In order to achieve the greatest performances for all our products, as global leader in FRP Pressure Vessels for water purification, our passion for engineering and machines leads us to study all kinds of innovations throughout history. This week, Protec explores an invention developed more than 110 years ago. Could we use it today to improve our desalination processes?

In the early 1900s’, the world witnessed the rise of the piston engine in automobiles. But this technology was still in its infancy and combustion engines where anything but reliable. In an attempt to compete with the increasingly popular piston engine, Nikola Tesla -one of the most influential figures in the history of science and technology- developed an efficient bladeless turbine in 1904. Tesla sincerely believed that his turbine would not only offer higher efficiency, but also lower production costs than other engines.

How does it work and what makes this centenary technology so innovative?

This cutting-edge engine used smooth discs rotating in a chamber to generate movement, thanks to the exchange of momentum between the fluid and the disk. The main difference between the Tesla turbine and the turbines used nowadays to propel jet planes, for example, is that instead of using curved blades like those of a windmill, it generates movement through smooth and parallel disks placed evenly across a shaft, like CD’s placed along a pole.

You can check here for more details:

ven if Tesla’s invention was officially considered a failure, we cannot ignore that his final design managed to run at 3,600 rpm, generating 675 horsepower. How could an invention as ingenious as it is simple be exempt from useful applications?

Why the Tesla Turbine has not enjoyed more widespread use?

However, due to circumstances linked to the evolution of technology and the characteristics of the innovation market at that time, the brilliant scientist of Serbian origin did not manage to commercialise his turbine in an effective way. Bad press stirred up by his competitors, combined with the fact that the major electric companies had already invested heavily in blade turbines, prevented Tesla from attracting important investors. On top of that, though Tesla projected efficiencies up to 97% for his machine, the reported efficiencies tended to be around 40%.

On paper, the Tesla turbine still offers several advantages today. For instance, the production costs for disks are much lower than those for blades, and the overall design is much simpler: its construction should be easier than that of traditional turbines. In addition, Tesla’s device can be used for a variety of fluids without extensive damage to the disks and that’s where a potential desalination use comes into play; in fact, this represents a key feature when it comes to considering a prospective use of this technology in desalination processes.

Indeed, the Tesla turbine can theoretically be adapted to different materials and purposes, including mixtures with solids, gases, liquids, as well as viscous fluids, non-viscous fluids, and other types of fluids. Also, the flow in the turbine could be reversed into a pump, so as to preserve the disks from cavitation issues that usually affect traditional blades turbines.

Nevertheless, the great inventor did not see his turbine as an end in itself, but as a way to replace the piston combustion engine with a much more efficient, reliable and cost-effective engine based on his breaking technology. One by one, these amazing capacities lead to potential uses of the Tesla turbine in the generation of power from geothermal steam and industrial gas, as well as wind turbines. Then, why not seawater?

How can the Tesla turbine work as a desalination device?

In fact, it acts as a vacuum pump. The principle is to reduce the pressure in a container of seawater and heat it to boiling point. The steam produced in this reaction goes through the Tesla turbine, in order to be condensed into distilled water when it comes out on the other side of the turbine. Maybe, one day, this invention created more than 110 years ago could completely change the way we produce safe drinking water, power or movement.

At Protec Arisawa, we work each and every day to make our technologies and processes more sustainable and eco-friendly, because we believe in innovation as the only way to guarantee future supply of drinking water. Our state-of-the-art FRP pressure vessels for membrane filtration used in desalination processes around the world are the best proof of our environmental commitment. Visit us and discover the latest technology for pressure vessels and racks: we want to become your partner of choice.

Using state-of-the-art pressure vessels and modern membrane filtration systems, Reverse Osmosis has established its selective capacity by retaining over 99.5% of dissolved salts contained in seawater, producing a suitable supply of hydrological resources for human consumption, industrial processes as well as for agricultural irrigation. This week, Protec Arisawa reviews the main current keys and issues for desalination processes.

There is nothing to argue about: Desalination of seawater is an increasingly common means by which nations satisfy their growing demand for water. Over the last decades, our coasts have witnessed a quick expansion of desalination plants and facilities related to seawater purifying treatments, with global capacity increasing by 57% between 2008 and 2013.

Can desalination solve the global water crisis?

