Water Treatment with Recrystallized Silicon Carbide (R-SiC) Filters

Reference	Presenter	Authors (Institution)	Abstract
17-029	Adrien Vincent	Schmalbuch, K.(Saint-Gobain CREE); Rubio, A.(Saint-Gobain CREE); Vincent, A.(Saint-Gobain CREE); Neufert, R.(Saint-Gobain IndustrieKeramik); Möller, M.(Saint-Gobain IndustrieKeramik); Rodrigues, F.(Saint-Gobain SEPR); Laurent, P.(Saint-Gobain CREE);	Clean water is one of the key resources for life on our planet, however water scarcity is predicted to be one of the major challenges for mankind in the upcoming decades. In order to create a sustainable habitat for everyone as well as to conserve our environment, new technological approaches and in particular more efficient filtration technologies are needed. The cornerstone for improving membrane filtration of liquids will be innovative porous materials. The wide bandwidth of applications ranges from disinfection of drinking water and recreational water to treatment of industrial and urban effluents. To serve this demand, Saint-Gobain developed and provides both dead-end and cross-flow filters made of recrystallized silicon carbide (R-SiC). During the high-temperature recrystallization process, smaller SiC particles are sublimated and then recondense at the interface of the larger ones. A particular microstructure is created showing high porosity (> 40%), strong bonds and a controlled pore-size in a range from 250 nm to 4 µm which represents a favorable range for an efficient microfiltration of liquids. Such R-SiC filters can combine high permeate fluxes with excellent water quality by reducing turbidity (TSS) and retaining bacteria and even viruses. In the field of drinking water purification, the technology demonstrated its high potential for instance in Arsenic removal processes. The material’s microstructure and high chemical resistance ensure an excellent cleaning ability, the base for stable and reliable operation over many years of its lifetime. The development of a big size dead-end geometry allows the construction of compact systems with low water and energy use requirements.
<< Back