Optimization of RO desalination systems powered by renewable energies

Abstract

In the initial stage of the project, a meticulous analysis was made on the behaviour of membranes and on the response that offers a reverse osmosis pilot plant, working in a discontinuous regime, with constant stops and successive fluctuations of pressure and volume, as the data of simulation of power coming from renewable energies (availability of wind and/or sun), with no need to acquire the equipment of energy production. The electrical power produced by the placed eolic equipment in a determine geographic zone have been calculated by means of historical data, correlated with the curves of the machines, that gives us the power available in borne, that are those that we provided to the RO plant with an innovative design. The plant includes a speed variator that is in charge of the variation simulation of power provided to the motor of the RO plant. This presents a great flexibility in the operations and variability of functioning ways that allow us to study the behaviour of membranes under extreme conditions of operation. The pilot plant is designed with one membrane tube and a tube with six membranes in spiral that can work collectively and individually. This is controlled by means of a computer science program that governs the starting orders, controls operation, shutdowns and those of emergency, simultaneously stores the technical data of answer, working autonomously and in its initial stage for more than 6000 working hours. We have been able to distinguish the ways of operation obtained with an ample file of data of the operational parameters and that are of direct influence in the life of membranes: pressure, volume, pH, conductivity, concentration of salts, temperature, conversion.