Brownian motion). Hence, viscosity of gases increases with an increase in temperature. The increased activity of Brownian motion enhances the chances of particles making contact with and being captured by the filter fibers. Interestingly, a rise in temperature tends to decrease particle penetration, indicating a potential improvement in overall filtration efficiency. This reduction in penetration can be attributed to the combined effects of increased Brownian motion and potentially altered airflow patterns, but this more predominant for smaller particle size which obey only Brownian principle.

Also, the factor is considered when rise in viscosity of air with temperature could impact airflow through the filter, potentially leading to higher resistance and changes in pressure drop across the filter medium.

While gravitational settling and inertial impaction of particles slows down at higher temperatures due to the increased viscosity of air, this deceleration could result in a decrease in the interception of larger particles by the filter. Larger particles

If there is a significant temperature difference between the air and the filtration medium, thermophoresis may become a more prominent factor. may settle more slowly, affecting the overall efficiency of particle capture through interception mechanisms. Assuming that the flow through the filter remains independent of the Reynolds number simplifies the analysis. This independence implies that the flow regime (whether laminar or turbulent) remains consistent despite changes in temperature, facilitating a more straightforward evaluation of temperature effects on other filtration mechanisms.

NOTE: The composition of particles can also affect thermophoretic behavior.

Different materials may exhibit different thermophoretic mobility.

Filtration Medium The properties of the filtration medium, such as its material and structure, can influence how thermophoresis interacts with the filtration process. The geometry of the medium and the presence of any coatings can affect thermophoretic forces.

The presence of temperature gradients in the filtration system is essential for thermophoresis to occur. If there is a significant temperature difference between the air and the filtration medium, thermophoresis may become a more prominent factor.

The temperature difference between the filter and aerosol is a critical factor. Significant differences in efficiency are observed when there is a temperature contrast between the filter and the aerosol. This discrepancy can significantly influence thermophoretic forces acting on particles, altering their behavior within the filter.

Dr. Felix Swamidoss is an emerging figure in the dynamic field of the air filtration industry, backed by a wealth of experience spanning over a decade in the realm of air filter technology. Dr. Swamidoss currently holds a prominent role as the Head of Research and Development at Spectrum Filtration India.

With a doctorate specifically in the field of air filtration, this has enabled him to secure more than seven patented innovations in nanofiber media for air filtration, underscoring his remarkable expertise in the field. One of his outstanding accomplishments lies in the development of “Piezoelectrically enhanced electrostatic nanofiber media,” which is a critical importance in air filtration field. Having trained more than 400 industrial employees, he has shared his knowledge and insights, thereby fostering a greater understanding of the significance of air purification.

His mastery extends to nonwoven filter media design, where he excels in crafting media that offers minimal resistance while maintaining an exceptional DHC. Dr. Swamidoss groundbreaking work in pleat design and the development of progressive media using expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) has set new benchmarks for the latest air filtration innovations.

Face Velocity The velocity of the fluid passing through the filter can impact the thermophoretic behavior of particles. Higher face velocities may reduce the impact of thermophoresis. Higher flow velocities can impact thermophoresis by altering the residence time of particles within the filter. Faster flow rates may reduce the time particles spend near the filter surface, potentially diminishing the impact of thermophoretic forces.

Impacts In summary, the impact of thermophoresis on filtration efficiency is a multifaceted interplay influenced by several factors. Its effect can either enhance or diminish filtration efficiency, contingent on specific circumstances. Notably, for larger particle sizes, the potential for a decrease in efficiency exists. Additionally, the thermophoretic effect can contribute to increased charge decay in both airborne particles and filter fibers, potentially leading to a further reduction in efficiency. The significance of thermophoresis in a filtration system is variable, demanding a comprehensive analysis that takes into account all pertinent factors for precise results.

ISSUE 1 2024 FILTNEWS.COM 23

INTERNATIONAL WATER VIEWS

t Reuven Rivlin (former President of the State of Israel) in a visit at IDE - Sorek Desalination Plant.

It is being as a model for new large-scale projects in Spain.

Wikimedia Commons

SPAIN

A New Global Water Leader From a Point of Distress, the Country is Being Thrust Into Global “Wicked Water Problem” Stage

By Will Sarni

O

ne of my favorite quotes is: “The future is already here – it’s just not evenly distributed, yet,” from William Gibson, author of Neuromancer and creator of the cyberpunk genre.

This quote resonates with me because my point of view is that, with regards to innovation with water, the future is here more than is commonly acknowledged. Increasingly, as the public sector, utilities and corporations continually strive to address water-related challenges, there is greater innovation in technology, partnerships, business models and financing and funding.

I am also noticing how countries are now rising to the challenge of addressing “wicked water problems.” Traditional country leaders in water such as Singapore, Israel, Denmark and the Netherlands are now joined by other countries, including Spain.

The personal connection to leaders who are engaged in water innovation have shaped my view that Spain is a country to watch. A recent story on Spain’s investment in water infrastructure and digital technologies to address the “drought” provides some insights on their national strategy to ensure economic, environmental and business health (Spain to invest around 16b in water to alleviate drought).

24 IFN ISSUE 1 2024

My view of Spain as a leader in addressing water challenges from the impact of climate change is also based on my participation in several conferences in Spain over the past couple of years (IWA Digital Water Conference and WEX Global: The WaterEnergy Exchange) and conversations with water leaders such as Jaime Barba, Mark Barker, Alejandro Sturniolo and a Qatium Distilled episode with Koldo Urkullu.

Spain is feeling the impacts of climate change “droughts” and extreme weather events (torrential rain). Spain is one of the most water-stressed countries in Europe, with recurring droughts and over-exploitation of water resources. Climate change is expected to increase water scarcity in the coming decades. According to the Spanish government, 14.6 percent of Spain is currently in a “drought emergency,” while an additional 27.4 percent of the country is on drought alert.

This prolonged “drought” (really aridification) is having a socioeconomic impact with estimates that grain production dropped 40 percent this year compared to the last year. As a result, Spain will have to import around 20 million tons of grain. Fruit and vegetable production has also been impacted by the “drought.”

Spain is feeling the impacts of climate change “droughts” and extreme weather events (torrential rain). Spain is one of the most water-stressed countries in Europe, with recurring droughts and overexploitation of water resources.

The Spanish government said that in Andalusia, instead of planting tomatoes on the usual 6,600 hectares (16,308 acres) of land this year, the drought dramatically reduced the production area to 1,700 hectares (4,200 acres). The government pAn aerial view of the Rialb reservoir in Lleida, one of the largest in Catalonia, is at just over 8% of its capacity also warned that Spain is set to see due to the drought in Rialb, Spain on May 30, 2023. The drought in Spain is affecting water resources very drastithe second poor olive oil yield in a row, cally due to climate change and poor water management.

Adri Salido/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images although figures suggest the 2023 season will be slightly better than last year’s.

The country’s responses to the “drought” and resultant u Public campaigns to reduce domestic water use have helped economic impact include an investment of €14.9 billion ($16 lower consumption. Per capita water use decreased from 132 billion) in water projects over the coming years. About nearly liters/day in 2000 to 111 liters/day in 2015. €12 billion of the investment will go towards projects such as While investment in infrastructure and digital water technologies desalination, water reuse, making pipelines more efficient, and are key to addressing the impacts of climate change on the country’s regulating other infrastructures. Notably, more than €3 billion water resources, Spain has also built a water technology ecosystem will go towards “digitizing water” with new technologies and big of startups, entrepreneurs, and investors – companies such as Idrica, data, which the government says will be a “qualitative leap” in Global Omnium, and Qatium to name a few. terms of managing water and the drought.

