MemTecplus

Goal of the Project MemTecplus is the development of a continuously working membrane filtration system with high chemical and mechanical stability for the treatment of mining waters and the quantitative separation of pollutants and heavy metals and the extraction of rare earths from waters of old mines and spoil heaps bound particulate.

Core of the project is the development of an innovative micro-porous membrane filtration system based on the polymer system polyvinyl chloride (PVC). So far, PVC is not used for membrane-like materials though it shows excellent properties for the use as filtration material in technical applications:

• stability in a wide pH-range
• high resistances
• cost-efficient
• manufacture of pores with an appropriate pore size of 0.5-20 μm by drawing a PVC film filled with particles

For the manufacture of the membranes a cost-efficient, industrial process that allows for a setting of material properties according to the requirements will be developed.

New modular filter units are manufactured by laminating membranes to a drainage textile. These composites are processed to filter pockets, which are hydraulically connected to form stacks.

By a procedural combination of new yet to be developed in-situ cleaning methods (mechanical and/or fluidic) and compression of the precipitations and its continuous discharge, the water cleaning process is coupled to the recovery of raw materials. For this, the materials have to be precipitated in an upstream process step.

For a continuous particulate separation of the target materials and the simultaneous water cleaning an innovative system concept for micro-filtration modules will be developed. Manufacturers of the Ore Mountains region can accomplish all manufacturing steps from membrane manufacture to module construction. A high global market potential is expected for the filter systems.