Energy Recovery PX Devices Implemented in World’s First Osmotic Power Plant

December 5, 2009 – Vol.14 No.37

Energy Recovery PX Devices Implemented in World’s First Osmotic Power Plant.

PX Pressure Exchanger (R) energy recovery devices are implemented at the world’s first osmotic power plant built in Tofte, Norway. The high efficiency of Energy Recovery’s PX devices increase the energy output and reduce the energy consumed during the osmotic power generation process to ensure the net-positive production of electricity.

“Although osmotic power has enormous potential, it is only economically feasible if you reduce the cost of creating it. Energy Recovery’s PX devices address this issue by considerably reducing energy use, allowing us to produce renewable electricity. We anticipate that the pilot plant will be quite successful and plan to implement the PX technology as we scale up to a commercial facility,” said Stein Erik Skilhagan, vice president of osmotic power at Statkraft, builder of the power plant.

The osmotic power process harnesses the osmotic potential difference between saltwater (such as seawater) and freshwater to produce a pressurized stream of membrane permeate. Diluted saltwater is released through a turbine that turns a generator to produce electricity. The PX devices work in unison with next-generation forward osmosis membranes to cost-effectively enable stable, reliable, environmentally friendly energy production anywhere that both freshwater and saltwater are available. The pilot plant in Tofte, Norway is designed to produce 10 kW of renewable energy, and by 2015, Statkraft plans to build a full-scale osmotic power plant capable of producing 25 MW of electricity.

Energy Recovery’s PX devices are currently deployed at large seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) desalination plants all over the world. By recycling the energy typically wasted as part of the reject stream, the PX devices—which operate at 98 percent efficiency—reduce energy use by up to 60 percent, helping to make desalination an affordable solution to global water scarcity. Energy Recovery’s devices function on a similar principle in osmotic power processes.

“The ability to harness osmosis and turn it into a continuous supply of clean, renewable energy is an extremely important accomplishment for humanity and the environment. We applaud Statkraft on opening the pilot facility as a major milestone for osmotic power,” said Rick Stover, CTO of Energy Recovery, Inc. “We look forward to further developments in osmotic power technology, which could potentially use any saltwater or solution with a high osmotic potential to generate electricity. In every case, PX energy recovery devices will be an essential component, maintaining high osmotic pressure and maximizing net power output through high-efficiency performance. We look forward to playing an important role as osmotic power evolves as a significant source of global energy.”

Energy Recovery, Inc. designs and develops energy recovery devices that help make desalination affordable by significantly reducing energy consumption. ERI’s PX Pressure Exchanger™ (PX™) device is a rotary positive displacement pump that recovers energy from the high pressure reject stream of seawater reverse osmosis systems at up to 98% efficiency. (12/3/09)

Links:

Energy Recovery
http://www.energyrecovery.com

--- Something New: Osmotic Power

Disclaimer, Forward-Looking or Safe Harbor Statement on original press release: Yes