
What is Reverse Osmosis?
Reverse Osmosis (RO) desalination technology was initially developed in the late 1950s, and has now evolved into the leading desalination technology globally. There are many different processes used in RO desalination, and a variety of factors come into play when selecting the appropriate solution for each challenge; the quality of the source water, the desired quantity and quality of the water produced, pretreatment, energy requirements and disposal of concentrate.

Seawater Desalination with Reverse Osmosis
RO removes all mineral ions and other dissolved solids, bacteria and viruses in the water, making it a suitable process for desalinating water for both potable and industrial uses. Standard osmosis involves a solvent (such as water) naturally moving from an area of low solute concentration, through a membrane, to an area of high solute concentration. The movement of a pure solvent reduces the free energy of the system by equalising solute concentrations on each side of the membrane, generating osmotic pressure. Applying an external pressure to reverse the natural flow of solvent is called reverse osmosis. To create clean water using this process, seawater or brackish water is pressurized against one surface of the membrane, causing salt-depleted water to move across the membrane, releasing clean water from the low-pressure side.
Leading the RO Desalination Market
For desalination to be a sustainable, affordable, and long-term solution to the water needs of the planet, it needs to be carbon neutral or better than that. IDE is constantly improving its desalination plants designs and carbon footprint. Safety and a healthy work environment are a top priority for IDE, and to achieve this, we work in close partnership with our customers to deliver success and growth.
Flexibility – IDE provides small to large-scale, as well as modular desalination solutions.
Capacity leadership – Having built some of the world’s largest SWRO plants, leads the industry in maximising throughput.
Proven project management track record – Close to 50 years of desalination success have proven IDE’s ability to deliver complex projects on time, within budget, and meeting our client’s standards and expectations.
Through ongoing development of best-in-class technologies and working together with its partners, IDE has achieved a continuous increase in the desalination capacities of large-scale plants while dramatically reducing desalinated water costs on long-term BOT contracts.
Lowest Cost of Ownership
IDE’s plants deliver the industry’s lowest water costs over the lifetime of a plant, driven by:
Customized pretreatment systems – assure maximum RO system efficiency and lifespan.
Optimized pressure center design – uses extremely efficient high-pressure pumps and process design to increase operational flexibility and plant availability, lowering energy consumption and reducing costs.
The most advanced membrane selections – increasing efficiency while minimizing investment.
Saving Time & Money with a Prefabricated Modular Design Approach for Desalination Plants
IDE has developed an economical and sustainable solution for building desalination plants that dramatically reduces the installation time by up to 70% and offers significant CAPEX and OPEX savings. The unique, highly pre-engineered, and pre-assembled modular design minimizes costly on-site installation time.
Modular Design – The large modules of 12 skids can produce up to 32,000 m3/day of product water. Its modular design enables plug-and-play assembly of the system. The number of skids can be adjusted in accordance with the customer’s requirements. Moreover, any plant can be easily expanded to meet changing needs.
Cost-effective – Each skid is precisely sized to fit a 40-foot container. This enables quick and cost-effective transportation to the desalination plant while reducing the entire train’s installation time at the designated location.
Energy Efficient – A skid-mounted energy recovery system can also be added as part of the overall design. This makes the system highly energy efficient.
Breakthrough Financing
IDE has a proven track record of providing tailor-made finance packages that help customers transform ambitious dreams into reality – all within accelerated deadlines and strict budgetary frameworks.
With the Sorek, Hadera, and Ashkelon plants in Israel, IDE optimized BOT financial models that enabled the lowest-ever costs of desalinated water. The Carlsbad Desalination project in California, undertaken with key partners, is a blueprint for the financing of large-scale desalination projects across North America.
Cutting-edge Technology
IDE has a long track record of technological breakthroughs. These are some of the latest:
Pressure Centre Design – allows reduced energy consumption, increased system availability, and better reliability due to the efficiency of large high-pressure pumps and energy recovery devices.
Boron Removal System – a patented process that removes boron ions to concentrations below 0.3 ppm, thus adjusting the quality of water for agricultural needs and meeting customer requirements.
IDE MPD modular design- a unique, highly pre-engineered, and pre-assembled modular design that minimizes very expensive on-site installation time. The fabrication and assembly are performed in a controlled environment at our workshops, including most high-pressure weldings and fittings, thus increasing the system’s quality and reliability.
Additional Solutions
All solutions

Related projects
-
Carlsbad Desalination Plant (USA)
Desalination, Reverse Osmosis, SWRO, EP, O&M
Read more -
Cape Preston Desalination Plant (Australia)
Desalination, Reverse Osmosis, EPC&S
Read more -
Sorek I Desalination Plant (Israel)
Desalination, Reverse Osmosis, BOT, EPC, O&M, P3, Municipal
Read more -
Hadera Desalination Plant (Israel)
Desalination, Reverse Osmosis, BOT,EPC, O&M, P3, Financing, Municipal,
Read more