What is a technology membrane, and why use it?

Hybrid membranes are a relatively new approach to manufacturing new, more durable membranes for water and wastewater treatment. Opposite one-component membranes, hybrid membranes are produced of several materials to equip them with improved properties. This leads to enhanced performance and delivers improved permeate quality. In some cases, the HTM can achieve filtration processes that are impossible to reach with conventional filtration technologies. The innovative hybrid technology membranes secure clean water, are durable and cost-effective, and are no longer a complex process.

Hybrid membranes can either be produced of polymers or ceramic. Polymeric membranes were previously widespread due to their low manufacturing costs and easy scalability. Yet, polymer membranes lack thermal, chemical, and mechanical strength, making them incapable of handling aggressive fluids from arduous industries such as marine, power plants, and oil and gas. Furthermore, they cannot withstand frequent chemical cleaning, which is crucial to maintain an efficient and hygienic liquid filtration process. Due to these significant drawbacks of polymer membranes, ceramic membranes are becoming more desirable because they propose the most durable separation processes. Furthermore, they can take the lead in cleaning some of the world’s most polluting industries and operates well in harsh environments. Read more about why to use ceramic membranes here.

Hybrid technology membrane benefits:

• Chemical resistant pH from 0-14
• 60 nanometers pore size
• Unmatched flux
• Corrosive resistant
• High permeability
• Long service lifetime
• … and much more

We have developed a ceramic hybrid membrane based on more than 20 years of experience developing and producing proprietary ceramic membranes. The hybrid technology membrane is based on a combination of silicon carbide (SiC) and zirconia (ZrO2).

Using these two materials aims to include each material’s best attributes. The carrier of the HTM is made of SiC, one of the world’s hardest materials, ensuring durable and long-lasting support. The coating layer contains monoclinic zirconia, providing a well-defined selectivity within the ultrafiltration (UF) range. The HTM membrane has a pore size of 60 nanometers.

Both silicon carbide and zirconia are chemically resistant materials, enabling the HTM to operate with fluids from pH 0-14 without compromising permeate quality.

Furthermore, the HTM membrane has a long service life, ensuring that your filtration application can keep on going without you worrying about membrane replacement costs. It is a low-pressure technology with an unmatched flux delivering cost-effective and durable separation processes.

The HTM membrane operates in crossflow mode, which also works as a rising mechanism to ensure minimal solids build-up to avoid fouling. It is a pressure-driven technology, meaning that no chemicals are needed for operations. Chemicals are only required for chemical Cleaning-in-place (CIP), making the HTM a clean future technology.

The HTM can both be used as pre- and post-treatment.

The hybrid membrane can be used utilized in multiple industries, including:

• Drinking water treatment
• Industrial wastewater
• Food and beverages
• Cosmetics
• Pharmaceutical
• Agro industries
• Pre-RO filtration
• … and much more

The HTM membrane can be made in customized geometries, making it adaptable to your specific filtration needs.