Technology
The project will develop a new membrane technology based on bionanotechnology and material technology for the production of ultra pure water. The technology copies Nature´s methods, where water channels in living cells filtrate and transport water.
In the project will be established the membranes, that the water passes, and the openings in the membranes, which are channels for the water. The membranes will be constructed by various membrane materials and the openings are made from natural proteins. Passing the openings is a selective process, as only pure H2O can pass, and ions and particles will not pass. Pressure difference forces the water through the membranes and the openings.
Consortium
Construction of such system requires the integration of different basic technologies, which are provided by six partners with complementary resources. Companies in the consortium are AQUAporin and Novozymes. AQUAporin - a small enterprise, that recently obtained venture capital worth 37m DKK, has developed the concept and will later commercialise the technology. Novozymes will develop and produce the proteins. Technical University of Denmark (DTU) participates with three institutes, and University of Southern Denmark (SDU) is also a partner.
Market
The membrane system can be used for any clean water treatment, but the project aims at professional users of ultra-clean water, e.g. manufacturers of chip and flat screen panels and pharmaceutical companies. The worldwide theoretical value of the market is app. 300bl USD. The system is new and can potentially replace some of the existing methods for production of ultra pure water, which are more expensive and complicated. The development also carries high risks!
Objective
The project will develop the methods and processes, which enable large scale production of the membrane technology. By the end of the project a 20x20 cm membrane shall be functioning. Later this membrane will be marketed.
Partners
DTU Nanotech – Department of Micro- and Nanotechnology (Coordinator), DTU
AQUAporin ApS (Technical coordinator)
Center for Quantum Protein, DTU Physics
Department of Chemical Engineering, DTU
MEMPHYS, Centre for Biomembrane Physics, SDU
Novozymes A/S
Natural water filtration through an aquaporin water channel. Courtesy by TCB group, University of Illinois