I believe Spain is one of the countries to watch for innovation, investment, and leadership in addressing water scarcity and how A few other initiatives and information of note: to support economic development, business growth and social u The Spanish government has implemented various policies well-being. and plans to improve water management, such as the AGUA Will Sarni is the founder and CEO of Water Foundry (www.

Program 2005-2008 which aimed to promote efficient and waterfoundry.com) a water strategy consultancy. He is also sustainable water use. the Founder and General Partner of Water Foundry Ventures, u Water reuse and desalination have become important a water technology venture fund focused on addressing water scarcity, strategies. Spain is a leader in wastewater reuse, recycling over quality and equitable access to water. He has been a sustainability and 17 percent of its treated wastewater. It has over 800 wastewater water strategy advisor to multinationals, water technology companies, treatment plants with reuse capabilities. investors, and non-governmental organizations for his entire career. u Spain has over 60 desalination plants which provide Prior to Water Foundry, he was a managing director at Deloitte Consultover 5% of national water supply. Large facilities like the Sorek ing where he established and led the water strategy practice. He was desalination plant in Israel are being used as models for new the founder and CEO of DOMANI, a sustainability strategy firm, prior to large-scale projects.

Deloitte. Will is an internationally recognized thought leader on water u Investments have been made in modernizing irrigation strategy and innovation. He was ranked as; Worth Magazine Worthy systems. Over 1.2 million hectares of agricultural land have 100 for 2022, A Key Player Pressuring Businesses to Care About Washifted from flood to drip irrigation, reducing water usage. ter and one of the Top 15 Interviews In Smart Water Magazine 2019. u Research and development on water technologies is He is also the author numerous publications and books on water stratpromoted through various government initiatives like the State egy and innovation He can be reached at will@waterfoundry.com or Plan for Scientific and Technical Research and Innovation and 720.341.7272. the Center for Industrial Technological Development.

ISSUE 1 2024 FILTNEWS.COM 25

CLEAN AIR

A Clear Path

to Advanced GT Performance

By Tim Nicholas

26 IFN ISSUE 1 2024

As advanced gas turbine efficiencies peak beyond 60%, the demands on the air filtration system have never been greater. Backed with a comprehensive R&D programme and decades of operating experience, Parker Hannifin’s innovative clearcurrent® ASSURE filters are a match made in heaven.

W

ith efficiencies beyond 60% in th e combin ed cycle, today’s advanced gas turbines represent a new age of sophistication in understanding heat transfer, blade aerodynamics, and materials science.

This evolution has resulted in higher firing temperatures, enhanced aircooling flow, improved hot gas path components and upgraded thermal coatings that characterise machines like the H and J class turbine. These machines are far superior to earlier generations of machines but, like a thoroughbred racehorse, that performance demands rigorous care and attention.

Given the precision needed to optimize air, fuel, and combustion gases through an advanced gas turbine, one of the most important requirements is a consistent and reliable flow of inlet air. However, just as important as consistent flow is the quality and condition of that air and thus the performance of the inlet air filtration system is critical.

Any contaminants within the air stream that pass through the filterhouse and into the turbine itself can have a huge impact on turbine efficiency. This effect is particularly acute with advanced gas turbines, where even the smallest change in aerodynamic performance can be disastrous for the thermal efficiency of the machine. Larger contaminants, such as dust or particulates, can erode elements of the compressor section or other internals. Damage to the special super alloys, finishes and coatings inside the turbine may lead to severe machine damage and could easily cost millions to repair. Even non-abrasive contaminants such as water or oils can have a substantial impact on performance if they are deposited on the blade surfaces, stators, or other aerodynamic components. For this reason, operators conduct periodic off-line com-

pressor section washes to restore aerodynamic performance but inevitably, this results in costly downtime and lost production.

Nonetheless, the reduction of turbine efficiency associated with contamination passing into the turbine not only increases operational costs, it can also be directly equated to higher greenhouse gas emissions. This is a key metric in assessing business and economic performance in today’s carbon-constrained world. Avoiding these negative outcomes is the primary role of the air inlet filtration system.

Advanced Filters for Advanced Machine Media While gas turbines have seen continuous improvement over the years, the air filtration systems offered by the leading companies have matched the pace. The extensive R&D programmes undertaken

by Parker Hannifin, for instance, have led to numerous breakthroughs in design and technology that have allowed the latest filtration technologies to sustain the impressive performance of the most advanced gas turbines.

Parker’s new range of innovative filters, clearcurrent® ASSURE, have been designed to reflect the needs of today’s advanced gas turbines and bring cuttingedge filtration engineering and Parker’s “performance first” expertise to bear.

Delivering a substantial improvement in filtration efficiency, clearcurrent ® ASSURE filters keep turbine internals cleaner for much longer, reducing the frequency of offline washes and sustaining aerodynamic performance for far longer.

At the same time, they deliver the predictable differential pressure characteristics that are essential to avoid any sudden pressure spikes that can lead to damage or unplanned turbine outages.

One of the breakthroughs that support the higher efficiencies of the overall

system is the use of durable hydrophobic and oleophobic filtration media. By resisting the ingress of particularly troublesome ‘sticky’ contaminants like salt water and oils, the filter materials remove problematic liquid contaminants. Such liquids can also exacerbate problems associated with other contaminants. For example, small droplets of water can combine with dust to form a mud that may block the filter. Moisture can also prompt changes to salt particles, turning them from a solid to a liquid and making them far more challenging for the filtration system.

Using Precision to Prevent Bypass While advances in filtration media represent the potential for a substantial gain in turbine performance there are other factors at play. Even the most sophisticated media can only deliver on its promise if the air actually travels through it and, like any fluid, air will always take the easiest route. Any gaps or leaks will be readily exploited by an air stream that could bypass the filtration system altogether.

Parker’s filters are designed for precision engineering and manufacture to prevent bypass and deliver a new benchmark in turbine protection.

An example of this approach comes from the pleating arrangements. In all filtration systems, the filter media is pleated to maximize the surface area, but the folds introduce a natural weakness. Any damage to the pleats that occurs because of that weakness can create a bypass route for air and moisture. A proprietary polyurethane (PU) flow technology ensures an even distribution of sealant through the pleat channels and complete encapsulation of the pleat tips. Edge seal technology may then subsequently be used to apply hot-melt beads at the border of the pleat pack to act as a secondary reinforcement seal. This kind of attention to detail goes a long way to reducing bypass opportunities.

Furthermore, framing and fitment can also have a big impact on performance.

Parker’s filters are made to ensure an exact fit in the inlet house to eliminate the possibility of bypass. Wherever possible, secondary fail-safe sealing is also incorporated into the filter design as an ISSUE 1 2024 FILTNEWS.COM 27

additional layer of back-up. Indeed, poor sealing within the filterhouse or in the filter itself is a common issue found in air intake filtration systems, along with inadequate drainage, and sub-optimal weather protection. All of these can contribute to filter bypass and subsequent contamination of the turbine.

