HERO: A Patent-Pending Low Cost, Low Profile High-Efficiency Water Treatment and Filtration System

Greenway Design Group, Inc. (PINKSHEETS: GDGI) today announced the commercial release of its patent-pending High Efficiency Reverse Osmosis (HERO) Water Treatment and Filtration System.

The HERO Water Treatment System™ features four-stage water treatment and mechanical filtration. Designed for the Cool-n-Save evaporative pre-cool system, HERO can remove approximately 90% of total dissolved solids from water with up to 1,000 PPM of dissolved solids."Cool-n-Save could be the answer to a country in search of a way to significantly reduce energy consumption and cut carbon output," adds Darius Jakubik, the company's senior vice president. "We developed Cool-n-Save to be cost-effective and practical. Many of our customers have seen enough savings to make up the cost of their investment in less than 12 months."For more information about the company and Cool-n-Save, call 714-892-0011 or visit www.coolnsave.com and www.greenwaydesigns.com .Cool-n-Save sprays water mist around air conditioning condensing coils to bring about a dramatic reduction of energy used by commercial and residential air conditioning systems. Five years of field tests have shown that Cool-n-Save evaporative pre-cooling may produce energy cost savings as high as 30%.CONTACT INFORMATION: Ray Wyman Jr Communications Dir EMAIL: Email Contact OFFICE: 714-892-0011 x26 CELL: 714-330-2232FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS THIS PRESS RELEASE CONTAINS "FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS." FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS ARE STATEMENTS CONCERNING PLANS, OBJECTIVES, GOALS, STRATEGIES, EXPECTATIONS, INTENTIONS, PROJECTIONS, DEVELOPMENTS, FUTURE EVENTS, OR PERFORMANCE, UNDERLYING (EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED) ASSUMPTIONS AND OTHER STATEMENTS THAT ARE OTHER THAN HISTORICAL FACTS. THESE FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS ARE ONLY PREDICTIONS. NO ASSURANCES CAN BE GIVEN THAT SUCH PREDICTIONS WILL PROVE CORRECT. ACTUAL EVENTS OR RESULTS MAY DIFFER MATERIALLY. FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS SHOULD BE READ IN LIGHT OF THE CAUTIONARY STATEMENTS AND RISKS THAT INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO, THE RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH A SMALL COMPANY, OUR COMPARATIVELY LIMITED FINANCIAL AND MANAGERIAL RESOURCES, OUR INABILITY TO MARKET AND SELL OUR LIMITED PRODUCT LINE IN SUFFICIENT VOLUMES THAT MAY ALLOW US TO ACHIEVE AND MAINTAIN PROFITABILITY AND POSITIVE CASH FLOW, THE UNCERTAINTY OF MARKET TRENDS, THE INTENSE COMPETITION FACED FROM OTHER CURRENT AND FUTURE TECHNOLOGIES AND THE UNCERTAINTIES OF COMPETITIVE PRESSURES WE FACE. THESE OR OTHER RISKS COULD CAUSE ACTUAL RESULTS TO DIFFER MATERIALLY FROM THE FUTURE RESULTS INDICATED OR IMPLIED IN SUCH FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS. WE UNDERTAKE NO OBLIGATION TO UPDATE OR REVISE SUCH STATEMENTS.The company reports that the HERO system is suitable for other commercial and industrial purposes. HERO is a "plug-and-use" system; all primary components are ready to use on a low profile steel self-standing rack (w 48" x h 43") and it weighs about 180 lbs. The company also offers additional system configurations that can meet just about any water treatment requirement.Greenway markets their pre-cool technology under the trademark "Cool-n-Save." Independent studies, field tests and Greenway's growing list of residential and commercial customers show that Cool-n-Save evaporative pre-cooling systems may produce energy cost savings as high as 30%, with an average savings of about 26% from air conditioning use during peak heat seasons. The company has been developing pre-cool misting technology since 2005. Greenway recently won the Harvey Mudd College/TechAmerica High-Tech Innovation Award for Green Engineering.Add to Digg Bookmark with del.icio.us Add to Newsvine

CONTACT INFORMATION: Ray Wyman Jr Communications Dir EMAIL: Email Contact OFFICE: 714-892-0011 x26 CELL: 714-330-2232

Global Desalination Market Will Grow 320.3% by 2020, Driven by Reverse Osmosis

Depleting water supplies, coupled with increasing water demand , are driving the global market for desalination technology, which is expected to reach $52.4 billion by 2020, up 320.3% from $12.5 billion in 2010. According to a recent report from energy research publisher SBI Energy, membrane technology reverse osmosis will see the largest growth, reaching $39.46 billion by 2020.

About SBI EnergySBI Energy, a division of MarketResearch.com, publishes research reports in the industrial, energy, building/construction, and automotive/transportation markets. SBI Energy also offers a full range of custom research services. To learn more, visit www.sbireports.com . Follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr."The lower operating costs of membrane technologies, which include reverse osmosis, microfiltration, ultrafiltration and nanofiltration, make them a more attractive option," notes Carr. "This segment will grow significantly more than its thermal counterpart."Add to Digg Bookmark with del.icio.us Add to NewsvineThe increasing world population, which is estimated to reach 7.52 billion by 2020, up from 6.85 billion in 2010, is depleting a limited fresh water supply with agricultural demands and urbanization leading to more water consumption per person across the globe. According to the report, industrialization is spreading advanced water extraction technology, which is quickly diminishing water resources.Please direct all media inquiries to: Shelley Carr (240) 747-3047 scarr@sbireports.com"Economic and population growth are the largest drivers for desalination technology," said Shelly Carr, publisher of SBI Energy. "The explosive growth of this market is due to a solution-based alternative to the diminishing supply of the world's most important resource."Desalination technology involves extracting salt and other unwanted minerals from saltwater or brackish water in order to produce fresh water. There are two types of technologies: thermal which relies on heat, and membrane which utilizes semi-permeable membranes to separate salt from seawater and brackish water. According to the report, the cost of desalination is highly influenced by the amount of energy consumed, causing energy efficient membrane technologies, specifically reverse osmosis, to be the most viable option.

Please direct all media inquiries to: Shelley Carr (240) 747-3047 scarr@sbireports.com

Forward Thinking With Reverse Osmosis

Reverse Osmosis is a system of filtration that is highly effective at removing even the smallest particles from a liquid. It is also known as Hyperfiltration. The Reverse Osmosis process can remove particles as small as a dissolved individual ion. The most popular use for this process is in the purification of water for human consumption.

Reverse Osmosis systems effectively remove dozens of contaminants from water, including chlorine, benzene, chloroform, barium, and countless others. These systems essentially strip water down to its most basic form. We installed one in our home a few years ago. A manufacturing plant on the edge of town contaminated the local water supply and, although we were not affected, it served as a much needed wake-up call. Within days, we had a Reverse Osmosis water treatment system installed. We added the UV light system a month later, when we learned some more about it. Clean water is essential for health and survival. Contaminated water can kill you. Do you really have a choice in the matter? Think smart. Plan ahead.Reverse Osmosis uses a semi-permeable membrane that allows the water to pass through it, while ensuring that contaminants do not. Reverse Osmosis systems have come a long way in recent years, and many people have installed them in their homes to ensure that their family is drinking clean, pure, healthy water.While a Reverse Osmosis system does effectively clean water, it does not disinfect it. The membrane that is used for filtration can and will remove biological contaminants, but it should not be relied upon solely to treat contaminated water for human consumption. If you are concerned about biological contaminants, you could always add an ultraviolet light to your water system. Intense ultraviolet light systems will destroy biological contaminants before they reach your RO system, therefore ensuring only the best possible drinking water.

