Solar Energy Desalination Technology

Hongfei Zheng

• Publisher: Elsevier
• Year: 2017
• ISBN:
  9780128094228
• Topic: Naturwissenschaften
• Subtopic: Umweltwissenschaft

Solar Energy Desalination Technology explains how to obtain clean water from sea water using solar energy. Special methods and types used in solar desalination are introduced, providing new thoughts, concepts, and feasible solutions in the desalination field, along with the thermal and economic efficiency relating to current technology.

Many places in the world are suffering from fresh water shortage. However, those places are often rich with solar resources, sea water, and/or brackish water resources that could dramatically benefit from solar energy as a viable solution for the production of fresh water.

• Explains the principles of solar thermal energy usage to produce clean water from sea water
• Introduces and explains new kinds of solar desalination systems, including their technical level and working principle
• Provides fundamental knowledge on water treatment and solar collection

Chapter 1

General Problems in Seawater Desalination

Abstract

General seawater desalination methods are classified and summarized in this chapter. The properties of seawater and the basic principles of various seawater desalination methods are introduced. Under this foundation, the historical evolution of the solar energy seawater desalination is reviewed. Different solar energy seawater desalination methods are presented respectively. Facing problems and development direction of solar desalination are given out.

Keywords

Classification and development; Seawater; Seawater desalination; Solar desalination; Solar energy

Chapter Outline

1.1 Fresh Water Resource Shortage and Its Solutions

1.2 Composition and Properties of Seawater

1.3 Summary of General Seawater Desalination Methods

1.3.1 Distillation

1.3.1.1 Vertical Tube Distillation

1.3.1.2 Vapor Compression Distillation

1.3.1.3 Multistage Flash Distillation

1.3.1.4 Solar Distillation

1.3.2 Freezing Method

1.3.2.1 Vacuum Freeze-Vapor Compression Method

1.3.2.2 Vacuum Freeze-Vapor Absorption Method

1.3.2.3 Direct Refrigerant Freezing Process

1.3.3 Electrodialysis

1.3.4 Reverse Osmosis

1.3.5 Solvent Extraction

1.3.6 Hydrate Method

1.3.7 Ion-Exchange Method

1.3.8 Absorption Method

1.3.9 Air Humidification and Dehumidification Method

1.3.10 Membrane Distillation

1.3.11 Forward Osmosis

1.4 The Historical Evolution of the Solar Energy Seawater Desalination

1.5 The Classification and Development of Solar Desalination Technology

1.5.1 The Classification of Solar Energy Seawater Devices

1.5.2 Thermal Method Solar Energy Seawater Desalination Technology

1.5.2.1 Passive Solar Distillation System

1.5.2.2 Active Solar Distillation System

1.5.3 Membrane Method Solar Energy Seawater Desalination Technology

1.5.4 Combination of Thermal and Membrane Method

1.5.5 Solar System Combined With Traditional Desalination Device

1.5.6 Solar Energy Power-Desalting Cogeneration Technology

1.5.7 The Main Solar Desalination Systems Operating in the World

1.6 Facing Problems and Development Direction of Solar Desalination

1.6.1 Facing Problems of Conventional Solar Distillation Technology

1.6.2 Development Direction of Solar Desalination

References

Water is available in abundant quantities in nature. However, there is a shortage of potable water in many countries in the world. Desalination seems to be the most suitable solution. However, traditional desalination technology needs a large amount of traditional energy. Even if we can pay for the energy, the pollution due to burning the fossil fuels requires us to act with caution. Fortunately, water shortage is an area that often has rich solar energy resources. For example, the Arab Gulf region and Latin America are suffering a severe shortage of fresh water but have rich solar energy resources. Recently, solar desalination is gradually emerging as a successful renewable energy source for producing fresh water.

In fact, China is also a fresh water shortage country. China's per capita water resource is less than 2400 m³, which is roughly a quarter of the world's average. With 40% of the population and more than 60% of the gross national product (GNP), the coastal areas constitute only 13% of the country's territory. Due to the high-density population, the per capita water resource of the coastal cities is less than 500 m³, and even below 200 m³ in some areas. Water shortage is hindering the economic development of these regions. Therefore making the most of the coastal advantages and taking the road of desalination is an important way to solve the water shortage problem for the coastal cities, and applying the desalination technology to develop a supplemental water supply has been commonly used all over the world.

1.1. Fresh Water Resource Shortage and Its Solutions

Fresh water is one of the basic substances on which the human society relies for survival and development. Sixty percent of the human body is liquid, which is primarily water. Water is so vital to human health that the loss of 10% of the body's water may seriously impair the physiological function, and 20% water loss will lead to instant death. Water is the source of life. It is indispensable to the social e...