Curbing Corrosion Any turbine operating close to the sea is potentially vulnerable to salt ingress.

The corrosive properties of salts are well known, but in the high temperatures found within a gas turbine those corrosive characteristics can be amplified many-fold. Salt can combine with fuel in the hotter areas of the turbine to form corrosive sodium sulphate, for example.

As well as adhering to turbine blades, salts and sulphur compounds cannot only corrode the metals within the turbine but also the galvanized steel of the filter house and filter framing. Indeed,

gas turbines and their ancillaries face a wealth of environmentally challenging conditions that can promote corrosion.

Sulphur dioxide pollution from exhaust fumes, alkalis and cements, chlorides and sulphates from industry, acidic rainwater and cooling tower drift are just some of the corrosive elements at play. Even electrolytic corrosion between dissimilar metals can be a significant factor.

However, while rust is a perennial problem it is rarely dealt with in a comprehensive way in the filtration system. Zinc galvanizing steel does give a degree of protection, but the galvanized metal components in clearcurrent® ASSURE filters are also powder coated. Resistant to cracking, peeling, chipping and abrasion, powder coating provides a robust water-proof sealant that adds years to the life of the components. Over 1,000 hours of accelerated salt spray testing reveals the metal remains virtually unchanged under the engineered powder coating, a dramatically

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different result when compared with steel that is only galvanized. Such coatings thus ensure the continued high performance of the filtration system and with it the best possible protection of the turbine.

Continuous Performance Improvements with R&D Given the continuous progress in gas turbine performance, it is clear that further advances are on the way as technologies such as 3D printing, advanced analytics and materials breakthroughs push the efficiency window higher. Further improvements mean 65% efficiency machines are on the horizon and, naturally, air filtration systems must continue to keep pace. With more than 50 years of groundbreaking innovation under its belt, whilst working in partnership with gas turbine manufacturers, Parker’s comprehensive R&D program is designed to meet the most stringent requirements of the gas turbines of the future. A significant in-

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28 IFN ISSUE 1 2024

vestment of millions of dollars is made to create testing methods, rigs, and apparatus that accurately mimic the constantly evolving challenges face by modern Advanced Gad Turbines.

Deploying tools such as CFD modelling to reveal the impact of pleat spacing, height and depth on differential pressures, dust handling capacity and other qualities of the filter media are just one part of Parker’s R&D effort. A world-class collection of laboratory testing capabilities and procedures allow simulation of the most punishing operating environments which go way beyond any current International Standards. Subjecting filters to extremes of temperature, vibration, moisture, and contaminants like salt allows any possible leak paths to be identified using advanced diagnostic tools like CT scans, transparent frame materials to enable visualization and dye testing. Any possible leak paths that are identified can then be eliminated at the

design stage. Using the most advanced diagnostic techniques and backed with more than half a century of experience allows Parker to identify areas of improvement and engineer solutions.

In considering the filtration system, Parker Hannifin recommends that operators look for units that include robust frames, the use of construction materials that do not crack or become brittle over time, and resilient filter media that is not prone to sudden blockages and pressure spikes. Where moisture, salt, or other liquid contaminants are likely to impinge, selecting filters with durable hydrophobic and oleophobic properties is also advised. Construction practices and materials that are designed to maintain peak performance for longer.

With consistent performance through all filtration stages, clearcurrent ® ASSURE delivers on all these requirements and the industry is evidently recognising that. Despite being recently launched

there are already over 35 reference projects in place, safeguarding around 15GW of power or 12 million households. Ultimately, high-performance advanced gas turbines demand high-performance advanced filtration in order to minimise life cycle costs, the carbon footprint, and operational risks.

Tim Nicholas is the PowerGen Market Manager, Gas Turbine Filtration Division at Parker Hannifin.

He has spent over 15 years in the gas turbine filtration industry in a variety of engineering, product management and commercial roles.

He’s been a product development engineer and ran services and applications teams focused on delivering the right product for each gas turbine customer based on true outcomes.

As the Market Manager for PowerGen, they are developing product and market strategy solutions for the ever evolving world of advanced gas turbines. Reach him at timothy. nicholas@parker.com.

CLEARLY SUPERIOR FILTRATION Now offering ASME-Code Certified Housings Proudly Made in the USA SHELCO.COM 100 Bradley Street, Middletown, CT info@shelco.com • 1.800.543.5843 ISO 9001:2015

ISSUE 1 2024 FILTNEWS.COM 29

IN THE NEWS

New Polymer Membranes Proven with AI

q A sample of a DUCKY polymer membrane researchers created to perform the initial separation of crude oils using significantly less energy.

Candler Hobbs, Georgia Institute of Technology

Dramatically Reduces Energy, Water Use in Oil Refining

By Joshua Stewart, Assistant Director of Communications, Georgia Institute of Technology

A

new kind of polymer membrane created by researchers at Georgia Tech could reshape how refineries process crude oil, dramatically reducing the energy and water required while extracting even more useful materials. The membranes would improve distillation processes that account for 1% of the world’s energy use.

The so-called DUCKY polymers – more on the unusual name in a minute – is just the beginning for the team of Georgia Tech chemists, chemical engineers, and materials scientists. They also have created artificial intelligence tools to predict the performance of these kinds of polymer membranes, which could accelerate development of new ones.

The implications are stark: The initial separation of crude oil components is responsible for roughly 1% of energy used across the globe. What’s more, the membrane separation technology the researchers are developing could have several uses, from biofuels and biodegradable plastics to pulp and paper products.

“We’re establishing concepts here that we can then use with different molecules or polymers, but we apply them to crude oil because that's the most challenging target right now,” said M.G. Finn, profes-

30 IFN ISSUE 1 2024

sor and James A. Carlos Family Chair in the School of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Georgia Tech.

Crude oil in its raw state includes thousands of compounds that have to be processed and refined to produce useful materials – gas and other fuels, as well as plastics, textiles, food additives, medical products, and more. Squeezing out the valuable stuff involves dozens of steps, but it starts with distillation, a water- and energy-intensive process.

Researchers have been trying to develop membranes to do that work instead, filtering out the desirable molecules and skipping all the boiling and cooling.

“Crude oil is an enormously important feedstock for almost all aspects of life, and most people don't think about how it's processed,” said Ryan Lively, Thomas C. DeLoach Jr. Professor in the School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at Georgia Tech. “These distillation systems are massive water consumers, and the membranes simply are not. They're not using heat or combustion. They just use electricity. You could ostensibly run it off of a wind turbine, if you wanted. It’s just a fundamentally different way of doing a separation.”

What makes the team’s new membrane formula so powerful is a new family

of polymers. The researchers used building blocks called spirocyclic monomers that assemble together in chains with lots of 90-degree turns, forming a kinky material that doesn’t compress easily and forms pores that selectively bind and permit desirable molecules to pass through.

The polymers are not rigid, which means they’re easier to make in large quantities.

They also have a well-controlled flexibility or mobility that allows pores of the right filtering structure to come and go over time.

The DUCKY polymers are created through a chemical reaction that’s easy to produce at a scale that would be useful for industrial purposes. It’s a flavor of a Nobel Prize-winning family of reactions called “click chemistry,” and that’s what gives the polymers their name. The reaction is called copper-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition — abbreviated CuAAC and pronounced “quack.” Thus: DUCKY polymers.