Reverse Osmosis systems effectively remove dozens of contaminants from water, including chlorine, benzene, chloroform, barium, and countless others. These systems essentially strip water down to its most basic form. We installed one in our home a few years ago. A manufacturing plant on the edge of town contaminated the local water supply and, although we were not affected, it served as a much needed wake-up call. Within days, we had a Reverse Osmosis water treatment system installed. We added the UV light system a month later, when we learned some more about it. Clean water is essential for health and survival. Contaminated water can kill you. Do you really have a choice in the matter? Think smart. Plan ahead.

HERO: A Patent-Pending Low Cost, Low Profile High-Efficiency Water Treatment and Filtration System

Greenway Design Group, Inc. (PINKSHEETS: GDGI) today announced the commercial release of its patent-pending High Efficiency Reverse Osmosis (HERO) Water Treatment and Filtration System.

CONTACT INFORMATION: Ray Wyman Jr Communications Dir EMAIL: Email Contact OFFICE: 714-892-0011 x26 CELL: 714-330-2232The HERO Water Treatment System™ features four-stage water treatment and mechanical filtration. Designed for the Cool-n-Save evaporative pre-cool system, HERO can remove approximately 90% of total dissolved solids from water with up to 1,000 PPM of dissolved solids.Add to Digg Bookmark with del.icio.us Add to Newsvine"HERO technology is a byproduct of our research and development for the Cool-n-Save misting system," says Ben Lefrancois, Greenway's CEO and president. "Water purification is a vital component of evaporative pre-cooling. HERO is designed to meet stringent requirements, among them is cost. HERO's low cost and high efficiency make it ideal for just about any commercial or industrial application."The company reports that the HERO system is suitable for other commercial and industrial purposes. HERO is a "plug-and-use" system; all primary components are ready to use on a low profile steel self-standing rack (w 48" x h 43") and it weighs about 180 lbs. The company also offers additional system configurations that can meet just about any water treatment requirement.FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS THIS PRESS RELEASE CONTAINS "FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS." FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS ARE STATEMENTS CONCERNING PLANS, OBJECTIVES, GOALS, STRATEGIES, EXPECTATIONS, INTENTIONS, PROJECTIONS, DEVELOPMENTS, FUTURE EVENTS, OR PERFORMANCE, UNDERLYING (EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED) ASSUMPTIONS AND OTHER STATEMENTS THAT ARE OTHER THAN HISTORICAL FACTS. THESE FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS ARE ONLY PREDICTIONS. NO ASSURANCES CAN BE GIVEN THAT SUCH PREDICTIONS WILL PROVE CORRECT. ACTUAL EVENTS OR RESULTS MAY DIFFER MATERIALLY. FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS SHOULD BE READ IN LIGHT OF THE CAUTIONARY STATEMENTS AND RISKS THAT INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO, THE RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH A SMALL COMPANY, OUR COMPARATIVELY LIMITED FINANCIAL AND MANAGERIAL RESOURCES, OUR INABILITY TO MARKET AND SELL OUR LIMITED PRODUCT LINE IN SUFFICIENT VOLUMES THAT MAY ALLOW US TO ACHIEVE AND MAINTAIN PROFITABILITY AND POSITIVE CASH FLOW, THE UNCERTAINTY OF MARKET TRENDS, THE INTENSE COMPETITION FACED FROM OTHER CURRENT AND FUTURE TECHNOLOGIES AND THE UNCERTAINTIES OF COMPETITIVE PRESSURES WE FACE. THESE OR OTHER RISKS COULD CAUSE ACTUAL RESULTS TO DIFFER MATERIALLY FROM THE FUTURE RESULTS INDICATED OR IMPLIED IN SUCH FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS. WE UNDERTAKE NO OBLIGATION TO UPDATE OR REVISE SUCH STATEMENTS.For more information about the company and Cool-n-Save, call 714-892-0011 or visit www.coolnsave.com and www.greenwaydesigns.com .Cool-n-Save sprays water mist around air conditioning condensing coils to bring about a dramatic reduction of energy used by commercial and residential air conditioning systems. Five years of field tests have shown that Cool-n-Save evaporative pre-cooling may produce energy cost savings as high as 30%.Greenway markets their pre-cool technology under the trademark "Cool-n-Save." Independent studies, field tests and Greenway's growing list of residential and commercial customers show that Cool-n-Save evaporative pre-cooling systems may produce energy cost savings as high as 30%, with an average savings of about 26% from air conditioning use during peak heat seasons. The company has been developing pre-cool misting technology since 2005. Greenway recently won the Harvey Mudd College/TechAmerica High-Tech Innovation Award for Green Engineering.

CONTACT INFORMATION: Ray Wyman Jr Communications Dir EMAIL: Email Contact OFFICE: 714-892-0011 x26 CELL: 714-330-2232

Membrane filtration pursues tiny opportunities

Concentration without evaporation, pasteurization without heating, demineralization without distillation, fractionation without chemistry-the food applications for membrane separation technology continue to grow since reverse osmosis membranes were first developed 25 years ago.

The process is currently undergoing commercialization in Japan.Clermont cites these advantages of the ultrafiltration system:Juice processing* Ultrafiltration (UF) retains proteins and protein-sized molecules but allows most other molecules to pass through.The greatest potential for membrane separation technologies may lie in combining their capabilities into novel approaches to traditional processes.Membrane separation is analogous to filtration, but using an exceedingly fine filter. Membranes filter molecules rather than particles and the permeability of membranes to molecules is as much a function of the membrane's physical and chemical properties as the size of its pores.Reverse osmosisCurrently, however, applications of these membranes remains limited to microfiltration and ultrafiltration processes, and their acceptance by food processors remains hampered by the membrane's high cost.UltraosmosisA similar system is being used to process fruit juice concentrates. Orange juice is fractionated by ultrafiltration to yield pulp and serum fractions. The pulp is pasteurized to deactivate residual enzymes that could cause off-flavor development while the serum is concentrated with RO. The two product streams are recombined to yield a juice concentrate of superior quality.Reverse osmosis is used mainly to concentrate food product feedstreams or to clean waste streams. Cellulose acetate RO membranes are still widely used. They are very consistent from batch to batch and have predictable and reproducible salt rejection capabilities ranging from 90% to 95%. Alternatively, thin-film composite membranes are much tighter," rejecting more-than 98% of salt molecules, and better withstand harsh processing conditions. They are more expensive, however.* Yields are higher because "we don't have to stop and start the system as frequently as we did before," reports Eischen. This is particularly important considering that some of Clermont's juices sell for over $100 per gallon.* Ultraosmosis (UO) retains sugars, other organic molecules, and some divalent ions, but passes salt and other monovalent ions.One of the topics of discussion at the recent Dairy & Food Industries Supply Association (DFISA) Expo was the "zero-discharge" plant. While no dairy has yet achieved this goal, reverse osmosis (RO) can remove dissolved solved solids and BOD from wastewater to produce water that can be reused in the dairy.* It runs steadily for long periods of time between cleaning. The cleaning itself--which is a chemical clean-in-place flush--takes less than four hours, and then the system is back up and running.Cleanup advantagesTypical applications for reverse osmosis include concentration of skim milk and juices prior to further evaporative concentration, preconcentration of dried egg whites, protein concentration for gelatin production, and alcohol removal from beer or wine.Like filtration . . .* Microfiltration (MF) is the coarsest of the membrane separation options. Microorganisms, fat globules, fine particulates and colloids are retained by the membrane while most molecules permeate through.In addition to eliminating traditional plate and frame diatomaceous earth filters, membrane clarification typically provides 96 to 98 percent juice recovery compared with 85 to 95 percent for other filtering methods. Membrane concentration, done by RO, can increase juice concentration from its original level of 11 to 12 brix to as high as 60 or 70 brix, although this produces a thick and viscous product. To overcome this problem, systems that remove half the water with membranes and then finish the concentration with an evaporator can be installed. This partial concentration by membranes enables processors that already have an evaporator to double its output for a relatively small expenditure.Says Eischen: "The ultrafiltration system has served us better than expected. It takes care of all of our major filtration needs from early June when fresh strawberries start trickling in through the end of pear season at the end of August, when we're cranking six days a week, right through our frozen season in winter."The relatively recent development of sintered metallic and ceramic membranes offers major improvements in membrane durability, and ease of cleaning and sanitizing. Their applicability to high-temperature processes raises the possibility of marrying membrane separation to pasteurization processes.A second development is the nanofiltration (NF) membrane, which removes monovalent ions like sodium and potassium from the liquid stream. In the industry, these systems are used to remove as much as 95 percent of the salt from salty whey. The resulting product can be be blended back into the sweat whey stream and dried or evaporated into whey powder.Industry acceptance accelerated with the development of polysulfone UF and UO membranes. These membranes have a thin "active" membrane surface supported by a more robust supporting substrate. They are more durable, more permeable, more selective, more temperature resistant, and more readily cleaned in-place than their predecessors.Caustic recovery/CIP solution cleaning has been difficult for dairy processors in the past because membranes could not withstand the harsh operating requirement. However, one supplier announced a new stainless membrane at the DFISA Expo that can handle caustic. In addition, new organic MF membranes are also entering the market. The first caustic recovery systems are being installed on evaporator cleaning systems because of the relatively large volumes at one plant location.* System generates minimal heat. Potentially damaging heat is reduced and is easily handled by small, specially designed tube-in-tube heat exchangers integrated into the membrane system.* Costs are lower, especially compared to using diatomaceous earth. During high production times, such as the pear season, Clermont could go through a load of "earth" each week at a cost of almost $5,000 per load.In addition to treating wastewater, membrane systems can be installed on evaporator cow water and the permeate streams from whey processing RO systems, and can reclaim more than 90 percent of the infeed for use in the plant. Not only does this minimize the amount of fresh water needed in a plant - a major boon in dry areas like California and Arizona - it drastically reduces waste treatment charges.

