1. Shipboard & Island RO Seawater Desalination Technology

Zhejiang Chimey Environmental Technology Co., Ltd. played a key role in the national research project “Development of Key Technologies and Equipment for Shipboard Seawater Desalination.”

Building on in-depth research and benchmarking of global desalination technologies, Chimey has developed advanced shipboard freshwater supply solutions adaptable to diverse seawater conditions worldwide. The project achieved breakthroughs in two-stage desalination and rapid remineralization, and delivered a range of integrated systems capable of producing drinking-grade water.

Shipboard & Island RO Seawater Desalination Freshwater Supply System

■ Two-Stage RO Seawater Desalination for Global Seawater

Global seawater quality varies significantly across different regions and seasons. The performance of reverse osmosis (RO) desalination systems—both in terms of water output and water quality—is directly influenced by factors such as seawater temperature and total dissolved solids (TDS). Designing systems based on fixed temperature and TDS assumptions can result in suboptimal performance, with output and quality failing to meet required standards under varying conditions.

Through extensive research, data collection, and analysis, Chimey has developed a two-stage RO seawater desalination process adapted to global seawater conditions across different regions, seasons, and environmental scenarios. This ensures stable system performance, consistently delivering water that meets both output and quality requirements.

The produced water complies with the national “Water Quality Requirements for Reverse Osmosis Desalinated Water” and the “Standards for Drinking Water Quality” (GB 5749-2022).

■ Desalinated Water Conditioning Technology and CM Granular Mineralization Media

Desalinated water can be unstable and may cause pipeline corrosion, increasing turbidity, color, and the risk of heavy metal release. In addition, RO membranes remove most divalent ions, resulting in low calcium and magnesium levels, which are essential for human health.

To address this, Chimey has developed a CM granular mineralization media made from modified natural minerals. It enables rapid release of calcium and magnesium for efficient water conditioning and remineralization of RO-treated drinking water.

The system is compact, lightweight, reliable, and long-lasting, making it suitable for a wide range of drinking water applications.

■ Shipboard & Island Seawater Desalination Systems

Shipboard & Island Seawater Desalination Systems cover the full process of water production, storage, and distribution. The system integrates RO desalination units, water conditioning systems, disinfection and chlorination units, filtration and purification modules, terminal treatment units, and water quality monitoring equipment.

Chimey offers a complete range of integrated systems with full model coverage to meet diverse capacity requirements. The systems are designed for global seawater conditions (temperature 25–40°C, salinity up to 45,000 mg/L) and are widely applicable to ships, islands, offshore platforms, and marine oil & gas operations.

In addition, the rapid mineralization technology and equipment are also suitable for large-scale desalination plants, offering strong application potential.

2. Product Series

■ CM-CB-FST Reverse Osmosis Seawater Desalination Unit

Designed for ships and island applications, this system is engineered to meet the demanding conditions of offshore and deep-sea operations. Utilizing advanced reverse osmosis (RO) technology, it efficiently converts seawater into drinking-quality fresh water, ensuring a stable and reliable water supply for marine operations.

The unit integrates key components—including a seawater booster pump, filtration system, high-pressure pump, RO membranes, control instrumentation, and electrical control cabinet—all mounted on a single skid base. Its compact, modular design optimizes space utilization, making it ideal for confined shipboard environments while enabling easy installation and maintenance.

The system is capable of treating seawater with salinity up to 40,000 mg/L, and operates reliably under varying conditions (0–35°C, pH 3.0–10.0, and high turbidity nearshore environments). It effectively removes dissolved salts, particulate matter, and organic contaminants (150–200 μm), achieving a desalination rate of ≥99%.

Chimey offers two configurations:

• CM-CB-FST-Z (integrated system for ships & islands)

• CM-CB-FST-1 (single-stage system)

Both configurations meet the national requirements of the “Standards for Drinking Water Quality” (GB 5749-2022), with the integrated system producing directly potable water.

Process Flow Diagram of CM-CB-FST-Z Integrated RO Seawater Desalination System

The system features advanced automated control, enabling one-touch start, flushing, and shutdown for simplified operation. It is equipped with online monitoring instruments for water quality and flow rate, allowing real-time status display both locally and remotely. Reserved signal interfaces support seamless integration with external control systems.

