Membrana, a Membrane and Device Manufacturer, announced that Liqui-Cel Membrane Contactors was selected as the degasification technology at the largest PDP (Plasma Display Panel) plant in China. Siemens in Shanghai, China has designed and built the deoxygenation system that utilises Liqui-Cel 14 x 28 Membrane Contactors. The degassing system processes 300m³/hour (1320gpm) of water and reduces dissolved O2 levels in the water from 8,550ppb down to < 100ppb. Additional contactors can be easily added later to expand the system for oxygen removal to less than 1ppb.

Liquid degassing is required in the manufacturing process used to make plasma display panels. Oxygen in the water will negatively impact the processing yields and surface quality of the panels. The Liqui-Cel degasification system started up in Sichuang, China in July 2008. The Liqui-Cel deoxygenation technology is small, efficient, and modular. It requires 1/10th the footprint of other technologies and it is clean and field proven with over 15 years of installations in many industries.

Environmental concerns are also prompting more companies to install Liqui-Cel Membrane Degassing technology in their water systems in an effort to reduce the chemical requirements of other technologies.

Liqui-Cel Membrane Contactors are used around the world for adding or removing Oxygen (O2), Carbon Dioxide (CO2) and Nitrogen (N2) to or from different liquids in the semiconductor, power, pharmaceutical, photographic, food and beverage, and many other industries. For example, it is known that O2 negatively impacts many processes; it is corrosive and can oxidise materials. In the power and industrial areas, piping and equipment are susceptible to corrosion. Specifically to the semiconductor market, high levels of O2 can cause lower wafer and flat panel yields. Additionally, CO2 negatively impacts performance of EDI and Ion Exchange. The Liqui-Cel Contactors offer a modular solution for O2/CO2 removal before these processes without chemicals.

Liqui-Cel Contactors are also used to add gasses to liquids to enhance megasonic cleaning. The beverage industry looks to membrane contactors for carbonation, nitrogenation and O2 removal. These reflect only a few examples of the variety of applications where the Liqui-Cel Membrane Contactors are used. New applications are constantly being developed.

Additionally, Membrana offers liquid ring vacuum pumps, eductors and oxygen sensors to complement the membrane contactors. Membrana’s Industrial Membrane Group also manufactures a variety of membranes used for filtration in various industries and applications.