In isolation, the three key characteristics of the polymer membranes aren’t new; it’s their unique combination that makes them a novelty and effective, Finn said.

The research team included scientists at ExxonMobil, who discovered just how effective the membranes could be. The company’s scientists took the crudest of the crude oil components – the sludge left

at the bottom after the distillation process – and pushed it through one of the membranes. The process extracted even more valuable materials.

“That's actually the business case for a lot of the people who process crude oils.

They want to know what they can do that’s new. Can a membrane make something new that the distillation column can't?” Lively said. “Of course, our secret motivation is to reduce energy, carbon, and water footprints, but if we can help them make new products at the same time, that's a win-win.”

Predicting such outcomes is one way the team’s AI models can come into play.

In a related study recently published in Nature Communications, Lively, Finn, and researchers in Rampi Ramprasad’s Georgia Tech lab described using machine learning algorithms and mass transport simulations to predict the performance of polymer membranes in complex separations.

“This entire pipeline, I think, is a significant development. And it's also the first step toward actual materials design,” said Ramprasad, professor and Michael E. Tennenbaum Family Chair in the School of Materials Science and Engineering at Georgia Tech. “We call this a ‘forward problem,’ meaning you have a material and a mixture that goes in – what comes out? That's a prediction problem. What we want to do eventually is to design new polymers that achieve a certain target permeation performance.”

Complex mixtures like crude oil might have hundreds or thousands of components, so accurately describing each compound in mathematical terms, how it interacts with the membrane, and extrapolating the outcome is “non-trivial,” as Ramprasad put it.

Training the algorithms also involved combing through all the experimental literature on solvent diffusion through polymers to build an enormous dataset. But, like the potential of membranes themselves to reshape refining, knowing ahead of time how a proposed polymer membrane might work would accelerate a materials design process that’s basically trial-and-error now, Ramprasad said.

p From left, researchers Rampi Ramprasad, Ryan Lively, and M.G. Finn, who have created a new kind of polymer membrane for separating crude oil into useful components. The membrane could greatly reduce the energy necessary for those initial separations. They’ve also created artificial intelligence tools to predict the performance of these kinds of polymer membranes, which could accelerate development of new ones. Candler Hobbs, Georgia Institute of Technology

“The default approach is to make the material and test it, and that takes time.

This data-driven or machine learningbased approach uses past knowledge in a very efficient manner,” he said. “It’s a digital partner: You’re not guaranteed an exact prediction, because the model is limited by the space spanned by the data you use to train it. But it can extrapolate a little bit and it can take you in new directions, potentially. You can do an initial screening by searching through vast chemical spaces and make go, no-go decisions up front.”

Lively said he’d long been a skeptic about the ability of machine learning tools to tackle the kinds of complex separations he works with.

“I always said, ‘I don't think you can predict the complexity of transport through polymer membranes. The systems are too big; the physics are too complicated.

Can't do it.’”

But then he met Ramprasad: “Rather than just be a naysayer, Rampi and I took a stab at it with a couple of undergrads, built this big database, and dang. Actually, you can do it,” Lively said.

Developing the AI tools also involved comparing the algorithms’ predictions to actual results, including with the DUCKY

polymer membranes. The experiments showed the AI models predictions were within 6% to 7% of actual measurements.

“It's astonishing,” Finn said. “My career has been spent trying to predict what molecules are going to do. The machine learning approach, and Rampi’s execution of it, is just completely revolutionary.”

This research was supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, grant No. DEEE0007888; the European Research Council, grant No. 758370; the Kwanjeong Educational Foundation; a Royal Society University Research Fellowship; and the ExxonMobil Technology and Engineering Company. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of any funding agency.

Citations Bruno, N.C., Mathias, R., Lee, Y.J. et al. Solutionprocessable polytriazoles from spirocyclic monomers for membrane-based hydrocarbon separations. Nat. Mater. (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41563-02301682-2.

Lee Y.J., Chen L., Nistane J. et al. Data-driven predictions of complex organic mixture permeation in polymer membranes. Nat Commun 14, 4931 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-40257-2.

ISSUE 1 2024 FILTNEWS.COM 31

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

Environment & Air Quality Q&A with Dr. Iyad Al-Attar

Photos courtesy of Dr. Al-Attar

By Caryn Smith, IFN Chief Content Officer

A view of Toronto during the 2023 wildfires.

I

n an interview with Dr. Iyad Al-Attar, a filtration consultant researching urban air quality governance at the University of Oxford, he calls for an initiative to “challenge and change” the status quo of air quality as a pillar of healthy buildings.

He believes the success of the built environment lies in fostering our well-being, not just architecture, by sustainable living, not just modernity, by changing the complexion of air quality, not just a facelift of filtration, and by altering our design philosophy and not just our conventional wisdom.

Dr. Al-Attar is also an advisory board member of the Waterloo Filtration Institute and recently, he became the Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) patron for EUROVENT. He is a regular conributor to International Filtration News (IFN). We connected with him on his thoughts on improving IAQ.

32 IFN ISSUE 1 2024

Q+A IN THIS ISSUE:

DR. IYAD AL-ATTAR

Visiting Academic Fellow, Cranfield University

International Filtration News: What drives our environmental challenges?

Al-Attar: The impact of poor environmental conduct is everywhere, from dumping plastic bags in lakes and oceans to the inadequate rationing regulations and infrastructure of waste management to the overconsumption of food and resources, to corruption, pandemics, and conflictinflicted economic catastrophes. Environmentally speaking, we are running amuck, considering the increased concentration of our anthropogenic emissions, whether particulate matter or gaseous contaminants.

Most of our environmental challenges are driven by how we live, consume our natural resources, and generate and use power.

The World Health Organization reports that 99% of the world's population lives in ambient conditions with pollutant

concentrations beyond the allowable thresholds, which can't be sustainable!

IFN: Has the pandemic helped air quality gain traction to be a global priority?

Al-Attar: The pandemic was the inevitable fate we faced after decades of epic errors in air quality practices revealed and amplified the shortcomings of the global scant attention and fluctuating interest in air quality. The pandemic is a compendium of poorly implemented standards, inappropriate filter selection and installations, maintenance hacks, and poor practices that entertained the reusing of disposable filters, while subsidizing coil and duct cleaning. These practices tolerate maintenance shortcuts and smudged air diffusers and embrace the theology of “cutting corners” to save costs rather than lives. No wonder we ended with a pandemic that found our cities a catalyst for virus transmission.

IFN: What causes the interest in air quality to fluctuate?

Al-Attar: Due to chronic conflicts, businessas-usual lobbying and geo-political changes, global interest in improving IAQ is subject to the reshuffling of global priorities and imperatives relevant to energy and oil prices. Furthermore, we have been singing the same efficiency song for decades, neglecting the air quality we bring to bear to the built environment. As we twiddle our thumbs, enhancing air quality has been peripheral to these priorities for decades, positioning it on the back burner most of the time. For air quality to improve, the built environment should strive for datadriven strategies and the appropriate employment of quantitative and qualitative methodologies to characterize the air quality we are exposed to.

appreciate the value of air filters since we regard them as expensive items with a simple particle-capturing function. The value of air filters lies in protecting the HVAC equipment and the well-being of the human occupants. Rendering our indoor environment for healthy living, optimum productivity, and comfort is undoubtedly the order of the day. Perhaps Oscar Wilde was right when he said, “Nowadays, people know the price of everything and the value of nothing.”

