Kuraray Co., Ltd.

- Since 1926 -
 Profile
・Established: June 24, 1926
・Capital: ¥89 billion (as of March 31, 2008)
・Net Sales: ¥418 billion (as of March 31, 2008, consolidated)
・Employees: 6,770 (as of March 31, 2008, consolidated)
・Major Businesses： 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　
- Vinyl acetate derivatives (Poval, EVAL, KURALON, etc.)
- Isoprene chemicals (TPE, Aroma chemicals, Pharmaceutical
intermediates, etc.)
- Man-made leather　
- Environment-related (PVA gel, Industrial membranes, etc.)
- Medical (Dental materials, Hemocatharsis adsorption devices, etc.)
 Kuraray’s History
1926　Kurashiki Kenshoku
PVA film commercialized
1962
1920s Co.,Ltd. established 1960s
1964 Polyester staple / CLARINO
1928　 Rayon commercialized commercialized

1969 Polyester filament commercialized

1940s
1949　Renamed to Kurashiki
Rayon Co., Ltd.
1950 KURALON commercialized
1950s
1970 Renamed to Kurary Co., Ltd.
1970s
1972 　Contact lenses / EVAL / non-
woven fabrics /isoprene chemicals
commercialized
1978 　 Dental material commercialized

1958　Poval commercialized
(started to sell at a market) 　　　　
 Kuraray’s History
1980s 1983 Cement reinforcing 2000s
KURALON developed
1986 Production of EVAL resin
started at U.S.
1990 VECTRAN / SEPTON
1990s commercialized
1998 KURALON K-II cmmercialized
1999 Production of Poval resin
started at Singapore
Production of EVAL resin
started at Belgium
GENESTAR commercialized
2002 Production of Rayon ceased
Acquisition of Clariant’s PVA-
related products
2002 Production of SEPTON started
at U.S.
2004 Acquisition of the PVB film
business of HT Troplast
2005 Acquisition of VECTRAN
business of U.S.-based
Celanese Advanced Materials
Inc.
2008 All outstanding shares of
POVAL ASIA PTE LTD
acquired and company made a
subsidiary
 Net Sales (consolidated)
417.6
（Ｂｉｌｌｉｏｎ￥)
400 385.3
375.1
354.9
332.1

300

200

0
‘03 ‘04 ‘05 ‘06 ‘07 FY
Round off the figure to the nearest 0.1 billion
 Profit (consolidated)
（Ｂｉｌｌｉｏｎ　￥） 48.1
50
Operating Income
Net Income 40.2
40 38.3

33.2

30 28.0
25.6
22.4
21.2
18.5
20
15.2

10

0
FY03 FY04 FY05 FY06 FY07
Round off the figure to the nearest 0.1 billion
 Market Position
Kuraray holds the world’s No.1 market
share in the following businesses.
z Poval, polyvinyl alcohol resin (35%)
z PVA film for LCDs (80%)
z EVAL, ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer (70%)
z Vinylon, polyvinyl alcohol fiber (80%)
z Clarino, man-made leather (25%)
(Estimated by Kuraray)
Maintaining International Competitiveness
As of July,2008
Products for Environmental Business
Purification
Purificationofofwater
water
High-performance High-precision
High-precision
High-performance for
forpotable
potableuse.
use.
membranes physical
physical
membranes Water
Watertreatment
treatmentfor
for
separation
separation industrial
industrialuses.
uses.
Wastewater
Wastewatertreatment
treatment
and
andreuse.
reuse.

Municipal
Municipaland
and
High-Performance
High-Performance industrial
industrialwastewater
wastewater
PVA
PVAgel
gel biological
biologicaltreatment
treatment treatment
treatmentand
and
for
forwastewater
wastewater sludge
sludgereduction
reduction

Absorption Kuraray
KurarayChemical
Chemical
Activated
Activated Absorptionof
ofcontaminants
contaminants Co.,
carbon in
inwater
waterand
andgas
gas Co.,Ltd.
Ltd.
carbon (No.1
(No.1brand
brandin
inJapan)
Japan)
Kuraray Hollow Fiber Membrane Products
 Particle Size and Membrane Techniques
Reverse Ultra Filtration
Micro Filtration (MF) General Filtration
Osmosis(RO) (UF)
Polyvinylidene-fluoride (hydrophilic)