The process is currently undergoing commercialization in Japan.

Author: William Dreier

Separating profits

Membrane processing has been used in the dairy industry for years - to concentrate whey, reduce evaporator or drier loads, and remove water, lactose and minerals from whey to make whey protein concentrate (WPC). Now, current advances in membrane technology are modifying standard uses and creating new opportunities for dairy processors.

Ultraosmosis is permeable to water, monovalent ions, and other small molecules but retains proteins and sugars. It is applied to demineralize, fractionate (in combination with other membrane types), or clean process streams. It can often partially or completely replace ion exchange and electrodialysis processes.In searching for a way to clarify the low-solids juices, Clermont considered all the alternatives. It pilot-tested diatomaceous earth, ceramic filtering, zirconia membrane and reverse osmosis before selecting an ultrafiltration system engineered and manufactured by APV Crepaco, Lake Mills, Wis.Ultrafiltration was the second of the membrane separation processes to be developed. Ultrafiltration membranes, which retain proteins and fats, and are used to manufacture whey protein concentrates (WPCs), gelatins, meat protein concentrates, delactosed whey, clarified wines and juices, and a wide selection of cheese.Inorganic membranesThe European process uses microfiltration (MF) to remove fat from the whey before it is concentrated by UF. The MF system uses membranes with pore sizes that allow the protein to pass through but retain the fat. One problem with the process is that the fat molecules plug up the membrane's pores. Only careful control of flow rates and cross-membrane pressures minimize clogging.The futureMembrane filtration's originsAnother developmental frontier is being opened up by Dr. Kris Berglund, associate professor of chemical and agricultural engineering at Michigan State University (East Lansing, Mich.). Berglund is studying the potential application of glassy coatings to inorganic membranes as a means of increasing their selectivity. The technology's potential extends beyond food processing applications to include the development of highly-selective in-line chemical or food ingredient sensors.

In addition to eliminating traditional plate and frame diatomaceous earth filters, membrane clarification typically provides 96 to 98 percent juice recovery compared with 85 to 95 percent for other filtering methods. Membrane concentration, done by RO, can increase juice concentration from its original level of 11 to 12 brix to as high as 60 or 70 brix, although this produces a thick and viscous product. To overcome this problem, systems that remove half the water with membranes and then finish the concentration with an evaporator can be installed. This partial concentration by membranes enables processors that already have an evaporator to double its output for a relatively small expenditure.

Author: Jack Mans

Ultrafiltration membrane system fine-tunes juice processor's operation

Clermont Inc., a medium-sized fruit juice producer in Cornelius, Ore., processes apple juice and about 20 other juices for the food ingredient market. Some juices, such as black raspberry, are so specialized that the company spends just a few days processing them each year.

The early cellulose acetate reverse osmosis membranes were delicate, of inconsistent quality, and low in capacity. Systems were expensive to install and operate. While these and other problems slowed the commercialization of early membrane processes by the food industry, the early results were encouraging enough to promote further development of the technology.The use of UF membranes to separate monosaccharides and disaccharides from corn sweeteners has been reported in the trade literature.In the future, however, these advantages should translate into wider application in food processing.Reverse osmosis was first used to desalinate water. Its applicability to heat-sensitive foodstuffs such as juices, extracts, and milk was recognized but problems were encountered, the primary one being fouling. Retained solutes would also build up near the membrane surface, slowing water removal and decreasing the system's throughput.* Reverse osmosis (RO) retains the smallest of molecules, passing only solvents such as water and alcohol. It is the oldest of the membrane separation processes.George Hutson, president of a Minneapolis-based membrane systems engineering firm, cites its successful application to the demineralization of salty whey, sweet whey, and casein in large U.S., European, New Zealand, and Australian commercial establishments. Other applications include fractionation of sugar streams, and concentration and cleanup of UF permeate and meat and gelatin protein streams.* There is no haze in the juice because the system is more temperature-stable and has a lower molecular weight cutoff level.The newest developments in this area concern processing WPC with a very high protein level (up to 80 percent) and low fat content. The 80 percent WPC product is already being made by a number of processors using ultrafiltration (UF). Removing fat is a more difficult problem and no one in the United States is known to be doing it, although a fat-removing membrane process has been patented and used in Europe.

Says Eischen: "The ultrafiltration system has served us better than expected. It takes care of all of our major filtration needs from early June when fresh strawberries start trickling in through the end of pear season at the end of August, when we're cranking six days a week, right through our frozen season in winter."

Reverse osmosis: environmentally friendly filtration - water recovery system - Applied Technology