Today, about 1% of world population depends totally on desalinated water for daily use, supplied by almost 20,000 desalination plants that can produce over 90 million cubic meters of clean water per day. Predictions indicate that by 2025, more than 2.8 billion people across 48 countries are likely to experience water scarcity, and desalination will undoubtedly become a vital water source for many coastal regions in order to maintain viable and forward-looking human ecosystems.

Environmental impact: another challenge for desalination

However, the intensive use of desalination processes has generated many debates around the subject, especially from an ecological viewpoint. The main problem for Reverse Osmosis systems is that, once water suitable for consumption has been obtained from the oceans, the remnant product is brine, which is poured back into the sea. But here is the main issue associated with brine rejection: Although the same amount of ions that have been extracted before are returned to the ocean, their concentration is much greater (increasing approximately between 1.6 – 2.5% the salinity of seawater around the plant).

Several environmental and scientific studies have found variable results ranging from non impact on benthic communities to widespread alterations of the coral reef, seagrass, and many sediment ecosystems, especially when brine discharges are released to poorly flushed environments, such as the Mediterranean basin.

Nevertheless, in order to avoid as far as possible the impact of reject brine into the sea, there are several methods used by the desalination industry that have proved to be effective, such as brine discharge by submarine emissary or previous dilution, which consists in watering the reject brine before its discharge.

New studies prove desalination sustainability

Recently, Emma Johnston and Graeme Clark, two researchers from the University of New South Wales (Sydney, Australia), have tested the real results of brine rejections in a controlled natural environment close to the Sydney Desalination Plant. After examining six submarine locations at about 25 m depth over a six-year period, the study has permitted to rigorously monitor impacts on the ecosystem and to analyze the recovery of marine life from the effects of pumping large amounts of hypersaline water back into the sea.

“Contrary to our expectation that high salt levels would impact sea creatures –stated both researchers–, we found that ecological changes were largely confined to an area within 100 m of the discharge point. We also noticed the changes were likely a result of strong currents created by the outfall jets, rather than high salinity.”

The best example: The Perth and Southern seawater desalination plants (Australia)

These facilities have supplied secure drinking water to thousands of residents since the first plant started its activity in 2006. The Perth desalination plant brine discharges concentrate into a confined body of water. If ever Reverse Osmosis were likely to be an environmental issue impacting the marine ecosystem, it is here.

Consequently, this Australian facility has been one of the most closely supervised desalination plants in the world. The results could not be more evident: After operating at full flow for eight years, there is no verifiable environmental harm.

At Protec Arisawa, we believe in Reverse Osmosis as a sustainable way to guarantee future supply of drinking water. Our environmental commitment is to improve our processes, pressure vessels, racks and products day by day, so as to reach the highest quality and efficiency levels with minimum ecological impact. We want to work hand in with our customers and suppliers, designing sustainable solutions for the future.

Sources:

Graeme F. Clark, Nathan A. Knott, Brett M. Miller, Brendan P. Kelaher, Melinda A. Coleman, Shinjiro Ushiama, Emma L. Johnston (2018). First large-scale ecological impact study of desalination outfall reveals trade-offs in effects of hypersalinity and hydrodynamics. ELSEVIER.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0043135418307012

Since the discovery of graphene, this new material has opened multiple fields of research thanks to its astonishing properties and countless possible applications. Now, new studies reveal that graphene membranes could also mark a before and after for seawater desalination techniques. As global leaders in FRP pressure vessel solutions for membrane filtration systems, at Protec Arisawa we are always up to date…

To begin with, for those who have never heard about this miraculous material, graphene has been under the soptlights since its discovery in 2003: a major scientific development that will undoubtedly condition the future of many industrial sectors. The researchers of Russian origin Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2010 for obtaining this new material with dazzling potential applications: More efficient and resistant computers, substitution organs, flexible electronic screens, solar panels, membrane filtration devices, and a very long etcetera.

What exactly is graphene?

In a few words, graphene is a two-dimensional material, formed by a single layer of carbon atoms a million times thinner than a human hair, with high capacity to conduct electricity and heat. It has unique properties, as it is the thinnest material on Earth, as well as extremely resistant and flexible: Two hundred times harder than steel, five times lighter than aluminium and with higher conductivity than copper. Just one piece of information: A graphene sheet measuring one square meter weighs only 0.77 milligrams!

