SATURDAY, JANURAY 11, 1975.
DESALTER BEING TESTED
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COMMISSIONING TESTS ON THE FIRST UNIT OF THE DESALTER AT LOK ON PAI ARE NOW UNDER WAY AND ARE GOING SATISFACTORILY.
A SPOKESMAN FOR THE WATERWORKS OFFICE SAID TODAY THAT INITIAL TESTS STARTED IN THE MIDDLE OF LAST MONTH. THESE INCLUDED THE +BOILING OUT OF THE BOILER - A SORT OF SEASONING OR CONDITIONING PROCESS. AS EVIDENCE OF IT, AT ONE STAGE A PLUME OF SMOKE WAS VISIBLE AT THE TOP OF ONE OF THE PLANT'S TWO 400-FOOT HIGH CHIMNEYS.
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THE SECOND STAGE OF THE TRIALS, WHICH IS NOW BEING CARRIED CUT. IS THE RIGOROUS TESTING OF EVERY ITEM OF MECHANICAL AND ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT.
NO WATER HAS YET BEEN DESALTED. THIS COMES UNDER THE THIRD STAGE OF THE TESTS, LIKELY TO START IN THE SECOND HALF OF NEXT MONTH, WHEN THE EVAPORATOR ITSELF UNDERGOES TRIAL.
THE SPOKESMAN SAID THAT SO FAR NO MAJOR DIFFICULTIES HAD BEEN ENCOUNTERED DURING THE TESTS AND THE EQUIPMENT WAS IN GOOD WORKING ORDER.
+THERE IS STILL SOME WAY TO GO, OF COURSE, AND IT WOULD BE PREMATURE TO ANTICIPATE THE FINAL RESULTS, BUT WE HAVE OBVIOUSLY GAINED MUCH FROM THE EXPERIMENTAL PLANT WHICH WAS COMMISSIONED AND TESTED IN 1971. WE ARE REAPING THE BENEFITS OF THAT NOW.+
THE FIRST UNIT IS EXPECTED TO BE FULLY OPERATIONAL IN MARCH. IT WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING 6.67 MILLION GALLONS OF FRESH WATER A DAY.
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