BASF to Showcase Sustainable and Cost-effective Water Treatment Solutions at WETEX 2014

German Company to Highlight  inge® Ultrafiltration Membrane Technology for Seawater Desalination Pretreatment and Range of Membrane Antiscalants

Dubai-UAE: 13 April, 2014 - BASF, the world’s leading chemical company, is set to unveil its groundbreaking water treatment solutions at the 16th Water, Energy, Technology and Environment Exhibition (WETEX) 2014, to run from 14-16 April in Dubai. 

The company, which partners with key regional stakeholders such as Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) for the delivery of its solutions, will introduce technologies that enable water treatment processes to become more sustainable and cost-effective. 

A key highlight will be BASF’s new T-Rack® 3.0 based on inge® ultrafiltration membrane technology for seawater desalination pretreatment. The company will also display the next generation of Sokalan® RO-Xpert software that helps to predict scale inhibition capabilities of BASF’s environmentally beneficial Sokalan® RO (reverse osmosis) antiscalants.

Explaining the signficance of inge® ultrafiltration membrane technology for seawater desalination pretreatment to the GCC, Arnaud Piroëlle, Director - Water Solutions, Europe, Middle-East and Africa, said: “The Gulf states expectedly suffer from an extreme water shortage and have long been unable to obtain sufficient supplies from groundwater reservoirs. This has resulted in resorting to seawater desalination to produce drinking water for decades. Traditionally, sea water is evaporated, at which point the salts are left behind and hot steam condensed into fresh water. This process is expensive, consumes substantial energy and generates considerable waste and pollutants including carbondioxide.“ 

He added: “This is a reason why a combination of ultrafiltration and reverse osmosis is an excellent alternative for the future. BASF’s new T-Rack® 3.0 based on inge® ultrafiltration membrane technology for seawater desalination pretreatment is a revolutionary advancement in the field. The solution employs nanotechnology to push seawater through a special membrane that filters out suspended solids, viruses and bacteria, making dirty water clean and fit for human consumption. The actual desalination process is effected using reverse osmosis.“

BASF will also showcase its Sokalan® RO range of high-performance membrane antiscalants that have been developed focusing on environmental compatibility while considering specific customer requirements that enable more efficient operation of reverse osmosis desalination plants. Sokalan® RO antiscalants allow for chemical pretreatment that controls the scaling and snaring of inorganic salts, metal hydroxides, and colloids in RO feed water. The unique performance results in a more complete control of system feed water chemistry, reducing membrane pollution and minimising cleaning requirements. 

Held under the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, Minister of Finance and Industry of the UAE and President of DEWA, WETEX 2014 is set to be one of the largest exhibitions in the region to showcase the latest technologies in the field of water and electricity conservation.