Case Study Detail

PX® Technolgy Reducing Energy and Overall Costs

The Industry Standard Solution
The efficiency and lifecycle costs of a plant’s energy recovery technology is critical to both winning SWRO projects and achieving maximum plant profitably through the lowest operating costs. Leading international OEM’s such as Acciona Agua, Aqua Engineering, Befesa, CH2MHill, Cobra Tedagua, Doosan Hydro Technology, Fisia Italimpianti, GE Water Process and Technologies, GEIDA, IASUR, INIMA, Metito, Siemens and Suez Degrémont have selected the ERI® PX modular technology for their recent projects because it consistently achieves real energy transfer efficiencies—up to 98%, making it the most efficient energy recovery device available today. At the core of the PX device is a single moving rotor made of tough engineered ceramic that is unaffected by chemicals, will not corrode, and requires no periodic maintenance. Over 80 OEMs are standardizing on PX technology with installations around the world, including plants such as Al Shuaibah III, Barcelona, Chennai, Hamma, Perth, Skikda, Torrevieja and Yuhuan.

Sharm El-Sheikh Project Facts

• CAPACITY: 6,000 m3/day [1.5 MGD]
• 2 trains - 3,000 m3/day [.8 MGD]
• 6 PX-220 PRESSURE EXCHANGERS PER SWRO TRAIN
• 95% EFFICIENCY GUARANTY
• PLANT STARTUP – MARCH 2007

INTECH increased production to three times more than original process using ERI PX Pressure Exchanger energy recovery devices. Moreover, it retained the same footprint, saving civil work, time and money.

The Situation
Severn Trent Services, a leading supplier of water and wastewater treatment solutions was awarded a SWRO water treatment contract from Intech to provide drinking water to the Egyptian Ministry of Housing, Utilities and Urban Communities on the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt. Intech built the 6,000 m3/day SWRO plant for the touristic city of Sharm El-Sheikh located on the southern tip of the Peninsula, on the coastal strip of the Red Sea near Mount Sinai.

The Challenge
As foreign and domestic tourism is Sharm El-Sheikh’s major industry, with a year-round dry and temperate climate, there has been a dramatic increase in tourism in the region. To accommodate the region’s much needed water demands, affordable, accessible and reliable water sources were required. Prior to using ERI’s energy recovery solution, Intech’s process buildings had been designed to house equipment that could only produce 2,000 m3/day. Severn Trent was challenged to increase the capacity of the site without adding additional buildings or civil works.

The Solution
Having engaged ERI sales and technical services managers in the past, Severn Trent called upon ERI to provide a reliable, energy saving solution with its PX technology. In March 2007, two trains of 3,000 m3/day were installed utilizing six PX-220 Pressure Exchanger devices each to produce a total of 6,000 m3/day of permeate. Working closely with the plant engineers and operators, ERI spent approximately one week providing general plant start-up and commissioning services, in addition to training and supporting plant staff on proper PX operation. ERI’s regional technical services manager was also requested to monitor the plant to ensure successful operations.

The Result
ERI’s PX technology allowed Intech to increase production to three times more than that of the original process. Moreover, capacity was increased within the same footprint, saving civil work, time and money.

Intech was extremely pleased with the results of the PX energy recovery device solution that plans are underway to use additional PX units for three future projects.

Energy Recovery, Inc. (ERI®) is a leading manufacturer of energy recovery devices, which help make desalination affordable. ERI’s PX Pressure Exchanger® technology (PX®) is a rotary positive displacement pump that recovers energy from the high-pressure waste stream of sea water reverse osmosis (SWRO) systems at up to 98% efficiency with no downtime or scheduled maintenance.

ERI has research, development and manufacturing facilities in the San Francisco technology corridor as well as direct sales offices and technical support centers in key desalination hubs such as Madrid, Dubai, Shanghai and Florida. ERI service representatives are based in Algeria, Australia, China, India, Korea, Mexico, Taiwan and the Caribbean.