No.

4 / July-August 2005 / Research & Development

The magazine of the Scientific

Chronicles

Did you know?
The first desalination
processes:
In the 4th century BC, Aristotle
observed the principle of
distillation.
In the 12th century, Adélard de
Bath described two experiments in
Quœstiones naturales : “In the
sun, after evaporation on a rock,
seawater is transformed into salt;
when the sun is absent, seawater
is heated and under the effect of
cooking, it can also be observed to
transform into salt. This
metamorphosis explains that the
sea is saltier in summer than
winter, and that the southern seas
are saltier than the northern seas.”
From ancient times, sailors have
desalinated seawater in simple
boilers on their boats, but such use
In the 1960’s, thermal processes
were developed and used to
desalinate seawater. Also,
research was carried out on a
desalination process utilizing
reverse osmosis.
1978: start-up of the first seawater
desalination plant using reverse
osmosis, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Seawater
desalination
Key information Of strategic
importance
72% of the earth’s surface is
covered in water. “Desalination is of strategic
97% of this water is saline importance to Veolia
Environnement.
The average salinity of seawater is Seawater is an alternative
around 35 g of salt (sodium chloride)
source that provides a solution
per liter that is 3.5% of the water’s to water needs now and for the
weight, and can vary depending on future.”
the climate: 7g/l in the Baltic Sea,
270g/l in the Dead Sea.
Antoine Frérot
President, Veolia Water
The distribution of the remaining
3% (freshwater) is very uneven:
10 countries share 60% of the
reserves, while 29 others (in Africa,
and the Middle East) face chronic
shortages. Contents
Page 1
n Of strategic importance
The desalination of seawater is a
solution that increases the available
by Antoine Frérot
n Did you know?
freshwater resources, provides a

n Key information
on an industrial scale is recent. solution in the event of drought,

n Research objectives
and for coping with shortages and
Aristotle crisis situations.
Page 2
n Need to know about…
Research objectives Page 3
Essentially focused on the process of reverse osmosis, Veolia Environnement’s research aims n Close-up on Research and
Development programs
to optimize the operation of desalination plants utilizing membrane processes.
The research is focused on two main aspects: Page 4
n Pretreatment of the seawater to limit membrane clogging further down in the treatment n For more information…
process; n Video fact sheet
n Reducing the energy expenditure to cut the cost of desalination and improve the n Contact
environmental outcomes.

Michel Dutang
Director of Research, Development and Technology, Veolia Environnement.
“Veolia Environnement Research and Development is working on making desalination an alternative solution
accessible to the greatest number both technologically and economically.”
 Seawater
desalination
Need to know about…
Seawater is an inexhaustible resource, but it What is a membrane?
contains 1,000 times the salt set by the WHO
for human consumption. The membrane is a flat surface with selective
permeability. Its main role is to remove salt. It
The most frequent seawater also retains undesirable components in the
desalination techniques water (micro-algae, bacteria, certain viruses,
Distillation or thermal desalination micro-organisms, and micro-pollutants),
The seawater is heated to evaporation. Only overcomes turbidity (cloudy water), limits
the water molecules are driven off, leaving disinfection by-products, and results in the
behind a deposit of salt and other substances. production of treated water.
The vapor is condensed to produce
freshwater. In the case of reverse osmosis, the removal of
undesirable physical-chemical biological
Reverse osmosis or membrane elements is virtually total.
Desalination compared with river
water treatment: desalination: the seawater is forced under
pressure through a membrane filter. The salts What is reverse osmosis?
Upsides and microorganisms are retained by the
n Alternative solution to the membrane. This process does, however, Osmosis is a principle found in nature. If two
shortage of water require preliminary treatment of the water.
n
aqueous solutions with different saline
Fewer chemical reagents
n
concentrations are separated by a membrane,
Less sludge produced
n
Today, these two techniques roughly share half the water spontaneously passes through the
Less costly civil engineering
n Constant treated water quality the global market each. Between 1990 and membrane from the solution with the lower salt
2001, the market share of reverse osmosis concentration to the solution with the higher
rose from 40 to 53%. Veolia Environnement’s concentration.
Downsides research has focused on reverse osmosis, as
n High energy consumption its market share is predicted to climb to 70% Reverse osmosis is based on the reverse of
n Cost still high (compared with 20% for thermal desalination
n Volume of water produced
this principle. It consists in applying a high
and 10% for other methods) by 2020. pressure to the salty water, which entails high
insufficient compared with the
volume of seawater treated energy consumption, to force it through a
n Disturbance to the marine All the characteristics of the seawater to be membrane. Under this process, only the water
environment from extraction and desalinated need to be taken into account in molecules pass through the membrane,
reject water with a very high salt selecting the process operation parameters to thereby producing freshwater.
content control aspects, such as corrosion, deposits
and costs.
• Module spiralé
Pièce
Spacer
Perforated
Tube header
collecteur tube
perforé d ’écartement Membrane
Membrane
Membrane Membrane
Concentrate
Concentrat
Sortie perméat
Permeate outlet
Alimentation
Infeed Pression
Pressure

