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.
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| 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.