Water recovery system reduces demand of water treatment

Eight years ago, J. Lohr was marketing two products under the "Ariel Vineyards" brand: Ariel Free, a 99.51% alcohol-free wine, and Ariel Vineyard at 6 1/2% a.c.Rick Jones and Clark Smith are co-owners of Vinovation, Inc., formed 18 months ago and operating out of Santa Rosa, Calif.The Ariel product line has changed considerably since the pioneering days of 1986. The current line includes 13 wines from such premium varietals as Cabernet franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay, plus sparkling wines. The Cabernet franc label, for example, reflects quality (resembling a Bordeaux-type label). Many of the wines are vintage-dated and come from such appellations as Napa Valley, Sonoma, the Delta, Monterey and Paso Robles. Barrel-fermented and/or barrel-aged wines can be used as well as tank-fermented wines.Actually, the ethanol-removal process isn't that new. Karl Jung, a German, produced the first no-ethanol wine in 1920. "It was awful," Gnekow laughed, explaining that the technique Jung developed was distillation without collecting the evaporating ethanol and essences (you can try this at home! Put wine in a sauce pan, heat it up until the ethanol and essences evaporate, then give what's left a taste. Dare you!).The partners stress that while the technology can correct flawed wines, it also can be used to, for example, allow winemakers to pick based on flavor characteristics, not just degrees brix.One of 18 Wisconsin Dairies plants, the Waumandee facility specializes in several American cheeses including Colby, Cheddar and Monterey Jack. As a medium- to large-sized plant, Wisconsin Dairies processes approximately 1 million lbs. of milk utilizing about 130,000 gal. of water, per day.Vinovation utilizes reverse osmosis (R/O) with the R/O unit from Millipore. An extension of ultra-filtration, R/O can, besides removing V.A., lower ethanol, remove color, and concentrate the liquid. At the time of Wines & Vines' visit, the company had processed more than 150 lots of premium wine from 54 winery clients totaling 550,000 gallons. In fact, at our visit we tasted a "before-and-after" red and white wine. In the "before" mode, all the winery could do would be to back-blend or sell the wine as vinegar material, hardly worth it if we're talking about estate-grown Cabernet Sauvignon that might fetch $18 per bottle. Vinovation charges from $1-$2 per gallon for its service, which is a bargain considering vinegar prices.The plant currently operates 24 hours per day, seven days per week. It runs 60 gpm through the WRS filters, recovering 54 gpm of polished water, for 16 to 18 hours at a time. The system is then shut down for two hours, in order to clean the filter membranes with special dairy cleaners. This helps maintain proper flow across the filters.* concentrate to make "sweet reserves;"Filtration fills the need

The Water Recovery System continues to perform as smoothly and as efficiently as when it was first installed: reducing water intake volume into the plant; reducing the volume of wastewater; reducing wastewater treatment costs; all this while maintaining minimal operating costs for the company.

Further discussions with Ariel's Barry Gnekow

In 1986, Wines & Vines moseyed on down to San Jose to talk with Barry Gnekow, then winemaker at J. Lohr, about a new technology called reverse osmosis (R/O).

As an aside, Gnekow mentioned that submariners from the Navy's Pacific Fleet stock up on Ariel prior to getting underway for a nice stay under the Polar cap. True, no licensed beverages are allowed on Navy vessels, but since Ariel has less than .05% a.c. it can come aboard.Vinovation isn't just covering the California market, either. It has identified at least 14 overseas markets where the technology could be a factor.Whatever you call it, just don't call it "weird science."In 1986 (and also in this issue), Wines & Vines carried an article on the no-ethanol Ariel produced at J. Lohr in San Jose. The dealcoholization also employed R/O, as it does today, although the wine no longer is made at J. Lohr but at the former Papagni winery in Madera, Calif. So the technique is not new. In fact, Ariel President Barry Gnekow first read about the process in 1976. But back to Vinovation; more about Ariel later.A little over a year ago, the Wisconsin Dairies Waumandee plant installed a Water Recovery System |TM~, (WRS) utilizing reverse osmosis membranes, at its Cochrane, Wis., plant. By installing the system, Wisconsin Dairies hoped to reduce the Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) of the condensate off the evaporator from 35 to 40 mg/liter, down to 15 to 18 mg/liter. The system has not only met the plant's expectations, but has surpassed them. The water currently coming off the WRS contains a BOD of only 8 to 9 mg/liter.Because Scandinavian politicians and others in the public eye bear considerable scrutiny, often no-ethanol wine is served at such functions as state dinners.* reproduce the effects of botrytis in absence of the mold.What the new company offers is the removal of volatile acidity from problem wines. Needless to say, because of the nature of the service the two can't provide testimonials from happy clients.The process had been used to desalinate seawater and to purify water for the electronics industry, but Gnekow, who'd read about the process in 1976, felt it had wine and juice making potential as well.Simple, compact system"The system 'polishes' approximately 50% of the plant's discharge water through the membrane filters, and releases it into the adjacent creek" says Paul Mullikin, plant manager. "The remainder flows to a storage tank, where it is then further used for boiler makeup, initial wash in the CIP systems, hosing down trucks, or washing down the exterior of equipment such as the evaporator." Any water not needed for these functions is ultimately diverted to the wastewater treatment site for final processing.Basically, R/O is an extension of ultrafiltration, the basic differences being different pressures, different flow rates, membrane sizes, and the fact that the liquid flows across the membrane.The WRS is quite compact, measuring just 4 ft. wide by 15 ft. long. SeparaTech not only sold Wisconsin Dairies the system, but installed it and trained the plant's personnel as well. According to Mullikin, the WRS is very simple and convenient to use, and basically runs itself once the pressure is established.Barry Gnekow no longer is winemaker at J. Lohr. He's winemaker and president of Ariel Vineyards, which has its headquarters at Napa, Calif. (plus the first non-alcoholic wine tasting room, in the Napa Town Center), and its 60,000 square-foot production facility at Madera, Calif. using a good portion of the former Papagni winery along Highway 99.Partner Rick Jones, a native of Flint, Mich., attended the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, where he studied literature, the visual arts and music composition. He became interested in winemaking while touring Europe with the Antioch College Chorus in 1975. After visiting such winegrowing areas as Alsace and Burgundy, he headed for California. He was accepted into the Davis enology program in 1980, and earned his B.S. in 1982. He received a fellowship to study the problem of regional ethanol variation (which Vinovation has solved) and covered the state for three years, harvesting and fermenting more than 1,000 lots of grapes. He has been director of technical services at San Martin Winery and was brandymaster/production manager at Jepson Vineyards in Mendocino County. The distillation experience came in handy in designing the hardware for the alcohol adjustment technology.Gnekow said the company gets a great deal of market feedback during supermarket demos. He said when he was winemaker at J. Lohr, he got one or two letters a year. Now, with Ariel, he gets considerably more than that.* control a wide range of acids;To crystallize what we learned from Gnekow (M.S., Fermentation Science, U.C., Davis) back in '86 was that with R/O you can:The companys' main unit is located at St. Supery in the Napa Valley; the winery has a Distilled Spirits Plant license. Customers ship their wine to St. Supery for ethanol removal processing."The evaporator operator simply monitors the flow, which is controlled by a mag flow meter and a Taylor scan controller," Mullikin says. The system is also equipped with alarms, alerting the operator when there is a deviation in pressures, change in conductivity, low level of fluid, or if the flow rate across the membranes decreases below desired levels. The system is designed for variations in feed rates, compensating for changing feed volumes throughout the day.The #1 market for Ariel, Gnekow said, is northern California. Number two, southern California. He says Norway is booming thanks to a couple of things: a great distributor with six years' tenure and a government requirement that establishments serving licensed beverages on premise must carry at least one no-ethanol wine and one no-ethanol beer. Hence, such products fill the bill for the person who doesn't want to settle for bottled water or juice, but would rather "have a glass of wine" with everybody else. Of course, it doesn't hurt that a restaurateur makes more profit on non-alcoholic items than on water or juice.In dairy cheese plants, every 100 lbs. of milk yields about 10 lbs. of cheese and 90 lbs. of whey. Of this whey, about 6 lbs. is whey solids and 84 lbs. is water. Evaporators are used to remove a large portion of this water. The evaporation process, operating under vacuum to lower the boiling point and energy costs, does allow some gases and impurities to pass into the water that is removed.Smith and Jones also pointed to growing interest among winemakers in small-scale R/O machines and related equipment for V.A. removal, juice concentration or for dessert wine production. Vinovation can design and sell original equipment developed for specific needs.Gnekow said Ariel is in 22 markets abroad. In the U.S., most sales are at retail. Eight years ago, Ariel sought positioning in non-wine sections at supermarkets. No longer. "We position it as wine, and it's packaged like wine," he said.What's the future for Ariel and the other no-ethanol wines? Will those markets in the Near East materialize? Will Ariel and others be concentrated and shipped to fast-food outlets worldwide, to be reconstructed on site with sparkling water for a grape-based drink?

Who knows. We'll get back to Barry in another eight years.

