Idropan and Plimmer® Cdi technology (advanced capacitive deionization)

1. Plimmer® - The Next Generation Water Treatment System for Ground and Surface water
Milan, Italy
February 2014

2. Reduces TDS, Hardness, Metals and Salts to Deliver
WHO standards Drinking water
• No Chemicals • Low Power• Low Wastage
The Next Generation Water Treatment System for
Ground and Surface water

3. Introduction
• Plimmer® is new generation of water treatment system
that treats Ground / Surface water to drinkable standards
• Based on Capacitive Deionization Technology (CDI)
pioneered by Idropan, Italy
• High recovery system that reduces
TDS, Hardness, Arsenic, Fluoride, Nitrates and other
contaminants in water in a single process
• Delivers drinking water at the lowest operative cost by
any treatment plant in market today.
• Has the lowest water reject (<20%) as compared to other
conventional technologies in the market today
• Totally Green Technology – uses no chemicals during
water treatment. Ensures Environmentally safe discharge
process
3Company Confidential

4. The Unique Plimmer® Advantage
Company Confidential 4
• Plimmer® is the Market leader in CDI technology
• Has been in Operation since 2005
• Over 400 installations globally
• Partners in
Europe, USA, India, Australia, Saudi, Tunisia, Korea,
Russia
• Pioneered by Idropan, Italy – a technology leader in
CDI
• Over 40 years of experience in Water technologies
• Global patents - related to Power consumption, Build
of Electrodes, Cleaning of Electrodes, Electronic
controls of CDI units, Flow management in Electrodes
…
• Clever Control systems that ensures least
interference from Users
• Automatic working of plant
• GPRS interface for remote management
• Web interface for governance

5. The Value Plimmer® Delivers
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Low Operating
Cost
Low Wastage
Results in better Ground /
Surface water Sustenance
No Chemicals
Environmentally safe does
not contaminate ground
water
Small Footprint
Can be deployed in small
places like
Schools, Medical Centers
Community Centers etc.
Low Power Use
Use Solar or Alternate
power in remote locations
Simple to Operate
Requires no specialized
skill to operate plant
Easy Implementation
Simple to deploy using
local resources
★
★
★
★
★
★
★

6. It Removes the following in a Single Pass !
Company Confidential 6
SALTS METALS OTHERS
• Total Dissolved Solids
• Total Hardness
• Calcium Carbonate
• Magnesium Carbonate
• Sodium Chloride
• Phosphates
• Sulphates
• Chlorides
• Nitrates
• Fluoride ...
• Chrome
• Iron
• Arsenic
• Nickel
• Copper
• Zinc
• Cadmium
• Mercury
• Manganese
• Lead
• Vanadium ....
• Ammonia
• Chromium 6 ...
A Single system to treat multiple contaminants in water

7. Novelty compared to the market
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Conventional RO Systems Plimmer®
1. 60% of water is wasted during treatment
process. The reduces ground water source
quickly. Most systems need to be shut in
summer
Maximum of 20% wastage during treatment. Can
be reduced further based on water conditions
2. Do not retain adequate minerals required for
body. Technology takes out all minerals from
water
Adequate minerals are retained that is good for
body. Water delivered is as per WHO standards
3. Systems needs adequate power for
treatment
Low power requirement makes it easy to use
alternate energy sources in power scares places
4. Requires frequent use of chemicals for
cleaning membranes.
Uses diluted Citric Acid – an organic acid from
lemon trees for cleaning. Safe environmental
discharge of waste water
5. Skilled personnel required to manage system System is automated to maximum possible
extent to ensure minimum interference from
operators

