Membrane Management Insights at a Large Scale SWRO Desalination Plant

This paper illustrates the added value of a holistic approach that facilitates control over maintenance and operation of a very large number of membranes and RO modules, by highly skilled operators using self-developed protocols. The approach includes the reinvention of existing processes and tools, advanced monitoring and data management and analysis, efficient membrane replacement management, and preventive maintenance of membranes, to increase the value of the assets during the operational lifecycle. To illustrate the operation and maintenance challenges of a large desalination plant, we will present the Membrane Management program of the 53,000 RO membranes installed at the Hadera Desalination Plant in Israel. This plant, based on IDEís proprietary Pressure Centre configuration, produces 127 MGD (480,000 m3/day) and has been operating since 2010. One of its key and unique features is its ability to operate with different production regimes, changing hourly/daily from 100% to 35% production, due to the existing electricity tariff regime. The presentation will focus on the analysis of membrane performance during 12 years of operation, and the fully-developed operation and maintenance protocol that enables membrane management without any adverse effects on plant availability.