Basic hydrodynamic aspects of a solar energy based desalination process
- ISMES Spa, Bergamo (Italy)
The theoretical feasibility of a solar energy based desalination scheme is analyzed in this study. The proposed scheme exploits the vapor pressure difference between fluids of different salinities and temperatures to produce fresh water from seawater. The scheme`s basic components are a seawater column, an injection pipe heated on top through a heat exchanger loop, a withdrawal pipe, a vacuum chamber filled with vapour, and a fresh water column cooled on top where vapour condenses into fresh water. A mathematical model was developed to simulate unsteady mass, heat and solute transfer during the desalination process. The governing equations were integrated numerically in space and time through a finite difference technique. The numerical simulations considered both steady-state and time dependent heat sources. The numerical results proved the theoretical feasibility of the proposed desalination scheme. However, the presence of an unsteady heat source, typical to solar energy based schemes, may lead to an unstable density profile in the water column and reduce the scheme efficiency if not properly controlled. 16 refs., 8 figs.
- OSTI ID:
- 219670
- Journal Information:
- Solar Energy, Vol. 54, Issue 2; Other Information: PBD: Feb 1995
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Low Temperature Geothermal Resource Assessment for Membrane Distillation Desalination in the United States: Preprint
Fresh Water Generation from Aquifer-Pressured Carbon Storage: Interim Progress Report