PX Pressure Exchangerä (PXä) devices from Energy Recovery Inc (ERI), a global leader in the design and development of energy recovery devices and pumps for desalination and other industrial processes, have been selected for two separate large-scale desalination projects in Chile. The Copiapó Valley project, located in northern Chile, will be built by ACCIONA Agua and is owned by Grupo CAP. The second project, awarded by an undisclosed firm, will also use ERI’s industry-leading PX devices to maximise availability and decrease costs. Both projects are expected to be built in 2012.The desalination projects are designed to secure an adequate supply of water for mining operations. Acciona’s selection of ERI’s PX devices ensures the highest energy efficiency and operational availability while producing water of the best quality, all of which are critical, as projects are subject to strict environmental, financial, and quality standards.The Copiapó plant, producing 17,000 m3/d of water, is expected to be increased to 52,000 m3/d. “Providing critical fresh water supplies to Grupo CAP for mining operations in this region is a task that requires the most reliable and efficient technology possible, which is why ACCIONA selected ERI’s energy recovery devices,” said Julio Zorrilla, ACCIONA Agua International Construction Director. “In selecting ERI, we trust that the PX technology will eliminate costly, unscheduled shut-downs while ensuring that our costs remain low.”
“We are pleased that, to date, ERI has been selected for the vast majority of desalination projects in Chile for mining applications. Our unique PX technology is a perfect fit for this application,” said Tom Rooney, CEO of ERI. “With an uptime of 99.8% and a design life of 25 years, our PX devices will ensure fresh water supplies for the mining operations for decades to come.”