Polysulfone coated with PVA Large

Lineup of pore
Polysulfone
Kuraray membrane

0.001 0.01 0.1 1 10μm

10Å
n e n s
i a t e
o s i t
i c
i n s t
I o b l
a l
i o a
l a m y
r
c o
l h S i l
e e u c
u g ps l s
l g Y i
d o
r
S o eu a u i
h r i
r h
m cr d m e t
e niV i
o
l E S e o
p y
r
H E l
o B s
o E
e
s C t
p
e y
r
n
a C
p
a
J

Proteins Viruses Bacteria

Ion, Low
Molecular Weight Colloidal Region Micro-particle Region
Features of Kuraray Membrane Products
1. Material of the membrane (PVA-coated PSF and PVDF)
Kuraray’s PSF and PVDF membranes have a hydrophilic property, which is
achieved by a special coating technology with polyvinyl alcohol resin (PVA)
(patented in Japan). The hydrophilic property has less fouling (see below).
These products have heat & chemical resistant features, too.

Results of protein adsorption test

More fouling
No treatment

Hydrophilic treatment

Less fouling
Kuraray Kuraray Other Other
PVDF PSF PSF PVDF
Features of Kuraray Membrane Products

2. “Loose end” structure of membrane element for external

pressure filtration

Developed by Kuraray Others

Suspended solids can Suspended solids tend

be easily removed. to accumulate at
the lower potting part.

Dead end filtration

suitable for raw water Risks of membrane
with high turbidity fouling and breaking
Drain
 Features of Kuraray Membrane Products
3. “Cartridge” style
Only the elements need to be replaced (low replacement cost).

4. Stainless-steel housing
Can be installed outdoors.

5. External dead-end filtration

Simple pretreatment, simple equipment configuration, low energy.

6. Unique physical cleaning technology (patented in Japan)

Effluent tank and pump for backwashing are not necessary.
High recovery (No treated effluent is used for backwashing).
 Unique Physical Cleaning Method (patented)
Filtration Backwashing Air scrubbing Drain

Effluent Compressed air

Influent

Air

Suspended solids Compressed air is Suspended solids The concentrate in

are accumulated injected into the are further removed the module is
on the membrane effluent side. The water and dispersed by drained from the
surface during inside the module flows air scrubbing. bottom.
filtration. back and the solids on
the membrane are
exfoliated.
Applications of Kuraray Membrane Products

1．Ultra pure water treatment：　　　　　　　　　　　　　

　　　　　　Pretreatment of RO membrane
Final filter of ultra pure water plant
　　　　　 Point of use
Recycle
2．Potable water treatment
　

3．Purification of beverages, chemicals

4．Recycle： Hot water

Silicon
　　　　　　　 Absorbent for absorption refrigerator (LiBr solution)
 Ultra Pure Water Production Flow

Pretreatment Primary system Sub system

n r
o
b e
t e e n e e
r r l
i n
a g g o g n
e
t a F r n n i
t n a
r
a y
f C n b i
s a a a b
W i
r d o m s h d
i h m
a e i e a c
x x c
x e
w l t t
c g E O E
a C a e M e M
R v
i t O D n V n F
t o
r R o
I U o
I U
c P
A

UF Cartridge
ＧＳ
Type C, S
UF Cartridge
Ｕｌｔｒａ pure water Type C, S
Point of use
recycle process

ＳＦ
 Pre-treatment for RO Membranes

GS module
pore size: 0.02μm
m. surface area: 42 m2

Standardized by many engineering

companies in Japan (Kurita,
Nomura, Hitachi Plant etc.)

Top market
share

Kurita Water Industries Ltd.

GS (external pressure)
 Wastewater Treatment and Recycle
Inorganic wastewater of
Over 100 applications
semiconductor industries
(dicing, back-grind, Recycle
and beveling process) SF module as raw water for
and FPD industries
ultra pure water
(grinding and rinsing Energy saving because of
process of the glasses for external dead end filtration.
LCD and PDP).

