WE HAVE MADE TECHNOLOGY HISTORY
THE BIRTH OF THE CERAMIC FLAT SHEET MEMBRANE TECHNOLOGY
Prof. Dr. Eng. Horst Chmiel, Technology Director of UPT in SaarbrĂĽcken invented and patented the ceramic flat sheet membrane design with active membrane layer on the membrane outside and multi filtered water channel at the inside. Among his team:Â Dr. Eng. Martin Kaschek.
FIRST CERAMIC FLAT SHEET MEMBRANE LAB MODULEÂ
Sylvie Verplancke (UPT) developed the first lab module for ceramic flat sheet membrane characterization.Â
FIRST CERAMIC MODULE & RACK PROTOTYPES
Kay Gunther Gabriel (ItN) developed first prototypes of ceramic flat sheet membrane module and rack frame for small-size sewage applications.Â
WORLDWIDE FIRST SEWAGE TREATMENT PLANT
50 m³/d municipal MBR plant with prototype module. Designed, built and started-up by Kay Gunther Gabriel (ItN).
FIRST COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE MODULE SERIES
Exchangeable single ceramic plate design with steel module housing. For small-sized applications. Two different plate distance options. First installation 2007. Co-invented by Kay Gunther Gabriel (ItN). Today, this design basis is used by several ceramic flat sheet membrane suppliers worldwide.Â
FIRST DRINKING WATER PROJECT FOR REMOVAL OF IRON, MANGANESE AND HEAVY METALSÂ
DEG development project in Thailand, managed by UPT Prof. Dr. Eng. Horst Chmiel. Among the team:Â Dr. Eng. Martin Kaschek and Dr. Eng. Miriam Sartor.
MECHANICAL CLEANING PROCESS (MCP)
Combination of MBBRÂ carrier media and ceramic flat sheet membrane filtration for continuous removal of forming cake layer from the membrane surface during filtration process. Developed for applications in which the use of chemicals is not permitted or very high TSS concentrations can cause sludge clogging and dewatering. Co-invented by Kay Gunther Gabriel (ItN).Â
FIRST ONE BLOCK MODULE SERIES
Several ceramic plates potted into one module block with surrounding steel rack frame. Designed for large-size sewage and low flow drinking water applications. First installation 2010. Co-invented by Kay Gunther Gabriel (ItN).
ACTIVE CAKE LAYER FILTRATION PROCESS FORÂ SELECTIVE REMOVAL OF DISSOLVED HEAVY METALS
Injection of HMO to form a cake layer on the ceramic flat sheet membrane surface for a selective removal of dissolved heavy metals, like radium, via adsorption. Co-invented by Dr. Eng. Martin Kaschek (ItN) and Kay Gunther Gabriel.
FIRST DRINKING WATER MEGA PROJECT 100,000 mÂł/d
Brackish groundwater pre-RO process. Removal of iron, manganese and heavy metals. Brownfield project. Project scope: Replacement of polymeric membranes, implementation of HMO process. Among the execution team Dr. Eng. Martin Kaschek (ItN), Michael Louia (ItN) and Kay Gunther Gabriel. As of today, the plant is used by the Ministry for supplier benchmark tests. Four different module products have been piloted and two suppliers are already installed.
FIRST GFRP INJECTION MOLDED HIGH FLUX MODULE SERIESÂ
Exchangeable single ceramic plate design with module housing fully made of glass fiber reinforced NORYL™ resin. No surrounding rack frame. High flux design up to 1,500 LMH due to four very large filtered water channels, integrated in the module. Suitable for hot water filtration up to 99 °C. Four different plate distance options enable the use in any TSS concentrations without risk of clogging or sludge dewatering. Designed for large-size sewage and drinking water applications. First installation 2017. Invented by Dr. Eng. Martin Kaschek, Gabriele Terbahl and Kay Gunther Gabriel in collaboration with SABIC.Â
BREAKTHROUGH HIGH FLUX OF 1,000+ LMHÂ
Brackish groundwater pre-RO process. Benchmark performance test in Saudi Arabia has proven an up to 3 times higher flux rate in comparison to all previously used ceramic module designs. A flux rate above 1,000 LMH using vacuum-driven ceramic flat sheet membranes has never been reached before in this application. The demonstration plant operation has been managed by Dr. Eng. Martin Kaschek.
TEP REMOVAL PROCESS FOR SEAWATER APPLICATIONÂ
New seawater RO pre-filtration process is able to remove more than 99 % of total TEP and up to 88 % of colloidal/dissolved fraction. TEP is classified to be the main reason for RO bio-fouling. The benchmark test has been managed by Dr. Eng. Martin Kaschek.
UNMATCHED HOT GROUNDWATER HIGH FLUX OF 1,500+ LMH
Filtration demonstration with hot brackish groundwater of up to 49 °C has achieved an unmatched high flux performance of more than 1,500 LMH. Hot water filtration up to 99 °C is only possible with the new developed module of CERAFILTEC. The demonstration has been executed by Dr. Eng. Martin Kaschek and Mohammed Al-Sharman.
PROCESS FOR REMOVAL OF HIGHLY TOXIC PCBs FROM WATER
New process development for the removal of total PCBs up to 99 %.
PROCESS FOR REMOVAL OF PFAS “FOREVER CHEMICALS”
New ACLF process development using PAC as the adsorbent.