Abengoa partners with Masdar for desalination research project in Abu Dhabi

Spanish technology firm Abengoa has signed a partnership deal with the Masdar Institute and the Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company for a desalination research project.

The research project is aimed at optimisation of membrane distillation technology which will be used to treat reverse osmosis brines.

The outcome of the research is expected to boost water recovery and productivity of seawater reverse osmosis plants.

It is also likely to reduce the volume of brine discharge, thereby improving the environmental sustainability aspect of the entire desalination process.

The research partnership deal is a part of the pilot project that Abengoa is working for, in co-ordination with the Masdar company.

The seawater reverse osmosis pilot scale project is located in Ghantoot city, in Abu Dhabi’s border with Dubai.

It will be equipped with a hybrid system consisting in reverse osmosis in combination with an innovative membrane distillation system.

Once operational, the facility will have a daily capacity to deliver 1,000 m³ of desalinated water.

The firm maintains a daily water treatment capacity of over 5 Mm³ worldwide, out of which 1.5 M m³/d is derived through water desalination.

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Image: The research partnership deal was signed during Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week. Photo: courtesy of Masdar Institute / Zawya