SF element (external）
（pore size：0.02μm） T7 tank module : element×7
Membrane surface area：７ｍ２ Membrane surface area：49 ｍ２
Kuraray Products for Semiconductor and
Photovoltaic Industries （recycle of silicon and ultra pure water）
Recycled by filtration with Kuraray
Recycle
Recycle of
of coolant
coolant original large pore (2.5µm) membrane.
for
for wire-saw
wire-saw process
process
Ordinary waste
Silicon Multi-crystal
material silicon ingot Silicon wafer PV module
PV cell

Slicing
Semiconductor
Single-crystal Ingot processing
ingot Dicing,
back grinding
Silicon recycle
Original loose-end
structure
Silicon
Silicon Recycle
Recycle of
of Hollow fiber
ultra
ultra pure
pure Recycle
Recycle of
of membrane
Ordinary (wasted
(wasted oror
recycled)
recycled) water
water and
and ultra
ultra pure
pure
waste High efficiency
silicon
silicon water
water to drain
suspended solids

Suitable for wastewater with inorganic particles

“SF” for Wastewater Treatment and Recycle :
Main Applications and Users
Principal users
Field Process
(companies)
Semiconductor dicing, back grinding, beveling R, S, S, F, etc.

LCD glass glass grinding C, N, etc.

LCD panel rinsing S, P, etc.

LCD color filter rinsing T, etc

PDP glass grinding, rinsing P, etc

Over 100 applications

Small Sized UF “Type-C” and “Type-S”
<Features>
*Small size
(2m2 for Type-S and 4m2 for Type-C)
*Two filtration limits
(MW cut off: 5,000 and 13,000)
*External dead-end filtration
(unique for UF, energy saving)
*Cartridge style (Type-C)
(easy and cost effective for replacements)

Type-C (4m2) Type-S (2m2)

Small Size UF “Type-C” and “Type-S”
Examples of applications
★Semiconductor and electronics industries:
Filtration of ultra pure water.
(Production facilities and point of use)
★Medical and pharmaceutical industries:
Production of aseptic and pyrogen-free water.
★Other water purification
Applications of Kuraray Membrane Products
1．Ultra pure water treatment：
Pretreatment of RO membrane
Final filter of ultra pure water plant
　　　　　Point of use
Recycle

2. Potable water treatment

　

3．Purification of beverages, chemicals

4．Recycle： Hot water

Silicon
　　　　　　　 Absorbent for absorption refrigerator (LiBr solution)
 Potable Water Treatment Process
Raw Water
Coagulating Sand
（River, Well, Disinfection Distribution
Sedimentation Filtration
Lake, Spring etc.）

Coagulant

・O & M is troublesome (small scale)

Most Common, Cheap ・Pathogenic protozoa (Cryptosporidium)

Raw Water Disinfection Distribution

Filtration by ＭＦ、ＵＦ
（≦ ０．２ μｍ）
High cost （expense of membranes)
High energy cost
High quality of effluent
（perfect removal of pathogenic protozoa）
Automatic O & M

Over 600 applications in Japan (2007)

 Potable Water Treatment Process
First large potable water plant using membrane filtration in Japan.

Internal pressure UF
(Installed in 1997)
Ogose Town, Saitama Pref.
Produced by Kurita Water Industries Ltd.
4,000 m3/d
 Large Pore: External Dead-end Filtration

Raw Water
Coagulating Sand Large
（River, Well, Disinfection Distribution
Lake, Spring etc.）
Sedimentation Filtration Pore
（2.0μm）
Coagulant

World’s largest porosity

for hollow fiber.

・Removal of pathogenic protozoa (Cryptosporidium).

・Post-treatment of existing process.
・Cost effective
　① High flux → Small amount of modules
　② Low pressure → Pump-free operation
Large Pore: Removal of Cryptosporidium
Outer surface Inner surface
membrane

Cross section Appearance

Model particles of
Cryptosporidium (5μm)

Type of Filtration Removal Capability

Rapid Sand Filtration ２．５ ｌｏｇ１０ 99.7％ Same as
Slow Sand Filtration ３ ｌｏｇ１０ 99.9％ ordinary
MF
Ｌａｒｇｅ Pore（２．０μm） ６ ｌｏｇ１０ 99.9999％
Membrane
ＭＦ > ６ ｌｏｇ１０ >99.9999%
Filtration
ＵＦ > ７ ｌｏｇ１０ >99.99999%
Hirata, Powder and Industry, Vol.34,No.3(2002)
 Large Pore: Pump-free System
＜Ordinary MF/UF system＞ Feed pump is necessary.
~30mH

Raw Water
Raw Water
Tank

Ordinary UF・MF Effluent

Pump-free system is available.

