SINGAPORE: Three years after GE opened the GE Singapore Water Technology Centre on the campus of the National University of Singapore (NUS), the facility is playing a vital role in the development of new solutions for low-energy seawater desalination, water reclamation and efficient water reuse. GE marks the centre's third anniversary during the 2012 Singapore International Water Week, which is being held July 1-5 in Singapore. Since its opening in June 2009, the centre has become an important part of GE's global technology organization by supporting the development of advanced technologies to help solve some of the world's most pressing water challenges. The centre has helped expedite fundamental research and industry innovation in water treatment, while also strengthening government collaborations in Singapore and around the world. “The growth of the water industry in Singapore and the country's leadership in this space has been backed by the great emphasis on research and development. In line with this, Singapore and GE's commitment to advancing research and innovation in the field of water treatment is showcased at the GE Singapore Water Technology Centre at NUS. This is a demonstration of Singapore's commitment to finding innovative solutions to address challenges while growing the sector,” said Thomas Stanley, chief technology officer – water and process technologies for GE Power & Water. “Going forward, we will continue to develop advanced technologies and will strive to leverage our presence in Singapore to uncover new collaborative and piloting opportunities.” The centre's talented scientists and engineers continue to focus their efforts on several key areas of research and development, including membrane technology (pressure driven and electro-separations), advanced analytical technology, membrane chemicals and systems engineering. Some of the competencies at the centre include: The centre's Analytical Technology laboratory, which is ISO/IEC accredited by SAC-SINGLAS and certified, provides advanced analytical chemistry and scientific services to GE's Asia Pacific customers and new product introduction initiatives. The laboratory's highly skilled research and development experts in a variety of fields, including chemistry and metallurgy, are working closely with GE's commercial team to solve customers' water use problems. The team offers a comprehensive array of industrial analytical services that include membrane autopsy/characterization; corrosion coupons testing; analyses of various types of water and wastewater, microbes, hydrocarbons, ion exchange resins, deposits and complex organics; metallurgy, surface and failure analysis. All testing and methods comply with rigorous QA/QC protocols for method and results validation. Launching a new membrane chemicals technology team The results from membrane autopsy and characterization activities give key insights into the causes of membrane fouling. This team leverages those findings to develop new membrane cleaning solutions for GE's global customers. Meanwhile, the centre's membrane technology team works on developing new solutions for low-energy seawater desalination, water reclamation and more efficient water reuse. The centre has established unique, end-to-end capabilities for flat-sheet membranes used in pressure-driven and electro-separations systems over the entire product development spectrum – chemistry in the lab, coating on pilot equipment and the ability to build and test elements, modules and stacks.
