Filtralite® Can Increase Filtration Rates And Reduce The Necessity To Build New Treatment Plants

Introduction 

Water pollution is a growing global issue driven by rapid urbanization and agricultural intensification. Addressing the challenge of treating and purifying contaminated water requires efficient and cost-effective solutions. Filtralite’s advanced porosity enhances contaminant retention, increasing filtration efficiency and contributing to sustainable water management. Mohammed Kastawy, Area Sales Manager MENA region, at Filtralite®, discussed with Aqua Energy Expo Magazine the advantages and innovative technology behind this forward-looking filter media.

Can you describe your career, your current role, and your level of involvement with Filtralite®?

I hold a BEng in Mechanical Engineering and am pursuing my MBA from Liverpool University. With over 20 years of experience in the Middle East, I’ve worked in various roles: 3 years as a Mechanical Engineer, 4 years as a Senior Sales Engineer, and 9 years as an Area Manager. Most recently, I served as the Area Sales Manager for Grundfos for 4 years. Currently, I serve as Filtralite’s Area Sales Manager for the Middle East at Saint-Gobain, driving sales and promoting innovative filtration solutions.

What is Filtralite®’s position within the Saint-Gobain Group?

Saint-Gobain Group has been a leader in building materials for over 360 years, focusing on high performance products that ensure customer comfort and security. Filtralite® aligns with this commitment by offering durable and cost-efficient filtration media designed to optimize water treatment.

How does your team ensure that its innovations meet the needs of the market and consumers?

Filtralite® offers a variety of water treatment solutions, including Filtralite® Pure, Filtralite® Clean, and Filtralite® Air. These products engage with desalination, drinking, and wastewater treatment globally, adhering to all required certifications. Our sales team continuously broadens their market under- standing and skills to anticipate future demands, customizing solutions to meet specific customer needs. Challenges vary by country; some focus on improving water quality, while others aim to boost water production.

What are the biggest challenges you face when developing new products or technologies?

A key challenge is adapting Filtralite® to diverse water treatment methods across the Middle East and Africa, including Saudi Arabia, Oman, UAE, and Egypt. To address this, we have created different filter material particle densities and sizes in our products to accommodate a broad range of filtration processes. This versatility enables us to efficiently filter different types of water and combat numerous forms of water pollution.

How do you manage collaboration with external partners, such as universities or other companies, on R&D projects?

We foster substantial partnerships with universities and companies focused on research and development. Recently, I visited advanced desalination and wastewater treatment plants in Oman, connecting with esteemed partners in the region, including Nama Group, GS Inima Environment, Aqualia, Oman Sustainable Water Services SAOC, and OWWSC. We collaborate with leading companies such as Suez, Aqualia, and Saur, as well as universities sup- porting PhD research on filtration efficiency. Our partners validate Filtralite’s performance through independent laboratory testing, reinforcing our commitment to innovation.

What types of pollutants do Filtralite®’s solutions remove and how effectively?

Filtralite® is a ceramic material crushed and sieved into particle sizes ranging from 0.8 to 5.0 mm, recommended for soaking before use due to its highly porous structure. With a specific surface area exceeding 1500 m²/m³, Filtralite® is exceptionally well-suited as a biofilm carrier. Filtralite’s high specific surface area supports robust biofilm growth, optimizing biological processes like nitrification and denitrification. Its unique design prevents clogging, maintains flow rates, and reduces the need for chemicals and frequent backwashing, offering a sustainable solution for removing iron and manganese from water.

For instance, the Jäniksenlinna plant in Finland replaced sand with Filtralite®, maintaining the same removal efficiency for iron and manganese while reducing backwashing frequency from every two days to once a week. In the Philippines, the Putatán II drinking water plant faced ammonium issues, previously requiring 15 tones of chemicals daily. After testing Filtralite®, they shifted from chlorination to aerated biofiltration, achieving the same ammonium removal without chemicals. This transition significantly lowered operational costs and minimized the environmental impact of chemical use, showcasing Filtralite’s potential for sustainable water treatment solutions.

What benefits does Filtralite® offer water utilities compared to other companies in the market?

