Two-stage Alfa Laval AQUA Blue E2 freshwater generator multiplies the energy-saving AQUA benefits
A two-stage freshwater generator will soon join the Alfa Laval AQUA Blue family, according to the company's release. Compared to the single-stage AQUA Blue E1, the two-stage AQUA Blue E2 produces twice as much fresh water for a certain amount of waste heat – or the same amount of fresh water using around half the waste heat. Thanks to AQUA plate technology, both models are far more efficient than competing systems.
Introduced in 2008, Alfa Laval’s AQUA plate technology cut the seawater needs and power consumption for freshwater generation in half. Since then, the AQUA Blue family of freshwater generators has steadily grown and improved. In early 2023, the single-stage AQUA Blue E1 will be joined by a two-stage counterpart: the AQUA Blue E2.
As shipowners move to decarbonize, the two-stage AQUA Blue E2 can support their goals. Doubled capacity compared to the single-stage model can meet an increased need for fresh water, e.g. in connection with alternative fuels. Conversely, it can meet the existing need for fresh water with around half the waste heat input.
Saved waste heat can be used to generate electricity when the Alfa Laval E-PowerPack is also installed on board. But using less heat to produce fresh water can also help meet sustainability requirements. Vessels that must slow steam due to their Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII) or Energy Efficiency Existing Ship Index (EEXI) can retain their production of fresh water with the limited waste heat available.
Despite its wide capacity range, the AQUA Blue E2 handles the entire desalination process within a single plate pack. As with other AQUA Blue models, this creates installation advantages through a small footprint and limited pipework. Non-glued gaskets, which were introduced with the AQUA Blue E1, allow easy maintenance on board.
Alfa Laval is a world leader in heat transfer, centrifugal separation and fluid handling, and is active in the areas of Energy, Marine, and Food & Water, offering its expertise, products, and service to a wide range of industries in some 100 countries. Alfa Laval’s innovative technologies are dedicated to purifying, refining, and reusing materials, promoting more responsible use of natural resources. They contribute to improved energy efficiency and heat recovery, better water treatment, and reduced emissions.
