“Design of compact, containerized desalination plants”

Abstract

On 13.8.1987 Hydrotechnik has signed a contract with the Ministry of Electricity and Water, Kuwait, for the supply, erection and commissioning of 13 Nos. containerized mobile Brackish Water Reverse Osmosis Desalination Plants with a capacity of 13 x 250.000 IGPD (or 13 x 1136 m3/day). The units, which draw brackish water from the ground water system, serve as Emergency Units for hospitals and other important government installations. Only six months after the date of signing the contract, the first Reverse Osmosis Unit, consisting of 1. one 20 feet pretreatment-filtration container 2. one 40 feet operation container and 3. one 40 feet storage container 4. two 50.000 imp. gallons raw water/product water tanks 5. complete civil work and erection had passed the initial reliability test and went into commercial operation. On 13.11.1988, 15 months after signing the contract, all 13 units have been successfuly put into operation, each unit thereby passing a 110 days reliability test. As per today, all units are operating to the satisfaction of the customer, producing drinking water with a salinity which is far below the limits of the WHO standard. For example, the first unit has a record of 9850 operation hours as per April 1988. In this paper we have outlined design considerations of these Emergency Units as well as special properties and features of the HYDROCOMPACT containerized Reverse Osmosis Desalination Units.