02.07.05 | To ensure emergency water supplies, Siemens is using mobile water treatment units featuring membrane systems. In the aftermath of the tsunami catastrophe, for example, the company delivered Memcor AXIM mobile water treatment units to the devastated region. The system is equipped with membrane filtration modules that can produce up to 100 cubic meters of water daily, which is sufficient to supply a small town.
The Memcor AXIM membrane modules consist of approximately 10,000 porous synthetic fibers contained in a cylindrical housing. A pump forces the contaminated water from outside the module through the membrane to the inside. Finally, the filtered water is also disinfected to ensure it does not contain any viruses. The result is high-quality drinking water.

Each pore in the membrane filter measures 100 nanometers in diameter (one-millionth of one millimeter). Pushing contaminated water through these filters under high pressure removes protozoa, bacteria, algae and other microorganisms — entirely without the use of chemicals. The finest of the membrane filters, known as “reverse osmosis filters”, can even remove particles measuring less than one nanometer. Only water molecules can pass through these filters.

As the research magazine "Pictures of the Future" reports, ultra-filtration technology has now been significantly improved by the company inge AG — with funding from Siemens. inge AG engineers in Greifenberg, near Munich, developed a new type of membrane filter, the “Multibore” membrane, which is more durable and works with lower water pressure than conventional systems. The filter’s individual tubular membrane fibers are made of a specially developed polyether sulphone filter material. This material displays a special porosity, which allows much greater water flow than is found in conventional filters. It is also easier to clean, which means savings on energy and maintenance costs when the system is in operation. (IN 2005.06.9)