Singapore start-up releases innovative water monitoring system

Singapore start-up Membrane Instruments and Technology (MINT) has released an innovative water monitoring system which combines three monitoring processes into a single system.

The state-of-the-art system combines current processes into one device, making the technology far more efficient and useful. For most water plants running on membrane technology, there are three mentoring processes that have to be performed on a daily basis. This can become a laborious and time consuming task.

Current technology requires tests to ascertain the exact state of the membrane and pinpointing the exact location of contamination. In order to run this, sections of the plant have to go offline, wasting time and unnecessary effort.

A new system developed by MINT could reduce this hassle, with the MEM-Shield combining all three monitoring processes into a single system, pinpointing with accuracy any faults in water plant filters without having to bring sections of water plants offline.

Additionally, it is five-times more sensitive than current low-pressure monitoring systems. According to MINT general manager Dr Adrian Yeo the system is based on the deposition of particles on the membrane.

He said: "If the water is clean, the rate of deposition is slower, if the water is dirty, the rate of deposition is faster. By monitoring the rate of deposition, we're able to detect any changes in the water quality.

"Once we detect there's a problem with water quality, the sensor switches to is more sensitive mode, where it tries to drive more water through the sensor, so that we're able to quantify how serious the problem is."

MINT is a spin-off company of Singapore's Nanyang Technological University. According to the company, S$200,000 a year can be saved by using the system. Two companies have now started to trial it in Singapore, as well as one in France and one in Australia.

There are plans to start trialling the technology in the US by the end of the year.

Posted by Lauren Steadman