* Evolutionary LEAP*mbr Design Offers Customers More Cost-Effective Solution to Meet or Exceed Increasingly Stringent Wastewater Treatment and Water Reuse Standards * New Membrane Bioreactor Technology is Based on Proven High-Performance, Rugged ZeeWeed* Hollow-Fiber Membranes SINGAPORE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--GE (NYSE: GE) has introduced a next-generation membrane bioreactor (MBR) wastewater treatment technology called LEAP*mbr, which addresses pressing water quality and operational cost issues faced by owners of municipal, industrial and residential water/wastewater treatment facilities worldwide. The result of a four-year development effort, the new LEAPmbr system offers the lowest lifecycle costs available from any MBR technology, while also being cost-competitive with conventional treatment. These cost savings, along with operational simplicity and a compact footprint, derive from innovations to the popular GE ZeeWeed* 500 MBR product line— the most widely-used, reinforced hollow-fiber ultrafiltration technologies available. The cost and efficiency savings of the GE LEAPmbr system compared to existing GE MBR technologies include: * A minimum 30 percent reduction in energy costs; * A 15 percent improvement in productivity (greater water-treatment capacity); * A 50 percent reduction in membrane aeration equipment and controls, leading to a simpler design with lower construction, installation and maintenance costs; * A 20 percent reduction in physical footprint leading to further reduced construction and installation costs as well as lower ongoing consumption of cleaning chemicals. Development of the LEAPmbr system was driven by GE’s product innovation and development capabilities and more than 25 years of experience with proven, highly reliable MBR technology in diverse applications around the world. One of the key growth markets for MBR technology overall is the global municipal wastewater treatment sector. Until now, this sector has waited for the costs of newer MBR technologies to become more competitive with existing applications. The new LEAPmbr system answers the MBR cost question while offering customers a 21st century solution to comply with more stringent water quality requirements. MBRs replace the solids-separation function of secondary clarifiers and sand filters used in conventional activated sludge systems. GE’s MBR technology consists of a suspended-growth biological reactor integrated with GE’s high-performance, rugged ZeeWeed hollow-fiber ultrafiltration membranes. The ZeeWeed membranes are immersed in a membrane tank, in direct contact with the water to be treated, which is known as mixed liquor. Through the use of a permeate pump, a vacuum is applied to a header connected to the membranes. The vacuum draws the water through the ZeeWeed membranes, which filter out solids, along with bacteria and viruses. The filtered water, or permeate, then can be further treated, reused or discharged as needed. ZeeWeed has been proven in more than two decades of wastewater treatment and water reuse. Nearly 1,000 plants worldwide use this technology to meet or exceed stringent wastewater treatment and water reuse standards.