Author: Philip E. Hiaring

Wines & Vines pays a visit to Vinovation

Two University of California-trained winemakers have created a venture which offers a unique service.

What the equipment also will do is unstick a fermentation, including a fermentation that was stuck for a year. Smith said that between 1-2% of North Coast reds develop V.A. no matter what the winemaker does. He and Jones agree that, inasmuch as R/O can correct many a winemaking boo-boo, the process gives advocates of natural yeast and/or barrel fermentations a safety net in the event something goes wrong.* remove volatile acid, tannin, color and ethanol;Gnekow said the demographics indicate the typical Ariel consumer has a high income, is male, and likes to travel.What else can the technology do? How about increasing ethanol content. And removing acetaldehydes.A note of caution for other wineries contemplating entering the no-ethanol field: production staffs for regular and no-ethanol wine must be kept separate to maintain focus. The same is true for the marketing side.Gnekow estimates there are between 15 and 20 producers of no-ethanol wine worldwide. He said France has two, Germany six, Italy and Spain, none, and Australia three. The U.S. has three: Ariel, Sutter Home and St. Regis.Vinovation has spec sheets on both the V.A. removal and ethanol removal. For the former, the sheet reads "wine from the tank (1) is transferred; via a pump (2) to a reverse osmosis housing (3) As the wine flows past the reverse osmosis membrane (4) a small portion of the fluid diffuses through the membrane. The retentate (5) or that portion of the wine that does not pass through the membrane, is essentially the same as the untreated wine except it has a slightly lower amount of alcohol, water and acetic acid. The permeate (6) is then passed through an anion exchange column (7) which contains an inert resin that binds the acetic acid and lets the alcohol and water pass through. What passes through the column (8) is then recombined with the retentate (5) and returned to the wine tank." Current regulations permit Vinovation to move its V.A. removal system from winery to winery.The first Ariel production, using a prototype model (from Millipore) was 5,000 cases. With greatly-expanded production facilities, Ariel projected sales of 150,000 cases by year-end '93 and more than 170,000 cases this year.Where is the market for wines such as Ariel? Gnekow says there's no doubt Europe, especially the southern Mediterranean, will be a big market in the '90s. He says people with a wine culture and lifestyle will be receptive to non-ethanol wines. Initially, it was thought that non-drinking Arab countries might pose a prospect. No dice: no wine culture.While there are others out there, Ariel does lay claim to several firsts, including the first to use R/O, first to leave champagne en tirage for a minimum of six years, the first and only to win medals in wine judgings against wines with ethanol and the first to vintage-date with appellation.The Water Recovery System continues to perform as smoothly and as efficiently as when it was first installed: reducing water intake volume into the plant; reducing the volume of wastewater; reducing wastewater treatment costs; all this while maintaining minimal operating costs for the company.While noting that no negative character has been found in the 550,000 gallons treated, Smith says there is risk. He says sometimes progress isn't what it's cracked up to be, citing the use of electricity which allows winemakers to pump over during fermentation rather than punching down the cap.That was then; fast-forward to 1994.Now, who are these guys? Clark Smith attended M.I.T--his father was an Apollo project engineer--before coming to California. Eventually, he attended U.C., Davis where he earned both B.S. and Masters degrees in Fermentation Science. He co-founded the R.H. Phillips Vineyard in 1983, and in 1990 founded WineSmith Consulting. Among his projects was the Benziger International Imagery blending project. He teaches classes on wine production at U.C. Extension and at Napa Valley College.

Whatever you call it, just don't call it "weird science."

Author: Philip E. Hiaring

Infinity starts up first oilfield saltwater treatment facility

LENEXA, Kan.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 22, 1994--Infinity Inc. (NASDAQ:IFNY) Thursday announced that its subsidiary, Consolidated Industrial Services Inc. (CIS), has on Dec. 19, completed construction and successful start-up of its Silo Field saltwater treatment facility in Cheyenne, Wyo.

Investor RelationsCONTACT: Ernesto A. HacheyCONTACT: Infinity Inc., Lenexa (Investor)The membrane system has a payback of two years, says Chavez. This is achieved by the combination of eliminating disposal of the whey and selling the WPC.Tel: 514/848-0322"We had researched the process and decided to bid the entire whey plant operation as a turnkey project," says Chavez. Recently, Separation Technology formed separate groups within the company to handle system design, overall engineering, and controls, so this was an ideal solution for the supplier.Process 55,000 lbs. of whey per hour

CONTACT: Infinity Inc., Lenexa (Investor)

Turning waste to gold

Membrane separation system has two-year payback

Infinity, with headquarters in Lenexa, designs and operates systems for sanitizing and reclaiming industrial wastewater, incorporating proprietary technologies. Consolidated Industrial Services Inc. is a subsidiary of Infinity Inc. and is devoted primarily to the development and implementation of oil well wastewater treatment services.Based on initial, existing contracts with Union Pacific Resources Co., Continental Oil Co., Wilshire Oil Co. and Kachina Exploration, CIS anticipates that its Silo Field facility will generate between $600,000 and $900,000 in annual revenues. Continued drilling activity in the field is expected to increase water production in coming months.The remaining 10,000 lbs. per hour discharges from the UF system as retentate. This retentate consists of 35% protein on a total solids basis (10% total solids)."SeparaTech did an excellent job for us. Their people helped us throughout the project, and the system is performing very well," says Chavez.CIS is currently evaluating Wyoming and Texas gas fields as potential sites for additional treatment facilities at the request of Union Pacific Resources Co.To solve the problem, California Cooperative Creamery installed a membrane processing system from SeparaTech Inc. to remove WPC (whey protein concentrate) and lactose. The process uses a spiral ultrafiltration (UF) system to produce WPC, followed by a specially designed reverse osmosis (RO) system for the lactose.Seprotech Systems Incorporated is in the business of designing, manufacturing and supporting water, wastewater, and fluid processing systems using a variety of technologies. The company is most notably a leader in the use of membrane-based technology in industrial applications.Seprotech is listed on the Alberta Stock Exchange. (Symbol - SET)"We were hauling the whey to farmers for cattle feed and spreading it on land, but we still had trouble getting rid of it," says Fausto Chavez, v.p.-plant operations.Whey from the cheese vats is collected and pumped through a fines saver to remove curd particles. The resulting liquid, which contains about 6% solids, is then pumped through a separator and pasteurizer at a rate of 110 gal. per minute."There is a tremendous need for Infinity's TFEC(TM) technology throughout the oil and gas industry," said Tim Brittan, president of Colorado America Oil Co., an exploration company based in Denver. "TFEC(TM) produces water that meets or exceeds federal and local discharge standards providing a `win-win' situation for both oil companies and ranchers."

"SeparaTech did an excellent job for us. Their people helped us throughout the project, and the system is performing very well," says Chavez.

Seprotech Systems Incorporated — Formal Agreement With Compania Cervecerias Unidas S.A

OTTAWA, ONTARIO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--JUNE 13, 1995--SEPROTECH SYSTEMS INC.(Alberta Stock Exchange: SET) Seprotech Systems Incorporated announced today that the Company has reached formal agreement with Compania Cervecerias Unidas S.A. (CCU), the -largest producer of beer in Chile, for the supply of a water recycling and treatment system which combines Ultrafiltration and Reverse Osmosis technologies. The equipment, which will be designed, built, and commissioned by Seprotech, is to be installed at CCU's new Antofagasta facility. The contract value is approximately $500,000 U.S.

