Used for monitoring chemical or freshwater tanks, mixing vessels,
or for run-dry protection in pumps, the conductive level switch type
NEK is an efficient and cost-effective measurement technology.
installed base to transport water from
source and return the treated water,
which reduces overall water and
energy demand.
Fluence has at least two dozen
NIROBOX™ units in its inventory that
could be deployed in Cape Town within
weeks, and which would play a critical
role in averting a Day Zero scenario,
as each NIROBOX™ can produce 1.5
million litres of fresh water per day.
“This inventory, once deployed, could
supply six litres of fresh water per
day to every citizen of Cape Town,”
Charrabé emphasises.
Charrabé explains that the units, sold
under the brand name NIROBOX™,
guarantee an immediate source of
fresh water at a manageable cost for
authorities. The plants allow for remote
monitoring and operation, which aids
operators in reducing their operational
expenses substantially.
Point-of-use decentralised plants
require short and limited in-ground
infrastructure, resulting in savings
of around 25% on capex and 40% of
opex costs for new installations and
upgrades. Localised water treatment
and reuse avoids the need for a large
Independent water-treatment solution
p r o v i d e r F l u e n c e C o r p o r a t i o n ’s
containerised, cost-effective, and
rapidly deployable small-scale
desalination plants could hold the key
to preventing the much-dreaded Day
Zero scenario occurring in Cape Town.
If heavy rainfalls do not occur in
the region in the coming weeks or
months, Cape Town’s dams and rivers
will run out of water, which will trigger
severe water-rationing protocols.
One solution that has been touted as
both sustainable and practical is the
construction of desalination plants.
H o w e v e r, c o n v e n t i o n a l w i s d o m
assumes that a desalination plant
must be a massively large structure
that will take many years to
develop, and cost billions of rands
to construct. “That is the old model
for these sorts of plants, but it is not
the only model,” Fluence Corporation
managing director and CEO Henry
Charrabé comments.
He highlights that the company’s
Smart Packaged Plants offer
a cost-effective plug-and-play
solution, thereby avoiding the time-
consuming and costly inefficiencies
usually associated with large-scale
infrastructure projects, thus providing
a viable solution to Cape Town’s
water worries.
innovations
Small-scale desalination plants
of an additional protection tube. Installation of the device
is possible from the top or from the side of the vessel. The
protection class is IP 68.
Instrotech is offering the latest in conductive level switches:
Kobold’s NEK, a complete, functional unit that reliably
monitors the limit level of conductive media, even under
heavy process conditions.
Whether used for monitoring chemical or freshwater
tanks, mixing vessels, or for run-dry protection in pumps,
the conductive level switch type NEK more than meets
the demand for efficient and cost-effective measurement
technology. The compact, space-saving but robust design
means the devices can be integrated perfectly into existing
industrial processes.
The compact NEK device is designed as a complete
functional unit that can be screwed into a tank. The compact
housing with process connection has a hexagon and male
thread for installation. The devices made of polyphenylene
sulphide (PPS) tolerate pressures of up to 20 bar, and those
made of polypropylene (PP) tolerate up to six bar. Two
electrodes made of stainless steel extend into the process.
As soon as both come into contact with a conductive liquid,
the electronics detects it and outputs a corresponding switch
signal.
NEK’s main features are:
• Temperature: Max. 85°C
• Connection: R ¾ or ¾" NPT.
Two installation lengths, 36mm and 73mm, can be selected.
The installation depth can be adapted individually by means
Fast switching
A NIROBOX SWRO small-scale desalination plant.
Water Sewage & Effluent March/April 2018
35