Texas Innovative Water 2010

Affordable Desalination Collaboration

ADC

“What Are Efficient Methods to Reduce the Energy

Requirements of Brackish Ground Water Desalination”

By John P. MacHarg
ADC Managing Director
 The Affordable Desalination Collaboration © 2004

Government

Municipal

Commercial
 Objectives of the ADC

• Demonstrate affordable desalination using proven

advancements and designs.

• Provide a platform by which cutting edge

technologies can be tested and measured for their
ability to reduce the overall cost of the SWRO
treatment process

• Educate that desalination is an affordable and

viable source of fresh water.
ADC Pilot Demonstration System
 Brackish Water Configuration and Basic Flow Diagram
ADC BWRO Process
i. Ground water
ii. Well pump
iii. System Feed pump
iv. Cartridge filter 5 micron
v. Main high pressure pump
Containerized 100-130 kgpd Seawater Reverse Osmosis Pilot
vi. Pressure Exchanger (ERI)
vii. PX/interstage booster pump
viii. 2-1 array 7x8” RO vessels

Reverse Osmosis Process

viii Product F
v G H
E
I J

vi vii vi K
C vii
ii iii
D
i
B Reject L
A

Typical ADC Operating Conditions

Stream A B C D E F G H I J K L

GPM 119 33 87 20 106 86 64 22 42 42 21 34

PSI 30 29 161 161 161 7 7 7 138 180 164 25
uS 4303 4303 4303 nd 4324 264 155 58 9813 9813 18 14
 RO Historical Energy Consumption
and The ADC
kWh/m3 kWh/kgal
9.2 35
7.9 30
6.6 25
5.3 20
Seawater
4.0 15
Brackish
2.6 10

1.3 5
13.8 3.4 3.0 2.7 2.3
0
1970 1980 1990 2000 2010
DuPont B-9 ADC
Note:
1. All energy figures are for the RO process only. They do not include any allowance for supply, pre-filtration or distribution.
2. Historical figures are general averages based on a combination of manufacturers specifications, plant data and interviews with
industry experts. Sources include Desalters Handbood for Pllanners 4.10.4 and 7.9 , GWI Webinar and Randy Truby.
 GWI Historical Full Scale Data (Total Facility)

kWh/m3 kWh/kgal
8 30

7 26

6 23

5 19

4 15
ADC SW
3 11

2 8

1 4 ADC BW*
0
* RO process power ADCIII-TWDB Peliminary
 Energy Requirements for Various Water Supplies
and the ADC Seawater Study

Ground Water Recharge CRA

Ground Water Recharge SWP

Colorado River Aqueduct (CRA) Approximately

50% of
Southern
California's
California State Water Project (SWP) Water Supply

WBMWD Total
Seawater Reverse Osmosis Process (ADC) Power (3)

kWh/acre-ft 0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000 3500 4000

kWh/kgal 1.5 3.1 4.5 6.1 7.7 9.2 10.7 12.3
kWh/m3 0.40 0.82 1.19 1.61 2.03 2.43 2.83 3.24
1. CRA and SWP figures are for West Basin Municipal Water District (WBMWD) and according to Water Sources Powering Southern California, by
Robert C. Wilkinson Ph.D., January 2004.
2. Seawater Reverse Osmosis (SWRO) Process power is from the ADC’s demonstration facility at the “most affordable point” and for the SWRO process
only. This includes the power of the main HP pump and PX booster pump only with no allowance for intake, pre-filtration, conveyance or distribution.
3. WBMWD Total Power includes intake, pre-filtration, SWRO Process, conveyance and distribution power for their proposed 20 MGD ocean desalination
facility.
 The ADC-TWDB Brackish Water Savings (preliminary)

kWh/m3 kWh/kgal
0.80 3
0% Savings
12% Savings
16% Savings

0.53 2

0.26 1

0
Interstage no ER Interstage Turbo Interstage ADC
Isobaric
 Brisk Technological Development and Innovation

Large diameter membrane development to reduce capitol costs

• Currently there are operating demonstration and pilot installations
• All four leading membrane manufacturers developing and/or offering large diameter
membrane

Nano-technology membrane development to lower feed pressure and energy requirements

• Numerous institutions and universities worldwide chasing nano membrane
development
• Several commercial companies pursuing commercialization of technology including
NanoH2O and the Stony Brook group.

Pump and energy recovery development to improve efficiency and reduce energy consumption
• Commercial companies working to improve efficiencies include Danfoss Axial Piston
pumps, Calder’s rotary exchanger, Ocean Pacific Technology’s APX and KSB’s
SaltTec system and RO pumps
Affordable Desalination Collaboration
Contact Information

ADC
Affordable Desalination Collaboration

2419 E. Harbor Blvd

Ventura, CA 93001
Tel: 650-283-7976
John P. MacHarg
E-mail: jmacharg@affordabledesal.com