Wastewater filtration on the up

Despite a massive demand for skills development in the water industry, recycling water for re-use in work processes has become a viable alternative to pure treatment and discharge for the many companies that are required to comply with strict water licence stipulations.

According to I-CAT director of business development and marketing, Lourens Jansen van Rensburg, a significant amount of research and development has gone into improving ultrafiltration (UF) and nano-filtration technologies. “Most recently mechanical evaporation systems, which ensure effective and environmentally safe reduction in excess wastewater for the mining industry, have also come to the forefront of water management,” he says.

According to Jansen van Rensburg, I-CAT Environmental Solutions uses a combination of technologies to provide its clients with the best and most cost-effective solutions, while maintaining a consistent awareness of the environment, energy and social demands. I-CAT Environmental Solutions distributes Hyflux Kristal hollow fibre ultrafiltration (UF) membranes and AZUD filtration systems, which are industrial wastewater filtration solutions.

I-CAT Environmental Solutions also developed and released the I-VAP500 in June 2015. This evaporation system is used for controlled mechanical evaporation of excess waste water in the mining industry and designed to perform optimally in harsh environments. It produces the finest water droplet particles to maximise evaporation and power efficiency. The I-VAP 500 is capable of handling 500 m³ per 12-hour day. The evaporation rate is measured between 60 to 65 percent, depending on ambient weather conditions.

I-CAT aims to introduce more of its evaporation solutions to the international market. “Our aim is to become the market leader in any services related to the environment and to be the ‘port-o-call’ for any such services to our clients.

“We will start with introducing mobile, compact and autonomous drinking water plants from AZUD in Angola. We will also give maintenance and training on existing drinking water plants from AZUD in Tanzania on a gold mine, as well as scope for a new drinking water plant to increase capacity,” Jansen van Rensburg concludes.