8. Why the Operating Cost is low
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• Plimmer® needs very less consumables for operation
• Citric Acid for cleaning cells regularly
• Sand media change once a year
• Carbon media change once a year
• 20 Inches 1 Micron cartridge once in 2 months
• Consumes less power
• Single Phase 0.5 hp pump
• Requires low maintenance and less interference from users
• Cells will run for 8-10 years without replacement
• Pro-active maintenance done to clean cells regularly like Extra Acid wash, Bio cleaning
etc.
• System requires no specialized skills to operate and manage – totally automated
Description Unit Plimmer
Capacities
Maximum Input conductivity μSiemens 2000
Maximum Input Hardness ppm 500
Average Salt reduction 65-70%
Temperature range °C 4 - 45

9. The Best Applications for Plimmer®
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• As Drinking Water Solution
• For Rural and Urban areas
• In Government owned Health Centers
• In Government Schools & Community Centers
• Point of Entry Water treatment in Residential
Living
• Deliver treated water in ALL taps at home
• Better water conservation
• Hotels & Malls
• Laundry & Kitchen in Hotels
• Food courts and public drinking in malls
• Industries
• Food & Beverages
• Bottling Plants

10. How Plimmer® Works

11. Overall System Operation
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Discharge for
Consumption
Raw Water
Tank Pre-treatment
Treated Water
Tank
Ozonation
Input from
Sump /
Main lines
Citric
Acid
Tank
1. Pre-treatment
Stage
2. Treatment
Stage
3. Post-Treatment
Stage
Low
Powered
SS Pump
Cartridge
Filter
Drain
AFM
Filter

12. Plimmer® Operation
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• The Technology used is called Capacitive Deionization
(CDI)
• This is a non Membrane technology where the ions are
attracted to a pair of electrodes as water flows.
– Requires very low pressure – results in low power
consumption
– Reduces water wastage since water is not pushed
into a membrane under high pressure
• Technology has 12 patents in terms of number of
electrodes, coating on electrodes and electronics required
to handle the process.
• No chemicals required for treating water
• Electrodes require just 1.6 V charge to operate –
providing an option to run on Alternate energy sources

13. Plimmer® Operation
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+ + + + + + + + +
- - - - - - - - - - -
Positive ions
Negative ions
+
-
+ + + + + + + + +
- - - - - - - - - - -
Positive ions
Negative ions
+
-
Positive ions
Negative ions
+
-
- - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - -+ + + + + + + + ++ ++ + + + + + + + ++ + + + + + ++ +
- - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - -
Positive ion
Negative ion
+
-
Positive ion
Negative ion
+
-
- - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - -+ + o o o o o o oo o+ + o o o o o o oo o o o o o oo o
o o o o o o o o o oo o o o o o o o o o
Purification cycle  3 main steps
When Water passes between the
electrodes, the ions get attracted to
opposite charged electrodes. The water
void of these salts and metals come out
of the system
Water is then flushed between the
electrodes and the wasted ions are
flushed to drain. The Polarity is
reversed back and the Ion removal
process (Step 1) starts again
With more and more ions sticking to the
electrodes, they become saturated –
when this happens, the system
automatically changes the polarity. The
ions sticking to the electrodes fall off.
Step 1
Ion removal
Step 2
Regeneration
Step 3
Flush

14. Plimmer® Cells charateristics
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Model 5M
Flow rate 3.3 – 5 LPM (Service)
Productivity 100-150 LPH
Removal rate 65-85%
Model 2,5M
Flow rate 1,65 – 2,5 LPM
(Service)
Productivity 50-75 LPH
Removal rate 65-85%

15. 1
5
Evolution of the power supply boards
First model was with copperbars and without short circuitprotection
Actual model ischeaper and with hardware short circuitprotection
AL11
Directly mounted on the
cell.
In expensive
components. Works on a
single cell.
AL7
Needs water
cooling and
aluminium case
AL10
Directly mounted on
the cell. Quite
expensive
components. Works
only on a pair of cell
(not single cell).

