Re:Simple, solar-powered water desalination
by baybal2 on Friday February 07, 2020 @08:28PM
(#22273046)
Not so fast.
From the panel to the outlet, you only get out from 10 to 15% of input solar power, while thermal desal can use nearly all of it right away, and it leaves more concentrated brine. Multiple effect desal will probably move the efficiency up a bit. It's nowhere near clear cut.
Also if you have low potential reject heat from power plants, it's idea for desal use.
If you have nuclear as your heat source, then economy-wise thermal desal will beat electric many times over.
I recently read about thermochemical, and electrochmical desalination methods which can be added atop a thermal plant, further increasing thermal desalination efficiency.
From the panel to the outlet, you only get out from 10 to 15% of input solar power, while thermal desal can use nearly all of it right away, and it leaves more concentrated brine. Multiple effect desal will probably move the efficiency up a bit. It's nowhere near clear cut.
Also if you have low potential reject heat from power plants, it's idea for desal use.
If you have nuclear as your heat source, then economy-wise thermal desal will beat electric many times over.
I recently read about thermochemical, and electrochmical desalination methods which can be added atop a thermal plant, further increasing thermal desalination efficiency.