Major Milestones
Using Diversified Water Treatment Technologies to Create Sustainable Water Resources
Due to global warming and climate change, floods and droughts will become the norm. Additionally, with limited water resources, countries worldwide are actively devising water treatment countermeasures. ITRI has been developing water treatment technologies for over 30 years and applying them to hundreds of companies and 20 industries, such as semiconductors, panels, textiles, dyeing and finishing, food, and petrochemicals. The efforts have laid the foundation for Taiwan to develop a circular economy system. Related water treatment technologies have been introduced to international markets such as the semiconductor industry in Singapore, shoe factories in Indonesia, and chemical plants in Malaysia.
ITRI began treating industrial wastewater since 1985. In 1991, it built Taiwan’s first anaerobic fluidized bed treatment tank, which effectively treated industrial wastewater with less space and little sludge. The Institute later transitioned into supporting high-tech companies in wastewater treatment. In 1996, it introduced the first application of fluidized bed crystallization tank technology, helping Episil build the world’s first treatment plant for fluorine-containing wastewater. In recent years, ITRI has progressed from wastewater treatment to wastewater recycling. In 2021, the Institute developed an LCD glass nanoporous material which can convert electroplating wastewater into clean, regenerated water at a heavy metal removal rate of 99.9%. This material has been applied to the wastewater treatment system in Jixiang Electroplating Plant at the Changhua Coastal Industrial Park.
ITRI has also used water treatment technologies for public welfare services, such as by providing residents in typhoon-stricken areas with clean drinking water. To meet the needs of the such areas, the Institute has built water purification equipment using industrial water filtration technologies. For instance, in the aftermaths of Typhoon Morakot in 2009 and Typhoon Soudelor in 2015, ITRI immediately entered affected areas to purify water for the victims, giving them access to clean water for drinking and bathing.
ITRI developed a mobile, solar-powered purified water machine, using photovoltaic panels to provide mobile electrical power to reverse osmosis water purification systems, thus enabling the supply of high-quality purified water.
ITRI developed upflow anaerobic sludge bed (UASB) wastewater treatment technology, assisting Taiwan Tobacco & Liquor Corp and Achem Opto-Electronic Corporation to design and supervise the completion and commissioning of UASB equipment.
ITRI with EnHou Polymer Chemical built Taiwan’s first anaerobic fluidized bed treatment tank, which effectively treated industrial wastewater with less space and little sludge.
ITRI introduced the first application of fluidized bed crystallization tank technology, helping Episil build the world’s first treatment plant for fluorine-containing wastewater.
In the aftermath of Typhoon Morakot, ITRI and KNH Enterprise codeveloped a mobile emergency water purification system, purifying polluted water to meet drinking water quality standards and solving water supply problems in disaster-stricken areas.
ITRI joined hands with companies to visit semiconductor giant Micron Technology’s Singapore plant and carried out a water treatment project there.
After Typhoon Soudelor, roads in the mountainous Wulai area were blocked, the water supply was disrupted and power cut off. ITRI immediately delivered its Qwater emergency water purification equipment to the disaster area, providing local residents with clean drinking water on a daily basis.
ITRI collaborated with Taiwan Water Corporation, using BioNET technology to raise the water quality of Donggang River to reach drinking water standards. This alleviated the pressure of restricted water availability in Kaohsiung.
ITRI developed the Portable UVC LED Water Sterilizer System, which uses LEDs as light sources and reduces energy consumption by more than 50%. This technology was a winner at the R&D 100 Awards.
ITRI developed a smart water treatment technology that incorporated technologies such as the Internet of Things, AI, and big data. It jointly established the Huanyan IoT Company with Advantech.
ITRI collaborated with CHIMEI and built the EDR Water Resource Center at CHIMEI Rende plant. This was the first EDR industrial wastewater system within the petrochemical industry in Taiwan.
ITRI developed an LCD glass nanoporous material which can convert electroplating wastewater into clean regenerated water that met water treatment standards. This material has been applied by the Jixiang Electroplating Plant to its wastewater treatment system at the Changhua Coastal Industrial Park.
ITRI developed the Ubiquitous Water Wand, the world’s first technology to extract clean water from air. This technology was a winner at the R&D 100 Awards.