The technology offers oil companies a 25 to 50 percent savings over other treatments requiring costly well drilling, transport and pumping of oilfield wastewater.The permeate (lactose) from the UF is then pumped through the spiral-wound RO system. Nearly pure water passes through the membrane while a concentrate solution of 25% total solids, consisting primarily of lactose, is produced. This lactose is shipped to dairy farmers to be mixed with feed. Traditionally, RO systems were limited up to 18% total solids. SeparaTech has developed an exclusive design for its RO equipment that can produce concentrates up to 25% total solids."We made a decision late last year to seriously pursue markets throughout Latin America, and our efforts are beginning to show significant positive results." said Seprotech president Bill Touzel. This contract represents Seprotech's first large order south of Mexico, where the company has been active supplying similar equipment primarily to Coca-Cola bottlers. "We are committed to our business plan which targets industrial clients throughout the Americas", added Touzel.The facility is the first of its kind to use Infinity's Thin Film Electrocoagulation (TFEC(TM)) technology and reverse osmosis to remove contaminants such as sodium chloride, barium, strontium, iron and sulfates from the 100,000 gallons of saltwater produced daily by the Silo Field water-driven reservoirs. TFEC(TM) technology renders water that is suitable for surface discharge.The 900,000 lbs. of whey produced every day from its cheese processing operations had become a real burden for California Cooperative Creamery in Petaluma, Calif.80Fax: 514/848-9720 REPEATS: New York 212-575-8822 or 800-221-2462; Boston 617-330-5311 orSeprotech Systems Incorporated

80

It's Not Just Water Under the Bridge

Americans want better drinking water -- and are doing something about it

In the duodenum or proximal bowel where protein is absorbed in the human body, dipeptides and tripeptides (protein �chains� consisting of two and three amino acids) enter freely into intestinal cells to be absorbed into the bloodstream.The highest quality hydrolysates will be 100% Whey Protein Hydrolysates which have a bitter taste by definition and therefore are not used in high amounts. Along with the bitter taste, comes a bitter high price as it is the highest quality and most expensive protein available today. Some manufacturers have been able to produce a 100% hydrolysate that does not have a bitter taste, yet is rather expensive compared to other protein supplements.There are many benefits in maintaining elevated amino acid levels in blood as this has been shown to diminish muscle breakdown (catabolism) as well as having an anabolic effect. If your body is trying to repair muscle tissue, it needs amino acids in the bloodstream to be able to do so. It would be hard for a builder to build you a house with no materials; the same holds true for muscle repair and growth: they cannot take place without the presence of adequate amounts of amino acids in our bloodstream.

Almost half are worried about sediments in their water There are many different processes designed to separate or filter the valuable fractions of protein found in whey. These range from microfiltration, ultrafiltration, nanofiltration, reverse osmosis filtration, dynamic membrane filtration, ion exchange, as well as many others that are being tested to yield the best product that contains as many of the beneficial health promoting portions of whey while leaving the impurities out.It does not take a degree in chemistry to realize that heat denatures (breaks down) protein. The whole idea of running the WPC through a membrane was in part to remove denatured protein, so why add a step that takes your product backwards? High quality WPI will only be dried into a powder using low temperature spray dryers as the high temperature dryers will denature the protein and yield a much lower quality product.Pros: These systems provide a very high level of filtration, particularly when coupled with whole house conditioners, to achieve one of the highest levels of mineral and bacteria filtration. This combined system, available from manufacturers like RainSoft or EcoWater, can include filtered water for not only drinking purposes, but even for bathing and washing clothes.In June, NanoH2O was selected as a winner of The Artemis Project ™ 2010 Top 50 Water Companies Competition. Distinguished as the only RO membrane manufacturer to make the list, NanoH2O was chosen by a panel of industry experts based on four criteria: technology, intellectual property and know-how, team and market potential. In 2009, NanoH2O was ranked fourth among the Artemis Top 50 Water Companies.For more information about Moen's PureTouch filtering faucet and PureTouch AquaSuite, contact Moen Incorporated at 25300 Al Moen Drive, North Olmsted, Ohio 44070-8022, call toll free 1 (877) DRINK-H2O (877-374-6542) or visit its Web sites at www.pure-touch.com or www.moen.com.Once these unwanted particles are isolated from the high quality protein, a crystal clear liquid is all that is left over. The next step is to dry this crystal clear liquid to create a powder, and here is one of the steps where manufacturers can go astray.The above cry was from a thirsty sailor at sea made famous in S.T. Coleridge's "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner," and that cry now echoes the feelings in close to half of America's homes, as evidenced by their purchase of some type of water filtering device. That number doesn't even include all the consumers who purchase bottled water, which is now close to being a $5.2 billion-a-year industry, according to the New York-based consulting group, Beverage Marketing Corp. However, home water treatment systems are gaining in popularity because of not only the high cost of bottled water, but also the ongoing maintenance of purchasing and transporting large bottles or heavy cases of the wet stuff.In November, NanoH2O was honored for innovation in water purification technology by the Los Angeles Business Journal 2010 Patrick Soon-Shiong Innovation Award. NanoH2O was selected as one of the fifteen finalists from thousands of companies nominated within the Los Angeles area. The award honors cutting-edge companies for their work in enhancing the region’s competitiveness through innovation.

Two-thirds have aesthetic problems with their water: its smell or taste, hardness or appearance

Water pitchers or carafes: These allow you to directly pour water into them, then wait while the water runs through a filter.It's also important to look for units that are certified by the NSF (National Sanitation Foundation), which qualifies filtration claims made by manufacturers. Different levels of filtration are available among these systems and vary, depending upon the homeowners' choice of filtering needs and costs.The National Consumer Water Quality Survey noted that 95 percent of its respondents said they were satisfied with the effectiveness of their home water treatment system, with another one out of 10 looking to add a system. So it looks like the people have spoken -- no matter how you filter it, the drinks are on the house.The only way to create a superior product is to let the liquid dry into a powder by using a low temperature dryer. A low temperature dryer is a very expensive and slow way of creating a powder from the crystalline liquid. Many manufacturers opt to use a high temperature dryer as it is much faster and cheaper to use than a low temperature one.That's according to the results of a new 2001 National Consumer Water Quality Survey which analyzed respondents' perceptions about their household water supply and other home water quality issues.Yet another problem associated with Ion Exchange whey protein isolate includes high sodium content in the final product, as well as up to 10% denatured protein caused by the chemical reaction between the resin the protein was bound to and the buffer used to release it, and the loss of GMP's and other immune system boosters.“These awards are a testament to NanoH2O’s achievements in commercializing nanocomposite reverse osmosis membranes and the strong momentum generated by introducing the technology into the desalination marketplace,” said Jeff Green, CEO of NanoH2O. “We have commercially demonstrated an advanced solution that dramatically improves the economics of desalination. Our continued success is a direct result of our talented team and commitment to providing innovative and high-caliber products.”This study, conducted and released in May 2001 by the Water Quality Association, found that nearly nine out of 10 American consumers have serious, overall concerns about their drinking water. In particular this included:

