EDR (Electrodialysis Reversal) is an electrolytic process that removes ionic species from a brackish water or wastewater source. Ionic species or dissolved solids in water migrate through ion exchange membranes under the influence of electrical current, to produce water that meets drinking water standards, or wastewater that can be reused for such things as irrigation.
Environmental Benefits
GE’s EDR technology produces potable water from undrinkable brackish water sources in areas where water is scarce. In a facility in Barcelona, Spain, GE’s EDR technology is designed to provide over 50 million gallons of potable water per day, equivalent to the daily water consumption of over 260,000 Spanish households for a variety of uses.
Operating Benefits
GE’s EDR technology requires fewer anti-scalant chemicals than Reverse Osmosis (RO), in many cases using none at all. Compared to a typical RO treatment facility producing 3.8 million gallons of water per day, GE’s EDR technology, operating at 83% efficiency, is designed to eliminate the need for over 28,000 pounds of anti-scalant, reducing operating costs by more than $100,000 per year at typical 2008 chemical prices.
