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Monday, February 25, 2008

GE hydrating capital of Algeria

Jeff Garwood, who runs General Electric's Water & Process Technologies from its world headquarters in Trevose, flew to over the weekend to join President Abdelazia Bouteflika in opening GE's new $250 million desalinization plant at Al Hamma, near the capital. 
The plant, equipped with massive sand filters, chemically treated membranes, high-pressure pumps, and electric turbines run by recycled brine, is financed by $200 million from the U.S.-backed Overseas Private Investment Co. 
On his way to Philadelphia International Airport on Friday, Garwood said the plant could purify 53 million gallons a day - enough to irrigate two million Algiers homes in the city's crowded suburbs, where water service has been intermittent. 
He said cleaner membranes and better pumps enabled the plant to burn a lot less energy than pioneer models developed in the 1970s by DuPont Co., Wilmington.
Algeria has ordered a string of new plants from several international contractors. GE Hamma is the first to go online. Garwood wants to ring the world's oceans with similar plants - and technology from Trevose.

Posted by Joseph N. DiStefano @ 2:55 PM  Permalink | 2 comments
Comments   
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 8:43 PM, 03/04/2008
    "The plant, equipped with massive sand filters, chemically treated membranes, high-pressure pumps, and electric turbines run by recycled brine, is financed by .... " Fascinating stuff! Using sand to filter water. And the power is generated by "recycled brine"? How does that part work?
    — Sperry
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 1:03 PM, 03/11/2008
    The brine goes thru filters under high pressure. The filtered water flows into the city pipes, while the salt remains in solution that rushes out, still under pressure, with enough force to turn turbines, that generate electricity which helps run the plant, as I understand it.
    — distefj


2 comments
About Joseph N. DiStefano
Joseph N. DiStefano writes this blog to feed his PhillyDeals column in the Philadelphia Inquirer. Joe has been a member of Bloomberg LP’s New York Finance Team, wrote the book “Comcasted,” taught writing at St. Joseph’s University, and studied economics and history at Penn. Reach Joe at 215-854-5194 and JoeD@phillynews.com
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