Image source: ArcelorMittal Tubarão
Toray Industries Inc.’s (Tokyo, Japan; www.toray.com) Romembra reverse osmosis (RO) and Torayfil ultrafiltration (UF) membrane technologies (www.toraywater.com) have been selected for a new seawater desalination facility in Brazil, which is set to become the largest in the country. ArcelorMittal (www.arcelormitall.com), currently the largest producer of steel in the world, contracted Fluence Corp. (www.fluencecorp.com) for the design, engineering, and construction contract through an international tender process, and TMUS (Toray Membrane USA, Inc.) had received an order for membranes.
Expected to be operational by the fourth quarter of 2020, the plant will have an initial capacity to treat 12,000 cubic meters per day, expandable to 24,000 and 36,000 cubic meters per day, and with an estimated value of $10 million dollars.
Torayfil pressurized PVDF hollow-fiber UF membrane modules will pretreat the seawater before feeding the Romembra seawater desalination membrane elements for removal of salts. The desalinated seawater will also pass through Romembra RO membrane elements for additional polishing before it is stored for distribution. The combination of UF and RO membranes ensure constant production of high-quality water. The customer evaluated that Toray’s membranes have operational stability and high quality.
According to ArcelorMittal, the desalination plant will be the first in Brazil to operate exclusively with seawater, placing the facility at the forefront of sustainable water management for the company. Furthermore, the energy required for the desalination process will be produced by a thermoelectric power station located within the power, further contributing to the sustainability factor.