There is, however, a curious fact about this process: This graphene sheet is so thin (the size of an atom) that the obtained material is invisible to the human eye. Also, this material is not as new as it seems: When we draw with graphite (the main component of traditional pencil leads), the scratching produces small amounts of graphene.

So we can easily imagine that many governments and science institutes are developing huge research programs in order to investigate new solutions for graphene manufacturing, treatment and manipulation. As foremost example we have the Graphene Flagship project, the largest scientific initiative in the European Union: with a budget of one billion Euros and 150 research teams from 23 countries involved, its aim is to tackle the uses of graphene from a multidisciplinary and practical approach. We are facing “a new revolutionary material, discovered less than ten years ago, and made up of a single layer of carbon atoms,” explained Frank Koppens, director of the nano-optoelectronics research group at ICFO in Barcelona (Spain): A research institute dedicated to photonics where a whole department is devoted to the study of graphene.

Koppens, who is living himself at the centre of this revolution, concluded that “in any case, in a decade the world will be different, if we manage to domesticate this miraculous material”.

A few weeks ago, scientists at the University of Manchester’s National Graphene Institute (NGI) led by Professor Rahul Raveendran Nair have managed to electrically control the flow of water through “smart” membranes made from this material. The researchers are convinced that their findings might turn upside down the field of artificial biological systems, tissue engineering and membrane filtration systems.

The graphene membrane: How does it work?

According to study results, the new “smart” membranes, developed with graphene oxide, allow the precise control of water flows by using an electric current. Professor Rahul Nair stated that their new achievement “allows us to precisely control water permeation, from ultrafast permeation to complete blocking”. We are facing a work that can indeed open up an avenue for further developing smart membrane technologies, that will “permit precise and reversible control of molecular permeation through the use of external stimuli, and it would be of great interest to many areas of science (physics and chemistry), to life sciences (health),» he said.

The scientific research, carried out in collaboration with experts from the Universities of York (UK), Shahid Rajaee Teacher Training SRTTU (Iran), and Antwerp (Belgium), has demonstrated that graphene oxide membranes could be used as a sieve to remove salt from seawater as a desalination alternative.

At Protec Arisawa, we manufacture the best FRP pressure vessels and racks for membrane filtration systems. Both from an industrial and scientific viewpoint, graphene is a material called to break into our field of action, and that’s why we are already anticipating future innovations for a sector that could shortly be turned upside down. The global interest in graphene-based membrane technologies will soon provide a pathway to their commercialization. We will remain attentive…

Sources:

Graphene smart membranes can control water. Press release, University of Manchester

https://www.manchester.ac.uk/discover/news/graphene-smart-membranes-can-control-water/

A graphene roll out. MIT News

http://news.mit.edu/2018/manufacturing-graphene-rolls-ultrathin-membranes-0418

In Oman, global leaders in water treatment processes and desalination plants relied on Protec Arisawa to manufacture the pressure vessels for their most important project: the Barka Independent Water Project (IWP) plant. This 281,000-m3/d capacity seawater Reverse Osmosis facility is the largest desalination plant in the country.

Finally, the Barka Desalination Company announced the opening of the Barka Independent Water Project (IWP) plant in July 2018, an essential infrastructure for the development of energy and water production for the main water network of Oman. At Protec Arisawa, we consider this major event as a new success of our state-of-the-art pressure vessel solutions.
However, Protec was not alone in this project: the Barka Independent Water Project was completed in less than 30 months by a consortium consisting of Itochu Corporation, ENGIE, SUEZ and Towell Engineering, under a 20-year Water Purchase Agreement (WPA). Thanks to the association of these main actors in water industry, the new seawater treatment complex has a capacity of 281,000 cubic meters per day: the largest desalination plant in the country. As accorded, SUEZ will operate and maintain the plant for twenty years.

Who are Protec’s partners in IWP?

SUEZ is a multinational company headquartered in Paris (France), dedicated to the operation and procurement of water, electricity and gas services in several countries around the world. Today, this group employs more than 160,000 people. With a presence on all five continents, the French company is a key player in the sustainable management of resources. SUEZ generated total revenues of €15.3B in 2016.

In this case, SUEZ was responsible for the design, construction, ownership, financing, operation and maintenance of this brand new seawater reverse osmosis desalination plant, located at a coastal site near Barka (in the Al Batinah region), on the Gulf coast of Oman, 50 km west of Muscat.

