Creating a sustainable future with seawater

Growing demand for desalination

Despite the fact that more than 70 % of the globe is covered by water, only 1% of the water is drinkable. According to the UN, water scarcity is one of the major challenges facing the world today and tomorrow. 

The call for solutions to water scarcity is urgent, and reverse osmosis is seen as one of the most effective solutions to solve the challenge. The process, which turns seawater into fresh water, is simple and more efficient than other desalination methods.

Reducing the energy cost of reverse osmosis

The process of pumping large amounts of seawater through desalination membranes is highly energy intensive. In recent years, however, the increasing focus on climate change and energy efficiency have brought new pumping solutions to the forefront, notably the use of positive displacement pumps with energy recovery
devices and AC drives.

For the past ten years, the number of SWRO plants using positive displacement pumps with energy recovery and AC drive has grown significantly. The systems have proven to outperform the traditional centrifugal pumps on most operational parameters, returning efficiency rates up to 92 % and energy savings up to 65 %.

By combining high-pressure pumps, AC drives, energy recovery devices, and pressure transmitters, Danfoss offers desalination solutions that return 65% energy savings compared to plants operating centrifugal pumps without energy recovery and AC drive.

Download whole article as PDF