SOLERAS - Solar-Powered Water Desalination Project at Yanbu: Indirect freeze desalination system performance

Technical Report · Fri May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1987

OSTI ID:6653692

Zimmerman, J C; Al-Abbadi, N

The desalination subsystem of the solar-powered desalination pilot project located at Yanbu, Saudi Arabia, was operated successfully for two years. Water production rates of 180 m/sup 3//day can be obtained for a period of 24 hours. In addition, once the proper procedures are followed, water production can continue for long periods of time at rates of 135 m/sup 3//day. Electrical energy costs to produce one m/sup 3/ of potable water is SR 1.66 in Saudi Arabia and $1.66 to $2.21 in the United States. As with any new process, a number of important details must be learned to obtain the most out of the system. Some of these details are: (1) product water production rate and efficiency are maximized for this system at 10% salinity and ..delta..Ts greater than 3/degree/C, (2) the anhydrous ammonia must be kept clean, (3) the ice in the freezer tubes must be melted without decreasing the salinity of the mixture in the slurry separator, (4) the salinity of the mixture going through each of the freezer tubes must be the same, and (5) the salinity of the slurry must be less than 11%. The authors believe that a subsequent design of an indirect-contact freeze desalination sub-system can be successful. Maintenance of the desalination subsystem has been nominal with only about 6/1/2/ person days required per month. Proper operating procedures and some redesign of the desalination subsystem should minimize the required maintenance. 4 refs., 7 figs., 4 tabs.

• Research Organization: Midwest Research Inst., Kansas City, MO (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-83CH10093
• OSTI ID: 6653692
• Report Number(s): MRI/SOL-0417; ON: DE89003224
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

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