SOLERAS - Solar-Powered Water Desalination Project at Yanbu: CBI Na-Con, Inc. Engineering Test Facility problem assessment and lessons learned

Technical Report · Wed Apr 01 00:00:00 EST 1987

OSTI ID:7067602

A Solar Energy Water Desalination Engineering Test Facility has been undergoing operation and testing in Yanbu, Saudi Arabia, as part of of the SOLERAS Program. The facility employs a field of point-focus, distributed receiver, solar thermal collectors operating at 388/degree/C (730/degree/F). Thermal energy is collected using a synthetic heat transfer fluid, stored in dual tank molten salt storage, and utilized on demand to generate steam, which provides both mechanical and thermal energy for refrigeration. The refrigeration drives a unique freeze desalination process in which ice is crystallized from concentrated seawater, pumped as a slurry of ice and brine, rinsed of brine in a countercurrent wash column, and melted to produce fresh water. The report presents an executive summary followed by an overview of the facility design and operation. The plant operation, from start-up in December, 1984 through mid-1986, is then briefly summarized. Key problem areas and areas of concern are identified and discussed; in addition to problems encountered, the discussion details problem causes, problem solutions, and in some cases problem avoidance which was accomplished through preventive measures employed during design and/or operation. The problems are grouped into areas corresponding to the facility's main subsystems: energy collection, energy storage, energy delivery, and desalination. 37 refs., 43 figs., 7 tabs.

• Research Organization: Midwest Research Inst., Kansas City, MO (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-83CH10093
• OSTI ID: 7067602
• Report Number(s): MRI/SOL-0415; ON: DE89003216
• Resource Relation: Other Information: Portions of this document are illegible in microfiche products
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
DESALINATION
SOLAR ENERGY
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
AGRICULTURE
COST
DESIGN
ELECTRIC POWER
FREEZING OUT
HEAT EXCHANGERS
HEAT TRANSFER
IRRIGATION
MAINTENANCE
PHOTOVOLTAIC CONVERSION
SAUDI ARABIA
SOLAR COLLECTORS
SOLAR COOLING SYSTEMS
SOLAR HEATING
SOLAR THERMAL CONVERSION
STEAM GENERATORS
TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER
THERMAL ENERGY STORAGE EQUIPMENT
USA
ASIA
BOILERS
CONVERSION
DEMINERALIZATION
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION
ENERGY
ENERGY CONVERSION
ENERGY SOURCES
ENERGY TRANSFER
EQUIPMENT
HEATING
INDUSTRY
NORTH AMERICA
POWER
RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SOLAR ENERGY CONVERSION
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
VAPOR GENERATORS
140900* - Solar Thermal Utilization
141000 - Solar Collectors & Concentrators
142000 - Solar Energy- Heat Storage- (1980-)
140501 - Solar Energy Conversion- Photovoltaic Conversion