Protec Arisawa supplied the last pressure vessels for membrane filtration systems in October 2016, designed in order to reach the lowest energy consumption available from seawater RO elements, and the commissioning was started in early 2018. Protec Arisawa’s scope of supply consisted in:

• 3006x BPV-8-1200-MSP-7
• 175x PRO-8-450-MSP-7

Thanks to the 3,181 Protec FRP pressure vessels, the whole complex will be able to desalinate up to 281,000 cubic meters per day applying the newest reverse osmosis techniques. Since July, the Barka plant is providing an environmentally-friendly and sustained supply of high-quality drinking water with minimum electrical energy consumption, thus offering more energy efficiency than the current state-of-the-art desalination systems.

As global leader in FRP pressure vessels for reverse osmosis water purification treatments, Protec is extremely pleased to collaborate with the major players in the sector.

Oman: A territory full of new projects

But this is only the beginning… Oman Power and Water Procurement Company (OPWP) initiated the pre-qualification process for developers to set-up two new independent water projects (IWPs) in the same Al Batinah region.

The two future water desalination plants will have a combined capacity to produce 250,000 cubic meters of water per day, and will be located at North Al Batinah and Barka, confirming this Red Sea area as a promising market for desalination processes, due to the growing number of membrane desalination plants in the region.

Therefore, our objective must be to expand Protec’s field of action in the Omani market, supported by the quality of the best fiber-reinforced pressure vessel solutions for water purification. At Protec we live and work every day to take part in the most ambitious projects, both from an industrial and technological viewpoint. Over 40 years of experience confirm our global leadership in the development and production of FRP vessels. This major hit in Oman is the best proof that Protec Arisawa has further reinforced its leadership position as a main supplier for the desalination industry, racks and Reverse Osmosis processes.

Lithium is the world’s lightest metal and has been dubbed “white petroleum” due to its common usage in state-of-the-art batteries. It is a lighter, more efficient and more durable material than other competing technologies. Now, a recent desalination process with new filtration membranes could extract this mineral, vital for our everyday life, from seawater. How is that possible? As global leaders in FRP pressure vessel solutions, at Protec Arisawa we want to know more about it…

While climate change is putting huge cities like Los Angeles and Cape Town under great pressure regarding water supply, a new filtering material could be used in desalination processes to extract lithium. This major advance can potentially offset the cost of producing freshwater from the ocean. Why is this scientific achievement so important?
Just take a look. Lithium is all around us. It can be found in seawater across the planet, and in groundwater in certain geological formations. It is a vital element for batteries that power all kind of devices, from day-to-day systems like our cell phones and laptops, to military technologies such as those used in drones and electric vehicles.

How does a scarce mineral end up in our pocket?

The concentrations of lithium are very low, and this mineral is typically mined from briny lakes in a really intensive time- and energy-consuming process. Today, major producers are China, Australia and some countries in South America and Africa. However, this could change very soon.
Last February, according to a paper published in Science Advances, scientists from Monash University and the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) in Australia, in cooperation with the University of Texas (Austin, USA), have managed to develop a new membrane made from a metal-organic framework, or MOF. This amazing material can imitate the filtering abilities found in organic cells, which allow some particles or molecules to pass through it, while stopping others. It sounds really promising…

Metal-organic framework membranes or MOF

In a few words, MOF has an intricate internal structure that makes it the perfect material for capturing, storing and releasing molecules. Therefore, the development of highly efficient lithium ion separation membranes is the key to achieve success in this technological challenge, especially in a world that demands huge quantities of energy storage materials (such as lithium batteries), added to the decline in the reserves of these resources.
However, there is one important piece of information to be taken into account: despite lithium’s common association with batteries, over 60% of world lithium demand comes from industrial applications, such as glass, ceramics, lubricants, and casting powders. For example, the separation of chemical mixtures on an industrial scale could account for about 10 to 15 % of the world’s total energy consumption. Currently, this mineral is worth about US$100 a pound (about €180 a kg), and it could significantly reduce the cost of seawater desalination processes, thus contributing in the production of important and vital supplies of freshwater for a thirsty planet.

Protec’s commitment to innovation and new technologies

At Protec, we believe in innovation as a fundamental value that is central to our success. It couldn’t be otherwise: As experts in pressure vessel production for Reverse Osmosis membrane filtration systems, we understand the magnitude of this new global approach that allows the extraction of a material as relevant as lithium directly from seawater.
We are a key player in our sector, and our commitment is to work for responsible innovations and a sustainable future. We strive every day to make our technologies and processes more sustainable and eco-friendly. With this in mind, we will remain vigilant to further developments in the MOF membrane filtration systems’ field of action.