Pros: Also cost-efficient, tap attachments are usually available from $30 -- $100, and now, too, offer different levels of filtering. They provide filtered water with just a knob turn, and are fairly easy to install. PUR, GE and Culligan are among market leaders.In October, NanoH2O was recognized for the second straight year in the 2010 Global Cleantech 100. Produced by the Cleantech Group in collaboration with the Guardian, the list highlights 100 of the world’s most promising private cleantech companies predicted to make a significant market impact in the next five to 10 years. NanoH2O was selected from 4,616 nominations from 50 countries by an international panel of 60 cleantech experts.All are good for improving water taste and decreasing odors, with some also designed to filter out lead, chemicals and potential health risks like bacteria. Before purchasing a unit, check with your community's local water utility or have your water quality checked. Then you can look into a water treatment system that will meet your filtration, budget and lifestyle needs.While the primary consumer concern is to eliminate water odor and improve taste, which usually means filtering out chlorine, other materials buyers want to filter out can include minerals and chemicals (lead, lindone, atrazine, mercury, turbidity, arsenic), microscopic cysts (cryptosporidium and giardia), and other bacteria.Cons: Initial cost on these units starts at $175, depending on choice of style, function and finish. But over the long run, they can actually save money compared to purchasing bottled water. In fact, they can produce filtered water for 95 percent less per gallon than the bottled kind.In September, NanoH2O won the prestigious Wall Street Journal 2010 Technology Innovation Award in the environment category. The award honored NanoH2O for its innovative membrane technology designed to significantly reduce the amount of energy required to desalinate seawater. In the award’s 10th year, The Wall Street Journal received nearly 600 nominations from 30 countries.
• Undermount systems: These models directly connect to the water supply lines and fit under the sink in the kitchen or bathroom.Whey protein concentrate (WPC) is the next step up from caseinate and it comes from the liquid left over during the cheese making process (whey). In its raw form whey contains lactose, fat, salt, and other proteins. Originally all whey protein was made from whey sources left over from the manufacturing of cheese. If supplement manufacturers use this lower quality source of raw materials, harsh acids have been used to separate whey from casein resulting in a lower quality whey protein supplement.Because of the many benefits of the differing types of protein that we will cover in this article, most protein supplement manufacturers �blend� or combine proteins for specific purposes ranging from slow gastric emptying time for meal replacement purposes, or quick emptying time for post workout recovery. It is these different blends that can also make a product superior or low quality, depending on the differing qualities and quantities of the proteins used in their blends. The protein yield formula described above CAN and SHOULD be used in single source as well as multi source proteins as long as they DO NOT contain a considerable amount of carbohydrates, fats, fiber, creatine, etc., as these other components will cause the formula to yield a lower and less desired protein per serving value or number. High quality supplements will use WPC with at least 80% protein content.
• Reverse osmosis systems: Available as under-the-sink or whole-house conditioning systems, these are multi-filter devices which push the water through a series of membranes to achieve filtration and require a separate water spigot.The study also noted a significant increase in both the uses of bottled water and home water treatment devices (the latter now up to 41 percent compared to 38 percent in 1999, and up from 32 percent in 1997). Respondents said they purchased and used filtration devices because they not only wanted to improve the taste of their tap water, but also because they believed it was safer.Ask any bodybuilder about protein, and they will tell you that �Whey is King.� Unfortunately, that is about as far as most people's knowledge about protein goes, and most athletes and fitness enthusiasts, have no idea why whey is the best source of protein or that there are differing qualities and benefits from different types of whey protein.

  For more information about Moen's PureTouch filtering faucet and PureTouch AquaSuite, contact Moen Incorporated at 25300 Al Moen Drive, North Olmsted, Ohio 44070-8022, call toll free 1 (877) DRINK-H2O (877-374-6542) or visit its Web sites at www.pure-touch.com or www.moen.com.

  
  
  
  Author: ARA Content
  
  
  

NanoH2O Wins Four Prestigious Awards in Second Half of 2010

Reverse osmosis membrane innovator receives business, cleantech, regional and industry honors

High quality food should be our first choice for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. If your schedule does not allow the �luxury� of setting aside enough time to prepare or purchase an adequate meal, casein is the best choice for a meal replacement if long term satiety is the goal. Possibly the biggest benefit of using a high quality casein protein supplement is its potential in functional properties being researched in hospitalized patients, infants and animals, such as immune enhancing and antiviral properties.Pros: These systems often feature larger, longer-lasting filters, which can also filter out more impurities. This means fewer filter changes, and increased filtration to eliminate more chemicals and contaminants. They sometimes provide a faster flow of filtered water as well.Cons: Pitchers can take up considerable room on the countertop and in the refrigerator. Plus, there's often a lot of neglect refilling them (like the, "Hey, who didn't fill the water pitcher?" factor). It can take more than 7-10 minutes to filter just one or two gallons.If the manufacturer is trying to reduce cost, they will use a product yielding a lower percentage of protein, meaning that more fat and lactose will be found in the product. This is easy to determine even without doing the math as these products tend to give you gas and cause bloating due to the lactose and fat content."So, What's The Right System for Me?"Cons: A complete system is very costly, starting at well over $1,000, although there are less expensive ones for drinking water only (their manufacturers usually recommend complementing these with whole-house softeners if you have hard water). These also require more maintenance than other systems and can waste two to five gallons of water for every purified gallon produced. The major players in the field of protein are (in ascending order of quality) Soy Protein, Casein, Whey Protein Concentrates (WPC), Whey Protein Isolates (WPI-which can come from ion exchange process or microfiltration), and Hydrolyzed Whey Protein (HWP).

NanoH2O is a global provider of reverse osmosis (RO) membranes that change the fundamental economics of desalination. Based on breakthrough nanostructured materials and industry-proven polymer technology, thin-film nanocomposite (TFN) membranes improve desalination energy efficiency and productivity. Exhibiting the highest permeability (flux) on the market, NanoH2O’s reverse osmosis membranes maintain industry-standard salt rejection while purifying water from a broad range of sources. Designed to fit into new and existing desalination plants worldwide, NanoH2O’s membranes are at the forefront of combating critical water scarcity issues. For more information visit www.nanoh2o.com.

Not All Proteins Are Created Equal, Part One

Protein, protein, protein: Believe it or not, all proteins are NOT created equal! Since this subject is pretty extensive, we have broken this article up into three parts. Part I addresses the different qualities and benefits of protein; Part II addresses Soy Protein specifically (its controversial shortfalls and benefits); and Part III addresses the best time to use each protein source.

Pros: These systems provide significant convenience -- Moen's PureTouch system, for example, filters cold water directly through a separate port and provides filtered water at the touch of a button. It also has a visual indicator to let you know when its filter needs to be replaced. These and other filtering faucets provide great tasting water with style and functionality, including some models with pullout and multi-function spray patterns. The filters tend to be easy to change, as they are often located right in the spout.The Ion Exchange process was the first process developed to produce whey protein isolates from Whey Protein Concentrate. Because ion exchange was the only way to produce WPI early on, it was then considered to be the highest quality isolate. After the development of microfiltration, it was found that the whey protein isolates produced via microfiltration had a much higher nutritional profile than that of isolates created via the ion exchange method. There are many reasons why WPI created via microfiltration is a superior product. These reasons range from lower sodium content due to elimination of the use of solvents, to not having chemically denatured protein, and most notably, reclamation of immune boosting fractions as compared to the ion exchange method which loses them.The way to tell if your WPC is high quality (highest percent protein as opposed to lactose and fat) is by looking at the label and calculating the percentage of protein compared to the total weight of the serving size. As an example, if your protein serving size is 23.5g and it yields 20g of protein per serving, the easy math is 20 � 23.5 = .8510 x 100 = 85.10% which means your protein serving contains 85.10% protein.Stay tuned for Part II, where I will move on and discuss Soy Proteins - The Good, The Bad and The Ugly�Now there are companies that make whey and casein specifically for supplement manufacturers by extracting it from whole milk for the sole purpose of creating higher quality supplements, making the quality of whey protein today superior to the ones previously available.A 1997 study titled �Slow and Fast Dietary Proteins Differently Modulate Postprandial Protein Accretion� published in the National Academy of Sciences journal indicated casein may be anticatabolic because it prevents protein breakdown. Because of its larger molecules, casein is digested slower than whey protein and maintains elevated amino acid levels in the blood for a longer period of time.Keep in mind that flavoring agents, sweeteners, gums, and even fiber in some supplements take up some of the volume of the total serving weight. This formula is to be used only with WPC supplements or any other supplement that consists of only protein as a way of determining the percentage yield of protein per serving. This formula is NOT to be used with Meal Replacement Powders (MRP's) as these contain fat and carbohydrates in �meal-like-quantities� and would show the protein yield to be very low as it is being compared to the entire serving.Cons: Perceived as big and clunky, faucet attachments tend to stick out, and usually do not mesh with most kitchen decor. They also provide a very slow flow rate, often under a half-gallon per minute.