IFN: So, do you endorse more filtration?

Can air filtration technologies help?

Al-Attar: Surely, filtration technologies can help. However, their availability does not justify the pace of current anthropogenic emissions. I reject the notion of continuing to pollute our planet irresponsibly and relying on filtration as a low-hanging fruit to clean up our acts.

Why pollute the air and then seek filtration technologies for pollutant capture, which can be energy intensive? Further-

more, loaded filters remain a disposal issue that hardly adheres to the circular economy metrics.

IFN: What is the role cities can play in the realm of urban sustainability and improving air quality?

Al-Attar: Cities consume 78% of the global energy generated and produce 60% of greenhouse gas emissions, although they account for 2% of the Earth's surface. Cities compete for people and investments, and their success lies in developing and empowering inhabitants to economically ensure that their society grows and prospers. Cities should be inviting, sustainable, clean, green, and liveable places to attract people and businesses to settle and make significant positive changes. However, when cities are polluted, they struggle to be sustainable and fit for healthy living purposes.

IFN: Does the speed of current urbanization impact air quality?

Due to chronic conflicts, business-as-usual lobbying and geo-political changes, global interest in improving IAQ is subject to the reshuffling of global priorities and imperatives relevant to energy and oil prices.

IFN: How is air quality valued and priced in HVAC applications?

Al-Attar: In the past, air quality enhancement budgets had to always split the difference with other HVAC-related maintenance endeavors. Most of us cease to ISSUE 1 2024 FILTNEWS.COM 33

t Pollen grain strained at the surface of a depth filter. q Surface depositon of large particles on depth leading to premature clogging.

Al-Attar: The scale, speed, and scope of urbanization suggest deviating from a conducive path to thriving. In 2020, the World Bank reported that the proportion of the urban population had increased from 30% to 56% from 1950 to 2019 and is expected to exceed 65% by 2050. Current urbanization growth sparks doubts about air quality inclusion in its targets. Better air quality is the core of the health and safety of human occupants. Designers should embed IAQ in the early stages of building design and be driven by policies to ensure human occupants inhale clean air. Unfortunately, For decades, air quality enhancements have usually resulted from demand or a response to a complaint, not a built environment design stage concern. Rapid urbanization may send IAQ to take the backseat in the HVAC systems and refocus priorities on handing over buildings on time to avoid plenties. Air quality targets must be legislated, and the built environment must emerge as peoplecentric so air quality enhancement can become a global priority and inherent right for individuals.

IFN: Would bringing more fresh air help or hinder IAQ issues?

Al-Attar: First, we must cease using “fresh air” when discussing “outdoor air.” Depending on the geographic location, outdoor air can be heavily polluted, and even

34 IFN ISSUE 1 2024

extensive filtration stages may not be sufficient to capture all airborne pollutants and perform sustainably. Physical and chemical characterizations are the name of the game in terms of knowing our outdoor air quality and what our HVAC systems and their installed filters are up against. Only then can appropriate filter selection be facilitated by the filtration stages required, the best filter design, and media selection to accommodate the pollutant type, their concentrations, and size distributions.

IFN: Can we be ready for the next pandemic?

Al-Attar: As Ian Goldin and Mike Mariathasan mentioned in their book, The Butterfly Defect, “to allow the memory of this disaster to fade, dismissing it as a once-in-a-hundred-year event, would be a terrible mistake.” However, I suggest that our new mantra be: Let our built environment be pandemic-proof, although many scholars predict the next pandemic may occur within 25 years. The ease at which

the coronavirus invaded our built environment and paralyzed our economies suggests that our cities were vulnerable to pandemics. Before the pandemic, experts and decision-makers thought they had all the answers for better air quality; the pandemic has forced them to ask different questions. They decided to leave instead of lead the air quality conversation, so we had to flee rather than fight during

the pandemic through curfews and lockdowns. Unless we alter our mindset and reconfigure our air quality quests, the embers of pandemics will continue to burn.

IFN: Do you believe curfews and lockdowns have reduced virus transmission?

Al-Attar: Curfews and lockdowns seemed like logical solutions to reduce virus transmission. However, measurements of success can be complex and are a function of many parameters, such as social distancing adherence, appropriate human occupancy, and the ability of filtration and HVAC systems to respond to variation in IAQ. What is not logical is to keep dancing to the rhythm of pandemics. We were too slow in responding to COVID-19 cases identified in 2019 and did not begin awareness programs early enough to reduce virus transmission. Unfortunately, the pandemic was perceived by many as a business opportunity to sell face masks instead of conjuring up breakthrough ideas to propel air quality.

IFN: Can you find opportunities amid these risks?

Al-Attar: Of course, it is all a matter of genuine interest in embracing sustainability and the courage to change. Although the environmental challenges are grand, the current situation represents a historic calling to sink or swim through bending the arc of waste in resources, energy, materials, and human potential toward a sustainable future. COVID-19 is not precisely the Spanish Flu; we are not in 1918.

We are now far more equipped to make a difference faster than ever when confronting pandemics.

IFN: What do you think the role of government should be?

Al-Attar: The recent pandemic has highlighted the need for governments to develop the capacity to foresee, prevent, and respond to air quality challenges.

Examining the factors contributing to the health and safety crises has identified weaknesses in air quality governance systems that may need strengthening. In addition, governments may need to address the short and long-term consequences of their slow and inadequate responses to the air quality challenges indoors and outdoors rather than focus on their exit strategies.

Furthermore, governments should grant schools, hospitals, and other critical indoor environments retrofitting tax credits and rebates to retrofit their facilities as required. Governments should also establish investment programs where banks can provide interest-free loans to launch retrofitting to remake existing cities and their building envelopes.

Governments should also allocate and collaborate with academic institutions by funding research in bioaerosol filtration and prevention innovations in the built environment.

IFN: Do you have anything else to add?

Al-Attar: Efficient ways of living and utilizing our limited resources to drive change and reduce waste are the order of the day.

Our environmental footprint is accelerating far beyond the Earth’s ability to regenerate itself. We cannot complain about the air quality we inhale if we run wasteful lifestyles and inefficient processes. It is time to envision a new agenda for reimagining how we live in a more inclusive economy that blends vision with pragmatism.

This is particularly true as we demand that our cities be smart, our economies be circular, and our natural resources be sustainable; the importance of air quality cannot be dismissed. The challenges ahead are grand; the pressure on our planet is mounting, climate disasters are frequent, and the winds of change are imminent.

If we desire to share a clean, green planet filled with clean air, we must first shape our future, not chance it.

SHOW PREVIEW

Bringing the Latest & Greatest of Filtration Together at FiltCon 2024

C

oming April 8-10, 2024, and held at the Houston Marriott Westchase, Houston, TX, FiltCon is back in action, bringing the best minds in filtration together from the American Filtration & Separations Society (AFS). One of the missions of AFS is to help solve the world’s filtration problems, increasing the availability of clean water and air worldwide. FiltCon 2024 tackles these issues while inspiring and educating attendees in a thought-leader style event as researchers, developers, manufacturers, and end users engage in knowledge exchange and networking.

“AFS FiltCon 2024 will be the only filtration/separation conference and show in North America in 2024,” notes Lyn Scholl, AFS Executive Director. “It offers a very technical program with a commercial component that will include tabletop displays. Three concurrent technical tracks, three plenary presentations and two panel sessions will comprise the program.

