Development of a fourth generation energy recovery device.

Energy Recovery, Inc.’s Big Rotor Pressure Exchanger is the result of over 100 years of technology development. Work exchanger devices developed for seawater RO plants are considered by many to be the most important breakthrough in desalination in the last 10 years. What has made this breakthrough possible and how have these devices affected the job of designing SWRO systems? This paper presents the challenges and solutions of the design and deployment of the PX. PX performance data and engineering design considerations from operating SWRO-PX process configurations and PX arrays will be provided. Recent technical advances and future products will be discussed.

The PX is built upon the work of many generations of innovation in the field of pressure transfer. Its elegant design with only one moving part provides both high efficiency and dynamic stability. The PX technology can be extended to unlimited capacity by installing multiple units in parallel. The design and performance considerations presented in this paper provide responses to some of the most significant challenges posed to ERI by critics and competitors. Many important aspects of SWRO design and PX specification have not been addressed herein. Interested readers are encouraged to contact ERI sales personnel at sales@energy-recovery.com or visit our website at www.energy-recovery.com for more detailed and project specific information.