The 2nd Osmosis Membrane Summit will precede this year’s annual conference of the American Membrane Technology Association (AMTA) in San Diego.
Held on 11-12 July 2010, the summit will feature speakers from all over the world presenting their latest results in membrane and system development, as well as the current status of the different applications. The summit is being supported and sponsored by AMTA, Statkaft, the US Bureau of Reclamation, Energy Recovery Inc and Toray Membrane USA Inc.
AMTA’s administrative director, Janet Jaworski, says, “Since the last Osmosis Membrane Summit in October 2008, progress has been accomplished in a number of areas covering the osmotic power process technology. Not only has the world first complete osmotic power system been put into operation, but there are also encouraging developments of new membrane technology all over the world.”
The summit will have a business section, giving an overview of the current knowledge of the potential market for forward osmosis in desalination and pressure-retarded osmosis in power-generation industries. In the technology section, an overview will be provided of the current knowledge and recent progress in these technologies.
The AMTA conference (13-15 July 2010) will also be preceded by a workshop on 12 July, sponsored by the Southwest Membrane Operator Association focused on Operator Training: Getting Your Membranes Figured Out. The workshop will provide an opportunity to understand membranes in both a classroom and hands-on setting.
The morning session will include an overview of RO basics, MF/UF basics, Seawater Desalination Pretreatment, RO Chemistry, and Membrane Cleaning and Autopsy. The afternoon will be held at Sweetwater Authority (SWA)’s RAR Desalination Facility. The facility has been in operation for 10 years and treats saline groundwater with a RO system to drinking water quality.
Visitors will learn how SWA has optimized operations, discover the intricacies of pressure filters, parameters for proper pump maintenance, pressure vessel probing techniques and proper performance monitoring. All of these critical elements will be presented at the plant site and presented by local experts who have been involved with the plant for many years.