AWWA MTC61075

AWWA MTC61075 Prototype Testing Facility for Two-Pass Nanofiltration Membrane Seawater Desalination Process
Conference Proceeding by American Water Works Association, 03/01/2005

Leung, Eric; Trejo, Reymundo; Rohe, Dale L.

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Long Beach Water Department (LBWD) has embarked on a three-phase research anddemonstration program to develop and implement a new, lower pressure, dual pass, seawaterdesalination process, using membrane technology, to supplement their current imported and localwater supplies. Water conservation and water recycling efforts along with seawater desalinationwill provide Long Beach with a diversified water supply portfolio. Located in coastal SouthernCalifornia, Long Beach has access to Pacific Ocean seawater and saline groundwater of seawaterquality as potential new water sources. The three-phase seawater desalination program of theTwo-pass Nanofiltration Membrane Desalination Process includes Pilot Testing (Phase 1),Prototype Seawater Desalination Testing Facility Design, Construction and Operation (Phase 2)and Demonstration Plant Design, Construction and Operation (Phase 3). The Phase 1 pilot-scaletesting, which commenced in 2001, consisted of 4-inch (102-mm) diameter nanofiltration (NF)membranes in a proprietary two-pass (two-stage) configuration at a capacity of 9,000-USgallonsper day (gpd) [34 m3/day]. During this pilot testing, the method demonstrated that it can achievetreated water quality equivalent to single-pass seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) desalinationprocess at lower operating pressures. Due to the success of the pilot-scale testing and promise ofthis desalination process for the full-scale, LBWD has applied for a patent on this innovativemethod and is proceeding to the next phase of the program. LBWD has two research partners forthe program, the United States Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) and the Los Angeles Department ofWater and Power (LADWP). Phase 2 consists of testing full-scale 8-inch (203-mm) diameter NFmembrane elements in a 150,000-gpd (568 m3/day) prototype plant and having a side-by-sidecomparison with a 150,000-gpd (568 m3/day) conventional seawater reverse osmosis (RO)membrane desalination plant. If Phase 2 Prototype Plant testing proves successful, LBWD willproceed to a full-scale demonstration plant, with a capacity of up to 10-million USgallons per day(37,850 m3/day). This paper summarizes the Phase 1 pilot-testing, details the current PrototypeSeawater Desalination Testing Facility phase, and briefly describes the future Demonstration Plantphase (Phase 3). Includes 9 references, tables.