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Thermal processes have dominated the installed plant capacity in Saudi Arabia over many years, even as other countries adopting the seawater desalination approach increasingly moved towards reverse osmosis. This, in part, is due to the very high reliability and plant availability that thermal desalination plants enjoy. This characteristic, and the relative abundance of thermal energy sources in Saudi Arabia mean that thermal process are unlikely to be completely replaced by membrane processes. It is thus essential for Saudi Arabia to continue to seek improved efficiencies through synergistic hybrid processes and new process alternatives for specific applications.
Aims
ñ To develop innovative thermal desalination processes serving niche applications.
ñ To seek new process synergies through creative thermal hybrid processes.
ñ Development of software tools for effective process optimization and performance monitoring.
Outcome
Success of this program can be measured by a number of outcomes and indicators, including:
ñ Theoretical development and analysis of a novel thermal process or technology.
ñ Successful bench and/or pilot-scale demonstration of a novel thermal process or technology.
ñ Theoretical analysis and design of hybrid thermal systems possessing synergistic attributes.
ñ Publication of program results in peer-reviewed scientific journals.
Subprogram 3.1: Novel Thermal Processes and Technologies
This subprogram is to concentrate on new emerging ideas for the development of novel thermal processes utilizing the past experience of most faculty members of the thermal engineering and desalination technology department as well as the chemical and material engineering department. It aims to develop innovative thermal desalination processes serving niche applications.
Projects:
· Design, Fabrication and Simulation of a Small Scale Experimental Barometric Desalination Unit
· Experimental measurement of direct contact heat transfer in packed desalination column
· Development of a high temperature freezing desalination unit (proposed)
· Maximizing Heat and Mass Transfer in Desalination Systems Using Fin-Thin Films Bridged Channels (proposed)
Subprogram 3.2: Hybrid Thermal Processes
Projects:
· Development of Hybrid MVC, TVC desalination system
· Development of Hybrid MSF, MVC desalination system
· Development of cost effective hybrid MSF/MED/RO desalination plants
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