Perth reverse osmosis desalination plant (Australia)

In April 2005, Western Australia's Water Corporation chose SUEZ to design, build and operate Perth's first seawater desalination plant using reverse osmosis technology, the largest such plant in the southern hemisphere at the time. The 143,000 m³/d plant was built at Kwinana, 25 kilometers south of Perth in Western Australia. The aim was to increase drinking water production capacity for Perth, where conventional freshwater resources are in very short supply.

the project

The facility was designed and built under a joint venture between Degrémont and its Australian civil engineering partner Multiplex Engineering Pty Ltd. It includes seawater intake, pre-treatment structures, reverse osmosis desalination units and pumping and remineralisation units. The facility started operating at the beginning of the Australian summer in October 2006, just 18 months after the award.

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treatment line

pretreatment

• After screening and pumping, acidification with H₂SO₄ then coagulation with FeCl₃ and organic coagulant aid.
• 2 banks of 12 pressure dual media filters (anthracite + sand) for a total seawater flowrate up to 14,800 m³/h.
• 2 banks of 7 cartridge filters each fitted with 360 cartridges (5 microns).

reverse osmosis

• To achieve a salinity less than 200 mg/l and a bromide content less than 0.1 mg/l, the SUEZ RO design incorporates a double pass.
• 1^st pass: 12 trains, fitted with 162 Pressure Vessels each.
• 2^nd pass: 6 trains, fitted with 124 Pressure Vessels each.
• All operating parameters fully controlled by means of pressure and flow control loops to automatically compensate temperature fluctuations and membrane permeability and to optimize the energy consumption.

remineralization

• Ca(OH)₂ injection.
• Final adjustment of pH by injection of CO₂.

The Perth's plant reached 100 GL production threshold, since start of operation in 2008 and achieved 3 certifications :

• ISO 9001 2008 (Quality)
• ISO 14001 2004 (Environment)
• AS / NZS 4801 : 2001(Safety)