Sources:
Ultrafast selective transport of alkali metal ions in metal organic frameworks with subnanometer pores

Huacheng Zhang, Jue Hou, Yaoxin Hu, Peiyao Wang, Ranwen Ou, Lei Jiang, Jefferson Zhe Liu, Benny D. Freeman, Anita J. Hill and Huanting Wang.

http://advances.sciencemag.org/content/4/2/eaaq0066

The Basque Internationalisation Agency has managed to get top executives from Saudi Aramco, the largest oil company in the world, to visit the Basque Country and meet the most relevant local firms in the sector. As global leader in pressure vessel manufacturing for Reverse Osmosis desalination processes, Protec was present to ascertain cooperation and investment prospects in the United Arab Emirates.

At the beginning of July, Basque companies from the Renewable Energy, Engineering, Oil & Gas, Railway, Electric and Water sectors, held a series of inverse trade meetings with senior executives from the main Saudi oil company: Saudi Aramco, the Saudi Arabian national petroleum and natural gas company, one of the largest groups in the world by revenue. According to Bloomberg News, we are talking about the most profitable company in the world.

Let’s get to the background: Representatives of the Saudi energy leader senior management visited the Basque Country in the framework of a commercial exchange, an initiative promoted by Basque Trade & Invest (formerly known as SPRI). The foreign executives were also accompanied by several representatives and commercial delegations from five of the most powerful companies in the United Arab Emirates. As expected, Protec Arisawa was invited to participate in the meetings.

As the organisers stated, “the aim of this trade mission was to explore the possibilities that the possibilities that the Saudi and UAE markets offer Basque companies, and viceversa”, as well as to enhance high level relations between both regions in order to support Basque companies established abroad.

Basque Internationalisation Agency (AVI)

Protec wishes to thank the AVI/Basque Trade & Invest as a most valuable platform to spread its pressure vessel and rack solutions around the world. The corporate purpose of this agency is to promote the internationalisation of the Basque economy and companies, by supporting their international outreach, along with the competent stakeholders to attract external investments to the Basque Autonomous Community.

Two great objectives

This commercial inverse meeting between companies, knowledge and cultures had two main goals:

• Promoting the business opportunities that these countries offer Basque companies,
• Explaining to a number of Middle East companies invited to the Conference the opportunities for Basque companies to find business partners in four major sectors: Renewable Energy, Oil & Gas, Railway and Equipment and Contract.

The plan is to deploy a new portfolio of value added services, segmented for different company profiles in an integral model combining own and partner capacities. Of course, Protec Arisawa will stand first in line.

Middle East: the perfect context for Reverse Osmosis desalination

The United Arab Emirates market is among the most dynamic in terms of foreign trade. It is one of the 16 largest exporters and of the 20 largest importers of goods worldwide. In the period 2012-2014 its trade represented an average of almost 175% of GDP. For Protec Arisawa, this gathering between Persian Gulf and Basque companies offers incredible possibilities for its pressure vessel solutions and membrane filtration systems, financially and in terms of expansion, innovation and research.

The favourable business climate in the United Arab Emirates, its geographical location, the high level of income of its population, the strong investment plans being undertaken to diversify their economy and, in addition, the great development of infrastructures that the country is implementing to position itself as a logistics centre towards Africa and Asia, represent major incentives for Basque companies to invest in this region.

This area is a crucial ecosystem for Reverse Osmosis desalination processes due to the growing number of membrane desalination plants in the region: The Persian Gulf market for water treatment is a well-known environment for Protec Arisawa, thanks to its wide experience with first-class clients in this part of the world.

Here are the news items collected by the media about the meeting:

El Gobierno vasco logra que altos ejecutivos de la petrolera más grande del mundo, Saudí Aramco, se reúnan con empresas vascas del sector.

Empresas vascas se reúnen con ejecutivos de las principales firmas saudíes para sondear inversiones en Emiratos Árabes

Empresas vascas se reúnen con ejecutivos de las principales firmas saudíes para sondear inversiones en Emiratos Árabes

New successes in the Mediterranean region and in the Middle East pave the way for another great year of growth, international development and innovation. These are our main achievements in 2018, so far…

In many ways, 2017 was a great and profitable year for Protec Arisawa. As expected, the ambitions for 2018 were aiming high, and once again we have more than lived up to all expectations. Halfway through 2018, every effort has undoubtedly been made to lay the foundations for another productive year.

