Dead Sea: a scheme for a solar lake

Journal Article · Thu Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1976 · Sol. Energy; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/0038-092X(76)90056-6· OSTI ID:7338366

Assaf, G

A theoretical scheme for modifying a salt basin into a solar lake is examined with respect to the Dead Sea. The mixing is reduced by a net of floating wind breaks. The discharge from the salt evaporation ponds of the Dead Sea chemical plants is used as a force for ascending dense water at a rate of 0.7 m yr/sup -1/. This keeps the halocline against the residual mixing. In order to maximize the efficiency of the deep water formation in the salt evaporation ponds and to minimize the requirements of the wind breaks, the surface salinity of the solar lake is calculated to be 15 percent, where the deep water will be kept at its present salinity, i.e. 26 percent. The rate in which mixing converts kinetic to potential energy over the Dead Sea is estimated to be 2 x 10/sup -4/ W m/sup -2/. For the operation of the solar lake the wind breaks are required to reduce it by one order. For a temperature of 80/sup 0/C the optimum depth of the halocline is 1.3 to 1.5 m and the theoretical recovery rate of energy is estimated to be 50 to 70 W of heat and 9 to 12 W m/sup -2/ for a Carnot engine, depending on the extinction coefficient.

• Research Organization: Wiezmann Inst. of Science, Rehovot, Israel
• OSTI ID: 7338366
• Journal Information: Sol. Energy; (United States), Journal Name: Sol. Energy; (United States) Vol. 18:4; ISSN SRENA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
141000* -- Solar Collectors & Concentrators
BRINES
LAKES
MIXING
PONDS
SALINITY
SOLAR COLLECTORS
SOLAR PONDS
SURFACE WATERS
TEMPERATURE GRADIENTS