Filtralite’s 61% porosity allows greater contaminant retention and bacterial activity, significantly improving filtration efficiency compared to traditional sand. In contrast, sand is characterized by its rounder shape and smoother surface, which results in lower porosity and reduced water cleaning efficiency. Simply put, sand cannot capture all the residues present in the water as well. As a result, our filter media requires less frequent backwashing, leading to fewer filter stops and significant savings in both water and energy used for this process. Filtralite® doubles the water flow rate up to 20 m/h much higher than traditional media, effectively increasing plant output. Additionally, our media allows for the filtration of more water in the same amount of time, providing our clients the option to deliver more water or reduce operational costs by using fewer filters.

Where in the Middle East is Filtralite® active? Could you tell us a bit about the projects you are working on?

Filtralite® is actively engaged in the Middle East, and we’re proud to produce a product that meets global needs. Thanks to our esteemed customers, Ajman Sewerage and MOALAJAH, Filtralite® is utilized at the Ajman Wastewater Treatment Plant in the United Arab Emirates, which is the largest treatment facility in Ajman, boasting a capacity of 147,000 m³/day. In addition to wastewater treatment, we have achieved excellent results with desalination plants. Filtralite® enhances the lifespan of membranes in the reverse osmosis process and accommodates higher levels of suspended solids in the inlet water. This capability allows the plant to maintain water production even during heavy rainfall, which is crucial for operational efficiency. In RO plants, the water from the filter is more biologically stable, which means less biofouling on the membrane and an increased lifespan for the RO membrane. 

Furthermore, we have been involved in a project in Beni Saf, Algeria. Previously, the plant had to halt production when suspended solids exceeded 25 mg/l with sand filtration. However, after installing Filtralite®, they can now produce water with suspended solids levels up to 40 mg/l and have even managed partial production at 70 mg/l. This significant improvement has been transformative for the plant manager, as it prevents costly production stoppages and enhances overall efficiency in water treatment processes.

Population growth, strict water treatment regulations and the growing demand for new water resources are some of the factors driving the water and wastewater treatment market’s growth. How do you see the water and wastewater sector evolving in the next decade?

Rapid urbanization increases the necessity to boost the production capacity of existing water treatment plants in cities. Filtralite® can enhance filtration rates and minimize the need for new facilities. In many areas worldwide, where water scarcity makes every drop valuable, Filtralite® is essential in conserving this critical resource. The rising demand for food compels farmers to use more fertilizers, which often end up in water sources. Filtralite® has shown effective results in phosphorus removal. At the Kakolanmäki wastewater plant near Turku, Finland, Filtralite® eliminates 50% of total phosphorus and over 80% of nitrogen pollution in the water. Additionally, backwashing efficiently removes all particles trapped in Filtralite’s voids. Production losses during this period dropped significantly, from 673,000 m³ in 2019-2020 to 380,000 m³ in 2020-2021, marking a 45% reduction. With the second phase completed, further reductions in downtime are anticipated, potentially exceeding 85%.Water quality improved by 0.3 to 0.5 SDI points.

A large portion of operating costs for drinking water systems can be for energy. How can Filtralite® contribute to energy savings?

Our solution requires significantly less backwashing, a process that rinses the filter media with air and/or water, typically consuming considerable amounts of water and energy. By drastically reducing the frequency of this operation, we lower the water and energy needed for pumping and disposal. Due to its porosity, we can retain between 3 and 4 times more suspended solids, decreasing annual backwash costs by the same factor. As mentioned earlier, all suspended solids captured during the filtration cycle are released during backwashing to maintain filtration efficiency. Additionally, our media facilitates a higher volume of water filtration, further lowering energy consumption over the same timeframe. With a 100% customer retention rate, our clients consistently choose Filtralite® over previous filtration methods, achieving an average return on Investment in under three years.

How can Filtralite® help reduce the carbon footprint of water treatment?

Filtralite® significantly reduces the carbon footprint of both new and existing water treatment facilities by requiring less energy to process the same volume of water. This allows for smaller facility designs and lowers the overall cost associated with water pricing. In regions where energy is predominantly generated from fossil fuels, using Filtralite leads to a lower carbon footprint. Additionally, our media enables higher filtration speeds, allowing for fewer filters, thereby reducing the need for concrete and other resources. To learn more about how Filtralite can enhance your water treatment processes and contribute to sustainable solutions, contact the Filtralite team today on their website, www.filtralite.com

Mohammed Kastawy  
Area Sales Manager – MENA Region  
Mobile: +971565503535 
Email : mohammed.kastawy@saint-gobain.com  
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com