Scholarly record

PROJECT OF WATER DESALINATION AND SEPARATION PROCESS USING SUSTAINABLE ENERGY SOURCE.

Oskar Dunaszewski

Abstract

Global water use keeps rising and by 2050 may be about 30% higher than today. Growing pressure on freshwater resources and the high energy demand of conventional desalination encourage the search for alternatives. One option is freeze desalination, in which salt is separated as ice forms. This method requires far less energy than traditional techniques, and operating at low temperatures limits corrosion while allowing treatment of highly saline solutions. The technology is still under development because salt-rejection mechanisms and optimal operating conditions are not fully understood, and additional purification steps are needed to obtain potable level. In this study, freezeingdesalination was combined with LNG regasification, a process that releases large amounts of cold energy. Reusing this energy makes it possible to freeze brines with minimal extra power input. The system was modeled on an Open Rack Vaporizer regasification system and consisted of two concentric cylinders: the outer acted as the brine chamber and the inner as the cooling channel. The brine was cooled until ice formed, and temperature profiles were recorded. The experiment confirmed that ice production and partial desalination are feasible at laboratory scale. It also revealed process-related challenges. The research follows the broader trend of reusing waste energy and may eventually support both the energy transition and improved water security.

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