Eau Eau pure

Treated
Concentrat
Concentrate water
+
de
Seawater +
Alimentation
Infeed throughau travers mer eaufiltered
de mer
seawater
de l’écarteur
the spacer Membranes
Membranes filtrée
Seawater H2O
Ecarteur
Infeed du canal H2O Eau
d ’alimentation
channel spacer de
Treated mer
LeTheperméat est drainé
permeate Eau pure
water

Description of a reverse is en spiralearound

drained vers le
osmosis spiral module. the spiralcollecteur
to the header OSMOSIS
OSMOSE REVERSE
OSMOSE OSMOSIS
INVERSE

Page 2 / The magazine of the scientific chronicles / No. 4 / July-August 2005 / Seawater desalination
 Seawater
Pilot filtration unit in Perth (Australia).
desalination
Close-up on Research
and Development programs
Veolia Environnement Research and Pretreatment research
Development is basically working on
defining the treatment process, in Research is currently underway at Cape
particular, the water’s pretreatment to Sicié in Toulon (France). The aim of this
reduce energy costs. study is to optimize the performance of
filtration processes used for seawater
pretreatment.
Membrane research
The membrane is the key component in These trials will provide precise
reverse osmosis facilities. Its replacement knowledge about the impact of the various
represents 5% of treatment costs. parameters on the quality of the
Membrane separation (or osmosis) has pretreated water (filtration rate, depth of
Desalination pretreatment pilot installation in Tawellah one weak point: membrane clogging. the filtering media beds, etc.).
(United Arab Emirates)

The aim of the Membrane Center of
Expertise (ARAMIS), created in 2004 at
Anjou Recherche (Veolia Environnement’s
water research center) is to identify the
Membrane clogging matter responsible for clogging, and
recommend efficient and durable
The deposit of material leads to
the formation of a layer on the treatment solutions (pretreatment and
membrane surface, which appropriate cleaning cycles).
reduces the filtration flow rate
and consequently the module’s A thesis at the University of Poitiers
performance. Clogging is the (France) and the Banyuls Oceanographic
cause of membrane ageing in Institute (France) aims in particular to
three out of four cases. identify the compounds liable to clog
reverse osmosis membranes.
Tests have also been carried out (between
February and August 2004) at the Abu
Dhabi site (Saudi Arabia), as part of an
industrial project. The pilot study has
demonstrated the effectiveness and
robustness of the pretreatment solutions
adopted.
These processes achieve excellent
results, as they remove between 90 and
99% of the solid particles and almost all
the microorganisms.

Advantages of membrane processes

(for the production of drinking water from seawater)

Above all, it reduces by a factor of 3 or 4 the energy consumed compared with thermal
desalination. Nonetheless, Veolia Environnement researchers are working on improving
certain points:
n Managing waste (concentrate) to improve the environmental results,
n Increasing yield: the volume of water extracted is 2 to 3 times that of the volume of
drinking water produced by desalination,
n Controlling clogging phenomena,
n Reducing operation costs.

Page 3 / The magazine of the scientific chronicles / No. 4 / July-August 2005 / Seawater desalination
 Seawater
Fanny Demulier, Steeve Sierra, Martin Geisler,
desalination
Pierre-Yves Maurie and Hervé Suty.