Filtering faucet systems: One of the most recent introductions, these are single-unit faucets with filters directly built in the faucet.

At-The-Tap systems: These models are faucet attachments that convert tap water directly into filtered water.Whey Protein Isolates (WPI) are at a higher level than WPCs. Once we have whey protein concentrate (WPC) if we want a higher quality product we move on to making Whey Protein Isolates (WPI). This is a process by which WPC is purified by �isolating� the highly soluble protein found in whey from the fat and lactose leaving less than 1% lactose and less than 2% of the fat found in the WPC, and by completely removing the denatured protein, salt, etc. As noted above, there are many processes by which WPI is produced, yet they fall under either Microfiltration or Ion Exchange. These processes are very different in temperature, pressure, etc. and therefore yield very different end products.When purchasing a water treatment system, remember to keep in mind the unit's ease of maintenance, as well as the length of time between filter changes and amount of water they filter. Look for units that signal when their cartridges need to be replaced, provide easy-to-find replacement cartridges, and can even supply replacement parts, if necessary.Some of the more popular options, and their 'pros' and 'cons' include:

This is why today's consumer has so many options to get better tasting and healthier water, thanks to a vast number of home water filtration devices now available. These come in varying degrees of style, convenience, filtration features, prices, and have different features and levels of necessary maintenance.In addition, nearly half of all respondents (49 percent) believe federal drinking water laws should be stricter, and one in every three Americans (32 percent) believes household drinking water isn't as safe as it should be.Many manufacturers like to also include Caesinate and WPC in their post workout protein blends as a means of addressing both ends of the spectrum: fast increase of amino acids into the bloodstream by using WPI and HWP, and extended elevated amino acid levels by using Caseinate along with WPC. I personally prefer using the HWP as I want the amino acids to enter my muscle cells right away.The protein released into the buffered solution must now undergo another step to remove most of the buffer solution. This additional step is another ultrafiltration system which unfortunately does not remove all of the sodium from the buffer solution.(ARA) - Did you know nearly 90 percent of Americans have a serious drinking problem? The problem? Significant concern about the quality and taste of their drinking water.
• More than half are concerned about possible health contaminantsThese beneficial fractions include alpha-lactalbumin, beta-lactoglobu�lin, glycomacropeptides (GMP), lactoferrin, lactoperoxi�dase, immunoglobulins, lysozymes, and many more being studied to determine their role in health benefits. Whey protein derived from ultrafiltration is referred to as Whey Protein Concentrate (WPC). The ultrafiltration process does not remove any fat or denatured protein from the whey. For the WPC to be considered high quality, special processing prior to the ultrafiltration is necessary to remove the majority of the fat present in whey as well as separating out denatured protein and casein particles left over from the cheese making process if the raw material (whey) was acquired secondary to the processing of cheese.Whey Protein Hydrolysates (WPH), or hydrolyzed whey protein, is further processing of whey isolate by breaking down the long protein chains into smaller portions or peptides. To �hydrolyze� something means to break it down into smaller particles (usually by adding water). The higher the degree or percentage of hydrolysis, the more broken down the whey protein isolate (smaller size), and the faster the absorption. Labeling laws allow manufacturers to call a product �hydrolyzed whey� when it may contain 1/10th of 1% hydrolyzation. The key is to find out what percentage of hydrolyzation the product consists of.About NanoH2OThe original ion exchange or �column method� consists of pumping whey through a column impregnated with a special resin that has been chemically treated to have a surface electrical or �ionic charge.� This causes different ions from the protein to bond or stick to the resin and the remaining impurities flow through the column and are discarded.Being that soy is the only vegetable protein mentioned, and since it is quite controversial, we will discuss it separately in Part II. We will start by defining casein and the differing types of whey.LOS ANGELES -- NanoH2O, a global provider of reverse osmosis (RO) membranes for desalination, was the recipient of four distinguished awards in the second half of 2010 for its innovation that leverages nanotechnology to significantly lower the cost of desalination. In less than six months, NanoH2O was selected by The Artemis Project™ as a Top 50 Water Company, won The Wall Street Journal 2010 Technology Innovation Award, was recognized as a 2010 Global Cleantech 100 and was named a finalist in the Los Angeles Business Journal 2010 Patrick Soon-Shiong Innovation Award.Cons: You have to go under the sink to change filters, and they require installing a separate water spigot -- usually an unattractive, generic-looking fixture. However, Moen's new AquaSuite provides filtered water with a stylish faucet fixture available in 12 durable finishes (this system also provides great tasting water in the bathroom for taking medicine, brushing teeth or meeting those late night "can I have a drink of water?" requests).So, What is the Difference?Pros: This is the largest portion of water filtering category, because pitchers are cost effective (they start at under $20), and require little maintenance and no installation. Brita, Culligan and Teledyne are some of the more popular models and all provide varying shapes and sizes of pitchers as well as different levels of filtration.Once the fat, denatured protein and casein particles have been removed, the proteins in whey are separated from the liquid. The ultrafiltration and microfiltration processes use a microscopic filter or membrane to separate the whey proteins from the lactose, salt, and water in the whey causing the protein to become more concentrated and purified, while the ion exchange process separates the proteins out based upon their electrical charge.NanoH2O is a global provider of reverse osmosis (RO) membranes that change the fundamental economics of desalination. Based on breakthrough nanostructured materials and industry-proven polymer technology, thin-film nanocomposite (TFN) membranes improve desalination energy efficiency and productivity. Exhibiting the highest permeability (flux) on the market, NanoH2O’s reverse osmosis membranes maintain industry-standard salt rejection while purifying water from a broad range of sources. Designed to fit into new and existing desalination plants worldwide, NanoH2O’s membranes are at the forefront of combating critical water scarcity issues. For more information visit www.nanoh2o.com.There are differing qualities of proteins that can be derived from milk; these are casein and whey. Whey is the liquid left over during the cheese making process after the casein in milk is converted into curds. The lowest quality and least expensive form of protein is Caseinate, and can be found in the form of Calcium Caseinate, as well as many other variations such as Potassium Caesinate, etc. As the name implies, it comes from �casein� before it is converted into curds.Although casein is the lowest priced and least refined of the proteins derived from milk, it is a bit higher in glutamine, tyrosine, threonine, and arginine content than whey protein. That is why a good refined whey protein supplement (such as an Isolate, or Hydrolysate) will usually have these amino acids added to it. Casein also moves slower through the digestive tract, which may allow for better absorption of amino acids and growth factors as well as making it a better meal replacement protein due to its longer and slower transit time (which translates to longer satiety or a feeling of being full). By using casein as a meal replacement protein, we are less likely to experience hunger than if we use a protein supplement with a faster gastric emptying time (one that leaves the stomach more quickly).The benefits of the Ion Exchange process is that it is able to remove nearly all the fat and lactose creating a product that is up to 90% pure. A newer method of separating molecules is called a �stirred bead reactor system� and it usually does not cause damage to the active compounds found in whey protein.This is why a hydrolysate is the best type of protein to use post workout as we want the amino acids to enter our bloodstream and be delivered to muscle cells as quickly as possible so that repair and growth can start right away. Due to the high cost of 100% hydrolyzed whey, a blend consisting of whey isolate and hydrolyzed whey would be optimal for post workout use.WPC's can yield a product ranging from 20% up to 85% protein. They could be 20% protein and 85% fat and lactose, which is usually the case when not specified in a product. If the concentrate consists mostly of protein, it usually states so in the label; if it consists mostly of fat and lactose, your intestines will let you know with gas and bloating."Water, Water Everywhere, Nor Any Drop to Drink"

  Stay tuned for Part II, where I will move on and discuss Soy Proteins - The Good, The Bad and The Ugly�

  
  
  
  Author: Lucho Crisalle RD