• PX technology replaces legacy Pelton wheels, reducing energy consumption by 16%
SAN LEANDRO, CA, Nov. 3, 2008 -- Energy Recovery Inc., a global leader of ultra-high-efficiency energy recovery products and technology for desalination, announced that it was awarded the energy recovery contract for the expansion of the Tordera seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) desalination plant near Barcelona. The production capacity of the plant will double to 55,000 m³/d (14.5 MGD) of fresh water. The Tordera plant expansion will be constructed by a consortium consisting of Spanish companies, ACCIONA AGUA, AQUALIA and FCC.
ERI will supply 60 PX-260 devices to replace outdated turbine-based energy recovery devices that are less energy efficient. With ERI's ceramic isobaric PX technology, the plant will be able to reduce energy consumption by over 2 million kilowatt hours per year or 16%. In addition, the capacity of the plant will increase with no new high-pressure pumps. SWRO plants formerly equipped with turbines in areas such as the Caribbean, Middle East, China and Europe also have been retrofitted with PX technology and enjoyed similar savings percentages and capacity increases.
In the past few years, Barcelona and surrounding areas have been suffering from drought conditions which put restrictions on the usage of water for swimming pools, fountains and lawns. Earlier this year, the Catalonian region was importing drinking water by barge due to the severity of the situation. Although rains inundated the region recently, government utilities are investing in expanding existing capacity and building new capacity to provide reliable, secure water resources for the future.
Energy Recovery Inc. (ERI) is a leading manufacturer of energy recovery devices which help make desalination affordable by significantly reducing energy consumption.
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