Process and ChemicalDesalination Plant Operation and Optimisation
Desalination turns energy into water at a cost that depends almost entirely on how well the plant is operated and how well the membranes or tubes are protected. This course covers both technologies. Delegates work through thermal processes including multi stage flash and multi effect distillation, and reverse osmosis including membrane behaviour, and the pretreatment that determines membrane life. Heat balance, performance ratio and specific energy consumption are calculated rather than described. Scaling, fouling and biofouling are covered as the failure mechanisms that dominate operating cost, along with cleaning regimes. The course closes on start up, shutdown and optimisation against energy price.
Course objectives
- Compare thermal and membrane desalination and their applications
- Operate multi stage flash and multi effect distillation plant
- Operate reverse osmosis plant and interpret membrane performance
- Design and run pretreatment that protects membrane life
- Calculate heat balance, performance ratio and specific energy consumption
- Control scaling, fouling and biofouling, and plan cleaning
- Optimise operation against energy price and water demand
Who should attend
- Desalination plant operators and engineers
- Utilities and water treatment engineers
- Process engineers in coastal industry
- Maintenance staff on desalination plant
- Municipal and industrial water managers
Course outline
- 01Thermal against membrane desalination
- 02Multi stage flash and multi effect distillation
- 03Reverse osmosis and membrane behaviour
- 04Pretreatment and membrane life
- 05Heat balance and performance ratio
- 06Specific energy consumption
- 07Scaling, fouling, biofouling and cleaning
- 08Start up, shutdown and optimisation
Scheduled sessions
| Dates | Venue | Format | Price | Register |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28 September to 2 October 2026 | Pretoria, South Africa | Classroom | R19,950 per delegate | Register Now |
| 12 to 16 October 2026 | Online | Online | R8,500 per delegate | Register Now |
| 26 to 30 October 2026 | Kigali, Rwanda | Classroom | USD 1,325 per delegate | Register Now |
| 16 to 20 November 2026 | Kampala, Uganda | Classroom | USD 1,325 per delegate | Register Now |
| 28 December 2026 to 1 January 2027 | Durban, South Africa | Classroom | R19,950 per delegate | Register Now |
| 22 to 26 February 2027 | Harare, Zimbabwe | Classroom | USD 1,325 per delegate | Register Now |