Case Study / Desalination
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High-pressure PX
Including our gold-standard PX Q series, our high-pressure PX products provide unmatched energy recovery for large and small seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) desalination and water treatment systems.
Optimize your operations
Best-in-class energy recovery for desalination and wastewater treatment
As drought, climate change, and water scarcity increase the demand for water systems, ensuring a sustainable method of providing fresh water is essential. For over 30 years, Energy Recovery has partnered with customers to drive operational efficiency in clean water production. Our solutions are critical to optimizing energy consumption and reducing emissions in reverse osmosis systems, making SWRO more affordable and contributing to a water-secure future. By utilizing Energy Recovery’s products, customers have avoided 19.7 million metric tons of carbon emissions annually.
Our high-pressure PX solutions offer unmatched energy recovery for seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) desalination and wastewater treatment systems and operate at a wide range of pressure levels up to 83 bar (1200 psi). Large and small desalination projects worldwide rely on our range of PXs to achieve optimal operations and maximum energy savings. Designed with only one moving part using highly engineered alumina ceramic, the PX stands up to the harshest environments, resulting in an unmatched life cycle cost advantage.
How it works
60%
Potential reduction of energy use in SWRO
30 Years
Designed to last with no scheduled maintenance
79 dB
PX Q Series operates at low sound levels
35,000
Devices deployed worldwide
Featuring a wide range of PX capacities, our high-pressure solutions provide flexibility to optimize train size to specific project requirements, and they’re the ideal solution for new installations or retrofits. Consuming no electrical power and engineered with only one moving part made of highly durable and corrosion-resistant ceramic, they’re the most efficient and reliable energy recovery solution for desalination and wastewater treatment on the market.
PX Q Series
The PX Q Series is the gold standard in energy recovery devices. It includes the PX Q400, PX Q300, PX Q260, PX Q220, PX Q180, and PX Q140.
Quiet Operation
PX Q devices offer operational sound levels below 79 decibels—comparable to a home vacuum cleaner—to enhance the safety of SWRO plant working environments through reduced audio levels.
Scalable
Up to 32 parallel PX Q devices have been successfully installed in a single train, with 10 to 16 PXs commonly installed in parallel.
Efficient
PX Q devices perform with unparalleled efficiency—up to 98%.
PX models for small and medium size plants: PX 90, PX 70, PX 45, and PX 30
Flexibly-sized
Designed for small and medium size plants
Efficient
Offers 97% peak efficiency
Modular Design
Can be installed in parallel according to specific plant needs
Reduce Carbon Footprint
Lower the energy consumption of water treatment for reduced greenhouse gas emissions
PX PowerTrain
The PX PowerTrain™ pre-engineered energy recovery solution combines Energy Recovery’s trusted PX® Pressure Exchanger® devices with frame support and ancillary equipment into a compact, ready to install high-performance energy recovery device array package for your seawater reverse osmosis train.
All-in-one
When coupled with our SWRO pumps, a complete end-to-end ERD solution.
Flexible
Pre-designed ERD and frame support for ease of installation, and 3D models are available for easy integration into plant design.
Big Projects
Train production capacity starting from 3000 CMD.
Streamlined
Work with a single trusted supplier from design to installation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The PX Q series, including the PX Q400 offers exceptional efficiency, with a peak energy-recovery efficiency of up to 98% in real-world tests. By capturing the pressurized brine reject stream and transferring that energy back to feed water, the device helps reduce the duty on the high-pressure pump and thereby lowers the specific energy consumption (SEC). The PX is the gold-standard of any large desalination plant across the globe.
Compared to prior devices such as the Q300, the PX Q400 delivers roughly 33 % higher unit capacity, meaning fewer modules are required for the same throughput. For example one module handles up to 400 gpm (≈90.9 m³/h) and volumetric mixing is less than 3%. The higher capacity and reduced mixing result in lower capital cost, reduced plant footprint and simplified installation. In addition the PX Q400 is designed for long-life (30 year design life) with no scheduled maintenance, which improves uptime and lowers life-cycle cost.
The High-Pressure PX is built with only one moving part and corrosion-resistant ceramic internal components, engineered in-house for micrometer precision. This design delivers industry-leading reliability and uptime (reported 99.8 % in the PX Q series) with minimal maintenance needs. Because it can operate over a wide range of pressures (up to 83 bar / 1,200 psi) and flow rates, it integrates easily into SWRO trains, wastewater-recovery systems or high-recovery applications. The simplified installation enables faster timelines and lower risk of operational interruptions.
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