How Reverse Osmosis Turns Seawater into Drinking Water
How Reverse Osmosis Turns Seawater into Drinking Water
Why Modern Desalination Solves Global Water Scarcity
✔ Produces drinking water from sea - Handles salinity up to 38,000 mg/L
✔ Meets WHO standards - Output exceeds GB 5749 drinking water requirements
✔ Saves energy - As low as 3-4 kWh/m³ with energy recovery
✔ Removes contaminants - Eliminates heavy metals, viruses, and organic pollutants
Critical Fact: Reverse osmosis desalination now produces freshwater for over 100 million people daily worldwide
2 Main Desalination Technologies
1. Reverse Osmosis (RO) Systems
• Salt rejection: ≥98%
• Energy consumption: 3-4 kWh/m³
• Capacity range: 1-10,000 m³/day
• Best for: Coastal areas with electricity access
2. Multi-Effect Distillation (MED)
• Salt rejection: 99.9%
• Energy consumption: 6-12 kWh/m³
• Capacity range: 10-50,000 m³/day
• Best for: Industrial applications with waste heat
Technical Specifications
| Parameter | Specification |
|---|---|
| Feed Salinity | Up to 38,000 mg/L |
| Product Water TDS | <500 mg/L |
| Recovery Rate | 40-50% (Seawater) |
| 65-80% (Brackish Water) | |
| Membrane Life | 5-7 years |
6 System Components Explained
1. Pretreatment System
• Multi-media filters: Remove suspended solids
• Antiscalant dosing: Prevents membrane scaling
• Acid injection: Controls pH and precipitation
• Cartridge filtration: 5μm final protection
2. High-Pressure RO System
• Dow Filmtec SW30HR elements: High rejection membranes
• Duplex stainless steel piping: Corrosion resistance
• Titanium pressure vessels: Marine environment durability
3. Energy Recovery System
• PX Pressure Exchanger: 95% efficiency
• ERD technology: Reduces energy consumption by 60%
• Isobaric chambers: Continuous pressure transfer
4. Post-Treatment System
• Remineralization: Calcium carbonate contactors
• Disinfection: UV and chlorine residual maintenance
• pH adjustment: Corrosion control in distribution
5. Cleaning System
• CIP unit: Automated membrane cleaning
• Chemical storage: Acid, alkali, and detergent tanks
• Flush system: Automatic membrane flushing
6. Control System
• PLC automation: Full process control
• SCADA interface: Remote monitoring and operation
• Data logging: Performance tracking and reporting
Performance Data
| Contaminant | Seawater Concentration | Product Water Concentration | Removal Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Dissolved Solids | 35,000 mg/L | <500 mg/L | 98.6% |
| Sodium | 10,800 mg/L | <120 mg/L | 98.9% |
| Chloride | 19,400 mg/L | <180 mg/L | 99.1% |
| Sulfate | 2,700 mg/L | <25 mg/L | 99.1% |
| Boron | 4.5 mg/L | <0.5 mg/L | 88.9% |
5 Competitive Advantages
✔ Advanced energy recovery - 60% lower power consumption than conventional systems
✔ Corrosion-resistant materials - 316L stainless steel and titanium components
✔ Automated operation - Touchscreen control with remote monitoring
✔ Compact modular design - Reduced installation time and cost
✔ performance guarantee - Longest in the industry
Case Study: Caribbean resort reduced water costs by 70% using our 500 m³/day system
Applications
1. Municipal Water Supply
• Island communities
• Coastal cities
• Emergency water sources
2. Tourism & Hospitality
• Resort hotels
• Cruise ships
• Beach facilities
3. Industrial Applications
• Power plants
• Offshore platforms
• Mining operations
4. Military & Emergency
• Naval vessels
• Disaster relief
• Remote bases
Maintenance Protocol
✅ Daily: Pressure and flow monitoring
✅ Weekly: SDI testing and chemical dosing calibration
✅ Monthly: Membrane performance normalization
✅ Quarterly: Full chemical cleaning and inspection
✅ Annually: Comprehensive system overhaul
Pro Tip: Maintain feed water SDI <4.0 and turbidity <0.2 NTU for optimal membrane life
Economic Analysis
| Capacity | Installation Cost | Operating Cost | Water Production Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100 m³/day | $150,000-200,000 | $1.8-2.2/m³ | $2.5-3.0/m³ |
| 1,000 m³/day | $800,000-1,200,000 | $1.2-1.6/m³ | $1.8-2.2/m³ |
| 10,000 m³/day | $6-8 million | $0.8-1.2/m³ | $1.2-1.6/m³ |
Why Choose Our Desalination Systems?
✔ 20 years marine water experience
✔ 1000+ successful installations worldwide
✔ 24/7 technical support with marine engineers
