Energy Recovery PX L180 Pressure Exchanger

The Energy Recovery PX L180 Pressure Exchanger® is a positive-displacement energy recovery device for brackish-water and low-pressure reverse osmosis. A single ceramic rotor transfers pressure energy directly from the high-pressure reject stream to the incoming feed, at up to 94% peak efficiency, handling 100 - 180 gpm (23-41 m3/h) per device. There is no gearbox, no pistons and no lubricating oil — the rotor is the only moving part.

Documentation & Drawings

Technical Specifications

How the PX Pressure Exchanger Works

A ceramic rotor turns inside a sleeve. Each duct is alternately opened to the high-pressure concentrate leaving the membranes and to the low-pressure feed entering the system. The high-pressure stream pushes directly against the feed water inside the duct, transferring its pressure with almost no loss; the duct then rotates, the depressurised stream is flushed to drain, and the cycle repeats. Because the transfer is direct hydraulic displacement rather than a mechanical conversion, efficiency is very high and the only moving part is the rotor.

Watch the PX in Operation

Where the PX-L180 Fits

The PX-L180 is specified on brine (concentrate) flow, not permeate — the pressure exchanger sits on the reject stream. ERI rates it for 100–180 gpm of brine at up to 450 psi, at 94% efficiency.

At the 70–80% recovery typical of brackish water, wastewater and reuse systems, one unit at full flow supports roughly 604,800–1,036,800 GPD of permeate (2,289–3,925 m³/day). That places a single PX-L180 in utility-scale brackish and reuse plants, and industrial minimal-liquid-discharge trains.

PX units are installed in parallel arrays, so larger plants simply use more of them — four PX-L180 units cover about 9,158–15,699 m³/day on the same basis. Below 100 gpm of brine, step down to a smaller model rather than run this one under its minimum.

Capacity figures are indicative, derived from the rated brine flow at typical recovery. Actual output depends on your feed salinity, temperature, membrane configuration and recovery rate — send us your design conditions and we will confirm the model and the number of units.

Frequently Asked Questions

Specifications reproduced from the Energy Recovery technical data sheet for this model. PX® and Pressure Exchanger® are registered trademarks of Energy Recovery, Inc. ERI reserves the right to make specification changes without prior notice; confirm critical values against the current data sheet before purchase.