Water and Energy Drive the Market Growth for Sedimentation and
Centrifugation Equipment
The world market for sedimentation and centrifugation equipment will rise from $5 billion/yr in 2005 to $6 billion/yr by 2010. In the continually updated online report, Sedimentation & Centrifugation World Markets, the McIlvaine Company attributes the growth primarily to the increased demand in the water and energy sectors
In the water sector equipment such as clarifers, dissolved air flotation, centrifuges, and hydrocyclones are used for preliminary treatment of drinking water, wastewater purification, and sludge dewatering. The booming market in Asia, where most of the citizens still lack clean water, will account for significant growth.
In Asia hundreds of millions of people are moving into the cities from rural areas. Instead of untreated well water, there is the need for filtered surface water. Instead of night soil for use in agriculture, there is the need for dewatered sewage sludge. Decanter centrifuges are used in preference to belt filters for larger sewage sludge dewatering plants. European suppliers of centrifuges have successfully expanded into this Asian market and through direct sales or licensees dominate this region.
Clarifiers and dissolved air flotation units are employed at many new municipal water treatment facilities. Desalination plants need clarifiers and hydrocyclones for pre-treatment of the seawater.
In the energy sector there are double-digit niche growth segments. Hundreds of ethanol plants are now in planning and construction throughout the world. Most will use decanter centrifuges for dewatering of residues which are used for animal feed. The opportunity for separation equipment sales will increase if grasses rather than corn become the primary feed stock. The technology for making ethanol from grasses is more complex but the cost of growing grasses is considerably less than corn. The U.S. and Brazil are already the leading suppliers and will maintain this lead. Over 100 ethanol plants are now in planning or construction in the U.S.
The world will be investing over $50 billion per year in new coal-fired power plants over the next two decades. This will result in nearly $100 million per year invested in a variety of sedimentation and centrifugation equipment. These plants will require large amounts of surface water for cooling. Clarifiers will be needed to remove sediment and provide pre-treatment.
Hydro cyclones and clarifiers will be needed to concentrate the gypsum formed by the capture of SO2 in limestone scrubbers. Basket centrifuges will compete with belt filters for the dewatering of the gypsum.
China will be the leading purchaser of sedimentation and centrifugation equipment over the next decade. Activity in municipal water and wastewater will be high as will expansion of mining and heavy manufacturing. China will be building more coal-fired power plants than any other country.
For more information on Sedimentation & Centrifugation World Markets, click on:
http://www.mcilvainecompany.com/water.html#n005 .
Bob McIlvaine
847-784-0012