Ghalilah

Commissioned by the Federal Electricity and Water Authority (FEWA) and built by Fisia Italimpianti, the plant began operations in February 2005 and represents one of the most advanced installations in the region in terms of energy recovery and operational efficiency.

With a production capacity of 13,650 cubic meters per day (approximately 3 MIGD), the plant draws seawater from a shared seawater intake system. Raw water is treated through a series of chemical pretreatment processes, including chlorination, the addition of coagulants (ferric chloride or bisulfate), sulfuric acid, sodium metabisulfite, and scale inhibitors. The water is then filtered through media filters and cartridge filters before being sent to three reverse osmosis trains, each designed to produce approximately 191.5 m³/h of permeate. Each reverse osmosis train is equipped with six PX units, for a total of 18, which allow pressure to be recovered from the waste water (brine) and transferred directly to the feed water, drastically reducing energy consumption.

These devices achieve a recovery efficiency of over 95%, with minimal losses due to compression, viscous friction, and lubrication.

The produced water then passes to a post-treatment system, where its pH is adjusted with hydrated lime and disinfected with chlorine to comply with World Health Organization (WHO) standards.

The Ghalilah SWRO plant represents an efficient and technologically advanced model for sustainable desalination in arid areas, demonstrating the effectiveness of direct pressure energy recovery systems in large-scale plants. Thanks to its modular design and quality construction, the plant can guarantee operational continuity and long-term flexibility, significantly contributing to the region's water security.

Treatment Process

• Process Type: Seawater Reverse Osmosis (SWRO)
• Raw Water Source: Shared seawater intake
• RO Trains: 3 trains, each with a capacity of 191.5 m³/h