Biwater Florida RO project has manipulated ER unit

Acceptance testing has been successfully completed for a I.5 MGD (5,680 m³/d) reverse osmosis (RO) system being built by Biwater at the Springtree Water Treatment Plant in Sunrise, Florida, USA.

The facility, which is up and running, is assisting the city in meeting its alternative water supply requirements.

Biwater designed the two-stage brackish-water system, which incorporates an interstage energy-recovery system and has up to 80% recovery. The feedwater total dissolved solids is recorded at approximately 3,000 mg/l, coming from a repurposed existing aquifer storage recovery well.

The energy-recovery system includes a manipulated valve control system that was developed by Biwater together with Fluid Equipment Development Company (FEDCO), who supplied its low-pressure LPH-16002/125T unit as an interstage booster.

Because of the variations of brackish water, brine regulation is achieved using a combination of the bypass valve, LPH turbine aux valve (integrated in the turbine module) and backpressure valve under a PID control for the widest system operating range. FEDCO engineers have worked with other system designers with similar control schemes for their systems.

The project was performed directly under contract with the City of Sunrise with Carollo Engineers serving as the owner’s engineer.

Richard White, senior vice president, Biwater AEWT, said, “Having been involved in this project from the beginning, through to commissioning, it has been a pleasure to work with the City of Sunrise and Carollo Engineers to successfully complete this project, bringing Biwater’s installed treatment capacity in the City of Sunrise to 19.5 MGD (74,000 m³/d)”.