Giving the RP Tronic valve a makeover after two decades, even with minimal technical alterations, underscores the profound impact and foresight this valve brought to the realm of desalination.
“RP Tronic represented the watershed between manual and automatic watermakers,” explains Gianni Zucco, Co-Founder of HP Watermakers. “Its introduction made it possible to automate the regulation of seawater pressure on osmotic membranes. In practical terms, the high-pressure pump (which sends seawater to the membranes and to the RP TRONIC valve downstream) ensures that the pressure is kept constant at 60 bar; if this does not happen, fresh water production is affected. The ordinary needle valve has an innovative element, RP Tronic (an HP Watermakers patented system), which allows automatic adjustment, whereas manual valves require a person to go down to the engine room to make the necessary adjustments every time there is a change in seawater conditions (i.e. salinity and temperature). And, as you can easily imagine, as you navigate, these parameters change all the time.”
Maintaining the optimal pressure of 60 bar on reverse osmosis membranes is crucial but challenging. A manual valve requires constant monitoring, especially at sea. Salinity increases can lead to reduced production and rising pressure, causing system shutdown. Conversely, temperature spikes can result in decreased pressure and productivity. RP Tronic, however, automatically maintains a constant 60-bar pressure, recognizing and adjusting to temperature and salinity changes.
HP Watermakers stands out as the sole watermaker manufacturer with a patented automatic system—the RP Tronic valve—for continuous pressure regulation. Despite its 20 years of exceptional service, many yachts still rely on manually regulated valves. Beyond convenience, RP Tronic significantly improves production efficiency and reduces maintenance.
Automatic flushing, a standard feature on HP watermakers, opens the RP Tronic valve fully, draining saltwater from the system and membranes. Proper rinsing prevents salt crystallization, eliminating the need for chemical flushing common with manual valves. The comprehensive rinsing also safeguards metal components from corrosion. During startup, RP Tronic gradually adjusts pressure over a 2-minute ramp-up cycle, optimizing parameters for peak performance.
HP Watermakers goes further in ensuring durability with the Automatic Membrane Conservation System (AMCS). During shutdown and washing cycles, AMCS injects Sodium Metabisulphite onto the membranes, preventing bacterial growth and mucilage formation. With these innovations, membrane service life can extend up to 10 years, reflecting HP Watermakers’ commitment to long-term efficiency.
Restyling and total interface
“We carried out a slight restyling that, after 20 years of honourable service, hardly seems inappropriate,” explains Gianni Zucco. “We actually just decided to colour RP Tronic blue, which is our corporate colour, so that it would be more easily identifiable on the machine and also highlight our name and brand. In recent years we have perhaps not sufficiently promoted the enormous competitive advantage that this solution guarantees: it is therefore time to make the entire nautical world aware of what a genuine revolution this valve is!”
But that’s not the end of the story. Thanks to RP Tronic, the watermaker boasts compatibility with all on-board plotters available in the market—a unique feature exclusive to HP Watermakers. This functionality, introduced as early as 2019, enables complete control of the watermaker’s operation directly from the dashboard. Notably, no other watermaker brand worldwide offers direct interfacing with Multi-Function Displays (MFDs). The interface extends to the Sea0Spot system, a device that seamlessly integrates watermaker functions with Marina Water Treatment (MWT), crucial for softening marina-supplied water, especially in the summer when it tends to be brackish.
Ready for BOOT in Düsseldorf
Catch a glimpse of the redesigned RP Tronic valve and other groundbreaking innovations from HP Watermakers at the upcoming BOOT in Düsseldorf. Visit us at stand 10C60 as part of “Together We Boat!”—HP Watermakers’ collaborative showcase with Mase, GenSet, and the newest addition, Besenzoni.