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Environment - Clean Water Options

Environment - Clean Water Options

Owned by jimm1
Last updated: about 7 hours ago

Key Points


References

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https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/materials-science/seawaterseawater composition
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desalination
https://www.chunkerowaterplant.com/news/water-desalination-cost-per-gallonevaporation and RO costs
https://genesiswatertech.com/blog-post/seawater-ro-operating-costs-analysis/seawater RO costs
https://medium.com/@desalter/desalination-plant-cost-factors-and-benefits-of-producing-clean-water-58786ba3bb99seawater RO costs and benefits - big plants, big costs, high output & discharge
https://medium.com/@desalter/plant-prices-the-costs-of-constructing-a-desalination-facility-2c31f7fcb690seawater RO costs
https://www.aquatechtrade.com/news/desalination/worlds-largest-desalination-plants

Ras Al-Khair is a hybrid project that uses both thermal multistage flash (MSF) and reverse osmosis (RO) technologies.  – uses flash evaporation and RO

creates 1 M cubic meters ( M3 ) per day ...



https://news.mit.edu/2023/desalination-system-could-produce-freshwater-cheaper-0927Small POC water desalination using evaporation stages, circulation ( and solar ? )
https://www.newater.com/desalination-machines/Desalination Machines for residences, boats etc. - NEWater. - China





Key Concepts


Economics of Desalination Options in 2024

https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/materials-science/seawater

An estimate in 2018 found that "18,426 desalination plants are in operation in over 150 countries. They produce 87 million cubic meters of clean water each day and supply over 300 million people."[8]: 24  The energy intensity has improved: It is now about 3 kWh/m3 (in 2018), down by a factor of 10 from 20–30 kWh/m3 in 1970.[8]: 24  Nevertheless, desalination represented about 25% of the energy consumed by the water sector in 2016.[8]: 24 

In 2012, cost averaged $0.75 per cubic meter. By 2022, that had declined (before inflation) to $0.41. Desalinated supplies are growing at a 10%+ compound rate, doubling in abundance every seven years.


Common Methods to Produce Clean Water Sustainably


Wells can produce clean water

only sustainable where the water table is naturally replenished annually ( eg Maine vs Arizona )


Water conservation 

only sustainable where there is adequate rainfall annually collected from roof tops, dew etc


Recycled Wastewater 

sustainable method with supply limited by wasterwater availability and type ( no toxic chemicals etc ) and may have very high treatment costs making it uneconomical


Desalination of Seawater

Works well near seawater sources where transport costs are minimized


RO - Reverse Osmosis Desalination




Evaporation Desalination


Schematic of a multistage flash desalinator
A – steam in     B – seawater in     C – potable water out
D – brine out (waste)     E – condensate out     F – heat exchange    G – condensation collection (desalinated water)
H – brine heater
The pressure vessel acts as a countercurrent heat exchanger. A vacuum pump lowers the pressure in the vessel to facilitate the evaporation of the heated seawater (brine) which enters the vessel from the right side (darker shades indicate lower temperature). The steam condenses on the pipes on top of the vessel in which the fresh sea water moves from the left to the right.



Potential Value Opportunities



Potential Challenges



Candidate Solutions



Step-by-step guide for Example



sample code block

sample code block



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