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Customer: Birmingham University

Project: Laboratory Desalination System

Services Provided: Fluid Dynamics – Control Systems – PLC Programming – Project Specification – Assembly – Manufacturing – Testing – Maintenance

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To aid the University in the development of its desalination systems, ETS provided an experimental system for use within the university laboratory. The system was developed with the university and this work included  developing the specification to ensure that all the data required for analysis was captured.

The final system included multiple sensors measuring conductivity, flow, and pressure, temperature, and power consumption. These sensor outputs are used as control inputs as well as being logged for data analysis.

The system required a consistent and high flow rate, to achieve this ETS designed a bespoke magnetically couple recirculation pump and a set of special manifolds which interface with several standard components which had differing connection types and sizes.

The desalination components, control box, and panel were all mounted on a large framework with a 3.65 x 0.8 metre footprint and measuring just under 2 metres high. A 1000 litre tank and pump were also provided as well as connections to and from the tank and pump.

Control of the system is through a dedicated PLC. The program was developed with the university and designed to be modified by the Ph.D. students and researchers without compromising the quality of the data captured or the safety of the system.

As well as a PLC-based control program the rig also has a fully manual control mode. This mode can be used for running and tests and for diagnosis work on the system and allows the students and to run tests without the need to modify the PLC program.

ETS continues to work with the University to provide upgrades to the rig so that testing can continue to expand.