TECHNOLOGY

BPM-RO’s performance advantages

Note: • Lower Capex achieved with system’s use of low-pressure equipment.
• Lower Opex achieved with reduced energy consumption and very low fouling.

BPM-RO PLANT LIFECYCLE COST ADVANTAGE

A Lifecycle Cost of Plant Study was undertaken for BPM-RO and a comparison with other commercially available membranes was made.

The Levelised Cost of Water (LCOW) was derived, and it shows the BPM-RO plant achieving significantly lower LCOW compared to other RO membrane plant.

This was largely attributed to a significant reduction in electrical usage and cost.

Note: The data used to develop the LCOW model was taken from PUB pilots using BPM-RO and Dupont membranes. Vontron’s RO membrane model was developed using Vontron’s RO system design software.

Plant lifecycle cost advantage

Energy

Power consumption – 0.2 kwh/m3
Energy savings – 50-75%

Energy

Less emissions – 50 kg CO2/m3/year
Saves 32 trees/m3/year

Membrane test results

Note: *Tested at 4 bars using de-ionised water. **Tested at 4 bars using
500 ppm NaCl solution.

BPM-RO study:
comparison of operating pressures

BPM-RO membranes vs best of competitor RO membranes - head-on comparison of
operating pressures at Singapore’s Newater facilities

· Flow rate fixed at 20 lmh

· BPM-ROoperating pressure – 4 bar

· State-of-the-art RO operating pressure – 6.5-9 bar

· General ROoperating pressure – 15 bar

· Same rejection by all membranes

BPM-RO membranes require far less pressure and energy to operate.

BPM-RO study: fouling

Competitor RO sees rise
in TMP – significant
fouling.

BPM-RO has stable TMP
– very low fouling.

Fig. Plot of the transmembrane pressure and rejection against running time using UPWRP MBR permeate with two BPM-RO modules in series and two commercial modules under similar operating conditions.