A means of getting reverse-osmosis (RO) into sub-Saharan Africa has been provided by Italy’s Innova Ltd, which recently delivered its first automatic seawater RO desalination plant with 100 m³/d capacity to a tourist resort in Kenya.
The Milan-based company says that this plant, which has a Cat pump and six Dow Filmtec 8-in membranes, is a very big step towards full automation in small and medium desalinators.
In the new Innova plant, all functional parameters are controlled and managed automatically by a PLC installed inside the electric control board. Before delivery, the supplier downloads all the software for automatic running into the PLC.
Electronic flowmeters and pressure transducers on the feedwater line and permeated water line send signals at 4-20 mA to the central PLC (normally a Siemens S7 model). A modulating valve on the pressure vessels outlet keeps the high pressure automatically rated in order to reach the preset desired permeate flow under any conditions.
An inverter placed inside the electric control boards allows a soft start and stop automatically and consequently avoids any mechanically stress to the tubes, pressure vessel and membranes. Innova says the system is very safe and easy to run, so that even an unqualified person can operate the plant.
The software has a remote control mode, which allows Innova technical staff to monitor the plant at a distance and give continuous assistance and advice to the customer.
Innova produces desalinators and deionizers with one or more modules with capacities from 60 l/h to 1,800 m³/d.
The Innova automatic plant with CAT pump and 6 Dow Filmtec 8-in diameter membranes.