One capability, many envelopes. This is the full menu of seawater DAF pilot plants we engineer and ship — the form factors, the process trains, the coagulation and saturator options, and the capacity ranges. Use the matrices below to find the rig that fits your intake, your campaign and your logistics, then we tailor it to your seawater.
Every pilot we deliver is assembled from the same proven building blocks — a coagulation/flocculation front end, a high-rate DAF cell with its saturator, and optional UF, cartridge and RO stages — packaged into the envelope that suits the site. The point of a configurable platform is that nothing is improvised on your project: each block has been built, tested and run before. Below is the complete decision set.
The same process train fits in five standard envelopes
| Envelope | Footprint | Best for | Throughput fit | Mobilisation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Open Skid | Single transport frame | Indoor / sheltered sites, integration into an existing building | 2–15 m³/hr | Crane / forklift |
| Road Trailer | Towable chassis | Fastest deployment, HAB rapid response, multi-site trials | 2–10 m³/hr | Tow & go |
| 20ft ISO Container | 6.06 × 2.44 m | Long campaigns, hostile climate, secure single train | 2–20 m³/hr | Container logistics |
| 40ft ISO Container | 12.19 × 2.44 m | Full DAF–UF–RO train with lab and control room | 15–50 m³/hr | Container logistics |
| 40ft High-Cube | 12.19 × 2.44 × 2.90 m | Tall DAF cell + mezzanine control/spares, parallel trains | 15–50 m³/hr | Container logistics |
More on the mobile & trailer options → · Containerised pilot envelopes
Build only the DAF, or the whole desalination pre-treatment and RO chain
Coagulation → flocculation → DAF. Proves coagulant dose, float quality and clarified-water turbidity. The core capability.
Adds ultrafiltration to demonstrate SDI₃ and flux stability delivered to RO. The most common SWRO pre-treatment proof.
The complete triple-barrier train through to permeate. The ultimate end-to-end verification.
DAF followed by dual-media gravity/pressure filtration where granular media is the chosen second stage.
Parallel streams — e.g. DAF–UF vs media–UF — on the same seawater for a head-to-head tender study.
Enhanced flotation front end for hydrocarbon-bearing intakes, with oil-skim and emulsion-breaking dosing.
| Train | Stages included | Key proof point | Min. envelope |
|---|---|---|---|
| A · DAF Only | Coag, floc, DAF, saturator | Coagulant dose & float quality | Skid / 20ft |
| B · DAF + UF | A + UF rack, backwash | SDI₃ & UF flux to RO | 20ft / 40ft |
| C · DAF + UF + RO | B + cartridge + RO array | Permeate quality & RO fouling rate | 40ft / HC |
| D · DAF + Media + RO | Coag, floc, DAF, DMF, cartridge, RO | Media vs membrane pre-treatment | 40ft / HC |
| E · Comparison | Two parallel pre-treatment streams | Technology selection on one water | 40ft HC |
| F · Oil-Tolerant | A + oil skim + emulsion dosing | Oil/FOG removal for membranes | 20ft / 40ft |
Ferric chloride (default for seawater), polyaluminium chloride (PACl), with optional coagulant-aid polymer and acid/caustic pH trim. Multiple dosing points let the pilot find the optimum injection strategy.
Packed or unpacked pressurised saturator at 4–6 bar, recycle ratio adjustable 8–15%, with bubble-size verified for saline conditions. Recycle pump and oil-free compressor included.
One or two tapered flocculation stages with VFD paddle mixers for adjustable G-value and retention time — the lever that controls float robustness under a bloom.
All wetted parts SS316, super-duplex or HDPE for chloride service. Optional heating/cooling and ATEX provisions for hydrocarbon-bearing feed.
Pilot scale is about representative hydraulics, not big numbers
| Band | Throughput | Purpose | Typical envelope |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bench-plus | 2–5 m³/hr | Chemistry optimisation, proof of concept, academia | Skid / trailer |
| Standard pilot | 5–15 m³/hr | Representative DAF + UF design data | 20ft / trailer |
| Demonstration | 15–30 m³/hr | Full train, stakeholder/regulator demonstration | 40ft |
| Large demo | 30–50 m³/hr | Pre-commercial demonstration, parallel trains | 40ft HC / multi-container |
Driven by climate, security, campaign length and how the rig reaches the site.
Driven by how far down the chain (DAF → UF → RO) you need verified data.
Coagulant, saturator and flocculation set from your seawater and bloom profile.
Chosen for representative hydraulics and the scale-up basis you need to defend.
Every combination above is something we have built or can build from proven blocks. Send us the seawater data and we will return a specified rig.
Tell us the envelope, the train and the seawater — we will turn the matrices above into a firm specification, P&ID and price.
Our expertise spans multiple industries with sector-specific water treatment solutions.
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Send your influent analysis and our engineers assess your process and recommend a tailored treatment solution — free, confidential and no obligation.
Select the regulatory standard for your country — it sets which parameters we need for a compliance-aware process assessment.
Required parameters for the chosen standard are flagged on the sample form. You can still submit a partial set and we will advise what else to test.
Your sample is stored against your company so we can track the project. Provide a company name or email as a minimum.