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Abstract
The aim of this work is to assess and evaluate the energy and the membrane replacement cost for the seawater
reverse osmosis (SWRO) plants. As a result of that, suggestions are given for energy cost reduction as well as
optimum membrane cleaning procedure. A detailed comparative study was conducted for the energy recovery systems
for SWRO plants available in the market. The energy cor~sumption was measured in relation with other operating
factors such as recovery, feed concentration, productiviW, temperature, etc. All the data were collected from existing
SWRO plants in different locations in Greece under real operating conditions. Four different energy recovery systems,
which are used in seawater SWRO plants, were examined. These are the classical Pelton wheel, the turbocharger,
the pressure exchanger and the Pelton wheel introduced by Grundfos company. The above energy recovery systems
have been applied in small and medium size RO plants commissioned by different companies. The deterioration of
the membrane performance is an actual fact leading after 2-5 years to the replacement of the membranes with a
considerable cost. The lifetime of the membranes is greatly effected by the feed water quality and the pretreatment
process. It was found that the normal cleaning procedure, which is recommended by the SWRO plant builders and
the membrane makers, gives poor results especially for small size SWRO plants, with severe bio-fouling problems.
As it is presented in this work, in some cases, destruction of the membrane modules is the result of severe biofouling. In this work data of the performance of the membranes before and after the cleaning procedure are presented
and a different cleaning procedure is recommended. The later is based on the combination of hydrodynamic and
chelnical cleaning of the membranes, resulting in great improvement of the membranes performance. This cleaning
procedure will extend the lifetime of the membranes and reduce the membrane replacement expenditures.
K,words: Reverse osmosis plants; Energy consumption; Membrane cleaning; Maintenance
*Corresponding author.
Presented at the EzlropeaJl Conjerence on Desalination and the Environment: Fresh Water for All, Malta, 4-8 A4cLv2003.
European Desalination SocieO~, lnlernatio~tal Water Association.
0011-9164/03/$-- See fiont matter 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved
PIE S0011-9164(03)00395-3
152
1. Introduction
153
Table 1
Reverse osmosis plants in Greece
Location
Oia
Oia
Oia
Capacity, Type of
m3/d
membranes
400
FilmTec
180
FilmTec
300
FilmTec
Recovery, Operating
%
pressure, bar
33
62
40
61
28
59
Permeate
quality,!aS/cm
700
700
450
los
lthaki
Syros
Mykonos
500
600
580
500
40
25
38
23
800
900
250
430
Osmonics
B-10 DuPont
FilmTec
B-10 DuPont
67
71
56
70
Temperature,Energy recovery
C
system
25-27
Pelton wheel
25-27
Turbo charger
25-27
Pelton wheel,
Grundfos
25-27
PX-60
25-27
Pelton wheel
25-27
Pelton wheel
25-27
Pelton wheel
154
consumption
The SWRO desalination is an energy intensive
process because of the low recovery ratio (2540%) and the high operating pressure (60-80 bar).
Consequently the industry is in continues effort
to recover the naaximum possible energy from the
disposed brine. In the early days of the desalination indnstry the energy recovery system in use
for the SWRO was the Pelton wheel, converting
the hydraulic energy of the rejected brine into
rotational energy, which is delivered in the form
of mechanical shaft power helping to drive the
motor of the high pressure pump (Fig. 1). The
recommended energy saving is about 40%. In any
case the percentage of the energy recovery depends
on several factors, such as the capacity of the
plant, the recovery ratio, the operating pressure
etc. The Pelton wheel is in operation when the
by-pass valve-2 is closed. Valve-I controls the
recovery ratio of the operation, and the flow rate
of the brine passing through the Pelton wheel. It
is apparent that the applied high pressure is
controlled by valve-1. When valve-I is turned to
HP
Feed pump
water D _ . _ Q ~ ~ . ~ ~ . . . . . - . - " " ~
ROelements
Motor
RO elements Permeate
Penneate
Valve-I
~HPpump
Motor
,..-.-..- ~
Turbine
pump
Brine
}.
to disposali~
tpwu~i~i~LV a l v e _ _
By-pass
Valve-2
Feed
water
I -"~
"/
L~
[
Valve-2
Pelton
[ wheel
turbine
[ Brineto
i disposal
155
RO elements
[---..~ ~ ~
Feed puHmPp
water ~
~t ~ 1 ~
~'~'/~q'~
,--1 [
I I
I
I [.~
i I ~
[ ~...~
-I~ permeate
Bri,~e
to disposal
Hydraulic
Turbo
Charger
pmnp
Booster
pump
PE
~
Feed
solution
high
pressure
Brine
low
pressure
Table 2
Specific energy consumption for SWRO plants
Location
Specific energy
consum3ption,
kWh/m
4.60
4.65
5.28
3.02
9.38
6.16
8.36
Recovered energy
consumption,
kWh/m~
13.93
l 1.62
18.85
7.55
37.12
16.21
36.33
156
found in lthaki plant, where DuPont B-10 membranes are in use. This high energy consumption
is combined with high applied pressure and low
recovery ratio.
Table 3
SWRO lnembrane replacement cost
Location
Oia
Oia
Oia
Dos
Ithaki
Syros
Mykonos
Waterproduction,
4
5
5
5
5
5
5
188,383
164,250
273,750
456,250
985,500
952,650
821,250
11,303
2|,900
21,900
21,900
39,420
39,420
39,420
ITI 3
Replacementcost,
~
54,000
21,000
36,000
54,000
108,000
36,000
108,000
0.29
0.13
0.13
0.12
0.11
0.04
0.13
14000
16000
I
18000
,~
26000
110
,T,
6-3-2000
~o 60
24000
--li-- Temperature
~-v~V-V'vvwV~
v
~v~
70
100
/"
9-9-2002
\~m~
v~/ \
Hydrodyn~mi~/~.m
"
157
90 C
80
E
cleaning
70
50
60
I
I
14000
16000
'
24000
26000
Fig. 6. Permeate flow rate.
14000
1000
950
900
850
E
O
03
18000
20000
22000
Operation time (h)
800
750
~ m :/ 7 ' 0/ ~ 0
.-
qi~ I/~~/~!
._.
! i. / " / r . .
>
*5 650
\/
-'/
Y '~'
,~
~"
,T
14000
,--
-Temperature
l~r'--V
450- -v
4OO
80
ID
E
09
70
to
L) ~5o -
_ Normalcleaning
90
16000
18000
20000
22000
Operation time (h)
60
~v/
I
24000
26000
Fig. 7. Permeate quality.
158
5. Conclusions
The cost o f desalinated water was always ml
obstacle to a large expansion of the desalination
industry. The two main factors o f the total water
cost by reverse osmosis, the energy consumption
cost and the membrane replacement cost, have
been examined for small-size plants. The energy
recovery systems in the market have been investigated in several S W R O plants and a specific
e n e r g y c o n s u m p t i o n f r o m 3.02 k W h / m 3 to
9.38 kWh/m 3 has been established. The specific
membrmae replacement cost can be three times
h i g h e r for p l a n t s w h i c h are in o p e r a t i o n
periodically during the four to five years o f the
average membrane lifetime. This cost varies from
C0.04/m 3to t~0.34/m ~. The membrane replacement
cost can be lowered if a hydrodynamic cleaning
procedure is applied. It is believed that the desalination industry moves forward progressively with
more efficient energy recovery systems, better and
more resistant membranes, new membrane cleaning
chemicals and processes with a goal to produce
more and less expensive desalinated water.
References