Saltworks Technology is now offering its Xtreme Reverse Osmosis (XRO) technology, with optional ultra-high-pressure reverse osmosis (UHP RO) membrane technology in a modularised package for brine management.
The company says the new UHP RO technology can reduce brine management costs by three times compared with evaporators. Rated for 1,740 psi, the UHP RO spiral wound membranes achieve 1.6X brine volume reduction over previous 1,200 psi seawater (SWRO) RO membranes, provided the membrane scaling and fouling are managed. Saltworks has tested several UHP RO membrane elements with new products from Nitto-Hydranautics and achieved very good results.
Saltworks’ chemical softening technology, BrineRefine prevents scaling and allows recovery up to the osmotic pressure limit at 1,200 or 1,740 psi. The company recommends the use of high cross flows, which provide high brine velocity to wash away any boundary layers of stagnant water next to the membrane surface where scale and fouling can occur.
Energy recovery devices (ERDs) rated for 1,740 psi do not yet exist, but an ERD can be avoided by using a high-pressure circulation pump. This recycles and upgrades the pressure of a portion of the RO brine, which avoids the loss of the brine’s high-pressure energy before recirculation, lowers feed pump energy, and improves cross flow velocity across the membrane surface.