16. 1
6
Installations 2009
Examples

17. 1
7
Installations 2010
Examples

18. 1
8
Installations 2011
Examples

19. 1
9
Installations 2012
Examples

20. 2
0
Installations 2013
Example

21. Post Treatment – Citric Acid Cleaning
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• Patented process for cleaning cells
• This is a patented process for pro-actively cleaning cells to avoid excess calcium build up in cells
• This is done automatically at end of every production cycle
• We can set production cycles to 5 / 10 / 20 hours with rest period of 1 / 2/ 4 hours
• At start of rest period, Plimmer® automatically takes in small quantity of CA solution to clean cells. This
will be flushed out at start of production
• CA is environmentally friendly – Organic Acid with no discharge hazards
• This process ensures long life of electrodes
• Solution can be prepared locally at the regional support centre

22. Post Treatment – Citric Acid Cleaning
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Tests were performed on the long-term efficiency making daily
“self-maintenance” with the special maintenance solution
finalized by Idropan
In normal work WITHOUT the use of citric acid the pressure
drop (fouling index) increases rapidly during the work period
From tests carried out there is a precise relationship between
the Temporary Hardness and the effect of fouling of the cell.
0,1
0,15
0,2
0,25
0,3
0,35
0,4
0,45
0 5 10 15 20
Pressure(kgf/cm2)
time (Hr)
Fouling Index
Test conditions recommended by
European legislation :
Inlet water: Hardness300 ~ 340
ppm, TDS 450 ~ 500
ppm, IEC60734
Days before cell cleaning WITHOUT Self
maintenance

23. Post Treatment – Citric Acid Cleaning
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• Values of long-term performances obtained with daily cleaning using Idropan solution for
maintenance
• Long term stable operation and constant salt removal rate & pressure drop

24. Plimmer® saltless Cdi
softener concept

25. System
Recirculation
Pump
Drain
Conductivity
SensorSolenoid Valve
Solenoid Valve
Plimmer®
Storage Tank
Beginning of the day

26. Water is beginning to be used

27. Water demand stops in the home but the
Plimmer® continues to treat water in the tank

28. Plimmer® regenerates as needed

29. Tank is almost filled…

30. Tanks is full and Plimmer® shuts off
automatically

31. Plimmer® goes into maintenance mode and
initiates self cleaning (set time off peak)

32. Plimmer® high salinity
concept

33. Our idea – high salinity conductivity
reduction system

34. Two phases – Production and regeneration
• Cells work in twin mode: while one is producing water, the
other is regenerating.
• The interval is very short: about every minute cells switch.
• Until good water is not at the desired conductivity, it
continues flow in the plug flow and in the cells.
• If waste water has not reached the desired minimum
conductivity, it stays in the regeneration plug flow.
• System design helps energy recovery and lower waste
water volume

35. Production phase (1)
When water coming out from the cell reaches good conductivity, it is delivered to the outlet.
Same amount of new untreated water is added to the plug flow

36. Production phase (2)
Water still goes to the outlet until it goes over the specified conductivity.

37. Production phase (3)
When the conductivity is exceeded, water starts to recirculate. In some stages the quality will go down to the
desired value.

38. Production phase (4)
The cell continues to treat water. The water will not mix and inside the tank you will have different conductivity
areas.

39. Production phase (5)
The cell continues to treat water. The water will not mix and inside the tank you will have different conductivity
areas.

40. Production phase (6)
When the water out of the cell is not treated, it means that the cell is exausthed and regeneration need to be
started.

41. Regeneration phase (1)
At the beginning circulation will move high salinity water in cell

42. Regeneration phase (2)
At this time ions begins to be removed from cell electrodes

43. Regeneration phase (3)
Removal of ions give raise to a voltage over cell terminal this energy will be forwarded to other cell by electronics

44. Regeneration phase (4)
When all ions are discharged from electrodes conductivity increase will lead to some waste

45. Regeneration phase (5)
As soon as conductivity will be lower than set point circulation will begin and cell will be washed from PF tank
liquid

46. Regeneration phase (6)
When water is at the same conductivity of income water, cell is clean and production can begin again.

