Seawater desalination by reverse osmosis : Plant design, performance data, operation and maintenance (Tanajib, Arabian Gulf Coast)

Abstract

A systematic interpretation of critical combinations of feed water, pretreatment and membranes and adequate conclusions can avoid setbacks of reverse osmosis processes. Reputed systems manufacturers will find the right approach if their tasks will be changed from a limited responsibility — for design, construction, installation and commissioning only — to an overall responsibility which includes operation and maintenance. In 1982/83 Preussag received from Aramco in Saudi Arabia the order for the first temporary reverse osmosis seawater desalination plant at Tanajib, Arabian Gulf Coast, with a total net capacity of 600,000 gpd. The orders were placed on a turnkey basis including operation and maintenance. The highlights of the RO seawater desalination plant are: shallow beach wells, ultrafiltration, vacuum deaeration, high-pressure multi-stage centrifugal pumps with energy recovery turbine, single stage reverse osmosis and free programmable logic and process controller. During the first more than one and a half years of operation, product quantity and quality has always met the requirements of Aramco's specification. The excellent experiences until today with the first temporary Tanajib reverse osmosis seawater desalination plant permit the conclusion that RO technology can avoid major setbacks and may face the competition with the distillation processes with confidence.