2015 AMTA/AWWA Annual Membrane Conference Highlights

Scinor Makes Splash with Direct Retrofit UF Modules!

 

Without a doubt from my perspective, the launch of Scinor’s direct retrofit UF modules was the breaking news of the 2015 AMTA/AWWA Annual Membrane Conference a few weeks ago in Orlando FL. The emergence of direct retrofit UF modules for Pall, GE and Evoqua/Memcor systems could just be the catalyst to push the MF/UF market to commoditization.

Scinor Water Limited, based in Beijing, China, is making modules of exactly the same configuration as Pall, GE, Memcor and Dow modules using a TIPS ultrafiltration fiber which they claim is equivalent to the TIPS fiber used in Pall’s modules (made by Asahi) and stronger than the NIPS fibers used in the Memcor, GE and Dow modules. Scinor’s US business is headed up by some very experienced ex-Pall employees so they should know what they are talking about. According to their literature, Scinor currently has about 100 installations using their membranes, nearly all in China with a total installed capacity of 210 MGD. I don’t believe they have published what the split of these installations are between GE, Pall, Dow, etc. retrofits.

Scinor certainly made a grand entrance to the US membrane market at the 2015 AWWA/AMTA Annual Membrane Conference with a booth, major sponsorship and comprehensive technical and sales literature. Their membranes have also been challenge tested to receive EPA LT2 log removal credits by the California DPH. My understanding is that the initial UF market entry strategy is to pursue replacement opportunities for older Memcor, Pall and GE installations. This is a pretty sound strategy where they can potentially get their modules in use quickly to get reference installations and hopefully demonstrate reliable performance while in parallel establishing relationships with OEMs to use their modules in new installations.

At the conference I asked the opinion of one of the membrane experts from a major consulting firm and he likened Scinor to the street salesman with imitation watches under his jacket. The image of a cheap imitation membrane company from China will be something Scinor has to manage to be seriously considered. The US team certainly has some very savvy Pall guys on their team (marketing and engineering) which should at least provide initial credibility and open some doors.

Whille replacements at existing systems will provide some quick cash flow, the key to long term success of Scinor will be acceptance by independent OEMs who use Dow and Toray modules such as H2O Innovation and Wigen Water Technologies. I can't see Pall, GE and Evoqua buying their modules for new systems. Wigen and H2O are unlikely to want to use Pall and GE knockoffs as these have much less membrane surface area than the Dow and Toray modules and would not be efficiently used on their Open Platform/Universal UF racks with these larger modules.

 

Wigen's Spectrum Series Universal UF Rack on Display at the AMTA/AWWA Conference

 

For large scale installations, we will want to see the Scinor modules in use at retrofits for 2 to 3 years with no membrane integrity issues before we see these modules used in new systems, even if they are a lot lower cost. It will then really be up to the engineers and water utilities to first approve these membranes and write them into specifications before they are seriously considered for an initial Open Platform UF rack inventory.