47. Twin operation
• The above explanation relates to a single cell
but actually while Cell 1 is in operation Cell 2
undergoes a regeneration so continuous
operation and energy recovery are possible

48. Overview of results

49. Goals achieved
• System will do energy recovery
• System will waste a desirable amount of water
(based on specified conductivity)
• Treated water with a specific quality that can
be set from user

50. Key Aspects of Plimmer® technology

51. Understanding of What CDI can handle and what it cannot
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• What it cannot handle
• Any particles that cannot be charged
• Silica & Clay
• How we handle this:
• We first assess water condition with an SDI kit to see levels of Silica and clay
• Have a pre-treatment process before the inlet tank to coagulate this and filter it
• May not be required at all centres – only base on water conditions
• What Can go wrong
• Calcium fouling of the Electrodes
• This happens when the electrodes are not cleaned properly with CA solution regularly
• If dosage is less or if the CA solution is not properly managed
• How we handle this:
• Automated CA cleaning at end of every production cycle
• Facility to set the dosage timing depending of water quality
• Extra Acid Wash button for regular routine maintenance
• We will control and supply the CA solution through our regional centres
• Cleaning cells in labs (Done only when Proactive treatment described above fails for any
reason)

52. Understanding of What Plimmer® can handle and what it cannot
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• What Can go wrong
• Bio-fouling of the cells
• Bio-fouling is common problem in all technologies – unless treated proactively
• How we handle this:
• Ozonating the inlet tank
• Using media that are not prone to bacterial contamination
• Treating cells in labs (Done only when Proactive treatment described above fails for any
reason)

53. Conclusion & Summary
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• We have developed a system with a lot of thought for managing drinking water in
villages
• Plimmer® is the only proven solution available with such high levels of automation
and consistency
• Plimmer® is the only system that can take care of all known contaminants in water
• A single system will ensure consistency of maintenance and reduce costs of
management
• Clever automation ensures pro-active management of technology – reduced
stoppage time of plants
• Proven technology backed by global patents

54. Projects using Plimmer®
technology

55. 5
5
• Rewagen – FP7 Project
• DemEAUmed – FP7 Project
• NovEED – FP7 Project
• King Saud University
• Project on Clinic laboratories ultrapure water production
Plimmer® CDI Active projects

56. Visibility of Plimmer® around
the world

57. 5
7
Plimmer® Cdi

58. 5
8
Plimmer® Cdi

59. 5
9
• Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology
IGB DE
• LEITAT Technological Center - Spain
• VITO - Belgium
• EcoSynt – Belgium
• Supsi - Switzerland
Plimmer CDI Partners

60. 6
0
• 4th March 2010 EcoRadio - ECOBuild London (Tullio Servida)
• 4th March 2010 TG1 - ECOBuild London
• 8th March 2011 TG3 Buongiorno Italia (Mariella Servida)
• 14th May 2012 Il Sole 24 Ore – Italia al quarto posto per le
alleanze con l’estero (Mariella Servida)
• 21st November 2012 RAI 3 - Geo&Geo – record (Tullio Servida)
Plimmer CDI Visibility
TV shows and non-paid newspaper articles

61. 6
1
• 2009 Politenico di Milano - Plimmer Technology and
supercapacitors
• 2009 AIFM at Fiera Trattamenti e finiture di Parma - I trattamenti
delle superfici tra globalizzazione, innovazioni e sviluppo sostenibile
• 2009 Premio innovazione Lega Ambiente 2009
• 2010 Premio innovazione Lega Ambiente 2010
• 2011 Marina Militare Italiana – Plimmer Technology introduction
• 2011 Comune di Salsomaggiore
• 2011 Premio innovazione Lega Ambiente 2011
Plimmer CDI Visibility (2)
Convegni e Concorsi

62. Thank You
IDROPAN DELL’ORTO DEPURATORI SRL
Via Valassina 19
20159 Milano
T 0266800267
F 0266800754
W www.plimmer.it
E contatti@idropan.it
62Company Confidential