For safety and reliability, the unit includes multiple protection functions, such as high/low pressure protection for the primary high-pressure pump, overpressure protection for product water, excess salinity alarm for secondary-stage output, and motor overload protection. In case of abnormal conditions, the system will automatically shut down and trigger audible and visual alarms, with options for manual acknowledgment and mute.

■ CM-CB-TZXD Water Conditioning Unit

Designed as a dedicated companion to RO seawater desalination systems, this unit performs water conditioning and disinfection of RO permeate. It corrects key parameters such as pH and hardness, improving taste and drinking safety, and works in coordination with the RO system to deliver a fully integrated process from desalination to post-treatment and disinfection.

The unit consists of a pH adjustment module, hardness adjustment module, and disinfection module. Featuring precision control design, it can operate synchronously with the RO system and supports both manual and automatic modes, meeting the needs of shipboard automated operation and maintenance.

Process flow block diagram of CM-CB-TZXD water quality regulating device

The unit utilizes electromagnetic dosing pumps for precise chemical injection, enabling accurate multi-parameter adjustment of desalinated water. After conditioning and disinfection, the treated water meets the national requirements of the “Standards for Drinking Water Quality” (GB 5749-2022), ensuring safe consumption.

It is equipped with multiple safety features, including high/low liquid level alarms, anti-misdosing protection, and flow-based start/stop control, ensuring stable and coordinated operation with the RO desalination system.

With a compact, integrated design, the unit can be installed alongside the RO system without occupying additional cabin space, allowing for easy maintenance and efficient system integration.

■ CM-CB- ZDCL Drinking Water Terminal Treatment Unit

Designed for ships, islands, and offshore mobile platforms, this unit provides advanced filtration and disinfection of stored freshwater in drinking water tanks, ensuring safe and reliable water supply in marine environments.

The system integrates activated carbon filtration, multi-stage precision filters, UV sterilization, an electrical control module, smart display unit, pressure sensors, and associated piping and valves. Featuring a fully integrated, modular design, all components are housed within a single compact skid, minimizing footprint and making it ideal for space-constrained offshore installations.

CM-CB-ZDCL drinking water terminal treatment Unit

The series offers three differentiated treatment configurations to meet varying water quality requirements:

CM-ZDCL-I Drinking Water Terminal Treatment Unit – Process Flow Diagram  

• CM-ZDCL-I Series: 5 μm filtration + 1 μm filtration + UV disinfection

• CM-ZDCL-II Series: 5 μm filtration + 1 μm filtration + UV disinfection + 0.2 μm fine filtration

• CM-ZDCL-III Series: 5 μm filtration + UV disinfection + ultrafiltration

The CM-ZDCL-II and III series are designed for direct drinking water applications.

Key Features

• High Purification Performance

UV sterilization effectively eliminates bacteria, viruses, and algae, while multi-stage filtration progressively removes impurities. The treated water achieves free residual chlorine < 0.1 mg/L and fully complies with GB 5749-2022 Drinking Water Standards and RO desalinated water quality requirements.

 • Intelligent Control System

Real-time display of operating status, inlet/outlet pressure, and UV intensity. Equipped with differential pressure alarms and low UV intensity alerts, with customizable parameters and automatic reminders for filter replacement and maintenance.

 • Easy Operation & Maintenance

Supports manual start/stop, automatic shutdown, and alarm mute functions. Pressure sensors continuously monitor system conditions, providing clear fault alerts and significantly reducing maintenance effort.

 • Reliable & Robust Performance

Maximum water production up to 11.5 m³/day. Designed for marine conditions with stable structure and strong environmental adaptability, ensuring long-term, reliable operation for offshore drinking water treatment.

3. Application Cases

To address the critical need for freshwater supply in deep-sea vessel operations, Chimey deployed the CM-CB-FST-Z-15 RO seawater desalination system, integrated with the CM-CB-TZXD-50 water conditioning unit.

The system delivers a production capacity of 15 m³/day, achieving ≤500 mg/L salinity in first-stage output and ≤150 mg/L in second-stage output, with an overall salt rejection rate ≥95%. After conditioning and disinfection, the produced water meets all drinking water standards and is safe for direct consumption.

Designed to withstand complex marine operating conditions, the system provides a stable and reliable freshwater supply, effectively resolving the challenges of freshwater availability for deep-sea operations.

Shipboard & Island RO Seawater Desalination Unit and Water Conditioning Unit