DuPont Water Solutions to Showcase New Fouling-Resistant Seawater Reverse Osmosis Element at IDA World Congress

Commercially available October 2019, durable FILMTEC™ SW30XFR-400/34 technology resists biofouling to increase membrane longevity and optimize desalination operations.

DUBAI, UAE, October 10, 2019 – Freshwater is becoming scarcer and more expensive. Seawater is an increasingly viable alternative to meet demand, and DuPont Water Solutions, a part of the DuPont Safety & Construction business, is leading the way with innovative water treatment technologies. Biofouling remains the greatest challenge for seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) plants – in response, DuPont has launched a fouling-resistant SWRO element: FILMTEC™ SW30XFR-400/34. The new technology will be showcased for the first time at the International Desalination Association’s (IDA) World Congress, taking place October 20-24 in Dubai.

“DuPont’s membranes are taking desalination to the next level for our customers and the industry,” remarked H.P. Nanda, Vice President of DuPont Water Solutions. “We’re proud to share them with others in the industry who are committed to meeting the United Nations’ Sustainability Goal 6: ensuring the availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.”

Introducing FILMTEC™ SW30XFR-400/34

While technological advancements have made desalination a cost-effective option to address water scarcity, biofouling continues to significantly shorten membrane longevity. FILMTEC™ SW30XFR-400/34 hosts state-of-the-art features that mitigate the issue, including fouling-resistance, durable membrane chemistry and low pressure drop design. Compared to standard SW30HRLE-400, the new element offers up to a 40 percent lower pressure drop with improved performance that normalizes permeate flow and salt rejection.

“Desalination now costs half of what it did 10 to 15 years ago, but biofouling – which occurs when bacteria present in feed water settles on the membrane surface, creating a biofilm – which triggers frequent Clean-in-Place. In challenging water, where biofouling is prevalent, the need for frequent cleaning shortens membrane life and ultimately results in increased cost,” said Halim Sutanto, Marketing Manager, DuPont Water Solutions. “With an innovative fouling-resistant and low pressure drop design, DuPont’s new element can achieve more than 33 percent reduction in annual chemical Clean-in-Place frequency, which translates to less downtime, more productivity and increased savings.”

DuPont conducted a FILMTEC™ SW30XFR-400/34 field trial using water from the Middle East Red Sea. The trial validated the membrane’s performance under harsh biofouling conditions – demonstrating stable permeate conductivity over multiple cleanings – whereas an alternative leading “fouling-resistant” membrane experienced an 80 percent increase in salt passage.

“Picture a 100,000 m³/d desalination plant – the improved capabilities of FILMTEC™ SW30XFR-400/34 translate to total savings of $490,000 annually, as well as a 5.5 percent decrease in water cost during the RO stage,” said Gary Gu, Global Technology Leader, DuPont Water Solutions.

Addressing the Future of Water
While introducing the new membrane at the biennial IDA World Congress, DuPont will play a larger role by joining water industry stakeholders to exchange ideas, share knowledge and work together to build a sustainable resource future. As a Silver Sponsor of the event, DuPont will lead a number of onsite presentations and panel discussions that feature its key experts.

DuPont will also participate in the IDA Leaders Summit – a forum for executives from various sectors including finance, legal, project development and technical solutions providers – which allows for direct conversations and results in meaningful action. Alex Lane, Commercial Director at DuPont Water Solutions, will join a panel discussion with executives from Veolia, Kurita, Toray and ROPV centered on “Innovation in the Advanced Water Treatment Market.” 

“We have an abundance of technology, know-how and human talent available, all of which are critical pieces to address multi-faceted challenges facing the water industry today,” said Lane. “These assets can be harnessed more effectively by forging new connections, breaking down silos and collaborating in ways we haven’t before. We welcome the opportunity to explore dialogue, collaborate and forge connections across the value chain.”

Visit our experts onsite at Booth B29. For a full list of presentations, view the program schedule.

About DuPont Safety & Construction

DuPont Safety & Construction is a global leader in delivering innovation for life’s essential needs in water, shelter and safety; enabling its customers to win through unique capabilities, global scale and iconic brands including Corian®, Kevlar®, Nomex®, Tyvek®, GreatStuff™, Styrofoam^™ and Filmtec®.

About DuPont

DuPont (NYSE: DD) is a global innovation leader with technology-based materials, ingredients and solutions that help transform industries and everyday life. Our employees apply diverse science and expertise to help customers advance their best ideas and deliver essential innovations in key markets including electronics, transportation, construction, water, health and wellness, food and worker safety. More information can be found at www.dupont.com.