Toshiba pilots batch water purification system

Japanese water and wastewater treatment company Toshiba Infrastructure Systems & Solutions Corporation (TISS) is diversifying its portfolio and will offer the highly energy-efficient batch purification technology provided by UK-based Salinity Solutions.

Successful trial for world-first technology

TISS placed an order for the Salinity Solutions' HyBatch system following the conclusion of a lab-based feasibility trial. HyBatch's patented batch processing system is the first to be manufactured commercially. It was developed to reduce the environmental impact of water treatment, which matches TISS' commitment to contribute to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and to reduce environmental impacts with consideration for the circular economy and the welfare of ecosystems.

Steve Dunn, commercial and operations director, Salinity Solutions, told Aquatech Online: "We're delighted to be given this opportunity. We know our technology has the potential to benefit a range of sectors with its many applications and we look forward to showing its capabilities."

The need for energy-efficient water solutions

Salinity Solutions was established with the goal of addressing the two biggest challenges in sustaining human life on earth – water and energy. Water stress is a problem facing the entire world and all forecasts suggest it will only get worse. At the same time, water demand is set to double over the next five years, which provides an opportunity for technology and water reuse to meet demand while addressing shortage.

However, estimates suggest 80 per cent of the word's wastewater is returned to rivers, oceans, and other water sources without being treated. Treating more water is both a solution and a major challenge, especially as the water that does currently get treated uses approximately four per cent of the world' total electricity production. Treating more water using conventional technology will consume huge amounts of energy.

In response to this challenge, Salinity Solutions, a spin-out from The University of Birmingham, developed its batch purification technology, which uses half the energy of traditional methods.

Its patented, commercially viable solution has been described as the biggest step forward in water treatment in 50 years and has the potential to benefit membrane processes in every corner of the globe ─ from industrial wastewater clean-up and high value mineral extraction to rural drinking water.

Toshiba's commitment to water and the environment

TISS is part of Japan's Toshiba Group. It provides products and services with the goal of solving common global issues, such as those involving water and the environment.

In the water space, TISS provides water and wastewater treatment systems and 'operational know-how to solve customer issues all over the world and contributes to the creation of environmentally advanced communities with sustainable water infrastructure in response to regional, cultural, and environmental requirements'.

It has been involved in water infrastructure since the 1970s, and offers everything from business planning to operation management, working across the life cycle of a water treatment plant.

How the technology works

A company spokesperson told Aquatech Online: Salinity Solutions' HyBatch is the world's first commercialised batch reverse osmosis wastewater treatment technology. It purifies up to 98 percent of wastewater with 50 per cent less energy than conventional systems and is also easily transportable."

They added: "It works by using varying amounts of pressure to push water through a membrane to give optimal results."

Unlike conventional reverse osmosis membrane systems, the company's proprietary system can achieve a higher recovery within a smaller footprint by recirculating feedwater around the membrane.

Its patented pressure exchange process dramatically reduces the average pressure in the system and therefore the energy consumption. This allows it to purify a higher amount of wastewater, generate less waste, and be more compact than traditional systems.

Since launching in 2021, Salinity Solutions has completed successful trials and pilots in multiple industries, including lithium mining, industrial and municipal wastewater, agriculture, and food production, including trials with SUEZ and Veolia. The company has also built a strong sales pipeline across multiple sectors and geographies. Salinity Solutions' technology is currently in use in the UK and Germany and will soon be operating in France and Chile.