RESEARCH ACTIVITIES OF MEGA A.S.

MEGA a.s. engages continuously in development and innovation activities. In last few years, the company invested in these activities in average 10-15 million CZK of its own resources a year. The research activities in MEGA a.s. itself, carried out mainly through the Center of Research and Development, are focused on all commercial areas of the company.

The daughter company MemBrain s.r.o. focuses on the basic and applied research and other innovative activities in the field of membrane processes. Primary objective is to transfer results of academic research into industrial practice.

MEGA a.s. is also very active in the field of popularization of membrane technologies (ED, EF, ME RO, MF, UF) in the Czech Republic, proceeding in accordance with the Membrane Section of the Czech Society of Chemical Engineering and substantially funding the operation of this organization.

Besides, MEGA a.s. is contractually engaged in research projects:

• national - supported by the Government of the Czech Republic within the programs to support applied research in small and middle companies,
• international - carried out by the European Union within the Fifth and Sixth Framework Programs. Participating in these particular projects, the company cooperates with many European institutions, both academic and industrial.

The achievements up to now are connected with the long-time cooperation with universities and other research institutions in the Czech Republic and abroad, which is crucial for accomplishing particular tasks and achieving desired targets. This also led, in the middle of 1990s, to foundation of the above-mentioned Membrane Section of the CSCHI, controlled and coordinated in individual institutions by representatives of MEGA a.s.

We should not forget the center at the Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic ÚMCH AV ČR which has dealt with the preparation and study of the separation membranes for technological and medical purposes since the late 1970s. With its research activities, the center contributed to the preparation of production of the first RALEX membranes.MEGA a.s. also cooperates significantly with the Institute of Chemical Technology Prague VŠCHT Praha in the field of electro-membrane processes and with the University of Pardubice in the field of pressure processes.

The research intentions in the field of membranes include the fields of:

• heterogeneous ion-exchange membranes,
• pressure membrane technologies,
• electro-membrane technologies,
• alternative energy sources.

The research and innovation potential in the field of the heterogeneous ion-exchange membranes RALEX can be divided into several basic development directions.

1. Material research of basic elements of the membrane mixture

This direction led, mainly in 2000-2001, to launching production of new types of the ion-exchange membranes. Their development and innovation were carried out with the intention to introduce the products in new application areas, such as electrophoresis, electrodeionization and membrane electrodialysis. As an example, AMH5E-HD membrane for cataphoresis can be cited, whose development was based on the primary heterogeneous system on the basis of the highly filled polymeric composite PE. This basic material had to be modified with regards both to its mechanical properties, ensuring dimensional stability of the swollen material, and to its final electrochemical properties, characterized mainly by sufficient conductivity and permselectivity of the resulting material. Today we manufacture the product in the format of 850 × 2500 mm.

2. Development of membranes in tubular form.

This direction follows the development of AMH5E-HD membrane and takes into account the need to produce this membrane in tubular form. Considering the fact that the membrane material of AMH5E-HD membrane partially shows thermoplastic character, the principle of the developed technology is based on thermally regulated pressure welding. It can be stated that this technology allows to achieve "membrane joint" not only with the required strength characteristics (operational strength up to 0.8 bar, limit value of the joint destruction reaching 1.8 bar), while maintaining the separation properties of the membrane material in the joint zone, but also without any structural changes. In 2001. the expert team of research workers in MEGA a.s., led by ing. Ales Cernin, Ph.D., devised and designed a unique device enabling to produce the final tubular form of membranes.

The core of the technology is a multifunctional welding head, enabling gradual folding of the membrane sheet into the required tubular form and subsequent thermoplastic welding.

Using this technology, MEGA a.s. at present produces tubular weldments with diameters of 81 mm and 91 mm with maximum length of 2500 mm. These semi-finished products are used in finalized EFC cells made by the company itself or, as a service component, in EFC cells from competitors, in the domestic market and especially abroad.

3. Technology of preparation of membrane production

The last research direction in the membrane field is represented by technology of production whete the research team carried out, in five recorded years, many modification steps in single technological operations. As an example we can cite the development and simultaneous implementation of the unique technology of continuous lamination of membrane foils with the objective of replacing the presently used press operations for the production of all types of heterogeneous RALEX membranes in the form of "endless belt".

In the field of the membrane technologies, the expert research tem of MEGA a.s. achieved successful results in the design of membrane devices for electrodialysis (ED), reverse osmosis (RO), micro-filtration (MF) and ultra-filtration (UF), and in their introduction in new application areas. The results can be documented by the present offer of various ED or RO units and by reference sheets of ED or RO in pharmaceutical and food-processing industries.

We must not forget the experience with problems of PEM fuel cells, where the expert research team focused mainly on research of appropriate ion-exchange materials, supplemented by research in the technologies of membrane preparation, combination membrane-catalytic layer-diffusion layer and design of the first models of the fuel cells with maximum capacity up to 10W. In 2000-2004, we have also achieved very positive results in this field which can be documented by lectures given by the team at expert seminars, as well as by the laboratory model of PEM cell MEGA.

