The convenience and efficiency of Alfa Laval AQUA fresh water generation technology is now available to a wider range of vessels.
With its tiny footprint and low OPEX, the new AQUA Blue Mini fresh water generator meets needs of 1 – 18 cubic metres of fresh water per day, creating a smarter alternative to bunkered water or reverse osmosis.
AQUA fresh water generation technology
AQUA fresh water generation technology uses a revolutionary 3-in-1 process
Introduced in 2008, AQUA fresh water generation technology uses a revolutionary 3-in-1 process, where evaporation, separation and condensation occur in a single plate pack. Compact and energy-efficient, this game-changing technology can now be used to meet smaller needs.
“AQUA technology has a history of making things smaller and simpler,” said Serdar Sengun, Head of Marine Heat Transfer Sales at Alfa Laval.
Serdar Sengun adds, “The AQUA Blue fresh water generator cut seawater needs and electrical power consumption in half compared to previous solutions. The AQUA Blue Mini nearly cuts size in half again, but above all it brings AQUA benefits to the smallest capacity range.”
AQUA Blue Mini fresh water generator
In the years since its launch, the AQUA Blue fresh water generator has become a preferred choice for vessels with a larger need of fresh water. Able to produce up to 60 cubic metres of high-quality fresh water per day, the AQUA Blue C-type and S-type fresh water generators offer major space and energy savings over previous fresh water generators.
For vessels that require fewer cubic metres of fresh water, however, the capital investment in AQUA technology has sometimes outweighed the efficiency. This changes with the AQUA Blue Mini fresh water generator, which is specifically designed for 1–18 m3 per day.
“For vessels with smaller needs, such as those previously served by the Alfa Laval JWP fresh water generators, the AQUA Blue Mini balances capital cost with capacity,” said Serdar Sengun, adding “They get an equally efficient and reliable solution, but with an even smaller footprint and a lower capital investment.”
Vessels can abandon bunkering and reverse osmosis
Bunkering water takes time and requires space, and the water’s quality is never certain"
In fact, the AQUA Blue Mini will be attractive to a whole new range of customers, including some who have never previously considered a thermally driven fresh water generator. Local fishing boats and smaller coastal vessels, for example, now have a smaller, smarter alternative to bunkered water or reverse osmosis.
“Bunkering water takes time and requires space, and the water’s quality is never certain,” said Serdar Sengun, adding “Reverse osmosis solves some of that, but it’s a sensitive process that clogs easily and demands lots of filter and membrane changes. The AQUA Blue Mini can make life much simpler on these vessels, giving them easy, constant access to high-quality fresh water.”
Less energy, effort and OPEX
In contrast, to reverse osmosis, which is electrically driven, the AQUA Blue Mini fresh water generator runs on waste heat and uses only a small amount of electrical power. Moreover, its maintenance is limited to occasional Cleaning-In-Place (CIP) and fast, easy changes of the non-glued gaskets. Together, these facts mean lower OPEX for any vessel.
Alfa Laval’s Serdar Sengun concludes, “Whether customers need one, ten or fifteen cubic metres per day, they’ll find an easy and cost-effective solution in the AQUA Blue Mini. Customers can count on high-quality fresh water, with a minimal footprint, minimal power consumption and minimal effort as well.”