As happened last year, in 2018 our global strategy is supported by an enhanced international presence. Recently Protec attended IFAT (Munich), the World’s Leading Trade Fair for Water, Sewage, Waste and Raw Materials Management: The perfect scenario to expand knowledge in the latest emerging desalination and water reuse technologies, where the most important actors share their knowhow.

The commercial centre of gravity now goes beyond Europe, looking boldly across the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. The rise in world demand for membrane filtration systems indicates that Protec Arisawa will undoubtedly benefit from this new network expansion strategy. We strive constantly to improve our products and services, and these global events are a cornerstone of our international development plan. We are pioneers in our innovating field, and at Protec Arisawa we value these professional gatherings as unique opportunities to ratify our experience and leadership in our sector.

New success in the Mediterranean region

A key project in the good development of this half-year has been the agreement reached between Protec Arisawa and Acciona Agua to produce and install 216 high-tech pressure vessels in a new desalination plant located in Sarlux, in Sardinia (Italy). Once again, Protec Arisawa has been invited for its quality and efficiency to join this Spanish leading company in water treatment in the conquest of the Mediterranean basin. This brand new desalination plant will provide daily 12,000 cubic meters of high-quality demineralised water to one of the biggest and more complex refineries in Europe, which accounts for approximately 15% of Italy’s total refining capacity.

In the same way, as announced earlier, we have once again reinforced our leadership position in pressure vessels for desalination industry in the Middle East, where we are already deploying our unique professional solutions in several huge projects, such as the Shuaiba III power and desalination complex, located in Saudi Arabia.

In this case, Protec Arisawa will provide 3,960 pressure vessels for the largest desalination complex in the world, where global leaders in desalination plants design and construction –Abengoa and Fisia Italimpianti– have relied on our expertise to develop the pressure vessels for their flagship project.

More specifically, this order is divided into 2,800 high-pressure vessels (1,200 psi) and 1,160 low pressure vessels (450 psi), intended to fulfil the reverse osmosis process requirements of a major project aimed at meeting Jeddah region’s increasing demand of water. This area is a crucial market for desalination processes due to the growing number of membrane desalination plants in the region: A geographical and socio-cultural environment where Protec moves like fish in water, thanks to our experience and clients in this part of the world.

Both partnerships will allow the company to grow in one of the most promising markets for the industry, in line with a solid international expansion strategy. The adequate understanding of the different international realities can transform them into opportunities: The appropriate identification of the markets where we aspire to strengthen our position is only the first step in searching new ways of adapting and accompanying the chosen environment.

We develop new solutions to conquer future markets

Nothing like innovating to win our clients’ favour, especially when Protec Arisawa’s offer is based on excellence and quality. Over 40 years of experience confirm our global leadership in the development and production of fiber-reinforced plastic pressure vessels for water purification treatments. We use the latest technologies, in order to produce our customized reverse osmosis solutions on a smaller, faster and more compact scale. Innovation is definitely part of our DNA.

IFAT 2018 was a not-to-be-missed trade fair: as leading manufacturer in FRP pressure vessels for water purification processes, Protec Arisawa was expected to deploy and showcase state-of-the-art solutions at this event, unique for networking, knowledge sharing, innovation and new business opportunities. Once again, we have exceeded all expectations thanks to our know-how and experience!

For those who are not yet familiar with this meeting, IFAT is the stage on which the most important companies in the water sector present the technologies of the future for a cleaner environment. Protec Arisawa could not miss this opportunity!

New technologies for the future of water

Microplastic membrane filters, digitally linked pumps, waste containers with sensors, more efficient wastewater recycling and 4.0 transformation of the entire industry… Each and every subject was simply fascinating! For five days, more than 3,300 exhibitors and 141,000 visitors focused on the main issues and the latest technologies related to water, wastewater, waste and raw materials management. The innovations in new membrane manufacturing techniques and new processes to improve desalination technology have also been in the spotlight.

Emerging themes such as decentralized treatment solutions that promote water reuse, recycling, or the recovery of resources contained in wastewater, attracted the attention of a great number of visitors, as well as new techniques in detection, quantification and treatment of micropollutants.

