ERI Wins Two Desalination Contracts For Major Mining Plants In Chile
Energy Recovery Inc, a global leader in the design and development of energy recovery devices and pumps for desalination and other industrial processes, recently announced that the company's industry-leading PX Pressure Exchangerä (PXä) devices 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 utilize ERI's industry-leading PX devices to maximize 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 the 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 cubic meters/day (4.5 million gallons/day) of water, is expected to be increased to 52,000 cubic meters/day (13.7 million gallons/day). In total, ERI is currently helping to produce more than 50,000 cubic meters of fresh water for mining operations in Chile alone.
"Providing critical fresh water supplies to Grupo CAP's 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."
"The mining industry in Chile is growing. 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, chief executive officer of Energy Recovery Inc. "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."
About Energy Recovery Inc
Energy Recovery Inc. designs and develops energy recovery devices and pumps that significantly reduce energy consumption for desalination and other industrial processes. In total, Energy Recovery Inc. has more than 12,000 devices installed worldwide, which are estimated to save our clients in excess of one billion dollars in energy costs every year. The company is headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area with offices in key centers worldwide, including Madrid, Shanghai, and Dubai. For more information, visit www.energyrecovery.com.
SOURCE: Energy Recovery Inc