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Seawater distillation through solar evaporation
Author(s)
Lourens, Christo Le Roux
Date Issued
2007
Type
Thesis
Publisher
Cape Peninsula University of Technology
Abstract
An investigation was performed into a new desalination plant operating on the
principles of distillation through the utilisation of solar energy only. The need for
such a system is due to the high energy requirements of current large scale
desalination systems and that, in the future, more and more desalinated water will be
required to sustain life in certain areas.
A conceptual design of such a plant was completed and it proved its feasibility by
providing an in depth explanation of the principles that govern its operation. A
computer model, in the form of a MathCAD program, was developed to simulating
this process flow. The accuracy of the program was investigated with the help of a
pilot plant. It is shown that such a full scale plant would produce, in the region of
Saldanha Bay, a town on the Western Coast of South Africa, 5000m3 ofpotable water
a day with a solar absorption/evaporation area of 1,87knlrequiring only 1,75kWh per
cubic meter of water produced. Its electrical energy requirements can be provided
using solar panels allowing the plant to remain independent of external electrical
supplies. This electrical energy requirement is less than 33% of the least energy
intensive alternative method, reverse osmosis.
Since the production rate is dependent on the absorption/evaporation area the plant
can be scaled to fit the specific production rate required.
principles of distillation through the utilisation of solar energy only. The need for
such a system is due to the high energy requirements of current large scale
desalination systems and that, in the future, more and more desalinated water will be
required to sustain life in certain areas.
A conceptual design of such a plant was completed and it proved its feasibility by
providing an in depth explanation of the principles that govern its operation. A
computer model, in the form of a MathCAD program, was developed to simulating
this process flow. The accuracy of the program was investigated with the help of a
pilot plant. It is shown that such a full scale plant would produce, in the region of
Saldanha Bay, a town on the Western Coast of South Africa, 5000m3 ofpotable water
a day with a solar absorption/evaporation area of 1,87knlrequiring only 1,75kWh per
cubic meter of water produced. Its electrical energy requirements can be provided
using solar panels allowing the plant to remain independent of external electrical
supplies. This electrical energy requirement is less than 33% of the least energy
intensive alternative method, reverse osmosis.
Since the production rate is dependent on the absorption/evaporation area the plant
can be scaled to fit the specific production rate required.
Additional information
Thesis (MTech (Mechanical Engineering))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Cape Town, 2007
Subjects
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Seawater disillation through solar evaporation.pdf
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