Our Technologies
LIFE INDESAL proposes an energy-efficient and circular approach for seawater desalination that integrates three technologies.
RED. Reverse Electrodialysis allows to use brines from the LMS RO process and produce energy to feed the desalination plant itself, increasing the circularity of the desalination process.
LMS RO. Low pressure Multi-Stage Reverse Osmosis is a novel desalination technology that reduces energy use by lowering the pressure at which water must pass through the system’s membranes.
EDBM. Electrodialysis with Bipolar Membranes allows the generation of sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and hydrogen chloride (HCl) required in the plant, reducing the demand of external chemicals.
The integrated configuration addresses two main concerns with the desalination process: energy intensity and brine disposal. The integration will provide:
10.5% reduction in over all energy use.
100% of self-sufficiency in terms of sodium hydroxide and hydrogen chloride requirements.
Pilot plant
LIFE INDESAL aims at demonstrating at pilot scale (10 m3/h) under real environmental conditions. The three technologies will be integrated in a pilot unit (PU), fully automated and highly equipped with online sensors and analysers to control and monitor the processes and enable continuous operation for two years.
Data from the PU performance will be used to conduct a projection of a 450,000 m3 /d seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) plant that incorporates the LIFE INDESAL solution.
Its environmental impacts under different categories will be assessed and compared to a conventional SWRO plant, clearly quantifying the associated benefits. The PU will be tested in San Pedro del Pinatar II seawater desalination plant in Murcia (Spain).
These demonstration actions will allow LIFE INDESAL to reach technology readiness level (TRL) of 7 – system protype demonstration in operational environment at pre-commercial scale – by the end of the project.