“FiltCon 2024 will feature the Latest & Greatest Product Preview, which will be 15-minute commercial presentations all day, both Tuesday and Wednesday, in the Expo Hall,” she continues. “Short courses, industry tours and the AFSCP exam round out the event. The AFS Certification has been divided into AFSCP – Air and AFSCP – Liquid so that F & S professionals can certify in their area of expertise.”

Over thirteen countries are expected to be represented, which offers exhibitors and attendees a unique opportunity to create new business relationships with unparalleled exposure to the North American market.

The three-day conference features three technical tracks: solid/liquid, air/gas and one day each for energy and the technical Professor George Chase tracks. Always a favorite, the student poster competition will take place on Tuesday evening and networking opportunities are available, one of the most popular features of FiltCon.

36 IFN ISSUE 1 2024

The Main Event

Short Course Opportunities Educational opportunities on these topics are difficult to find, especially with the level of expertise that you will receive through AFS. Leading experts in filtration and separations are the course instructors. Upon completion, attendees receive certificates of completion and earn CEU credit. Registration for AFS Filtration Short Courses is now open.

Short Courses Include:

• Introduction to Solid/Liquid Separation • Introduction to Air/Gas Filtration • Introduction to Filter Media • Liquid Filtration Testing Basics • Water Treatment for Industrial Usage • Microfiltration Membrane • Ultrafiltration Membrane •A erogels and Their Applications as Filter Media • Cartridge Filters • Carbon Basics and Applications •C oalescer Training - Principles and Industrial Applications

AFS FiltCon features all types of filtration and separation media, device, and equipment manufacturers to exchange knowledge and ideas with end users across all markets and academics advancing the science and technology of filtration and separation. The educational component includes Plenary Speakers: • Additive Manufacturing and Membranes for High Performance, Dr. Rigoberto Advincula, University of Tennessee • Industrial Market Spending Outlook, Mr. Trey Hamblet, Industrial Info Resources (IIR) • Particle Emissions and Air Quality: An Overview on Contribution of Various Sources and Future Emissions Regulations, Dr. Imad Khalek, Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) Panel sessions are also back on the agenda due to popular demand, and include: Carbon Capture (Energy Aspect), moderated by Dr. Wu Chen; and, The Confluence of Sustainability and Performance in Filtration Media Made with Biobased Materials, moderated by Mr. Koen Bastiaens, NatureWorks, LLC. For information, contact Connie Rhea +1 615-250-7792 with general questions; exhibitor/sponsorship questions, Tom Justice +1 919-740-6308; or AFS Executive Director Lyn Sholl +1 615-394-9979.

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TRUE COST

Niche Focus Plus IIOW is the Most Profitable Option for Filter Companies

By Bob McIlvaine

President The McIlvaine Company Bob McIlvaine is the president of The McIlvaine Company, which is helping filter suppliers understand the true cost of their products and the impact on the Serviceable Obtainable Market. He can be reached at rmcilvaine@ mcilvainecompany.com or +1 847.226.2391

T

here are 100,000 filtration sub-niches with distinct value propositions and at least $1 million in annual sales. The most successful filtration companies are identifying each sub-niche where they can achieve 40% market share and 30% EBITDA. These sub-niches guide the local salesman. Ten of these sub-niches can be combined and successfully pursued with the help of product, OEM, and regional managers. Let’s call these niches: Each averages $10 million in market size, $4 million in revenues and $1.2 million in EBITA. With the right selection of 100 niches, a company can achieve EBITDA of $120 million/year.

To put this in perspective, industrial companies average less than 10% EBITDA and the flow control sector less than 14%. So, our example company with annual revenues of $400 million will generate filtration EBITDA greater than all but a few companies worldwide. (1)

100,000 sub-niches

EBITDA

10,000

$120 million

revenue $400 million

niches

100 MPM niches

How can a company sort through all these subniches, pick the right ones, and then pursue them?

It is a daunting task. There are discussion about artificial intelligence being the solution which can manage the worlds digital information. The problem is that it can only analyze what is on the internet. So how does a filter company keep pursuing all the best sub-niches?

The answer is the Industrial Internet of Wisdom (IIOW). IIOT plus guidance from niche experts can now provide what AI only promises.

38 IFN ISSUE 1 2024

There are hundreds of facts and factors determining the value propositions in each of the 100,000 niches. Furthermore, these facts and factors keep changing with new technology developments, regulations, and competitors.

At first blush it seems impossibly expensive to undertake this detailed analysis. But IIOW provides the answer. Most of the facts and factors are applicable to thousands of niches, so it is just a case of making them available.

For every filter sub-niche the same hierarchy of territories exists. It starts with 80 countries and sub regions and then expands to states and provinces and then individual purchasers.

In each territory the amount of iron ore being mined, the GPM of secondary wastewater treatment, the number of semiconductor chips produced and the amount of pharmaceutical ISO 4 cleanroom space in m3 are relevant for many sub-niche analyses.

The wisdom of niche experts is necessary. But here again there are resources which can shed light on many filter sub-niches.

Arcelor Mittal bought aging steel companies throughout the world and then centralized decision making on products such as filters for all their plants. BASF in Germany is making decisions for chemical plants throughout the world. Suez and Veolia are making filter decisions for hundreds of water and wastewater municipalities. So, there are niche experts at user, consulting, and systems companies.

Another factor which simplifies the task is that some facts and factors only change to a minor extent.

It has been a long while since the U.S. created any new states and more than 220 years since the Louisiana Purchase.

The organized gathering of information even to include pre-internet days is valuable. McIlvaine created knowledge networks in 1974. They were utilized for decades by the EPA, other governments, end users and suppliers.

Surprising as it may seem the R&D results from 30 years ago may be the most valuable facts and factors in a certain niche. Coal gasification filtration was extensively studied at that time but not recently.

The new blue hydrogen option makes this old data highly useful.

This organized pursuit of the niches provides local sales as well as management with reliable enough data to become the foundation of business strategy.

There are several filtration companies who are demonstrating the benefits of niche pursuit. IDEX with 30% EBITDA carefully selects niches around valves, pumps and many other flow control products including filters. It is pursuing only a few filtration markets which meet its criteria. IDEX Health & Science, LLC is a leader in life science fluidics, microfluidics, and optics. It supplies small filters used with instruments.

The IDEX strategy has been to buy successful niche companies in high-growth markets. Each retains its identity.

W.L. Gore and Porvair also focus on niche markets. However, the foundation of each company is a unique filtration media: Variations of the media are then developed to serve specific niches. Porvair has developed sintered metal powder and metal fiber filters to deal with high temperature, particulate and corrosive gases. Their products are in demand for blue hydrogen. The

C NTRACT PLEATING SERVICES

organized niche approach is particularly valuable for companies such as Gore and Porvair.

Donaldson dominates a niche for pre-assembled small dust collectors but avoided the high revenues and lower margins associated with large systems.

ITW has been aggressively moving toward highly profitable niches. Over the last seven years it has sold under-performing companies and has been rewarded with a big stock price gain. In the most recent quarter, EBITDA was $4.5 billion on revenue of $16 billion (28%). It is involved in a number of small filter niches such as Filtertek who has specialized valve/filter combinations for the medical device industry.

