After more than two years of dedicated product development, CERAFILTEC, a leader in ceramic flat membrane (CFM) technology, introduced its latest product innovation at IFAT 2024: FLEXX-CAP.
Attendees and members of the media joined the CERAFILTEC team for the highly anticipated product reveal, live at the event. This patented technology, exclusively available from CERAFILTEC, marks a significant advancement in the field.
With the FLEXX-CAP, CERAFILTEC’s new product harnesses the power of enhanced fluid dynamics to significantly increase the performance of ceramic membranes in MBR systems. The innovation lies in engineered micro-movements, dislodging solids from the membrane while reducing the laminar boundary layer on the membrane surface; both key factors in enhancing flux rates and improving MBR operations. The FLEXX-CAP is expected to substantially lower total costs to operators and further accelerate the replacement of traditional polymeric membranes with advanced ceramic membrane technology.
Ceramic membranes are well known for their robustness, offering an extended lifespan, superior cleaning flexibility, and the ability to manage challenging feed waters, including those with high levels of oil and grease. Moreover, ceramic membranes ensure consistent water quality and require less maintenance, reducing the operational challenges of fibre breakages and other polymeric membrane limitations. FLEXX-CAP sets a new industry standard by enabling the first-ever membrane technology that is not only unbreakable and always cleanable but also movable. This innovation uniquely combines the most advantageous features of all membrane technologies into a singular, superior solution.
Dr. Martin Kaschek, Chief Science Officer at CERAFILTEC, noted:
“After over two years of dedication, we are excited to announce a significant milestone for our technology. We have always known that micro-movements on the membrane surface reduce the boundary layer and disrupt laminar flow, causing solids to detach and substantially enhancing ceramic MBR performance. We are thrilled to have developed a product that not only achieves this but also improves MBR operations and costs.”
The introduction of FLEXX-CAP comes at a time when CERAFILTEC’s presence in the global MBR market is expanding. Most recently, the company secured MBR projects in Italy, Mexico, Greece, the UAE, and Africa, replacing polymeric membranes. According to Grand View Research, the size of the global membrane bioreactor market was USD 3.35 billion in 2022, and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 7.0% from 2023 to 2030, for which ceramic membranes is playing a vital role in supplying a more reliable technology solution and more sustainable future.
