Saltworks Invents its Own Competition: The SaltMaker AirBreather

November 2nd, 2018

Today, Saltworks officially launched a new product for shale operators: the SaltMaker AirBreather. After completing two shale pilot projects, the Saltworks team realized there was a more cost effective way to treat shale gas waters. Building on the success of the SaltMaker MultiEffect—Saltworks’ hallmark evaporator crystallizer—the SaltMaker AirBreather was designed with the shale end use in mind: high capacity, low cost, employ low-grade heat, and robust modular operations.

Photo of a SaltMaker AirBreather pilot plant with engineering team
The Saltworks Commissioning Team with their AirBreather pilot plant being readied in our factory.

The team completed over one year of testing while dipping into the SaltMaker MultiEffect parts bin to develop the new SaltMaker AirBreather product. The AirBreather offers operators:

  • A lower cost evaporator crystallizer that can be dispatched in modules and scaled-up to meet any capacity
  • Safe evaporation of water to atmosphere, leaving no freshwater by-product to manage
  • No expensive chemical treatment or volatile organic compound (VOC) air emissions
  • The ability to harness low cost energy to concentrate salty waters
  • Reduce shale gas waters to either a low volume brine suitable for disposal wells or solid salt crystals for re-use or safe landfilling.
  • Optional NORMs management bolt-on if required

Process flow diagram of a SaltMaker Airbreather evaporator
Process flow diagram for the SaltMaker AirBreather

The SaltMaker AirBreather is not just for shale gas applications. It fits where projects seek to treat complex brines unfit for membrane systems. Read more in-depth knowledge on the technology behind the AirBreather.

Executive Vice President Malcolm Man commented, “I am really proud that the design team invented a competitor to the MultiEffect. The AirBreather will beat the MultiEffect where thermal energy costs less than $5/GJ. The MultiEffect wins on higher cost energy or where liquid water recovery is important. Either way, customers now have two product options to choose from.”

Rendered image of a SaltMaker AirBreather evaporator crystallizer
SaltMaker AirBreather

About Saltworks

Saltworks Technologies is a leader in the development and delivery of solutions for industrial wastewater treatment and lithium refining. By working with customers to understand their unique challenges and focusing on continuous innovation, Saltworks’ solutions provide best-in-class performance and reliability. From its headquarters in Richmond, BC, Canada, Saltworks’ team designs, builds, and operates full-scale plants, and offers comprehensive onsite and offsite testing services with its fleet of mobile pilots.

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