At its inception, in February 1995, the Okinawa seawater reverse-osmosis (SWRO) desalination plant in southern Japan was the most advanced of its type. In March 1997, the plant’s full capacity of 40,000 m /d was completed and began full operation. Now, the desalination plant is an essential water-supply facility for Okinawa. For this reason, looking at its last ten years of operation provides a narrative of the advance of SWRO since the mid-1990s. This article contains details of how the Japanese plant completely changed the way it viewed RO membranes and their maintenance. Employing a technology that has been cutting-edge for the last 20 or 30 years means that owners and operators must always adapt to the unforeseen. The authors have distilled the essence of all their experience at the plant for the past 10 years. This experience includes some things that cannot happen with the present advanced SWRO technology. However, it is never insignificant to know what challenges were met by the newest technology at that time and how they were solved, and to ponder what difficulties await our recent technology in the future. This article appeared in D&WR magazine’s February/March 2009 issue.
At its inception, in February 1995, the Okinawa seawater reverse-osmosis (SWRO) desalination plant in southern Japan was the most advanced of its type. In March 1997, the plant’s full capacity of 40,000 m³/d was completed and began full operation. Now, the desalination plant is an essential water-supply facility for Okinawa.
For this reason, looking at its last ten years of operation provides a narrative of the advance of SWRO since the mid-1990s.
This article contains details of how the Japanese plant completely changed the way it viewed RO membranes and their maintenance. Employing a technology that has been cutting-edge for the last 20 or 30 years means that owners and operators must always adapt to the unforeseen.
The authors have distilled the essence of all their experience at the plant for the past 10 years. This experience includes some things that cannot happen with the present advanced SWRO technology. However, it is never insignificant to know what challenges were met by the newest technology at that time and how they were solved, and to ponder what difficulties await our recent technology in the future.
This article appeared in D&WR magazine’s February/March 2009 issue.