Another success factor has been to take advantage of the fact that most filter revenues come from replacements. Niche forecasting of replacements is much easier than for new systems.

There is no need to wait for AI. High market share and EBITDA can be achieved now with a niche strategy supported by IIOW. (1) Most Profitable Market Program published by the McIlvaine Company

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ISSUE 1 2024 FILTNEWS.COM 39

M&A INSIGHTS

The Role of the Management Presentation How the Management Presentation Usually Leads to an Outlier Result for the Seller

By Len LaPorta

Managing Director, Wiley Bros.-Aintree Capital, LLC Len LaPorta is a managing director of Investment Banking at Wiley Bros.-Aintree Capital, LLC – a 75-year-old firm, located in Nashville, TN, focused on investment brokerage and underwriting municipal bonds for utility districts in the state of Tennessee. Len brings to the Firm experience in crossborder M&A transactions between USA and Europe, advises business owners on sell-side and buy-side transactions, capital advisory, and valuations. Len is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy with MBA from Boston College and a veteran of the U.S. Navy.

He is also a member of INDA’s non-woven Technical Advisory Board. llaporta@wileybros. com or (615) 782-4107.

Source: Freightos. September 10, 2023.

Air freight market update, delays, cost increases, and forecast for 2023. https:// www.freightos.com/freight-resources/ shipping-delays-and-cost-increases/

Involving your management team in the Management Presentation (“MP”) Round is a critical decision facing any owner looking to sell their business. The bidders need to hear from the team.

A

competitive Sell-Side process requires a significant time commitment of the management team over a nine-month timeframe. The owner of the firm should ensure their direct reports understand their role in building confidence in the overall business model. The lack of senior management participation will most likely lead to a lower valuation.

Too many times, a business owner thinks that going down the path of “trusting” only their intuition will lead to a great outcome in valuation and meeting the personal goals of the selling family or shareholder. That assumption generally is not correct.

For the Management Presentation, one suggestion is to involve key members of functional departments: operations, production, finance, supply chain and quality control. In addition, some owners prefer to have a family member or significant other attend the meetings and dinners with the various bidders. Owners and direct reports might have anxiety meeting with potential buyers, therefore, a friendly participant might help settle nerves.

During the Management Presentation, arrange the direct reports in order of speaking assignment to match presentation. Remember, many of your team leaders are not public speakers, therefore, keep each page simple and pertinent to their department. Highlevel bullet points, pictures and product samples are excellent content in presentations.

Another presentation strategy to consider for a firm producing a product is to arrange the presentation and speakers to align with the actual production cycle. In this example, start with the sales department and explain how the firm obtained the business. Next, have the operations manager explain how they source the material and then how they work with the production manager to create the schedule. In this example, the direct reports can easily represent the process, to the bidders, without a formal PowerPoint presentation.

Achieving an “outlier” valuation bid has a direct correlation to the Management Presentation.

Your investment banker will work with you and the management team to prepare for optimal outstanding delivery.

The M&A market continues to be bullish and there should continue to opportunities to sell your business in 2024.

Air Freight Market Update, Delays, Cost Increases, and Forecast for 2023 The seasonal lull combined with overall low demand is pushing volumes below pre-pandemic levels at some of Europe’s major hubs, though some in the industry are hopeful that electronics product launches set to begin soon could drive some peak season rebound in the coming months nonetheless.

Freightos Air Index data shows ex-Asia and transatlantic rates remain more than 40% lower than a year ago though China – N. America rates have increased more than 25% since a month ago.

Air rates – Freightos Air index • China – N. America weekly prices increased 14% to $4.59/kg • China – N. Europe weekly prices increased 5% to $3.05/kg.

• N. Europe – N. America weekly prices increased 2% to $1.70/kg.

This article has been prepared solely for informational purpose. This article does not constitute an offer, or the solicitation of an offer, to buy or sell any securities or other financial product, to participate in any transaction or to provide any investment banking or other services, and should not be deemed to be a commitment or undertaking of any kind on the part of Wiley Bros. –Aintree Capital &Partners, LLC (“WBAC”) or any of its affiliates to underwrite, place or purchase securities or to provide any debt or equity financing or to participate in any transaction, or a recommendation to buy or sell any securities, to make any investment or to participate in any transaction or trading strategy. Any views presented in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of WBAC. While the information contained in this commentary is believed to be reliable, no representation or warranty, whether expressed or implied, is made by WBAC, and no liability or responsibility is accepted by WBAC or its affiliates as to the accuracy of the article. Prior to making any investment or participating in any transaction, you should consult, to the extent necessary, your own independent legal, tax, accounting, and other professional advisors to ensure that any transaction or investment is suitable for you in the light of your financial capacity and objectives. This article has not been prepared with a view toward public disclosure under applicable securities laws or otherwise.

40 IFN ISSUE 1 2024

MOVERS & SHAKERS

INDA’s Wes Fisher Named a 2023 Top Lobbyist

I Basin Water Resources Unveils New Rebranding

B

asin Water Resources, a privately held U.S-based industrial and municipal water treatment solutions provider, recently announced its rebranding as Expansa. The renaming and launch of its revitalized brand identity marks a significant milestone in the company’s journey.

The refreshed brand identity embodies the company’s evolution while staying true to its vision where we see a world in which business and the people within them are operating at full capacity. This rebranding initiative reflects the culmination of 12 months of strategic planning, market research, and creative collaboration to better resonate with our audience and adapt to changing market dynamics. www.expansa-inc.com

Nijhuis Saur Industries and NX Filtration Partner to Address Water Scarcity

A

t Aquatech Amsterdam – the world’s leading trade exhibition for process, drinking, and wastewater – Nijhuis Saur Industries and NX Filtration jointly announced their partnership and unveiled an innovative mobile hollow fiber nanofiltration unit, named the MONF. The MONF is designed as a modular and plugand-play system that can treat waters up to 100 m3/h and can easily be transported. The unique modular Nijhuis Saur Industries system uses NX Filtration’s unique nanofiltration membranes, to remove a wide range of contaminations from water in an effective and sustainable process, substantially reducing energy and chemical usage.

Nijhuis Saur Industries and NX Filtration are global leaders in their respective fields.

This partnership combines Nijhuis Saur Industries’ expertise and resources in industrial and municipal water solutions, underpinned by the optimal selection of hollow fiber membrane technology from NX Filtration. www.nijhuisindustries.com

NDA, The Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry, announced that Director of Government Affairs Wes Fisher was named a 2023 Top Lobbyist by the National Institute for Lobbying & Ethics (NILE). The list includes professionals with significant legislative success in 2023, have been innovative in their field, are held in high regard by their peers, give back to their community through charity or pro bono work, and adhere to the highest ethical standards.

Fisher joined the INDA staff in 2022, he previously held senior government affairs positions at the Pet Advocacy Network and the National Automatic Merchandising Association. His work at INDA has included interfacing with lawmakers, regulators, and stakeholders at the state, local, federal, and international levels and participating in UN negotiations regarding the ongoing Global Plastics Treaty. He serves on the board of directors of the Washington Area State Relations Group (WASRG) and in 2022 was appointed by the Governor of Virginia to the Virginia Rare Disease Council. www.inda.org

Porvair plc Announces Acquisition of European Filter Corporation

P

orvair plc, has acquired 100% of the share capital of European Filter Corporation NV (EFC), a filtration business based in Lummen, Belgium.