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Project:	Continuous production of laminated ion-exchange membranes and their further processing for the purposes of membrane processes
Program:	OPPP - INOVACE DOTACE
Submitter:	Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic - CZECHINVEST
Contractor:	MEGA a.s.
Duration:	02/2005 - 05/2006
Project goal:	The final objective of the project is to introduce continuous production of membrane belt with the width of 850 millimeters and its further processing for the purposes of membrane processes. The new technological line requires high-quality preparation of membrane mixture, i.e. drying, milling, homogenization and granulation of component for membrane production. An integral part of the line is the extruder and expelling head that will form the membrane foil of a precisely defined thickness; subsequently, lamination with armoring textile will be carried out on a specially designed lamination device. The final product will be wound on a draw-off device. The resulting membrane will be further processed and used for membrane processes at research and production plants, e.g. in automotive industry, environmental projects for waste water treatment, food-processing industry, chemical industry.

Project:	BIODIOL
Program:	5. Framework Programme EU
Submitter:	European Commission
Contractor:	FAL - Federal Agricultural Research Centre, Institute of Technology and Biosystems Engeneering, Braunschweig, Germany, MEGA a.s., INCHEM (SK), GENIALAB (GER), SÜDZUCKER(GER)
Duration:	12/2002-01/2006
Project goal:	Process development for microbial production of the bulk chemical 1,3-propandiol from glycerol water as a waste effluent. This project is carried out in the framework of the specific research and technological development programme “Quality of Life and Management of Living Resources”.

Project:	Preparation and application of new polymeric ion-exchange materials and development of technology of continuous lamination of composite ion-exchange membranes.
Program:	KONSORCIA
Submitter:	Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic
Contractor:	MEGA a.s.
Contractor:	05/2003 - 12/2005
Project goal:	The final objective of the project is preparation of new composite materials with the aim to introduce in production special heterogeneous membranes requiring combination of thermoplastic and solution treatment and modification of their active surface. Properties of these membranes will be modified and tested for membrane applications in pharmaceutical industry, for waste and industrial water treatment and for sea water treatment..

Project:	Encapsulated cells - preparation and use
Program:	KONSORCIA
Submitter:	Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic
Contractor:	MEGA a.s.
Duration:	06/2001 - 12/2003
Project goal:	The final goal of the project is implementation of production and use of encapsulated microbial cells in production of primary and secondary metabolites of micro-organisms, extra-cellular microbial enzymes, biologically active substances, important for the food-processing, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries, by means of encapsulated vegetal cells and use of microbial cultures and communities for potable water treatment and for final treatment of industrial and municipal waste water.

Project:	Fuel Cell with Ion-exchange Membranes
Program:
Submitter:	Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic
Contractor:	MEGA a.s.
Duration:	09/2000 - 12/2002
Project goal:	Development of a functional sample of small portable fuel cell with its own membranes. The sample will serve as a basis for the prototype production, after testing of which the industrial production will be prepared.

Project:	Development and implementation of production of immobilizates of microbial cells
Program:	Increase of export capacity of the Czech industry
Submitter:	Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic
Contractor:	- BCS Engineering Brno a.s. - MEGA a.s.
Duration:	01/1999 - 12/2001
Project goal:	Implementation of production of immobilizates of microbial cells in hydrogel and their use in continualization of fermentation processes in brewing, distilling and wine industries, in production of organic acids, in bioconversions in the pharmaceutical industry and in elimination of residual substances from potable and surface water with the help of immobilized micro-organisms.

Project:	CENTER OF DEVELOPMENT AND PROCESSING OF ION EXCHANGE MEMBRANES AND PROGRESSIVE MEMBRANE TECHNOLOGIES FOR ENERGETICS, INDUSTRY AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
Program:	IMPULS
Submitter:	Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic
Contractor:	MEGA a.s.
Duration:	01/1999 - 12/2001
Project goal:	The first objective of the project is to establish the Center of Top Industrial Products and Technology, consisting of academic, industrial and production organizations in the field of membrane processes and based on previous long-time and successful cooperation of these organizations in the field. Another objective is development and research of new types of ion-exchange membranes, including preparation and industrial application of progressive technology for spreading membrane processes, such as electrodialysis, electrophoresis, membrane electrodialysis and electrodeionization, to other branches of industry, out of which nuclear power engineering can be mentioned. This especially includes treatment of feed water for nuclear and thermal power plants, environmental protection during treatment of various types of waste and industrial water, liquidation of environmental burdens (mine water, sludge beds and leak water, dump water), and production of super-clean water and special solutions for pharmaceutical and electronic industry. The area of the solved project also includes research of special ion-exchange membranes and electrode coatings for development and production of membrane fuel cells as highly efficient and ecological energy source..