Technology
The science behind ROCHEM® water treatment and sewage systems — proven, robust technology designed for the most demanding maritime environments.
ROCHEM® Reverse Osmosis Desalination
ROCHEM® freshwater systems use reverse osmosis to separate pure drinking water from seawater. Pressurised seawater is passed over specially designed membrane surfaces, producing high-quality potable water without the need for chemical treatment.
The process begins with mechanical pre-filtration through backwashable multilayer sand filters containing proprietary Rocholith filtration particles. Feedwater is then pressure-fed through ROCHEM® TS-Module membrane elements, where approximately 33% permeates as pure drinking water while the remaining concentrated brine is discharged.
What makes ROCHEM® TS-Modules different
Open, straight-line flow channel design — drastically reduces fouling and scaling compared to conventional spiral wound modules
No chemical pre-treatment of feed water required
Typical membrane life of 5 years (35,000 hours)
Fully automatic flow and pressure regulation
Automatic "Stop & Rinse" mode prevents fouling during shutdown periods of up to 2 weeks
Failsafe system protects against damaging conditions and operator error
ROCHEM® Membrane Bioreactor (MBR)
ROCHEM® sewage treatment systems combine an activated sludge biological process with advanced ultrafiltration membrane separation. Black and grey wastewater is pre-filtered to remove fibres and particles, then enters an oxygen-rich bioreactor vessel containing ROCHEM® FS-Module ultrafiltration elements.
Pressurised cross-flow over the membrane surfaces separates suspended solids and bacteria from clean water at high flux rates. Contaminants are aerobically degraded to bio-waste through oxygen diffusion. The result is 94–97% clean water recovery that meets MARPOL/IMO discharge standards.
Key advantages
Scalable from 20 to 4,000+ persons by adjusting the number of bioreactors and membrane modules
No chemicals needed for operation
Treated water compliant with MEPC.227(64) for overboard discharge or reuse as technical water
Compact footprint suited to vessel installation
Design & Construction Standards
All ROCHEM® systems are manufactured in Germany and the UK and designed to meet the highest international and naval standards.
International Standards
DIN (German Industrial Standard), VDE (Association of German Electricians), VDMA (Organisation of German Mechanical Engineers), IEC (International Electric Standards), ISO (International Standards Organisation)
Naval Standards
NATO STANAG BV 043 (shock resistance), BV 044 (vibration resistance), BV 0120 (electromagnetic compatibility), plus BV 3000, BV 3100, BV 3300, and BV 3400 series for electrical plant design, switch cabinets, and cabling.
Classification Society Approvals
Germanischer Lloyd, Lloyds Register of Shipping, American Bureau of Shipping, Det Norske Veritas, Bureau Veritas, RINA
Quality Management
RTS Germany manufacturing facility — Certificate No: 340-QMS-13-00
RTS UK manufacturing facility — Certificate No: AJAEU/19/15655