European Filter Corporation NV has expertise in the manufacture of mist elimination filters used in the production of industrial feedstocks and wellestablished industrial filtration sales channels in northeast Europe.

EFC will join the Group’s Aerospace & Industrial division, bringing complementary products and engineering as well as strengthening European routes to market.

Porvair is a group of specialist filtration, laboratory and environmental technology businesses. Its businesses design and manufacture a range of consumable filtration products that are used in a range of niche filtration markets.

It operates in three divisions: Aerospace & Industrial; Laboratory; and Metal Melt Quality. www.porvair.com

Franklin Water Treatment Acquires Assets of Action Manufacturing & Supply, Inc.

F

ranklin Electric Co., Inc. announced that its wholly owned subsidiary, Franklin Water Treatment, LLC, has acquired the assets of Action Manufacturing & Supply, Inc., a manufacturer and wholesale distributor of residential water conditioning, filtration, and indoor/outdoor aeration systems since 1980 with operations in Florida and North Carolina. The operating results of the acquired business will be reported in the company’s Water Systems business segment.

Don Line, President of Franklin Water Treatment commented: “We are excited to incorporate the business of Action Manufacturing & Supply into our existing business as we continue to strengthen and expand our channels and products in key geographic areas for water treatment. Action’s commitment to quality and reputation for service excellence aligns with Franklin’s customerdriven approach to our businesses.”

Franklin Water Treatment, LLC provides products, services, and system solutions for residential, commercial, and industrial point of use and point of entry water treatment products, in a wide variety of markets and applications. www.franklin-electric.com ISSUE 1 2024 FILTNEWS.COM 41

MOVERS & SHAKERS

Metso to Expand Service Center in Arizona

Amazon Filters Passes Production Milestone

etso is expanding its service center in Mesa, Arizona to support the growing needs of mining customers, primarily in the copper segment, which plays a crucial role in supporting a responsible energy transition. In addition to expanding its service and repair capabilities, a cutting-edge training center will be built to continue to improve competence development in the region.

“We are proud to be able to further demonstrate our dedication to customer success, supporting the production of Critical Minerals.

This investment will provide great benefit to the Southwest USA and beyond, with comprehensive and reliable services. Our expanded facilities in Mesa will allow access to unmatched OEM-quality repairs and refurbishments, and the new advanced Metso Training Center will help ensure that the next generation of miners are well-equipped,” says Giuseppe Campanelli, President, North and Central America, Metso.

The total investment value is approx. EUR 14 million, with expansions expected to be ready during the first half of 2025. www.metso.com

K process filter manufacturer Amazon Filters has fabricated and shipped its 100,000th stainless steel cartridge housing after production capacity was boosted through an extensive, ongoing investment program.

Surrey-based Amazon Filters hit the milestone figure as the latest practical output of its ‘quick and able’ manufacturing ethos.

The 100,000th unit, a metal fabricated housing like the others in the count, was produced and shipped in response to an order from a global water treatment company.

As with all Amazon Filters’ housings, the unit is serialized and fully traceable down to its materials, welder and testing data.

Neil Pizzey, Amazon Filters Managing Director, said: “Completing our 100,000th unit is a significant milestone for us and one that our whole team can be proud of.” www.amazonfilters.com

M

U

Motion & Control Enterprises Acquires Filter Resources Inc.

M

otion & Control Enterprises announced that it has acquired Pasadena, Texasbased Parker Hannifin Filtration (Houston) LLC, dba Filter Resources Inc., an indirect, wholly owned subsidiary of Parker Hannifin Corporation.

Filter Resources Inc. is a distributor of mission critical, process filtration products for the downstream O&G, petrochemical, and specialty chemical markets, offering a complete range of liquid and air process filtration solutions. The company operates two locations in Lake Charles, Louisiana, and Pasadena, Texas, and was previously part of the Parker Industrial Process Filtration division. www.mceautomation.com

MAAG Group Continues Expansion with Additional Services in Malaysia

M

AAG Group, a broadly diversified global solutions provider of Pump & Filtration Systems, Pelletizing & Pulverizing Systems, Recycling Systems and Digital Solutions, is expanding its operations in Asia, with new services in Malaysia for MAAG Ettlinger melt filters. In addition to cutting rotor regrinding, MAAG Malaysia can also provide vacuum pyrolysis oven cleaning.

In plastics processing some components have to be repaired, upgraded, or replaced during the long plant lifecycle. MAAG Malaysia offers customers comprehensive repair services for their polymer production plants. Whether repairing gear pumps and filters or reconditioning and regrinding of cutting rotors – MAAG will ensure a long service life for machines. The facility serves most of Asia. www.maag.com

42 IFN ISSUE 1 2024

Donaldson Company Invests in New Life Sciences Technical Center

D Damen Green Solutions and Bawat A/S Joint Venture for Mobile Ballast Water Management Systems

D

amen Green Solutions and Bawat A/S have formally signed the agreement to solidify their joint venture in the development and sales of cutting-edge mobile Ballast Water Management Systems (BWMS). The joint venture, operating under the collective name “Bawat Damen,” marks a significant step in revolutionizing mobile ballast water management solutions.

Under the joint venture, Bawat A/S will provide its innovative system for treating ballast water, leveraging its patented pasteurization process that eradicates organisms without the use of chemicals, filters, or UV. Damen Green Solutions, known for its expertise in maritime solutions, will undertake the construction of these systems. The partners will share a joint focus on sales and global marketing.

The contract was signed at the international maritime exhibition Europort 2023 in Rotterdam by Marcus Peter Hummer, CEO Bawat, Klaus Nyborg, Chairman of the Board Bawat, Arnout Damen, CEO Damen Shipyards Group and Marcel Karsijns, MD Damen Shipyards Group. www.damen.com

onaldson Company, Inc., a leading worldwide provider of innovative filtration products and solutions, announced its commitment to broadening its life sciences reach with the opening of a 25,000-square-foot life sciences technical center in Research Triangle Park (RTP) in North Carolina. Donaldson brands located or under development at the facility include Isolere Bio, Purilogics, Solaris Biotech and Univercells Technologies.

The technical center at 5 Lab Drive in RTP is centrally located on a campus supporting emerging biotechnology companies and includes modern laboratories as well as cleanrooms that provide product manufacturing capacity. The new facility will support the design, development, launch and early commercialization of transformational bioprocessing solutions. It also will serve as a hub for Donaldson life science innovations while advancing the IsoTag™ reagent product line. www.donaldson.com

Memsift Innovations Secures Large Order From Global Pharma Company

S

ingapore-based Memsift Innovations has signed a $1.62 million commercial contract from a leading Fortune 100 pharmaceutical company to revolutionize industrial liquid waste treatment and zero liquid discharge solutions.

The global pharma giant initiated a technical feasibility study in 2019. The study aimed to assess the feasibility of utilizing TS-30 Improved Membrane Distillation system to treat liquid waste and resulted in reducing liquid waste volume by more than 90% while recovering high-quality nitrogen fertilizer, the company said in a statement.

Building on the positive outcomes of the feasibility study, a full-scale onsite pilot program was unveiled in early 2022 and has been in continuous operation for over a year.

The commercial implementation of this project is slated to begin in the first quarter of 2024. www.memsift.com ISSUE 1 2024 FILTNEWS.COM 43

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