Düsseldorf-based manufacturer Henkel launched two adhesives on 17 September 2013 at the Filtech 2013 trade fair in Wiesbaden, Germany, aimed at desalination membranes.
The adhesives are Loctite UK 178 and Loctite EA 1623986, both of which carry approval for use in potable water filters. While UK 178 is used in the bonding of the filter membranes, EA 1623986 is applied in the manufacture of GRP filter housings.
Areas of application include, for example, large seawater desalination plants, where the brine resistance of the adhesives makes them ideal for the reverse-osmosis process. They are also particularly durable – an important criterion when it comes to building large and expensive seawater desalination facilities.
The two adhesives are similarly compatible with plant cleaning systems that use sodium hydroxide (caustic soda) or sodium hypochlorite. They can be employed at temperatures up to 40ºC and satisfy both the German potable water standard and NSF 61 in the USA.
A further innovation being showcased is Loctite EA 3316. This product can actually be used at temperatures up to 80ºC and can therefore also be applied in the manufacture of filters used in the dairy industry, where the cleaning processes take place at higher temperatures.