Swirltex

Swirltex is an Alberta based startup company that has developed a membrane filtration system for treating wastewater.

Wastewater has traditionally been difficult to treat via membrane filtration due to membrane surface fouling caused by pollutants. The Swirltex technology overcomes this issue by creating a centrifugal flow pattern, preventing contaminants from contacting the tubular shaped polymer membrane. In comparison to the competition, the Swirltex membrane system can utilize low-cost polymer membranes, provides a significantly higher flux while avoiding fouling. The Swirltex business model is based on the price/m3 of water treated. It is an affordable option for smaller urban environments that cannot afford large capital outlays and creates marketable reuse water for customers. The initial target market is municipalities at risk of environmental non-compliance. The aim is to supply the market demand for recycled industrial water, which will continue to grow with regulatory pressures limiting fresh water use.The Swirltex vision is to establish a more continuous water re-use cycle to create more sustainable water practices for the future. Our focus is on treating wastewater from smaller urban communities that can then be sold and re-used by to industrial players for operational use. Our business contributes to a more sustainable future in two ways. Firstly, by providing wastewater treatment in an efficient and cost-effective manner for small municipalities. Secondly, by providing use-able water for industries, such as for irrigation or oil and gas, thus reducing the volume of fresh water extracted from watersheds for industrial use.