Beside, this 2018 edition has driven the public discourse more actively than ever before. As the Managing Director of Messe München Stefan Rummel underlined, “the public sphere has been heavily involved, and this was reflected in the visits of international politicians, the numerous delegations from all over the world and technology experts who came to share ideas, experiences and know-how.”

Our conclusions for IFAT 2018

In the XXIst century, the water industry still has a wide variety of practical issues that are yet to be solved. Climate change makes rainfall and floods more violent and unpredictable: there is no magic formula on how to react to these negative effects. IFAT has been a great setting for the development of global solutions, since single operators cannot make decisions on preventive measures without consulting other stakeholders such as communities or governments. This edition has witnessed how representatives of urban planning and wastewater management departments of cities from all over the world expressed their strong will to cooperate, especially between departments.

Protec Arisawa’s visit to Munich has been a complete success in many ways: we have met the most important actors in our sector and discovered new technologies; IFAT has definitely been the perfect spot to learn about the latest trends and developments of a water treatment activity that represents a growing market for both governments and the private sector.

Why does Protec Arisawa attend these global events?

Nowadays, the modern concept of a trade show as a commercial meeting is an indispensable marketing tool used in a global way to accelerate both relationship building and sales mechanism over short terms. Considering the influence and importance of this congress, we are strongly convinced that this kind of activities and meetings are highly positive for our development. For example, potential customers interested in products or services, such as those offered by Protec Arisawa, are much more likely to find out about our customized FRP pressure vessel solutions at a trade congress.

Furthermore, IFAT is also responsible for generating not only new areas of knowledge and creating opportunities for water-related research projects, but also for promoting innovation and creating new businesses in new, growing sectors, as well as providing workers with new skills.

Observing, understanding our competitors and comparing ourselves has been a most enriching experience at Messe München, considering that IFAT is the world’s leading exhibition since its creation in 1966 and a unique opportunity for all professionals in the sector. The next edition will be held from 4 to 8 May 2020 at Messe München, the Munich Trade Fair Centre. And, needless to say, Protec wil be there.

A new global study has used satellite technology and records of human activity to analyse Earth’s freshwater distribution for years, suggesting that wet areas are getting wetter, while dry areas are getting drier. This pattern is due to multiple factors, such as water management policies, human-induced climate change as well as natural climate cycles.

Protec Arisawa is a forward-looking company always searching for new solutions in our field, and our obligation is to always remain up to date with the latest and most relevant news affecting our sector. As global leaders in FRP pressure vessel manufacturing for reverse osmosis processes, everything related to water is essential for us.

New approach to an immediate problem

In many ways, we are facing a revolutionary scientific work. A NASA-led research team used 14 years of images and observations recorded by the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) mission, combined with data on human activities to map where –and why– freshwater is changing around the globe. Thanks to this innovative research technique, scientists have been able to track global freshwater trends in 34 regions around the world.

This study, published in the May 17, 2018 issue of the Nature science journal, includes other human data sources such as agricultural activities, mining and industry among others, and registers from 2002 to 2016. “This is the first time we’ve assessed how freshwater availability is changing, everywhere on Earth, using satellite observations”, stated Matt Rodell, lead author of the article and head of the Hydrological Sciences Laboratory.

Satellites to study Earth’s water

The twin GRACE satellites, launched in 2002 as a joint mission with the German Aerospace Center (DLR), measured the distance between the two satellites with an incredible accuracy, in order to detect changes in the Earth’s gravity field caused by mass movements on our planet. Using this method, GRACE scientists have been able to track variations in land water storage on a monthly to annual time scale, until the mission ended in October 2017.

The humid areas of the Earth are witnessing how the amount of precipitation they receive keeps increasing, while the dry areas are receiving fewer rains each year, and this leads to great global hydrological changes. As global temperatures continue to rise, cities around the world will have to figure out how to do more with less water. For example, in 2016 average daily per capita use in California was 321 litres, while the south-western region of the Golden State lost 4 gigatons of freshwater per year between 2007 and 2015. For reader’s information, a gigaton of water is the equivalent of the mass of the water contained in 400,000 Olympic swimming pools. Quite a trivial quantity, isn’t it?

“This observation-based assessment of how the world’s water landscape is responding to human impacts and climate variations provides a blueprint for evaluating and predicting emerging threats to water and food security,” as the study claims.

