USFilter Memcor Products pioneered the application of membrane filtration to the municipal/industrial market in the U.S. From the very first membrane plant installed in the late 80’s and Memcor’s beginnings as a spin-off company of Baxter Travenol.
The MEMCOR Continuous Microfiltration (CMF) technology was introduced in the early 1980’s. The first generation of CMF systems (Now called Classic MEMCOR® CMF Pressurized Membrane Filtration Systems) were relatively expensive and limited to high value, low volume process streams such as wine, juice and pharmaceutical applications. Small modules were assembled on small skids using standard plumbing fittings. The second generation M1 and M2 series modules reduced costs and simplified the systems by doubling the membrane area of the modules, and by using injection molded manifolding.
The third generation of the CMF system, the M10 series, was commercialized in the early 1990’s specifically to process high volumes of water and wastewater. The M10 modular design utilized repairable membrane sub-modules and a high degree of automation.
CMF-S (Now called MEMCOR® CS) is the fourth generation of the MEMCOR microfiltration technology and is a result of over 15 years of research, development and operational experience in low pressure membrane technology. The primary aim in the development of CMF-S was to reduce capital and operating costs, footprint, complexity and simplifies scale-up of the microfiltration process for large scale systems. The membrane module cell size and construction is adaptable based on a modular approach to meet specific application requirements. The development of the CMF-S system has resulted in more cost-effective solutions particularly for higher capacity membrane plants.
USFilter’s Memcor Products Group has built an extensive knowledge base through the design and installation of over 700 Continuous Microfiltration (CMF) installations around the world. Over the years, the capital and operating costs of CMF have been reduced by over 50%. This trend continues in the next step of the evolution of the MEMCOR CMF technology, a submerged CMF, known as CMF-S.
The CMF-S (submerged) system design is based upon the solid foundation of the MEMCOR CMF technology. The CMF-S system is a pre-engineered modular membrane system designed to be submerged into new or existing open rectangular steel or concrete tanks. Some of the benefits of the CMF-S system are reduced footprint, reduced complexity and reduced operating costs when compared to other microfiltration systems.
1982 - Memtec America Formed
1985 - M1 and M2 membranes introduced
1986 - Founding of Memtec America and Memtec Europe Limited
1987 - 1st MEMCOR Drinking Water System Operating
1988 - Founding of Memtec Japan Limited
1990 - 1st MEMCOR Wastewater Reuse System Operating
1991 - M10 membranes introduced
1993 - 1st MEMCOR multiple skid system operating in the United States
1997 - MEMCOR acquired by USFilter
1998 – CMF-S submerged technology introduced (Now called MEMCOR® CS)
2000 - PVDF oxidant tolerant membranes introduced
2001 – World’s largest drinking water membrane plant in Coliban WTP in Bendigo, Australia operating
2002 - Water Factory 21 (OCWD) awarded to USFilter, at 86 MGD, will be the largest wastewater reuse membrane plant in the world upon its completion in 2006
2003 - 1st Fullscale MemJet MBR system operating (Now called MEMCOR® Immersed Membrane Bioreactor System)
2003 - AXIA™ Packaged Small Range CMF-S introduced (Now called MEMCOR® XS - Submerged Membrane System)
Microfiltration was now becoming cost effective for water and wastewater treatment, and in 1991, the first municipal microfiltration drinking water plant was installed in Tooborac, Victoria, Australia. The USFilter MEMCOR® CMF system (Now called Classic MEMCOR® CMF Pressurized Membrane Filtration System) has now proven itself to be a cost effective, reliable technology in over 700 installations worldwide.