The population boom and rapid urbanization worldwide are resulting in a shortage of potable water. Climate change has also contributed to the issue of global water scarcity.
This is why seawater reverse osmosis desalination has emerged as a dependable solution in the creation of freshwater.
Sea Water Reverse Osmosis (SWRO) plants require energy to desalinate seawater, resulting in the formation of freshwater that is fit for human use.
Reverse Osmosis (RO) technology has been at the forefront of desalination worldwide. It involves pumping water through a semi-permeable membrane at high pressure to create a more dilute solution from a less dilute one.
For years now, SWRO technology has taken several steps towards developing energy-efficient and high-yielding systems. One of the most popular steps is the introduction of an energy recovery device (ERD).
Let’s take a look at the benefits of an ERD:
1. Reduction in Energy Consumption and Increase in Energy Efficiency
Energy Recovery Devices utilize energy that is inherently a part of the water treatment process to bring down power consumption.
This is achieved by making use of the energy that is typically lost during the reduction of fluid pressure during water treatment.
ERD reduces the energy demanded during high-pressure pumping (HPP) and also the size of the HPP by recovering hydraulic energy in the treatment process.
Indeed, the reduction in the energy consumed during desalination processes has been the primary driver of revolutionizing the ERD technology used in this field.
The implementation of Energy Recovery Devices (ERD) has proved to be very effective in bringing down energy consumption in SWRO plants.
2. Reduces SWRO Plant Footprint
By bringing down the power requirement in an SWRO, a lower-capacity RO pump can be installed as compared to higher capacity pump.
Effectively managing the footprint of the overall system is beneficial in general, but especially so in the case of offshore vessels where space is a luxury.
4. Brings Down the Overall Cost of Water
The reduction in the size of the plant, the power it requires, and the capacity of the pump ultimately brings down the costs incurred in the generation of desalinated water per liter in the long run.
Advanced Watertek has been using ERDs to help build energy-efficient SWROs. We have been at the forefront of innovation when it comes to technologies required by SWRO treatment facilities, providing solutions that are environmentally friendly and sustainable.
We work with partners like Danfoss and FEDCO who manufacture a wide variety of high-quality pumps and ERDs that can be used in different kinds of water treatment plants. Contact us to find out more.