Case study on AQUA STILL

From Sittard, AQUA | STILL provides the world with solutions in the field of water purification via membrane distillation. JP Fluid Control solenoid valves contribute to this precisely controllable process. Paul and Niels from AQUA | STILL, responsible for project management and R&D, explain how the collaboration came about and what exactly the valves do in the machines.

• Company: Aqua Still
• Website: aquastill.nl
• Tameson products: JP Fluid Control solenoid valves

Simple and reliable

"At AQUA | STILL we make machines that can separate clean water from contaminated water by means of a membrane. We do this for a number of applications, for example the recovery of water, the concentration of polluted water or just the extraction of clean water. It is a thermal process, so we need a heat and a cold source to achieve this. We use Tameson solenoid valves to properly control the air section of the installation in a range from 0 to 1 bar. The specific type we use for this is the ST-DA 1/4" nylon EPDM 0-8bar 24V DC. The solenoid valves are simple and reliable, which is exactly what we are looking for. We use two valves on a pressure side, but also one that is mounted on the atmospheric side and that works equally well in practice. After all, the valves are intended to maintain a pressure difference, so that can mean both atmospheric and underpressure."

Regulate negative pressure

"The configuration we use them for is called Air Gap Membrane Distillation (AGMD). With this machine we create a negative pressure at the exit of a channel, which increases productivity. The solenoid valves play a role in controlling this underpressure. We have deliberately opted for normally closed valves, so that they close if something happens to the power supply of the installation. This way they keep the pressure and do not leak. This allows them to restart as soon as the power is switched on again."

Energy efficient process

AQUA | STILL has been in existence since 2008. The company is now one of the few in the world that applies membrane distillation on such a large scale. From the Middle East to America and Europe, the companys machines are delivered all over the world. It combines natural processes with advanced materials and state-of-the-art production techniques to create a cost-effective solution to one of the most sought after things in the world: clean water.

The great advantage of the technology that AQUA | STILL offers is that the purification method consumes much less energy than with conventional methods. The modularly built machines keep costs low and transport is easy. This allows the company to offer reliability, flexibility and efficiency in the water field.

Good cooperation

Some parts for the machines have therefore come from Tameson for several years, Paul and Niels say: "The cooperation is good. We have been doing business with Tameson for about four years now. We previously used solenoid valves from a competing company, but they were quite expensive. Tameson could just as well provide us with functioning valves for a much better price. We immediately tested them in a test setup without the membranes and the results were good. To date, we have not had any problems with the parts, while they have been used on quite a few installations."

Also read our explanation page about reverse osmosis solenoid valves.

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