Fresh water is present in lakes, rivers, soils, snow, groundwater and glacial ice. The continuous loss of arctic mass, attributed to climate change, has severe implications for sea level rise. On the continental platforms, while water supplies in some regions are relatively stable, other areas typically experience increases or decreases, as the study reports.

Desalination as a future solution for water sustainability

In this context, the mastery of new water purification techniques and modern desalination processes is called to become a key factor that will set the pace in the path to find solutions to this problem that will undoubtedly change the world as we know it over the next 50 years.

At Protec, we strive every day to upgrade our FRP pressure vessel solutions, proving that reverse osmosis is one of the most advanced, efficient and environmentally friendly water purification technology: we are ready to face current global issued and well aware of the growing weight that innovation represents in finding sustainable ways to supply drinkable water.

Sources:

Emerging trends in global freshwater availability

M. Rodell, J.S. Famiglietti, D.N. Wiese, J.T. Reager, H.K. Beaudoing, F.W. Landerer and M.-H. Lo.

We would like to thank all the people who visited our stand. Being at IFAT was an enriching experience. We will continue to work very hard. See you at the next fair.
Thank you
The Protec Arisawa team.

Indeed, we are fit and ready for the first important international meeting in 2018. Come and visit us at Messe München between the 14^th and 18^th of May: IFAT is the world’s leading event for water technology professionals, you can’t miss it! We’ll be waiting for you at our stand A3.403

 After attending last year’s edition of the IDA World Congress and Aquatech Amsterdam with great results and a premium quality high-tech offer in pressure vessels for water purification, Protec Arisawa will also be present at IFAT 2018: The World’s Leading Trade Fair for Water, Sewage, Waste and Raw Materials Management. We are on the move!

As was predicted, this IFAT edition is almost fully booked and its managers are expecting more participants, exhibitors and visitors than ever. More than 3,300 exhibitors –that is about 200 companies more than at the last edition in 2016– will attend this global trade fair for Environmental Technologies to present their pioneering technologies, innovations, strategies and solutions tailored to meet the requirements of specific markets and applications.

The best platform for innovation in water treatment

Protec’s state-of-the-art expertise will also be present at IFAT 2018, next to the most important actors in this sector. In future scenarios, treated water will support a wide range of economic and human activities in coastal areas, fulfilling new and innovative functions, and our mission is to remain at all times attentive to the particular needs and the latest discoveries in our field. In this sense, the World’s Leading Trade Fair for Water, Sewage, Waste and Raw Materials Management is the perfect scenario to expand knowledge in the newest emerging desalination and water reuse technologies.

Come and visit us at our stand A3.403

Between the 14^th and 18^th of May, Protec Arisawa will be at the Messe München exhibition centre (Munich, Germany), an impressive space with huge capacity and the best technical facilities for this top event. Our international team will assist clients, suppliers and visitors in every need.

 IFAT 2018 is a not-to-be-missed trade fair: The ideal stage to showcase our leadership in FRP pressure vessels for water purification processes. This is a unique field for networking opportunities, knowledge sharing, innovation and new business opportunities.

Attendance of all industry-relevant companies

As the main industrial platform for innovations in water reuse technologies, this IFAT edition is extremely interesting for Protec. Here are some key data about IFAT 2016 that mirror the importance of this meeting:

• 3,087 exhibitors from 59 countries
• 136,885 visitors from 169 countries
• An exhibition space of more than 230,000 square meters

Our professional delegates will have the chance to meet the entire industry major players, ranging from companies providing services on a global scale to highly specialized medium-sized enterprises. We are most eager to share experiences with them all!

New challenges, new solutions

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), two billion people around the world must satisfy their thirst with contaminated water or not-correctly treated seawater. As the climate is changing, making the situation ever worse, the industry’s responsibility to handle water resources efficiently is growing every day. As the Managing Director of Messe München Stefan Rummel declared, “more and more companies throughout the world rise to the global environmental challenges.”

Come and visit us at our stand A3.403! We want to listen to your ideas and explore every possible solution to develop the right pressure vessel for each specific case and field of action. As water managers around the world grapple with intensifying water and wastewater infrastructure challenges, our objective is to expand the company’s field of action to more mainstream markets and to prove the quality of the best fiber-reinforced pressure vessel solutions for water purification on the market.