Participants:
CIEMAT-PSA (E); Univ. La Laguna (E); Acciona Infraestructuras (E); ACUAMED (E); AO SOL (P); Univ. Stuttgart (DE); Tinep (MEX); National Autonomous Univ. Mexico (MEX); Royal Institute of Technology (S); Scarab AB (S); Iberinsa (E).
Contact:
Julián Blanco, PSA-CIEMAT, julian.blanco@psa.es
Funding:
EC funded project, cost shared: 1,385 k€
Duration:
October 1, 2006 – September 30, 2009
Background:
There is a consistent lack of effective and robust small to medium scale desalination processes. Such technologies are mostly needed for remote areas, typically located in arid or semi-arid zones. Consequently, the development of renewable energy desalination processes must be considered highly desirable. Solar thermal membrane distillation seems to be a promising technological option to fill this gap.
Objectives:
(i) researching the membrane distillation process to enhance it’s efficiency; (ii) develop concepts for effective heat recovery; (iii) system components development, e.g. a solar collector optimized for the target working temperatures (80-100ºC) or non-fouling coating for heat transfer surfaces; (iv) develop complete systems for medium capacities (few m3/day) and another for small scale (several hundred L/day).
Scarab membranes for distillation in the experimental installation built at PSA-CIEMAT (Almería, Spain)
