THE CHALLENGE
Through an existing partnership with a leading marine logistics company, we were invited to submit a design for a very special,
one-of-a-kind vessel.
This 94-metre Antarctic ocean research vessel was custom built from scratch in 2014 for an Australian Government agency. It has impressive scientific capabilities, with a wide range of on-board modular laboratories and facilities. The vessel accommodates up to 60 crew and is designed to sail for up to 60 days without resupply.
A reliable onboard reverse osmosis seawater desalination system was a must. They came to a team with extensive experience in the marine industry - a team worth their salt!
OUR SOLUTION
Advanced Watertek was commissioned to design, manufacture and commission a skid-mounted reverse osmosis seawater desalination system capable of producing potable water for drinking and any other high purity processes.
An off-the-shelf design simply wouldn't have worked. The vessel regularly ventures deep into Antarctic waters, with ambient water temperatures dropping towards 0°C. In addition there were issues with onboard space and volume restrictions.
After thorough groundwork, a system was engineered from the ground up. All small diameter tubing used stainless steel instead of nylon, which can become brittle and snap at lower temperatures. We oversized the pumps and motors to accommodate for the additional weight of the cold water requiring higher pressure.
SPECIFICATIONS
-
Nominal Capacity: 15,000L/Day
-
Feed Flow Rate (approx.): 40.17LPM (2.41m3/hr)
-
Expected Recovery: 17.00%
-
Product Flow: 10.5LPM (15m3/day)
-
Power Supply: 380-415V/AC/50Hz
PROJECT RESULT
The system was designed to meet all relevant Australian standards as well as the client's exact requirements. It was manufactured, delivered, installed and commissioned on time and on budget.
After a few months of operation an issue arose that had not been anticipated - the presence of numerous plankton in Antarctic waters. This increased the potential for membrane fouling. Additional pre-filtration was added external to the main skid which promptly resolved the issue.
We worked together with the client to engineer a system to their specifications, for their exact requirements. This project has been a fantastic experience for Advanced Watertek to be a part of something so vital for our shared future.
