Effectiveness of desalination powered by a tracking solar array to treat saline bore water

A solar powered desalination unit was tested between October 2008 and February 2010 in the Brisbane Botanic Gardens, Mt. Coot-tha, Queensland, Australia to provide garden irrigation during drought conditions. Water was extracted from a saline bore, and the salt was removed with a 30 kL/d brackish bore water desalination unit. The driving force was provided by a bore pump driven by a 1.44 kW tracking solar array. This study demonstrated that solar powered desalination of saline bore water delivered fresh water to the rated flow rate of the RO membrane rack during periods of sunshine. During periods of overcast or rainy weather, the performance of desalination decreased. Consumption of permeate for flushing further reduced overall recovery rate during rainy weather. Solar desalination performance was inversely related to the El Nino Southern Oscillation Index (polynomial fitting R² > 0.4). Analysis of performance in relation to satellite-derived daily horizontal solar radiation shows stronger correlation with permeate production. Wet seasons tended to hinder performance. Performance in terms of specific energy consumption is related to salinity. Other factors that contributed to the present finding of low specific energy consumption included tracking solar arrays, avoidance of batteries, and utilization of bore pump pressure to drive RO.

[1]  E. Delyannis,et al.  Desalination by using alternative energy: Review and state-of-the-art , 2007 .

[2]  Salim Kehal.  Retrospective et perspective du dessalement en Algérie , 2001 .

[3]  Nagamany Nirmalakhandan,et al.  Renewable and sustainable approaches for desalination , 2010 .

[4]  E. Hrayshat.  Brackish water desalination by a stand alone reverse osmosis desalination unit powered by photovoltaic solar energy , 2008 .

[5]  Hisham Ettouney,et al.  Solar desalination for the 21st century : a review of modern technologies and researches on desalination coupled to renewable energies , 2007 .

[6]  Andrea Ghermandi,et al.  Solar-driven desalination with reverse osmosis: the state of the art , 2009 .

[7]  E. Delyannis,et al.  Historic background of desalination and renewable energies , 2003 .

[8]  Lawrence L. Kazmerski,et al.  Technical and economic assessment of photovoltaic-driven desalination systems , 2010 .

[9]  Catherine Charcosset,et al.  A review of membrane processes and renewable energies for desalination , 2009 .

[10]  S. M. Hasnain,et al.  Coupling of PV-powered RO brackish water desalination plant with solar stills , 1998 .

[11]  Dirk Herold,et al.  A small PV-driven reverse osmosis desalination plant on the island of Gran Canaria , 2001 .

[12]  David Loureiro,et al.  Small reverse osmosis units using PV systems for water purification in rural places , 2001 .

[13]  E.-E Delyannis,et al.  Status of solar assisted desalination: A review , 1987 .

[14]  David Infield,et al.  Laboratory demonstration of a photovoltaic-powered seawater reverse-osmosis system without batteries , 2005 .

[15]  L. García-Rodríguez.  Renewable energy applications in desalination: state of the art , 2003 .

[16]  Mark A. Cane,et al.  The evolution of El Nino, past and future , 2005 .

[17]  Michael B. Ward,et al.  Prices Versus Rationing: Marshallian Surplus and Mandatory Water Restrictions , 2008 .

[18]  Fawzi Banat,et al.  Performance of reverse osmosis pilot plant powered by Photovoltaic in Jordan , 2011 .

[19]  John Boland,et al.  Modelling of diffuse solar fraction with multiple predictors , 2010 .

[20]  Zaher Al Suleimani,et al.  Desalination by solar-powered reverse osmosis in a remote area of the Sultanate of Oman , 2000 .

[21]  A. J. Troup,et al.  The ‘southern oscillation’ , 1965 .

[22]  S. M. Hasnain,et al.  Coupling of PV-powered R.O. brackish water desalination plant with solar stills , 1998 .

[23]  Tinu Abraham,et al.  Socio-economic & technical assessment of photovoltaic powered membrane desalination processes for India , 2011 .