Australian Desal Plant to Use PX Devices
Energy Recovery, Inc., a designer of energy recovery devices for desalination, announced that its PX Pressure Exchanger devices will be implemented at the Southern Seawater Desalination Plant (SSDP) in Western Australia.
To be constructed by the Southern Seawater Alliance (SSWA) — a joint venture between Técnicas Reunidas Australia Pty Ltd, Valoriza Water Australia Pty Ltd, AJ Lucas Operations Pty Ltd, and Worley Parsons Services Pty Ltd — the plant will be built in Binningup and will provide 140,000 m3 (37 million gallons) of fresh water per day to residents of the greater Perth region.
“When constructing desalination plants designed for enormous capacity, it is critically important to conserve as much energy as possible during the reverse osmosis process in order to make the product affordable,” said Pablo Abril Martorell, general manager at Valoriza Agua. “Rotary isobaric energy recovery devices have emerged as the most innovative method for reducing energy, and because the SSDP is our first desalination plant in Australia, it was important to select the best technology available in a country that demands the highest environmental standards. Energy Recovery’s PX devices have a proven track record for high-performance and reliability, making them the ideal choice.”
By implementing these devices, the SSWA will save more than 1,560 kW of energy and offset more than 8,000 tons of carbon dioxide annually. The SSDP is the fourth desalination plant in Australia to include the PX technology, as devices are currently operating or contracted at facilities in Perth-Kwinana, Cape Preston and Adelaide. The water shortage in Western Australia is a catalyst for the potential increase of water production capacity, to 280,000 m3/day, at the plant.
The PX devices operate at up to 98 percent efficiency and reduce the energy consumption of sea water reverse osmosis systems by up to 60 percent, making desalination a cost-effective solution for clean water supply.