＜Large Pore system＞ (low power expense)

Raw Water 3～5m of water head

Raw Water
Tank

Effluent
Large pore
 Large Pore: Example of Installation
One of the largest potable water plant using membrane filtration in Japan.
Raw water tank Filtration units Disinfection
30,000 m3/d
(Installed in 2004)

Distribution

Pump-free
Shallow well operation

Hamura City,
Tokyo Pref.
Produced by
Suido Kiko Co., Ltd.
Applications of Kuraray Membrane Products

1．Ultra pure water treatment：

Pretreatment of RO membrane
Final filter of ultra pure water plant
　　　　 Point of use
Recycle
2．Potable water treatment

3．Purification of beverages, chemicals

4．Recycle： Hot water
Silicon
　　　　　　　 Absorbent for absorption refrigerator (LiBr solution)
 Food Industries
【Purposes of filtration for food industries】
　 = Removal of bacteria, enzyme, suspended solid

Overwhelmingly top
market share in Japan

1. Sake…Over 400 plants (40%)

2. Soy source…about 40 plants
3. Vinegar…10 plants
4. Others…Soft drinks, beer, etc.

Acid-resistant module
Applications of Kuraray Membrane Products
1．Ultra pure water treatment：
Pretreatment of RO membrane
Final filter of ultra pure water plant
Point of use
Recycle
2．Potable water treatment
3．Purification of beverages, chemicals

4．Recycle：　
Hot water
Silicon
Absorbent for absorption refrigerator (LiBr soln.)
 Filtration of Hot Water
(recycle of boiler drainage)

Membrane: SF with heat resistance

　　　　　　　 up to 99℃
Pore size : 0.1 μm
Membrane surface area： 7 ㎡
Filtration style：External dead-end

Standardized by Self-Defense Force

Over 150 applications

Absorption Refrigerator: Recycle of Absorbent
Overwhelmingly
(LiBr solution)
top share in Japan

PSV filter

・ Reduction of machine life.

Contamination ・ Decrease of freezing capability.
of absorbent ・ Increase of fuel consumption.
 Kuraray New Membrane Modules
Launched in 2009

Smaller (2m2) Larger (25m2)

Large-pore membrane for potable water

Submerged PVDF membrane (8m2) RO-pretreatment membrane（50m2）

 PVA-gel Beads
A Carrier for Immobilization of Microorganisms
 Conventional Biological Wastewater Treatment
Large tank, Microbial Solid-liquid
large footprint degradation separation
Discharge
Wastewater Sedimentation supernatant
(organic tank
Large amount of
contaminant)
industrial waste
Air
[Excess sludge]
Sludge return
Microorganism grows by eating
Activated sludge (“sludge” is the mixture organic substances (about 50% of
of bacteria, protozoa and metazoa.) organic substances (BOD) converts
to CO2/H2O and the rest converts
to excess sludge). The excess sludge
must be wasted periodically.
PVA-gel Beads: A Bio-carrier
Material: Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)
Size: 4- or 5-mm φ beads
Specific gravity: 1.025

Protozoa, Metazoa
Microscopic
Microscopicstructure
structure
Only bacteria enter PVA gel

Only this
retained
Bacteria

Protozoa

Metazoa
Examples of bio-carriers

Microscopic
Microscopicstructure
structure

Kuraray PVA-Gel
Most of them do not have
porous structures like PVA-Gel.
(bacteria is retained only on the
surface with protozoa and
metazoa.)
 Characteristics of PVA-Gel

Ⅰ．PVA-gel
Ⅰ．PVA-gel has
has aa micro-porous
micro-porous structure
structure in
in which
which
bacteria
bacteria can
can be
be retained.
retained.

Ⅱ．Quite
Ⅱ．Quite high
high load
load is
is possible.
possible.
(5
(5 times
times or
or much
much higher
higher than
than conventional
conventional activated
activated sludge)
sludge)

Ⅲ．PVA-gel
Ⅲ．PVA-gel can
can also
also be
be used
used for
for biological
biological nitrification
nitrification
and
and denitrification
denitrification processes.
processes.
Ⅳ．The
Ⅳ．The amount
amount of
of excess
excess sludge
sludge can
can be
be reduced
reduced or
or eliminated.
eliminated.
(We
(We have
have some
some special
special techniques
techniques to
to reduce
reduce excess
excess sludge
sludge
dramatically
dramatically with
with PVA-gel.)
PVA-gel.)
Comparison of Capability
Mixture of Bacteria,
Conventional system protozoa, metazoa, etc.