For more information…

Video fact sheet Partnerships Publications

n Impact of conventional pretreatment, prior to
The Scientific Chronicles No. 4 n Organic matter characterization
reverse osmosis desalination membranes, on
Log onto the Group Intranet to view the 4-minute ESIP Poitiers
the fouling potential of seawater
video about the research carried out by Veolia esip.univ-poitiers.fr
LCEE/ESIP UMR CNRS 6008 Université de
Environnement on seawater desalination. Poitiers,France. Sophie Rapenne et Hervé Gallard.
n Marine environment characterization Observatoire Océanologique de Banyuls, Université
Observatoire Océanologique de Banyuls-sur-Mer Pierre et Marie Curie, UMR CNRS No 7621 and
Expert: Hervé Suty www.obs-banyuls.fr/ 7628, Banyuls-sur-Mer Cedex, France. C. Courties,
Director of Anjou Recherche, J.-P. Croué, P. Lebaron
n Electrochemistry and characterization of
Veolia Environnement Group
Anjou Recherche, Veolia Water Research Center
Witness: Pierre-Yves Maurie membrane surfaces Maisons-Laffitte – France Sophie Rapenne, Jérôme
Writer, RMTT – Veolia Transport Université d’Angers : GIRPA Beaucouzé Leparc
Scenario: Marie-Odile Monchicourt / www.univ-angers.fr Publications presented at AWWA Membrane
3B Conseils Technology Conference, Phoenix, United States,
Duration: 4 minutes 30 seconds n Decision-making tools March 2005.
Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne,
n Tools for membrane autopsies and antifouling
When: June 10, 2005
energy, and GIRPA, behavior of
Where: Amphitria, Cape Sicié. pollutants in the environment. strategies in seawater feeds (review)
SIRTTEMEU, Générale des Eaux www.epfl.ch University of Angers, UMR-MA105, Laboratoire des
Preparation: Fanny Demulier, Sciences de l'Environnement et de l'Aménagement,
Anne Dequeker-Cormont, Sites currently operating: M. Pontie, A. Thekkedath, J. Duchesne,
Caroline Bellecourt, Edith Weitz University of Poitiers, LCEE/ESIP UMR-CNRS
Research, Development and several references 6008, Sophie Rapenne
n Palma de Majorca (Spain)
Technology Communication Anjou Recherche, Veolia Water, Valérie Jacquemet,
Department Veolia Environnement
n Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates) Jérôme Leparc, Hervé Suty.
n Ashkelon (Israel)
Directors: Steeve Sierra, Martin Geisler
Delegate producer: n La mer, terreur et fascination, Bibliothèque
Bruno Plasse, Dawa Productions Nationale de France, Seuil 2004
Magazine design and production:
3B Conseils Documentary resources Photo credits
Graphic design: Bernadette Coléno/3B Conseils Veolia Environnement Barthélemy l’Anglais, Livre des propriétés des
Producer: Veolia Environnement choses, photograph from the publication, La mer,
Audiovisual
n The scientific chronicle No. 4:
terreur et fascination, Bibliothèque Nationale de
Date released online: August 2005 France, Seuil 2004 (cover).
Seawater desalination (see box)
Thanks to Philippe Rey Engineer, Philippe Marteil n Veolia Environnement Video conference on
and Jean-Christophe Schrotter, Program Ashkelon in Israel by Bruce Durham, Veolia Regulatory context
Directors, Anjou Recherche and the teams Water, AFAS – 50th anniversary of CERN EU Water Framework Directive (WFD) of
at Veolia Water in Cape Sicié, France. http://agenda.cern.ch/askArchive.php, May 2004 December 22, 2000, transposed into French Law
Brochure : Developing alternative resources. by the Law of April 21, 2004
Desalinating seawater Water Bill - Bruno Sido

The previous scientific chronicles Specialized websites

1 – Legionella www.edsoc.com
Contact
2 – The biroreactor European Desalination Society Department of Research, Development
3 – Fuel cells
www.cea.fr and Technology
Atomic Energy Commissariat 36, rue de Liège 75008 PARIS - France
www.veoliawatersystems.com Tel.: +33 (0) 1 71 75 06 60
Veolia Water Fax.: +33 (0)1 71 75 10 40
www.commission-europeenne.fr Mail: fanny.demulier@veolia.com
European Commission
Page 4 / The magazine of the scientific chronicles / No. 4 / July-August 2005 / Seawater desalination