Filtralite® Pure increases production by 50% and reduces operating costs
The Palmachim Desalination Plant, located on the Mediterranean coast of Israel, is one of the country’s key facilities for securing a stable freshwater supply. As part of Israel’s ongoing efforts to address water scarcity and growing demand, the plant aimed to increase its production capacity by 50% in 2009, but without expanding its infrastructure or building new filters. After extensive pilot testing of different filtration solutions, Filtralite® Pure was selected for installation in the pre-treatment dual-media filters, marking the first time this filter media had been used in a full-scale desalination plant in Israel.
The installation of Filtralite Pure delivered substantial improvements in pre-treatment filtration performance. Filtration velocity increased from 7 m/h to 12 m/h, directly contributing to the plant’s ability to expand water production capacity by 50% without constructing additional filter units.
At the same time, the runtime between backwashes increased from 30 hours to 200 hours, significantly reducing water and energy use associated with cleaning. These operational improvements resulted in more stable and continuous plant performance.
Another major benefit of Filtralite Pure was the reduction of biofouling on the reverse osmosis (RO) membranes, a common and costly challenge in desalination plants. The silt density index (SDI), a key measure of water quality before RO membranes, dropped to around 2.0, and occasionally as low as 1.5, indicating much cleaner feedwater and reduced membrane fouling rates. This improvement extended the lifespan of RO membranes and minimised downtime for maintenance.
The improved water quality also allowed Palmachim to switch from 20-micron cartridge filters, which had to be replaced monthly, to 5-micron cartridge filters that now only need replacement twice a year. This change alone resulted in savings of approximately €300,000 per year in cartridge costs.
Combined with the overall reduction in water, energy, and chemical use for backwashing and maintenance, the total savings have amounted to several million euros since the upgrade.
The Palmachim project demonstrates how upgrading conventional filter media with Filtralite® Pure can deliver major performance gains in desalination plants. The solution enabled a 50% increase in production capacity, improved filtration efficiency and membrane protection, reduced operating costs, and extended equipment lifespan, all without expanding the plant’s physical footprint.
This success has positioned Filtralite Pure as a reliable and cost-effective solution for pre-treatment in desalination and water treatment plants worldwide.
Designed for drinking water plants and pre-treatment for desalination, Filtralite Pure is a filter media suitable for both physical filtration and biological treatment