Activated sludge tank

Tank volume can be reduced to 1/6, or

volume load can be increased by 6 times
kg/m3-槽･日
kg/m3･d
PVA gel (10 % vol. packing) 4

有 3
Only effective bacteria 機

Volume load
PVA gel tank
物 x6
分 2
解
能
Countless 力 1
bacteria
are retained in
0
PVA gel. Activated
活性汚泥 PVA gel
PVAゲル
sludge
 High Efficiency and Low Excess Sludge
Conventional system Sedimentation tank
Effluent
Activated sludge tank

Excess sludge (about 50% of BOD)

PVA gel (10 % vol. packing)

Effluent
No sludge return
Coagulant
PVA gel tank
Excess sludge (about 30% of BOD)

Activated Effluent
sludge Sludge is returned only to
the activated sludge tank.

Nitrogen removal is also possible

Excess sludge (about 20% of BOD)
with an different process.
 Sludge Problem in Japan

Solid waste production (2002) Running cost for WWTPs

ｶﾞﾗｽ・陶器屑廃酸
2% 1% Chemical
廃ﾌﾟﾗｽﾁｯｸ
cost Sludge 　　　
金属屑2%
2%
他
4%
Sludge 7% 　disposal 　
木屑
2% 47% 　　cost
ばいじん Electric
2% 鉱さい
6%
　　　50-70%
Total cost
Amount 25%
Construction
materials 44,600,000
15% ton

Animal waste
17%
Sludge reduction challenge
 PVA Gel: Sludge Reduction System
Conventional system Sedimentation tank
Effluent
Activated sludge tank

Excess sludge
(about 50% of BOD)

New PVA-gel system

Solid-liquid Effluent
Autolysis
separation
PVA gel tank Sludge reduction tank

Almost no excess sludge

Smaller tanks
(organic)

The reduction of the excess sludge can be achieved by the autolysis

(endogenous decay) of the sludge in the sludge reduction tank.
 Sludge Reduction with PVA Gel:
Endogenous Decay Æ Total Oxidation
Other carriers, activated sludge PVA Gel

Protozoa,
Protozoa Bacteria
metazoa, and
and grow
bacteria,
metazoa inside
grow on the
surface. PVA gel

Excess sludge
Protozoa
Metazoa 0.08 Bacteria
Bacteria (/day)
Sludge reduction rate
0.06
汚
泥
消
0.04
Sludge reduction
Only this 滅
retained in 速 becomes easier
PVA gel Bacteria 度
0.02
Protozoa
0
Metazoa
活性汚泥
Activated sludge ゲル汚泥
PVA gel
 Kuraray Sludge Reduction System
Sedimentation type （TYPE-S） Sedimentation tank
Sludge Effluent
reduction tank
The most cost effective
PVA gel tank for conversion of
existing activated sludge
process

Membrane filtration type （TYPE-M）

Effluent *No sedimentation tank
*Smaller sludge reduction tank
(higher MLSS)
Submerged membrane *Recyclable water

Patented in USA, European and Asian countries.

Nitrogen removal is also possible with a different process

Example: Sludge Reduction System (Type-S)
Kuraray Saijo Plant (400m3/d) BOD
BODremoval
removaland
andsludge
sludgereduction
reduction
Gel separator
(2 mm mesh)
Sludge
reduction
tank

PVA Gel tank (BOD removal)

No
Noexcess
excesssludge
sludge
for
for10
10years!
years!

X 1.5
Sedimentation tank
Example: Sludge Reduction System (Type-M, in Taiwan)
・85% of the wastewater
RO can be recycled as
membrane ultra pure water.
・Greatly reduced
PVA gel + excess organic sludge
sludge by autolysis.
reduction
(installed
underground)

Biodegradation of Sludge elimination

organic contaminant by autolysis
RO membrane

Submerged membrane

PVA gel tank Sludge reduction tank

 Technical Service System in Japan
End user
Inquiry
Sample Engineering firm
Test result & proposal

Kuraray

1. Small scale testing in Kuraray’s laboratory: Filtration test unit

(1) Evaluation of filtration behavior.
(flux, physical cleaning, chemical cleaning)
(2) Evaluation of biological treatability.
(3) Analysis (Influent, effluent).
2. Pilot-testing units available for long-term tests

Kuraray’s technical services are sought-after

in Japan Biological treatment
test unit
Thank you